Drive roller changing system for drivers of a rolling mill system

Abstract

A device and a method for changing drive rollers of drivers of a rolling mill system. There are a driver station ( 23 ) and/or a reel station ( 24 ) of the hot-rolling mill system, at least one driver roller storage station ( 27 ) and at least one driver roller conditioning station ( 28 ), viewed from the hot-rolling mill stations in the direction of the reel station on the extension of the longitudinal axis of the hot-rolling mill system. At least one manipulator ( 29 ) is displaceable at least between the driver station and the driver roller conditioning station and the driver roller storage station, and optionally also the hot-rolling station to remove, transfer and install drive rollers at each station.

1 . A hot-rolling mill plant, comprising, devices arranged following one another in a sequence along a longitudinal axis of the hot-rolling mill plant, and including:
 a plurality of hot-rolling stations;   at least one driving station;   at least one coiling station; and   beyond the coiling station, when viewed from the hot-rolling stations in the direction of the coiling station, in an extension of the longitudinal axis of the hot-rolling mill plant,   a driving roller changing system comprising:   at least one driving roller storing station and at least one driving roller preparing station; and   at least one manipulator, which is configured and supported to move at least between the driving station and the driving roller preparing station and the driving roller storing station, optionally also the hot rolling stations and the at least one manipulator is configured for at least one of inserting and removing driving rollers from or into selected ones of the stations.   
     
     
         2 . The hot-rolling mill plant as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the manipulator comprises a crane, and craneways configured for the crane to run on the craneways, the craneways extending at least above and/or alongside the driving station, the coiling station, the driving roller preparing station and the driving roller changing station, optionally also over the hot rolling stations. 
     
     
         3 . The hot-rolling mill plant as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a device attached to the manipulator for surface inspection and/or for polishing of the driving rollers and/or the supporting driving rollers. 
     
     
         4 . The hot-rolling mill plant as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a device for surface inspection of the driving rollers and/or a device configured for supporting driving rollers, and/or a device for polishing the driving rollers and/or a device configured for supporting driving rollers and that can be moved between the driving station and the driving roller preparing station and the driving roller storing station. 
     
     
         5 . A method for changing driving rollers and/or supporting driving rollers in a hot-rolling mill plant, comprising the steps of:
 a) releasing fixed driving rollers and/or the supporting driving rollers to be exchanged from a first driving station containing the rollers, the releasing comprising opening a fixing mechanism configured for fixing the rollers; and   b) removing the driving rollers and/or the supporting driving rollers to be exchanged toward a side of and/or upwardly from the first driving station by means of a first manipulator, and holding the driving rollers and/or supporting driving rollers that have been removed from the first driving station;   c) moving the first manipulator, which is holding the driving rollers and the supporting driving rollers, from the first driving station to a first driving roller storing station and/or a first driving roller preparing station;   d) depositing the driving rollers and/or the supporting driving rollers, which are then being held by the first manipulator and removed from the first driving station, in the first driving roller storing station and/or the first driving roller preparing station;   e) removing driving rollers and/or supporting driving rollers to be inserted into the first driving station from the first driving roller storing station and/or the first driving roller preparing station, or from a second driving roller storing station and/or a second driving roller preparing station, by means of the first manipulator and/or a second manipulator;   f) moving the first and/or second manipulator which is then holding the driving rollers and/or supporting driving rollers after step e), to the first driving station; and   g) inserting the driving rollers and/or supporting driving rollers that are located at the first driving station after step f) into the first driving station by means of the first and/or the second manipulator.   
     
     
         6 . The method as claimed in  claim 5 , further comprising:
 removing the driving rollers and/or the supporting driving rollers that have been prepared in the first and/or the second driving roller preparing station from the first or second driving roller preparing station by means of the first and/or second manipulator;   then moving the first and/or second manipulator which is then holding the removed driving rollers and/or supporting driving rollers, to the first and/or second driving roller storing station; and   then inserting the removed driving rollers and/or supporting driving rollers into the first and/or second driving roller storing station by means of the first and/or second manipulator.   
     
     
         7 . The hot-rolling mill plant as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the manipulator is configured to also between the hot-rolling stations and the other stations. 
     
     
         8 . The method as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the craneways also extend above and/or alongside the hot-rolling stations.