Wide and thick casting blank lifting mechanism
The problem of elevation difference between continuous casting rollers and rolling mill rollers was solved by using lifting roller conveyors and an automated control system, enabling rapid, stable, and low-temperature conveying of billets, improving production efficiency and safety, and making it suitable for various production scenarios.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- CISDI ENGINEERING CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2025-05-12
- Publication Date
- 2026-05-05
AI Technical Summary
The elevation difference between the continuous casting roller table and the rolling mill roller table makes billet transportation difficult. Traditional hoisting methods are time-consuming, have large temperature drops, and low automation, making it difficult to meet the high-efficiency and energy-saving requirements of modern steel production.
Design a wide and thick billet lifting mechanism, which adopts an automated control system consisting of lifting rollers, drive mechanism, laser detector and encoder to achieve fast and stable billet conveying, reduce temperature drop and reduce manual intervention.
It achieves rapid and stable conveying of billets, improves production efficiency, reduces temperature drop, lowers safety risks, and has a simple and reliable structure with strong adaptability, meeting the requirements of green production.
Smart Images

Figure CN224199030U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This utility model belongs to the field of hot billet delivery technology and relates to a lifting mechanism for thick billets. Background Technology
[0002] Hot-feeding technology for continuously cast billets directly feeds the high-temperature billets produced by the continuous casting machine into the rolling mill for rolling, eliminating the need for cooling and reheating. This significantly reduces energy consumption, increases production efficiency, reduces iron oxide scale loss, and improves steel quality. This technology requires efficient coordination between the continuous casting machine and the rolling mill in terms of production rhythm and spatial layout. However, in actual production, there is often a significant difference in elevation between the roll surfaces of the continuous casting roller table and the rolling mill roller table, sometimes as high as 20 meters, which poses a considerable challenge to the rapid and stable transport of the billets.
[0003] Traditional billet conveying methods largely rely on overhead cranes, which use cranes to transport billets from the continuous casting roller table to the rolling mill roller table. However, this method has several drawbacks. First, overhead crane lifting is time-consuming, and the billets are exposed to air during the lifting process, resulting in significant temperature drops, typically exceeding 100°C, severely impacting hot conveying efficiency and steel quality. Second, the production rhythm of overhead crane lifting is difficult to control; the lifting time varies for different billets, making it difficult to coordinate production plans for subsequent rolling processes and leading to low overall production efficiency. Furthermore, overhead crane equipment is complex, has high maintenance costs, and poses certain safety hazards during operation, failing to meet the demands of modern steel enterprises for efficient and automated production.
[0004] In recent years, the industry has proposed several improvement solutions to address the elevation difference problem during the hot conveying of continuously cast billets. For example, some production lines use a combination of fixed roller conveyors and manual adjustment, setting up multiple transition roller conveyors between the continuous casting and rolling mills, relying on manual operation or simple mechanical adjustments to the billet position. However, this method is inefficient and requires highly skilled operators, making automated production difficult. Furthermore, some production lines have attempted to use hydraulic lifting platforms to address the elevation difference problem, but hydraulic systems exhibit poor stability at high temperatures, are difficult to maintain, and the lifting platforms have limited load-bearing capacity, making them unsuitable for conveying wide and thick billets. Other solutions involve adding long-distance conveyor roller conveyors between the continuous casting machine and the rolling mill to circumvent the elevation difference, but this not only increases equipment investment and floor space but also prolongs billet conveying time, further exacerbating the temperature drop problem.
[0005] The above solutions alleviate the conveying difficulties caused by elevation differences to some extent, but still suffer from low efficiency, large temperature drop, and low automation. Therefore, developing a lifting mechanism that can quickly and stably convey cast billets while reducing temperature drop and achieving automated operation has become a pressing technical challenge in the field of continuous casting billet hot conveying. This invention addresses these problems by designing a simple and reliable wide and thick cast billet lifting mechanism. Through an automated lifting roller conveyor and a precise control system, it achieves efficient billet conveying, meeting the demands of modern steel production for efficient, energy-saving, and automated processes. Utility Model Content
[0006] In view of this, the purpose of this utility model is to solve the billet conveying problem caused by the inconsistency in the elevation of the continuous casting roll surface and the rolling mill roll surface, and to provide a wide and thick billet lifting mechanism that not only conveys the continuous casting billet quickly and stably, but also has a simple and reliable lifting mechanism that can achieve automatic operation.
[0007] To achieve the above objectives, this utility model provides the following technical solution:
[0008] A thick billet lifting mechanism includes a drive mechanism, a chain, a lifting roller conveyor, a counterweight, a guide mechanism, and a control system;
[0009] The lifting roller conveyor is located between the continuous casting roller conveyor and the rolling mill roller conveyor. The continuous casting roller conveyor and the rolling mill roller conveyor have different roller surface elevations. The billet is transported from the continuous casting roller conveyor to the rolling mill roller conveyor by the lifting and lowering movement of the lifting roller conveyor.
[0010] The lifting roller conveyor is equipped with a platform on both sides. The drive mechanism is located at the top of the platform, and the guide mechanism is located on the side of the platform. The two sides of the lifting roller conveyor are slidably engaged with the guide mechanism on the corresponding side. The drive mechanism is connected to a chain through a sprocket drive. One end of the chain is connected to the lifting roller conveyor, and the other end is connected to a counterweight. The drive mechanism drives the lifting roller conveyor to rise and fall along the guide mechanism, so as to realize the transfer of the billet from the continuous casting roller conveyor to the rolling mill roller conveyor.
[0011] The lifting roller conveyor is provided in one or multiple ways, corresponding to single-strand or multi-strand continuous casting machines respectively; when there is only one lifting roller conveyor, the drive mechanism is symmetrically arranged on both sides along the casting flow direction; when there are multiple lifting roller conveyors, the two drive mechanisms of each lifting roller conveyor are arranged diagonally.
[0012] The platform is equipped with two laser detectors, a first laser detector and a fourth laser detector, located at the roller surface elevation of the continuous casting roller table and on the outer sides of the front and rear ends of the lifting roller table, respectively; the lifting roller table is fixedly equipped with a second laser detector and a third laser detector located at its front and rear ends, respectively; the platform is equipped with a fifth laser detector at the roller surface elevation of the rolling mill roller table, and the position of the billet is tracked by the first laser detector, the second laser detector, the third laser detector, the fourth laser detector, and the fifth laser detector;
[0013] The first laser detector, the second laser detector, the third laser detector, the fourth laser detector, the fifth laser detector, and the drive mechanism are all connected to the control system, which controls the lifting and lowering according to the position of the billet.
[0014] Furthermore, the drive mechanism includes a drive motor and a transmission shaft. The drive motor is fixedly mounted on the frame and connected to the transmission shaft. The transmission shaft is equipped with a sprocket, which is connected to the chain drive. The drive motor is equipped with an incremental encoder to control the lifting speed of the lifting roller conveyor and the synchronous lifting on both sides. An absolute encoder is equipped at the end of the transmission shaft to control the up and down movement position of the lifting roller conveyor.
[0015] Furthermore, a drive mechanism is provided on both sides of the lifting roller conveyor, and a first incremental encoder and a second incremental encoder are respectively installed on the two drive motors, and a first absolute encoder and a second absolute encoder are respectively installed at the ends of the two transmission shafts.
[0016] Furthermore, at the top of the platform, located diagonally opposite the lifting roller conveyor, there are two laser rangefinders, namely the first laser rangefinder and the second laser rangefinder, which are used to monitor the height position of the lifting roller conveyor in real time and compare it with the data of the absolute encoder configured at the end of the drive shaft that controls the height of the lifting roller conveyor.
[0017] Furthermore, the lifting roller conveyor is equipped with guide wheels, and the guide mechanism is a U-shaped groove structure or channel steel, arranged at the four corners of the lifting roller conveyor. The lifting roller conveyor moves up and down along the guide mechanism via the guide wheels.
[0018] Furthermore, the guide wheel is a combined bearing type structure and is slidably disposed in a U-shaped groove or channel steel.
[0019] Furthermore, the lifting roller conveyor is equipped with a heat insulation cover, which is fixed above the frame of the lifting roller conveyor and covers the area above the billet to reduce the temperature drop of the billet and isolate the heat radiation of the billet.
[0020] The beneficial effects of this utility model are as follows:
[0021] This utility model's wide and thick billet lifting mechanism provides an efficient, stable, and automated solution to the problem of the elevation difference between the continuous casting roller table and the rolling mill roller table during the hot delivery of continuously cast billets, bringing the following significant benefits:
[0022] 1. Fast and stable conveying significantly improves production efficiency.
[0023] This invention utilizes a lifting roller conveyor to achieve rapid vertical transport of cast billets from the continuous casting roller conveyor to the rolling mill roller conveyor, replacing the traditional overhead crane hoisting method. Traditional hoisting is time-consuming and has an unstable rhythm, while the lifting roller conveyor of this invention, combined with a drive mechanism and chain transmission, can quickly complete the lifting and transport of cast billets, shortening transport time and maintaining a balanced production rhythm. The stable transport rhythm ensures efficient connection between the continuous casting machine and the rolling mill process, avoiding production bottlenecks caused by uneven rhythms, thereby significantly improving overall production efficiency.
[0024] 2. Reduce billet temperature drop and improve hot delivery efficiency.
[0025] Hot conveying of cast billets requires minimizing the temperature drop of the high-temperature billets to reduce energy consumption and ensure steel quality. Traditional overhead crane hoisting is time-consuming and results in significant temperature drops in the billets, affecting the hot conveying efficiency. This invention's lifting roller conveyor significantly shortens the time the billets are exposed to air through rapid lifting, effectively reducing temperature drop. Furthermore, the insulation cover on the lifting roller conveyor covers the area above the billets, isolating heat radiation and further mitigating heat loss. This design not only improves hot conveying efficiency and reduces reheating energy consumption in the rolling process, but also improves the surface quality of the steel and reduces the formation of iron oxide scale.
[0026] 3. Automated operation reduces human intervention and safety risks.
[0027] This invention integrates a laser detector, incremental encoder, absolute encoder, and laser rangefinder, working in conjunction with a control system to achieve real-time tracking of the billet position, precise control of lifting speed, and synchronous operation of the two-sided drive mechanisms. The fully automated operation requires no manual intervention, reducing the technical requirements and workload for operators. Compared to traditional overhead crane hoisting for high-altitude operations and heavy lifting, this invention eliminates related safety hazards and significantly improves the safety of the production process.
[0028] 4. The equipment has a simple structure, reliable operation, and low maintenance costs.
[0029] The lifting mechanism of this invention uses conventional mechanical components such as a drive motor, chain, lifting rollers, counterweight, and guide mechanism, resulting in a simple structure and low manufacturing and installation costs. The guide mechanism uses U-shaped grooves or channel steel with guide wheels to ensure smooth lifting and reduce mechanical wear. The dual monitoring mechanism of laser rangefinder and encoder can detect synchronization problems in real time (e.g., prompting maintenance when the height data difference exceeds 10mm), facilitating timely maintenance and extending the equipment's service life. Compared to complex systems such as hydraulic lifting platforms, the mechanical structure of this invention offers higher stability in high-temperature environments, significantly reducing maintenance difficulty and costs.
[0030] 5. Highly adaptable and suitable for various production scenarios.
[0031] This invention features a flexible design, allowing the lifting roller conveyor to be configured as a single unit or multiple units arranged side-by-side, corresponding to single-strand or multi-strand continuous casting machines. Single-strand continuous casting machines employ a symmetrically arranged drive mechanism, while multi-strand continuous casting machines use a diagonally arranged drive mechanism, both ensuring synchronous and stable lifting. The load-bearing capacity and dimensions of the lifting roller conveyor can be adapted to various specifications of wide and thick billets, meeting the needs of different production lines. This versatility gives this invention a wide range of applications and significant promotional value.
[0032] 6. Energy-saving and environmentally friendly, reducing production costs.
[0033] By reducing the temperature drop of the cast billet, this invention lowers the reheating energy consumption in the steel rolling process, meeting the requirements of energy conservation and emission reduction in green production. The fast and stable conveying rhythm improves equipment utilization, reduces production line downtime, and further reduces energy consumption and production costs per unit product. The application of the insulation cover also reduces the negative impact of heat radiation on surrounding equipment and the environment, improving the working environment and demonstrating environmental benefits.
[0034] In summary, this utility model's wide and thick billet lifting mechanism and its usage method solve the problem of elevation difference between continuous casting rollers and rolling mill rollers through a fast, stable, and automated conveying method. This significantly improves production efficiency and hot conveying effect, while reducing energy consumption, costs, and safety risks. The equipment has a simple and reliable structure, strong adaptability, and is suitable for single-strand or multi-strand continuous casting machines. It has significant economic benefits and application value, providing important support for the efficient and green development of the modern steel industry.
[0035] Other advantages, objectives, and features of this invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following examination and study, or may be learned from practice of this invention. The objectives and other advantages of this invention can be realized and obtained through the following description. Attached Figure Description
[0036] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this utility model clearer, the preferred embodiments of this utility model will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
[0037] Figure 1 This is a front view of the thick billet lifting mechanism in this utility model.
[0038] Figure 2 This is a plan view of the thick billet lifting mechanism in twin-strand continuous casting according to this utility model.
[0039] Figure 3 This is a side view of the thick billet lifting mechanism in this utility model.
[0040] Figure 4 for Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the overall layout of the twin-strand continuous casting conveyor line.
[0041] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the guide wheel and the U-shaped groove.
[0042] Reference numerals: 1-Drive mechanism; 2-Chain; 3-Sprocket; 4-Lifting roller conveyor; 5-Counterweight; 6-U-groove; 7-Guide wheel; 8-Continuous casting roller conveyor; 9-Rolling roller conveyor one; 10-Frame; 11-First laser detector; 12-Second laser detector; 13-Third laser detector; 14-Fourth laser detector; 15-Fifth laser detector; 16-First incremental encoder; 17-Second incremental encoder; 18-First absolute encoder; 19-Second absolute encoder; 20-First laser rangefinder; 21-Second laser rangefinder; 22-Bill transverse transfer trolley; 23-Rolling roller conveyor two; 24-Insulation cover; 25-Drive motor. Detailed Implementation
[0043] The following specific examples illustrate the implementation of this utility model. Those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of this utility model from the content disclosed in this specification. This utility model can also be implemented or applied through other different specific embodiments, and various details in this specification can also be modified or changed based on different viewpoints and applications without departing from the spirit of this utility model. It should be noted that the illustrations provided in the following embodiments are only schematic representations of the basic concept of this utility model. Unless otherwise specified, the following embodiments and features can be combined with each other.
[0044] The accompanying drawings are for illustrative purposes only and are schematic diagrams, not actual pictures. They should not be construed as limiting the present invention. To better illustrate the embodiments of the present invention, some parts in the drawings may be omitted, enlarged, or reduced, and do not represent the actual product dimensions. It is understandable to those skilled in the art that some well-known structures and their descriptions may be omitted in the drawings.
[0045] In the accompanying drawings of this utility model, the same or similar reference numerals correspond to the same or similar components. In the description of this utility model, it should be understood that if terms such as "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "front," and "rear" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings, they are only for the convenience of describing this utility model and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, the terms used to describe positional relationships in the drawings are only for illustrative purposes and should not be construed as limiting this utility model. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms can be understood according to the specific circumstances.
[0046] Please see Figures 1-5 This is a thick billet lifting mechanism installed in the conveyor line of a twin-strand continuous casting machine. The lifting mechanism includes a drive mechanism 1, a chain 2, a lifting roller conveyor 4, a counterweight 5, a guide mechanism, and a control system.
[0047] The lifting roller conveyor 4 is set between the continuous casting roller conveyor 8 and the rolling mill roller conveyor. The continuous casting roller conveyor 8 and the rolling mill roller conveyor have different roller surface elevations. The billet is transported from the continuous casting roller conveyor 8 to the rolling mill roller conveyor by the lifting and moving of the lifting roller conveyor 4.
[0048] The lifting roller conveyor 4 is provided with a platform 10 on both sides. The drive mechanism 1 is located at the top of the platform 10, and the guide mechanism is located on the side of the platform 10. The two sides of the lifting roller conveyor 4 are respectively slidably engaged with the guide mechanism on the corresponding side. The drive mechanism 1 is connected to the chain 2 through the sprocket 3. One end of the chain 2 is connected to the lifting roller conveyor 4, and the other end is connected to the counterweight 5. The drive mechanism 1 drives the lifting roller conveyor 4 to rise and fall along the guide mechanism, so as to realize the transfer of the billet from the continuous casting roller conveyor 8 to the rolling mill roller conveyor.
[0049] Two laser detectors, a first laser detector 11 and a fourth laser detector 14, are respectively installed on the platform 10 at the roller surface elevation of the continuous casting roller table 8, located on the outer side of the front and rear ends of the lifting roller table 4. That is, the two laser detectors are located at the lower entrance and the lower end, respectively. A second laser detector 12 and a third laser detector 13 are fixedly installed on the lifting roller table 4, located at its front and rear ends, respectively. A fifth laser detector 15 is installed on the platform 10 at the roller surface elevation of the rolling mill roller table, that is, at the higher exit end. The position of the billet is tracked by the first laser detector 11, the second laser detector 12, the third laser detector 13, the fourth laser detector 14, and the fifth laser detector 15.
[0050] The first laser detector 11, the second laser detector 12, the third laser detector 13, the fourth laser detector 14, the fifth laser detector 15, and the drive mechanism 1 are all connected to the control system, which controls the lifting and lowering according to the position of the billet.
[0051] The drive mechanism 1 includes a drive motor 25 and a transmission shaft. The drive motor 25 is fixedly mounted on the frame 10 and connected to the transmission shaft. A sprocket 3 is mounted on the transmission shaft and is connected to the chain 2 for transmission. The drive motor 25 is equipped with an incremental encoder to control the lifting speed of the lifting roller conveyor 4 and the synchronous lifting on both sides. An absolute encoder is mounted at the end of the transmission shaft to control the up and down movement position of the lifting roller conveyor 4.
[0052] Both sides of the lifting roller conveyor 4 are equipped with drive mechanisms 1. The two drive motors 25 are respectively equipped with a first incremental encoder 16 and a second incremental encoder 17, and the ends of the two transmission shafts are respectively equipped with a first absolute encoder 18 and a second absolute encoder 19.
[0053] At the top of the platform 10, on the diagonal of the lifting roller conveyor 4, there are two laser rangefinders, namely the first laser rangefinder 20 and the second laser rangefinder 21, which are used to monitor the height position of the lifting roller conveyor 4 in real time and compare it with the data of the absolute encoder configured at the end of the drive shaft that controls the height of the lifting roller conveyor 4.
[0054] The lifting roller conveyor 4 is equipped with guide wheels 7, and the guiding mechanism is a U-shaped groove 6 structure, arranged at the four corners of the lifting roller conveyor 4. The lifting roller conveyor 4 moves up and down along the guiding mechanism via the guide wheels 7. When the guide wheels 7 move up and down along the U-shaped groove 6, they are constrained both along the casting flow direction and perpendicular to the casting flow direction, ensuring the stability of the lifting roller conveyor 4.
[0055] The guide wheel 7 is a combined bearing type structure and is slidably mounted in the U-shaped groove 6.
[0056] Depending on the actual situation, one or multiple lifting roller conveyors 4 can be set up, corresponding to single-strand or multi-strand continuous casting machines respectively; when there is only one lifting roller conveyor 4, the drive mechanism 1 is symmetrically arranged on both sides along the casting flow direction; when there are multiple lifting roller conveyors 4, the two drive mechanisms 1 of each lifting roller conveyor 4 are arranged diagonally.
[0057] In this embodiment, two corresponding twin-strand continuous casting machines are arranged side by side on the lifting roller conveyor 4. The billets in the first and second strands are alternately transported to the second rolling roller conveyor 23 by the billet transverse transfer trolley 22.
[0058] In this embodiment, a heat insulation cover 24 is installed on the lifting roller conveyor 4. The heat insulation cover 24 is fixed above the frame of the lifting roller conveyor 4 and covers the area above the casting billet to reduce the temperature drop of the casting billet and isolate the heat radiation of the casting billet.
[0059] The method of using the wide and thick billet lifting mechanism in this embodiment includes the following steps:
[0060] (1) Initialization: The lifting roller 4 is located at the roller surface position of the continuous casting roller 8. The first laser detector 11, the second laser detector 12, the third laser detector 13, the fourth laser detector 14, and the fifth laser detector 15 are all in the light-transmitting state. The first incremental encoder 16 and the second incremental encoder 17 are respectively configured on the two drive motors 25 on the drive mechanism 1 on both sides of the lifting roller 4, and the first absolute encoder 18 and the second absolute encoder 19 are respectively configured on the end of the transmission shaft connected to the two drive motors 25. The parameters of the first laser rangefinder 20 and the second laser rangefinder 21 configured at the top of the platform 10 at the diagonal of the lifting roller 4 are set to the initial values.
[0061] (2) Billet feeding: The billet is conveyed from the continuous casting roller conveyor 8 to the lifting roller conveyor 4. The first laser detector 11 and the second laser detector 12 block the light one after the other. When the billet head reaches the end of the lifting roller conveyor 4, the third laser detector 13 blocks the light and the billet stops moving forward. At this time, the fourth laser detector 14, the first laser detector 11 and the second laser detector 12 are in the light-transmitting state.
[0062] (3) Ascent: When the fourth laser detector 14 and the first laser detector 11 are in the light-transmitting state, the control system starts the drive mechanism 1 to pull the lifting roller 4 upward. The control system controls the lifting speed and the synchronization of the drive mechanisms 1 on both sides according to the feedback of the first incremental encoder 16 and the second incremental encoder 17. At the same time, according to the feedback of the first absolute encoder 18 and the second absolute encoder 19, the lifting roller 4 passes through the continuous casting roller surface position, the continuous casting roller surface acceleration and deceleration position, and the rolling mill roller surface acceleration and deceleration position in sequence, and finally stops at the roller surface position of the rolling mill roller. The first laser rangefinder 20 and the second laser rangefinder 21 monitor the height of the lifting roller 4 in real time.
[0063] (4) Billet delivery: The lifting roller table 4 is located on the roller surface of the rolling mill roller table. The billet is transported from the lifting roller table 4 to the rolling mill roller table 9. The fifth laser detector 15 first blocks the light and then turns on the light. When the billet is completely delivered, both the fourth laser detector 14 and the fifth laser detector 15 are in the light-transmitting state.
[0064] (5) Descent: When the second laser detector 12, the third laser detector 13 and the fifth laser detector 15 are all in the light-transmitting state, the control system starts the drive mechanism 1 to lower the lifting roller 4, and controls the descent speed and the synchronization of both sides according to the feedback of the first incremental encoder 16 and the second incremental encoder 17. According to the feedback of the first absolute encoder 18 and the second absolute encoder 19, the lifting roller 4 is controlled to pass through the rolling mill roll surface position, the rolling mill roll surface acceleration and deceleration position, and the continuous casting roll surface acceleration and deceleration position in sequence, and finally stop at the continuous casting roll surface position.
[0065] (6) Cycle: The lifting roller 4 returns to the roller surface position of the continuous casting roller 8 and begins the hot delivery of the next billet.
[0066] During the lifting process, the height position of the lifting roller conveyor 4 is monitored in real time by the first laser rangefinder 20 and the second laser rangefinder 21. The height data of the lifting roller conveyor 4 is compared with the height data controlled by the first absolute encoder 18 and the second absolute encoder 19. When the difference between the two height data is greater than 10mm, it indicates that there is a problem with the synchronization of the lifting mechanism and timely maintenance is required.
[0067] In some embodiments, the continuous casting roll surface may be lower than or higher than the rolling mill roll surface, and the lifting mechanism may move the billet from a low position to a high position or from a high position to a low position.
[0068] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solution of this utility model and are not intended to limit it. Although this utility model has been described in detail with reference to preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications or equivalent substitutions can be made to the technical solution of this utility model without departing from the spirit and scope of this technical solution, and all such modifications or substitutions should be covered within the scope of the claims of this utility model.
Claims
1. A lifting mechanism for a wide and thick cast billet, characterized in that: Includes drive mechanism, chain, lifting roller conveyor, counterweight, guide mechanism, and control system; The lifting roller conveyor is located between the continuous casting roller conveyor and the rolling mill roller conveyor. The continuous casting roller conveyor and the rolling mill roller conveyor have different roller surface elevations. The billet is transported from the continuous casting roller conveyor to the rolling mill roller conveyor by the lifting and lowering movement of the lifting roller conveyor. The lifting roller conveyor is equipped with a platform on both sides. The drive mechanism is located at the top of the platform, and the guide mechanism is located on the side of the platform. The two sides of the lifting roller conveyor are slidably engaged with the guide mechanism on the corresponding side. The drive mechanism is connected to a chain through a sprocket drive. One end of the chain is connected to the lifting roller conveyor, and the other end is connected to a counterweight. The drive mechanism drives the lifting roller conveyor to rise and fall along the guide mechanism, so as to realize the transfer of the billet from the continuous casting roller conveyor to the rolling mill roller conveyor. The lifting roller conveyor can be provided singly or in parallel with multiple conveyors, corresponding to single-strand or multi-strand continuous casting machines respectively. When there is only one lifting roller conveyor, the drive mechanism is symmetrically arranged on both sides along the casting flow direction. When there are multiple lifting roller conveyors, the two drive mechanisms of each lifting roller conveyor are arranged diagonally. The platform is equipped with two laser detectors, a first laser detector and a fourth laser detector, located at the roller surface elevation of the continuous casting roller table and on the outer sides of the front and rear ends of the lifting roller table, respectively. A second laser detector and a third laser detector are fixedly installed on the lifting roller table at its front and rear ends, respectively. A fifth laser detector is installed on the platform at the roller surface elevation of the rolling mill roller table. The position of the cast billet is tracked using the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth laser detectors. The first laser detector, the second laser detector, the third laser detector, the fourth laser detector, the fifth laser detector, and the drive mechanism are all connected to the control system, which controls the lifting and lowering according to the position of the billet.
2. The wide and thick billet lifting mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The drive mechanism includes a drive motor and a transmission shaft. The drive motor is fixed on the frame and connected to the transmission shaft. The transmission shaft is equipped with a sprocket and is connected to the chain drive. The drive motor is equipped with an incremental encoder to control the lifting speed of the lifting roller conveyor and the synchronous lifting on both sides. An absolute encoder is equipped at the end of the transmission shaft to control the up and down movement position of the lifting roller conveyor.
3. The wide and thick billet lifting mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that: Both sides of the lifting roller conveyor are equipped with drive mechanisms. The two drive motors are respectively equipped with a first incremental encoder and a second incremental encoder, and the ends of the two transmission shafts are respectively equipped with a first absolute encoder and a second absolute encoder.
4. The wide and thick billet lifting mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that: The top of the platform has two laser rangefinders located diagonally opposite the lifting roller conveyor. These are the first laser rangefinder and the second laser rangefinder, used to monitor the height of the lifting roller conveyor in real time and compare the data with the data from the absolute encoder at the end of the drive shaft that controls the height of the lifting roller conveyor.
5. The wide and thick billet lifting mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The lifting roller conveyor is equipped with guide wheels, and the guide mechanism is a U-shaped groove structure or channel steel, arranged at the four corners of the lifting roller conveyor. The lifting roller conveyor moves up and down along the guide mechanism via the guide wheels.
6. The wide and thick billet lifting mechanism according to claim 4, characterized in that: The guide wheel is a combined bearing type structure and is slidably disposed in a U-shaped groove or channel steel.
7. The thick billet lifting mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The lifting roller conveyor is equipped with a heat insulation cover, which is fixed above the frame of the lifting roller conveyor and covers the area above the billet to reduce the temperature drop of the billet and isolate the heat radiation of the billet.