Car and method for transporting a drive spindle for a roller of a roll stand

Abstract

The invention relates to a car ( 100 ) for transporting at least one drive spindle for a roller of a roll stand ( 300 ) and to a method for operating the car. The car comprises a running unit ( 105 ) for displacing the car from the operating side of the roll stand, through the roll stand, to the drive side, or vice versa, and the car is built flat enough that it fits under the drive spindles. The car according to the invention is an alternative to the prior art. Said car is designed as a lift car having a first carrier device ( 110 ) and a first drive unit ( 120 ), wherein the first drive unit ( 120 ) serves for raising or lowering the first carrier device ( 110 ), optionally having the drive spindle ( 200 ), relative to a neutral position.

1 - 12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . A car for transporting at least one drive spindle for a roll of a roll stand, comprising: a running unit, the car being sufficiently flat so as to be movable under a drive spindle by the running unit, wherein the car is a lift car; a first carrier; and a first drive unit operatively arranged to raise the first carrier under the drive spindle and to lower the first carrier relative to a neutral position. 
     
     
         14 . The car in accordance with  claim 13 , and further comprising a second carrier integrated in the first carrier and lowerable relative to the neutral position together with the first carrier. 
     
     
         15 . The car in accordance with  claim 14 , wherein the second carrier has a second drive unit for raising or lowering the second carrier relative to the first carrier. 
     
     
         16 . The car in accordance with  claim 15 , and further comprising a lifting device that mechanically couples the first and/or second drive unit with the first or second carrier. 
     
     
         17 . The car in accordance with  claim 13 , wherein the running unit has running wheels or skids for moving the car on rails laid on a floor of a mill hall in which the roll stand is located. 
     
     
         18 . The car in accordance with  claim 13 , further comprising a third drive unit for independent movement of the car. 
     
     
         19 . A method for operating a car according to  claim 13 , the method comprising the steps of:
 moving the car under a drive spindle of a roll stand;   lifting a first and/or a second carrier of the car under the drive spindle;   picking up the drive spindle;   lowering the first and/or the second carrier with the drive spindle, if necessary; and   moving the car away with the drive spindle.   
     
     
         20 . The method in accordance with  claim 19 , including moving the car under the drive spindle through the roll stand from an operating side to a drive side, and moving the car away in a reverse direction. 
     
     
         21 . The method in accordance with  claim 20 , including moving the car, with the first and possibly second carrier in the neutral or raised position, into the roll stand, from which the work rolls have been removed;
 lowering the first and possibly second carrier below the neutral position and below a head of the drive spindle before the head of the drive spindle is reached;   moving the car with the lowered first and possibly second carrier under the head of the drive spindle;   after passing the head, raising the first and/or second carrier under the drive spindle as far as necessary in order to pick up the drive spindle along with the head; and   moving away the car, together with the drive spindle, but during this step, the first and second carriers are not lowered below the neutral position.   
     
     
         22 . The method in accordance with  claim 19 , including carrying out movement of the car below the drive spindle and subsequent movement away of the car with the drive spindle transversely to a longitudinal axis of the drive spindle in an installed state of the drive spindle. 
     
     
         23 . The method in accordance with  claim 19 , including carrying out movement of the car below the drive spindle through the roll stand, and carrying out subsequent movement away of the car with the drive spindle transversely to a longitudinal axis of the drive spindle in an installed state of the drive spindle. 
     
     
         24 . The method in accordance with  claim 19 , including locking the first and/or second carrier with the car at least in the neutral position. 
     
     
         25 . The method in accordance with  claim 24 , including locking the first and/or second carrier with the car in the lowered position and/or the raised position as well.