Rolling mill assembly for transmitting high torques

Abstract

A rolling mill assembly includes: a first cardan shaft including a first rolling mill-side joint and a first drive-side joint, a second working roller being connected to a second cardan shaft, which in turn is connected to a second drive device, the second cardan shaft including a second rolling mill-side joint and a second drive-side joint, the first rolling mill-side joint being located at a first distance to the first working roller, the second rolling mill-side joint being located at a second distance to the second working roller, the first distance and the second distance differing by 0.5 m to 4 m, the first cardan shaft further including a first device configured for length change between the first rolling mill-side joint and the first drive-side joint, the second cardan shaft further including a second device configured for length change between the second rolling mill-side joint and the second working roller.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A rolling mill assembly, comprising:
 a first working roller;   a second working roller;   a first cardan shaft;   a second cardan shaft;   a first drive device; and   a second drive device, the first working roller being connected to the first cardan shaft, which in turn is connected to the first drive device, the first cardan shaft including a first rolling mill-side joint and a first drive-side joint, the second working roller being connected to the second cardan shaft, which in turn is connected to the second drive device, the second cardan shaft including a second rolling mill-side joint and a second drive-side joint, the first rolling mill-side joint being located at a first distance to the first working roller, the second rolling mill-side joint being located at a second distance to the second working roller, the first distance and the second distance differing by 0.5 m to 4 m, the first cardan shaft further including a first device configured for length change between the first rolling mill-side joint and the first drive-side joint, the second cardan shaft further including a second device configured for length change between the second rolling mill-side joint and the second working roller.   
     
     
         2 . The rolling mill assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the second cardan shaft is a lower cardan shaft, the second rolling mill-side joint being a lower rolling mill-side joint, the second working roller being a lower working roller, the second device configured for length change being a lower device configured for length change. 
     
     
         3 . The rolling mill assembly according to  claim 1 , further including a support device, wherein at least one of the first device configured for length change and the second device configured for length change is supported by way of the support device. 
     
     
         4 . The rolling mill assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the first cardan shaft does not have a device configured for length change between the first rolling mill-side joint and the first working roller. 
     
     
         5 . The rolling mill assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of:
 (a) the first rolling mill-side joint has a diameter that is 3% to 30% larger than a diameter of the first working roller which is connected thereto; and   (b) the second rolling mill-side joint has a diameter that is 3% to 30% larger than a diameter of the second working roller which is connected thereto.   
     
     
         6 . The rolling mill assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the first rolling mill-side joint has a diameter that is within a range of 40 cm to 150 cm, wherein the second rolling mill-side joint has a diameter that is within a range of 40 cm to 150 cm, wherein the first cardan shaft is configured for transmitting a torque of 200 knm to 15.000 knm, and wherein the second cardan shaft is configured for transmitting a torque of 200 knm to 15.000 knm. 
     
     
         7 . The rolling mill assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of:
 (a) the rolling mill assembly further includes at least one first support device, wherein the first cardan shaft is supported by way of the at least one first support device; and   (b) the rolling mill assembly further includes at least one second support device, wherein the second cardan shaft is supported by way of the at least one second support device.   
     
     
         8 . The rolling mill assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of:
 (a) the first device configured for length change includes a first inner shaft body and a first outer hub, wherein the first inner shaft body includes a first plurality of splines, and the first outer hub includes a first plurality of mating splines configured for mating with the first plurality of spines; and   (b) the second device configured for length change includes a second inner shaft body and a second outer hub, wherein the second inner shaft body includes a second plurality of splines, and the second outer hub includes a second plurality of mating splines configured for mating with the second plurality of spines.   
     
     
         9 . The rolling mill assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the first cardan shaft includes a first plurality of cross joints, and the second cardan shaft includes a second plurality of cross joints. 
     
     
         10 . The rolling mill assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the first cardan shaft includes a first plurality of trunnion joints or a first plurality of gear coupling joints, and the second cardan shaft includes a second plurality of trunnion joints or a second plurality of gear coupling joints.