Plant for chemical treatment of a surface of a metal strip

Abstract

A plant is provided for chemical treatment of a surface of a material strip, particularly for pickling and/or rinsing the material strips, such as metal strips. At least one treatment stage includes guide rollers and squeezing rollers for the metal strip. The metal strip is run out of the chemical treatment plant (e.g., pickling plant) as close to the central position as possible so that a subsequent steering roller may operate without substantial difficulty. At least two rollers or two roller pairs, with one roller above and one roller below the metal strip, run in adjustable bearings on at least one side of the longitudinal axis of the plant. The adjustable bearings are synchronized with and parallel with the running direction of the metal strip. The adjustable roller assembly follows at least one treatment stage.

1 . An assembly for chemical treatment of the surface of a material, particularly for pickling and/or rinsing metal strips, comprising: 
 at least two rollers, a first roller being positioned above and a second roller being positioned below the material being passed therethrough; and    adjustable bearings on at least one side of the material in relation to a longitudinal axis of the metal strip, each said bearing receiving a pair of said at least two rollers;    wherein said at least two rollers and said adjustable bearings are positioned after at least one treatment stage of the plant.    
     
     
         2 . An assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein 
 said adjustable bearings are mounted on a bracket adjustable in the longitudinal direction of the metal strip.    
     
     
         3 . An assembly according to  claim 2 , wherein 
 a drive controls longitudinal movement of said bracket.    
     
     
         4 . An assembly according to  claim 3 , wherein 
 said drive is a pneumatically or hydraulically actuated cylinder.    
     
     
         5 . An assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein 
 said adjustable bearings are mounted on each side of the longitudinal axis of the metal strip.    
     
     
         6 . An assembly according to  claim 3 , wherein 
 said drive is controllable by a sensor located downstream of said at least two rollers.    
     
     
         7 . An assembly according to  claim 6 , wherein 
 said sensor measures a deviation of the material from a central longitudinal axis of a desired path of the metal strip.    
     
     
         8 . An adjustable roller assembly for a chemical treatment plant for treating a surface of a material, comprising: 
 at least one pair of rollers, a first roller of each said pair being positioned above and a second roller of each said pair being positioned below the material being passed through said roller assembly;    at least one bearing on a first side of the material in relation to a longitudinal axis of the plant, each said bearing receiving one pair of said at least one pair of rollers; and    a bracket moveable parallel to the longitudinal axis of the plant, each said bearing being attached to said bracket, said bracket being movable to maintain the material on a predetermined path.    
     
     
         9 . An assembly according to  claim 8 , wherein 
 a drive controls movement of said bracket.    
     
     
         10 . An assembly according to  claim 9 , wherein 
 said drive is a pneumatically or hydraulically actuated cylinder.    
     
     
         11 . An assembly according to one of claims  8 , wherein 
 said at least one bearings are mounted on each side of the longitudinal axis of the plant on said bracket.    
     
     
         12 . An assembly according to  claim 8 , wherein 
 said drive is controllable by a sensor located downstream of said adjustable roller assembly.    
     
     
         13 . An assembly according to  claim 12 , wherein 
 said sensor measures a deviation of the material from a central longitudinal axis of the predetermined path of the material.    
     
     
         14 . An adjustable roller assembly for a chemical treatment plant for treating a surface of a material, comprising: 
 at least two pairs of rollers, a first roller of each said pair being positioned above and a second roller of each said pair being positioned below the material being passed through said roller assembly;    at least two bearings on a first side of the material in relation to a longitudinal axis of the plant, each said bearing receiving one pair of said at least one pair of rollers;    a first bracket moveable parallel to the longitudinal axis of the plant, each of said at least two bearings being attached to said first bracket; and    a first drive to control movement of said first bracket to adjust said roller assembly to maintain the material on a predetermined path    
     
     
         15 . An assembly according to  claim 14 , wherein 
 said first drive is a pneumatically or hydraulically actuated cylinder.    
     
     
         16 . An assembly according to one of claims  14 , wherein 
 said at least two bearings are mounted on a first side of the longitudinal axis of the predetermined material path on said first bracket and corresponding bearings are mounted on a second side of the longitudinal axis of the predetermined material path on a second bracket.    
     
     
         17 . An assembly according to  claim 16 , wherein 
 said second bracket is moveable parallel to the longitudinal axis of the predetermined material path, each of said at least two corresponding bearings being attached to said second bracket.    
     
     
         18 . An assembly according to  claim 17 , wherein 
 a second drive controls movement of said second bracket to adjust said roller assembly.    
     
     
         19 . An assembly according to  claim 18 , wherein 
 said first and second drives are controllable by a sensor located downstream of said adjustable roller assembly.    
     
     
         20 . An assembly according to  claim 19 , wherein 
 said sensor measures a deviation of the material from a central longitudinal axis of the predetermined material path.    
     
     
         21 . An assembly according to  claim 18 , wherein 
 said second drive is a pneumatically or hydraulically actuated cylinder.