Laying apparatus for winding rings of rolled rod

Abstract

A laying apparatus for forming rings of a rod-shaped rolled strand has at least part of the cantilevered portion of the lying apparatus cantilevered from the main bearing composed of a material lighter than steel to reduce gravitational sag and increase the resonant frequency, thereby increasing the speed of the strand.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A laying apparatus for forming rings of a rod-shaped rolled strand, comprising: 
 a hollow shaft through which a rod-shaped rolled strand is fed;    a laying-tube holder connected to said hollow shaft for rotation therewith, said laying-tube holder being composed at least in part of a material having a lower density than the density of steel;    a laying tube on said holder receiving said rod-shaped rolled strand from said hollow shaft and, upon rotation of said hollow shaft, said laying-tube holder and said laying tube about an axis of said hollow shaft, depositing said rod-shaped rolled strand in rings, said laying tube having an inlet end aligned with said axis of said hollow shaft and an outlet end spaced radially from said axis;    a main bearing rotatably supporting said hollow shaft at a location proximal to said laying-tube holder; and    an auxiliary bearing rotatably supporting said hollow shaft at a location remote from said laying-tube holder and axially spaced from said main bearing, said laying-tube holder extending from said main bearing away from said auxiliary bearing and being cantilevered from said main bearing.    
     
     
         2 . The laying apparatus defined in    claim 1    wherein the laying tube holder is composed at least partly of a light metal selected from the group which consists of aluminum and magnesium or of a fiber reinforced synthetic resin.  
     
     
         3 . The laying apparatus defined in    claim 2    wherein said laying tube holder comprises a connecting piece for rotatable connection of the laying tube holder with said hollow shaft and an intermediate piece, a support structure on said intermediate piece carrying said laying tube and at least part of said support structure is composed of a material having a density less than that of steel.  
     
     
         4 . The laying apparatus defined in    claim 3    wherein said intermediate piece is composed of a material having a density less than that of steel.  
     
     
         5 . The laying apparatus defined in    claim 4    wherein said laying tube has a density less than that of steel.  
     
     
         6 . The laying apparatus defined in    claim 5    wherein said laying tube has an outer portion composed of a light metal selected from the group consisting of aluminum and magnesium and internally lined with a ceramic.  
     
     
         7 . The laying apparatus defined in    claim 4    wherein said laying tube has a guide formation formed of a material with a lower density than that of steel.  
     
     
         8 . The laying apparatus defined in    claim 4    wherein said guide formation is composed of light metal and ceramic.