Three-stage rotationally-symmetric stand housing having operational fluid line integrated

Abstract

To provide a stand housing that enables a stand in a rolling machine to be used more flexibly and in particular enables both of a position in the rolling machine and a configuration thereof to be selected more flexibly, at the same time with designing for downsizing the rolling machine including a water line inside the stand housing.SOLUTION: A stand housing 10 for a stand 1 for rolling a metal rod, a wire, or a pipe along a rolling shaft. The stand housing includes: an outside 12 having six side surfaces 14.1-14.6 forming an edge in a regular hexagonal shape, when viewed along the rolling shaft; an inlet side; and an outlet side 13. In this case, at least one water supply opening is arranged in the three side surfaces 14.1, 14.3, and 14.5 which are not adjacent to one another. The water supply opening is designed to guide water through the stand housing to a water discharge opening at the outlet side or at the inlet side.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1A

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a stand housing for a stand for rolling metal rods, wires or pipes along a rolling axis, the stand housing including a water supply opening designed to direct water through the interior of the stand housing to a water outlet opening. [Background technology]

[0002] Stand housings from the above technical field are known in principle, for example from US Pat. No. 5,629,999 and US Pat. No. 5,629,999. Stand housings to date typically have a rectangular shape when viewed along the rolling axis.

[0003] Generally, several stands are arranged in succession in a rolling mill, so that the material to be rolled can be stretched and rolled to smaller diameters, in particular due to the difference between the roller speeds of the individual stands.

[0004] Furthermore, the material to be rolled is generally not sufficiently round after passing through one stand because the arrangement of the rollers and their relatively small number results in a polygonal cross-section, the number of sides of the polygon corresponding to the number of rollers in the stand. For example, a material to be rolled through a single three-roller stand will not ideally be round, but rather will have a cross-sectional shape that is approximately triangular.

[0005] Successive stands are preferably arranged so that, in order to improve the roundness of the material to be rolled, the corners of the cross section of the material to be rolled leaving each stand are contacted in the middle by the rollers of the next stand, resulting in a rounded cross section of the material to be rolled.

[0006] Thus, when a three-roller stand is used, for example, the three rollers of the first and third stands of a four-stand rolling mill are typically arranged in what is known as a "Y configuration," while the rollers of the second and fourth stands behind them are arranged in what is known as an "inverted-Y configuration" (λ). Because of the alternating arrangement of rollers and stands in the Y and inverted-Y configurations, the corners of the cross-section of the material to be rolled are rolled by the rollers of each succeeding stand, resulting in a rounded cross-section of the material to be rolled.

[0007] In the Y configuration, the lower roller is oriented so that its roller shaft is horizontal in the direction of view of the rolling axis, i.e., its diameter extends vertically. In contrast, in the inverted Y configuration, it is the upper roller whose roller shaft is horizontal in the direction of view of the rolling axis, i.e., its diameter extends vertically. In both cases, the roller shafts of the two further rollers are each inclined at 120° to the horizontal roller shaft. Of course, the orientation relative to the horizontal is entirely arbitrary, since for the effects described here, only the relative orientation of the rollers to the adjacent stands is important.

[0008] The arrangement of stands one behind the other to form a rolling mill is typically done using stand bases, on which the stands are introduced and held, which allow the stands to be replaced from the rolling mill, for example for periodically required maintenance.

[0009] The stand known from DE 10 200 09 14 56 A1 allows switching between Y and inverted Y configurations by a rotation about a horizontal axis of 180°, allowing insertion into the stand base in both orientations. The upper and lower sides of the rectangular stand housing serve as contact surfaces in the stand base.

[0010] For the operation of the stand, it is conventional to fasten peripherals to the stand. Furthermore, for the precise setting of the caliber, it has proven advantageous to be able to adjust the rollers, for example in that they are mounted via an eccentric mechanism and therefore their distance from the rolling axis is variable. There are various options for this adjustment, the details of which are not relevant to the present case. However, in the case of known stands, for different configurations for adjustment, in particular remote and manual adjustment configurations, and for different peripherals such as roller guides, it is necessary to undertake tedious modification works on the stand and the stand base that receives it, in particular for guiding water or another cooling medium through the stand housing, and optionally compressed air for sealing the stand housing. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0011] [Patent Document 1] Chinese Utility Model No. 212760366 [Patent Document 2] Chinese Utility Model No. 212760331 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0012] Against this background, the object of the present invention is to provide a stand housing in the above technical field which allows a more flexible use of the stands in the rolling mill, and in particular a more flexible choice of both their position in the rolling mill and also their configuration, at the same time as a compact design of the rolling mill including water lines inside the stand housing. [Means for solving the problem]

[0013] This object is achieved by a stand housing according to claim 1. Advantageous embodiments of the invention emerge from the dependent claims.

[0014] A stand housing for a stand for rolling metal rod, wire, or pipe along a rolling axis has an exterior with six sides forming the edges of a regular hexagon when viewed along the rolling axis, an inlet side, and an outlet side, wherein at least one water supply opening is disposed on three of the non-adjacent sides, and the opening is designed to direct water through the interior of the stand housing to a water outlet opening on the outlet side or on the inlet side.

[0015] This design of the stand housing allows it to be used in a particularly flexible manner within the rolling mill: stand housings designed in this way can be converted between different positions in the rolling mill and between different orientations and configurations more easily than stand housings from the prior art that include water lines.

[0016] In the present context, the side surfaces are the surfaces of the stand housing that laterally define the inlet and outlet sides along which the rolling axis extends. Viewed along the rolling axis, these together form the lateral outer surface of the stand housing.

[0017] The side surfaces of the stand housing may function as contact surfaces, may include contact surfaces or may extend parallel to a contact surface or surfaces, for example formed by slide rails, on which the stand, in particular the stand base, can stand stably. The side surfaces may not be flat, but may instead include steps, protrusions or recesses, as well as openings, and may be formed in multiple sections.

[0018] The water supply openings on non-adjacent sides are distributed across the sides in such a way that at least every other side has at least one water supply opening. In this case, it is possible for all sides to include at least one water supply opening, and for one or more of the sides to include multiple water supply openings. The fact that three of the non-adjacent sides each include at least one water supply opening reflects the symmetry of a regular hexagon, and is provided, among other things, for the stand housing, which includes three rollers.

[0019] The water outlet openings on the outlet side or on the inlet side, or on the outlet side and the inlet side, serve to output water guided into the stand housing via the water supply openings connected to the respective water outlet openings to peripheral equipment, such as roller guides or cooling devices for the rollers of the stand.

[0020] Preferably, two parallel water supply openings are arranged on three non-adjacent sides, one of which is designed to direct water through the interior of the stand housing to a water outlet opening on the outlet side, and the other of which is designed to direct water through the interior of the stand housing to a water outlet opening on the inlet side.

[0021] The fact that the two mentioned water supply openings on the same side are oriented parallel to one another has the advantage that connecting the water connection at the stand base into which the stand housing is inserted can be done with the same linear movement for both water supply openings, where it is preferred to arrange one of the water supply openings closer to the outlet side and the other of the water supply openings closer to the inlet side.

[0022] In particular, when viewed along the rolling axis, the water outlet openings are each arranged on the perpendicular bisector of the edge of the hexagon. This preferred position of the water outlet openings on the perpendicular bisector can be particularly advantageously arranged in the extension of the roller plane, i.e., the plane of rotation, in the direction of the associated roller on the nearest edge of the hexagon. As a result, the water supply for the roller guides can be arranged in a space-saving manner.

[0023] Preferably, air connections are further arranged on three of the non-adjacent sides, which are designed to direct compressed air into the interior of the stand housing. In order to seal the stand housing against unwanted intrusion of water, for example through the bearings, air connections for supplying compressed air into said housing are known in principle. This preferred embodiment of the stand housing allows for efficient and flexible use of the stand housing in the stand base of a rolling mill, without the advantage of compressed air sealing, which would be counter to this efficient use of the stand housing. As a result, a particularly flexible and reliable stand housing is provided.

[0024] In this case, the three air connections advantageously lead to a common cavity, and the stand housing is each designed to prevent compressed air from escaping from one of the air connections through a valve. Preferably, therefore, the three air connections can be provided with check valves or the like, in order to avoid limitations in the flexibility of the use of the stand housing in the rolling mill on the one hand, and to provide the possibility of adding compressed air to the common cavity via all three air connections for sealing purposes on the other hand. The air connections of the stand housing that are not connected to the compressed air system can be closed automatically via the respective check valves, or optionally manually in the case of different valves, to allow compressed air to escape.

[0025] Advantageously, the air connections are arranged on the same non-adjacent side as the water supply openings, which allows the respective connections for water and compressed air to be arranged close together on the side of the stand base, resulting in an overall efficient design of the rolling mill. However, it is also possible to arrange the air connections on the sides adjacent to the sides of the water supply openings.

[0026] Preferably, one of the water supply openings and one of the air connections are oriented parallel to one another and are designed to be connected along the same direction, which makes it possible to ensure that when the stand is inserted into the stand base, these connections can be connected to the corresponding connections on the stand base in the same insertion direction in this way, particularly reliably and efficiently.

[0027] The preferred stand housing further includes three bearing holes for mounting roller shafts, each of which is made on one of the sides so as to be offset from the rolling axis by 120° of rotation, and a water supply opening is introduced on the side not including the bearing holes.

[0028] This design of the stand housing ensures that the water supply openings do not collide with the roller shafts or their stand base side drive trains, and that efficient use of installation space is made in the stand housing and in the stand base.

[0029] The preferred stand housing is closed and undivided, in particular made from a monoblock, in other words, the stand housing is preferably made in one piece and can therefore be produced, for example, by a casting method, resulting in advantageous mechanical properties for absorbing the loads acting in the rolling process, and also an efficient production.

[0030] A preferred stand for rolling metal rod, wire, or pipe along a rolling axis includes three rollers each arranged on one roller shaft, surrounding the rolling axis in a star shape and together forming a caliber, and a stand housing as described above.

[0031] Further advantages and developments of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of the figures and from the claims. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0032] [Figure 1A] FIG. 1 is a view along the rolling axis of a preferred stand in an inverted Y arrangement in a first adjustment configuration. [Figure 1B] 1B is a view along the rolling axis of the stand from FIG. 1A in a Y arrangement, in a first adjustment configuration. [Figure 1C] 1B is a view along the rolling axis of the stand from FIG. 1A in an inverted Y arrangement in a second adjustment configuration. [Figure 1D] 1B is a view along the rolling axis of the stand from FIG. 1A in a Y arrangement, in a second adjustment configuration. [Figure 2A] 1B is a perspective view of the stand from FIG. 1A from a first perspective. [Figure 2B] 1B is another perspective view of the stand from FIG. 1A from a second perspective. [Figure 3A] FIG. 1B is a side view of the stand from FIG. 1A showing the adjustment connector. [Figure 3B] FIG. 1B is another side view of the stand from FIG. 1A showing the opposite side of the adjustment connector. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0033] In the following description of the figures, identical or corresponding elements are provided with the same reference numerals and repeated description is largely avoided.

[0034] FIG. 1A shows a view of a preferred stand 1 for rolling metal rod, wire, or pipe along a rolling axis 19 extending in the Z direction. The stand 1 includes a stand housing 10, which, in the illustrated embodiment, has the shape of a regular hexagon when viewed along the rolling axis 19. The exterior 12 of the stand housing 10 is provided with six side surfaces 14.1-14.6 of equal length, which are arranged rotationally symmetrically about the rolling axis 19. Adjacent side surfaces 14.1-14.6 merge into one another at areas referred to as corners 16.1-16.6. In this case, the corners 16.1-16.6 can be marked differently. These corners include abutting edges between adjacent side surfaces 14.1-14.6 that merge into one another at the corners 16.1-16.6, which can be sharp edges but are preferably chamfered or rounded. Small intermediate surfaces between adjacent side surfaces 14.1-14.6 in the sense of pronounced, relatively wide chamfers are also possible and are still understood in the present context as angles 16.1-16.6. The inlet side 15 (not shown in FIG. 1A but shown in FIG. 1B) of the stand housing 10, as well as the outlet side 13 shown in FIG. 1A, therefore, like the stand housing 10 in this embodiment, have an overall regular hexagonal shape, which is characterized, inter alia, by the fact that it has three pairs of side surfaces 14.1, 14.4, 14.2, 14.5, 14.3, 14.6, each of which is arranged parallel to one another. The stand housing 10 is manufactured as a monoblock.

[0035] The preferred stand 1 is designed so that the entry side 15 (not shown in FIG. 1A) resembles the exit side 13 shown in FIG. 1A, and all features described below for the exit side 13 are found on the opposite side of the stand housing 10 in the same or corresponding locations, as will also be shown below with reference to other figures.

[0036] The stand 1 further comprises three rollers 20.1, 20.2, 20.3, which surround the rolling axis 19 in a star shape. The rollers 20.1 to 20.3 each define a plane of rotation which is at an angle of 120° to one another and which intersect at the rolling axis 19. The planes of rotation of the rollers 20.1 to 20.3 are respectively arranged perpendicular to a pair of side surfaces 14.1 to 14.6 of the stand housing 10. In the region of the rolling axis 19, the rollers 20.1 to 20.3 form a caliber 21 between them. The caliber 21 is in particular surrounded by the roll surface 22 of each of the rollers 20.1 to 20.3, which is formed centrally along the periphery of each roller 20.1 to 20.3 as a concave groove in order to provide the material to be rolled with the roundest possible outer contour. However, depending on the material to be rolled, the roll surfaces 22 can also be designed differently, in particular as flat or convex. In Figure 1A it can be seen that the upper roller 20.1 is arranged vertically and the two remaining lower rollers 20.2, 20.3 are each arranged at an angle of 120° to the vertical orientation of the upper roller 20.1, so that the rollers 20.1 to 20.3 are arranged in an inverted Y configuration.

[0037] Each of the rollers 20.1-20.3 is fixedly mounted on a roller shaft, via which the rollers 20.1-20.3 are driven. The axes of rotation of the roller shafts extend parallel to a pair of side surfaces 14.1, 14.4, 14.2, 14.5, 14.3, and 14.6, respectively. The axes of rotation are also transverse to the rolling axis 19 and are arranged rotationally symmetrically or star-shaped around said axis. The axis of rotation of the roller shaft of the upper roller 20.1 in FIG. 1A is oriented in the X direction. The axes of rotation of the two other roller shafts are therefore inclined at angles of 120° and 240°, respectively, to the axis of rotation of the upper roller shaft. Only the drive ends 24.1, 24.2, and 24.3 of the roller shafts are shown in FIG. 1A; these ends protrude outward from one of the side surfaces 14.2, 14.4, and 14.6 of the stand housing 10. As a result, the roller shafts can each be adjacent to an external drive which can thus transmit its rolling torque via the coupling to the roller shafts and thus to the rollers 20.1 to 20.3.

[0038] The roller shafts extend inside the stand housing 10, and eccentric adjustment means (not shown) for adjusting the rollers 20.1-20.3 via the roller shafts are also arranged in the stand housing 10. The eccentric adjustment means make it possible to change the distance in the XY plane of FIG. 1A between the roller shafts and thus the rollers 20.1-20.3 on the one hand and the rolling axis 19 on the other hand. As a result, different sizes of the caliber 21 can be set and, for a constant caliber 21, wear of the rollers 20.1-20.3 can also be compensated for. The eccentric adjustment means form an adjustment mechanism for the rollers 20.1-20.3.

[0039] The adjustment mechanism for rollers 20.1-20.3 can be externally actuated by rotating the adjusting connector 30, which protrudes outward near corner 16.1. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1A, the adjusting connector 30 is designed to be both manually and automatically actuated by a motor. The adjusting connector 30 is preferably connected to a rotatably mounted gear shaft extending inside the stand housing 10 and to a bevel gear that engages with tooth segments of an eccentric bushing of the eccentric adjustment means. The eccentric bushing, in turn, can transmit the rotational movement transmitted to it via the bevel gear to two other eccentric bushings, thus enabling synchronous adjustment of the rollers. The adjustment mechanism is not shown in detail in FIG. 1A beyond the adjusting connector 30.

[0040] The adjustment connector 30 is located near the corner 16.1, and the gear shaft connected to it extends parallel to the upper roller shaft, i.e., in the X direction in FIG. 1A, with its drive end 24.1 protruding from the stand housing 10 on the opposite side. The adjustment connector 30 is thus located substantially opposite the drive end 24.1 of the roller shaft, which extends parallel to the gear shaft. This relative location suggests that the adjustment connector 30 is not covered by the roll motor, which is located flush with the drive end 24.1 of one of the roller shafts. This is because the drive ends 24.2, 24.3 of the roller shafts adjacent to the adjustment connector 30 are oriented approximately 60° upward and downward relative to the adjustment connector 30 and its gear shaft, respectively, so that the motors coupled thereto form a large free space between them, allowing the adjustment connector 30 to be freely accessible.

[0041] In Fig. 1A, the adjustment connector 30 is positioned near the corner 16.1 and slightly offset upward relative to an imaginary horizontal mid-plane of the stand housing 10. In this case, the distance along the Y axis in Fig. 1A between the adjustment connector 30 and the mid-plane extending parallel to the gear shaft, i.e., in the X direction in Fig. 1A, is less than 10% of the extension of the stand housing 10 in the Y direction, i.e., the distance between the two opposing side surfaces 14.2, 14.5 of the stand housing 10.

[0042] Figure 1A shows three mounting elements 26.1, 26.2, 26.3 for guides for the material to be rolled (not shown in Figure 1A). The guides can be mounted on the outlet side 13 of the stand housing 10, which is shown in Figure 1A. The mounting elements 26.1, 26.2, 26.3 can also be arranged on the inlet side 15 (not visible in Figure 1A) so that guides for the material to be rolled can be mounted there.

[0043] The guide for the material to be rolled can be, for example, a roller guide, in particular a roller guide 60, as shown by way of example in Fig. 1B, or a funnel guide. The mounting elements 26.1, 26.2, 26.3 are arranged in a star shape around the rolling axis 19 and opposite one of the rollers 20.1, 20.2, 20.3 relative to the rolling axis 19. The three mounting elements 26.1, 26.2, 26.3 are each arranged at an angular interval of 120° around the rolling axis 19.

[0044] Additionally, three coupling clamping areas 50.1, 50.2, 50.6 are located at adjacent corners 16.1, 16.2, 16.6 of the stand housing 10 on the exit side 13 of the stand housing 10, as shown in FIG. 1A. Each of the coupling clamping areas 50.1, 50.2, 50.6 is separated by two clamp rails 52. The three adjacent corners 16.1, 16.2, 16.6 at which the coupling clamping areas 50.1, 50.2, 50.6 are located are corner 16.1, where the adjustment connector 30 is also located, and the two adjacent corners 16.2, 16.6. The coupling clamping areas 50.1, 50.2, 50.6 function to securely fasten a roller guide adjustment connector 64 (not shown in FIG. 1A but shown in FIG. 1B) onto the stand housing 10. This relative arrangement of the coupling clamp areas 50.1, 50.2, 50.6 at corner 16.1 of the adjustment connector 30 and the two surrounding corners 16.2, 16.6 makes it possible to combine certain flexibility in the arrangement and configuration of the stand 1 with the roller guide and thus transfer it to the entire system consisting of the stand 1 and the roller guide.

[0045] 1A shows that stand housing 10 includes four sliding rails 40.2, 40.3, 40.4, and 40.5 at exit side 13, which are arranged parallel to four adjacent side surfaces 14.2, 14.3, 14.4, and 14.5. Slide rails 40.2-40.5 are adjacent to one another and extend along the periphery of hexagonal stand housing 10 from corner 16.2, which includes coupling clamp area 50.2, to corner 16.6, which includes coupling clamp area 50.6. In the view of FIG. 1A, slide rails 40.2-40.5 are not arranged on side surfaces 14.2-14.5, but rather are offset inward toward rolling axis 19. The sliding rails 40.2-40.5 form sliding surfaces that, on the one hand, extend circumferentially along the side surfaces 14.2-14.5, and, on the other hand, extend parallel to the rolling axis 19 and the side surfaces 14.1-14.6, i.e., in the Z direction in FIG. 1A, from the sheet plane. In this way, the sliding rails 40.2-40.5 can function as contact surfaces in all four orientations of the stand 1 and are intended to facilitate the reception of the stand 1 in the stand base, in that the stand 1 can be pressed onto the sliding rails 40.2-40.5 into the stand base (not shown), in which case the sliding rails 40.2-40.5 can also be used as sealing elements. On the opposite inlet side 15 (not shown in FIG. 1A), four sliding rails 40.2-40.5 are also arranged opposite the sliding rails 40.2-40.5 shown, so that a pair of sliding rails 40.2-40.5 on each opposite side can be used to stably mount the stand 1 on the stand base.

[0046] The stand 1 further comprises three water outlet openings 42.1, 42.2, 42.3 at the outlet side 13 shown in Figure 1A. Cooling water, intended to be used for example for the roller guides, can thus be introduced into the stand housing 10 at one of the sides 14.1, 14.3, 14.5 through a water supply opening (not shown in Figure 1A), guided through the stand housing 10 and guided out through one of the water outlet openings 42.1, 42.2, 42.3, from where it is supplied to the roller guides.

[0047] Furthermore, at the exit side 13 shown in FIG. 1A and also at the entrance side 15 (not shown in this figure), a total of five clamping points 44.2, 44.3, 44.4, 44.5, 44.6 are arranged at the corners 16.2, 16.3, 16.4, 16.5, 16.6 that define the side 14 on which the sliding rails 40.2, 40.3, 40.4, 40.5 are arranged, and these clamping points can absorb the clamping force from the stand base for fixing the stand 1.

[0048] Figure 1B shows the stand 1 from Figure 1A in a position that can be assumed by tilting the stand 1 by approximately 180° about an axis K that is horizontal, i.e., extends in the X direction, relative to the orientation of Figure 1A. Figure 1B is therefore a rear view of the stand 1 according to Figure 1A, i.e., showing the inlet side 15. In this position of the stand 1, in contrast to the position shown in Figure 1A, the rollers 20.1 to 20.3 are arranged in a Y configuration.

[0049] The roller shafts are displaced parallel to the stand 1 position from FIG. 1A, so that their drive ends 24.1-24.3 project from the stand housing 10 in the same direction but at different positions, specifically mirrored by the respective angles 16.2, 16.4, and 16.6. Therefore, due to the above-mentioned inclination, the illustrated stand 1 can be used in rolling mills having both Y and inverted-Y configurations of rollers 20.1-20.3 in the same stand base, with the drive ends 24.1-24.3 of the roller shafts simply moving in translation. This allows for a high degree of flexibility in the use of the stand 1 in compact rolling mills. The roll drives coupled to the drive ends 24.1-24.3 of the roller shafts in the two positions of the stand 1 can be located on the same side of the rolling axis 19 for each stand position that alternates between Y and inverted-Y configurations, thereby keeping the overall mill space requirements relatively small.

[0050] Due to the tilt about axis K, the adjustment connector 30 is still arranged near corner 16.1 of the stand housing 10. It is arranged slightly offset downwards with respect to the horizontal mid-plane of the stand housing 10, specifically in a mirrored manner at corner 16.1. Nevertheless, even in this position of the stand 1, i.e. in the Y-configuration, the adjustment connector 30 is easily accessible from the same side, which is therefore suitable for efficient manual operation of the stand 1, particularly adjacent to the eccentric adjustment means.

[0051] Figure 1B further shows roller guide 60 fastened to stand housing 10 via mounting elements 26.1-26.3, described above with reference to Figure 1A and also present on inlet side 15 of stand housing 10 shown in Figure 1B. Roller guide 60 is also adjustable in that a roller adjustment mechanism allows the rollers of roller guide 60 to be positioned closer to or farther from rolling axis 19. In the roller adjustment mechanism, roller guide 60 is connected via universal shaft 62 to roller adjustment connector 64, via which torque can be applied to roller adjustment mechanism.

[0052] The roller adjustment connector 64 is attached to the coupling clamping area 50.1 and associated clamping rail 52 on the stand 1. Due to the arrangement of the mounting elements 26.1-26.3 and the coupling clamping areas 50.1, 50.2, 50.6 on the stand housing 10, the roller guide 60 can be attached to the stand housing 10 securely, accurately, and quickly.

[0053] Furthermore, a water line 66 of the roller guide 60 can be seen in Figure 1B. The water line 66 is connected to a water outlet opening 42.3 through which cooling water for the guide rollers of the roller guide 60 leaves the stand 10 and is supplied to the stand 10 by a water supply opening 43.3 (not shown in Figure 1B) when said stand is received in a stand base and connected to a water connection in the stand base.

[0054] Figure 1C shows the preferred stand 1 from Figure 1A in a position rotated clockwise about rolling axis 19 by approximately 120° relative to its position from Figure 1A. Due to the configuration of stand 1, rollers 20.1-20.3 are oriented in the same inverted Y configuration as in the position shown in Figure 1A, and the three drive ends 24.1-24.3 also extend in the same direction and are positioned in the same locations, allowing these drive ends 24.1-24.3 to be coupled to an external motor to apply rolling torque in the same manner as in the position from Figure 1A. However, adjustment connector 30 is positioned rotated clockwise by approximately 120° compared to Figure 1A.

[0055] This arrangement preferably functions to implement remote adjustment of the adjustment mechanism of rollers 20.1-20.3 by an external motor. The position of adjustment connector 30 in the stand 1 location shown in Figure 1C allows an external adjustment coupling of an external adjustment motor to engage and actuate adjustment connector 30 in the stand base (not shown) to adjust rollers 20.1-20.3. This is different from the location shown in Figures 1A and 1B.

[0056] The stand 1 must be able to be pushed into and out of the stand base transversely to the rolling axis 19 so that it can be quickly serviced. This requirement in turn means that the stand in Figures 1A-1D must be pushed to the right into the stand base so that the roll motors driving vertical roller 20.1 in Figures 1A and 1B or vertical roller 20.2 in Figures 1C and 1D can engage with their respective drive ends 24.1 and 24.2, because the roll motor for roller 20.1 is located to the right, beside the rolling axis 19 in Figures 1A and 1B, and for roller 20.2, it is located to the right, beside the rolling axis 19 in Figures 1C and 1D, and is coupled to drive ends 24.1 and 24.2, respectively.

[0057] 1A-1D, this means that an external adjustment motor cannot be arranged to the left of the rolling axis 19 and thus also next to the stand 1, i.e., in front of the rolling axis 19 in the insertion direction. The locations from FIGS. 1A and 1B are therefore configured for manual adjustment, i.e., actuation of the adjustment connector 30 by a person; in this configuration, the adjustment connector 30 cannot be actuated by automatic remote adjustment means, or can only be actuated with excessive effort. The locations from FIGS. 1C and 1D, in which the adjustment connector is arranged behind the rolling axis 19 in the insertion direction, are configured for remote adjustment, i.e., actuation of the adjustment connector 30 by an external motor.

[0058] In the location of stand 1 shown in FIG. 1C, the stand is arranged on sliding rails 40.4, while rollers 20.2 are rollers with a vertical plane of rotation and coupling clamping area 50.6 is arranged horizontally beside the rolling axis 19.

[0059] FIG. 1D shows the preferred stand in the configuration from FIG. 1C, i.e., in a configuration for remote adjustment with the adjustment connector 30 at the top right. The location of stand 1 in FIG. 1D can be assumed relative to the location in FIG. 1C by tilting stand 1 approximately 180° about axis K, which is tilted approximately 120°, and thus also 60°, relative to the horizontal, and which extends through angles 16.1 and 16.4. Similar to the transition between the location of stand 1 from FIG. 1A and that from FIG. 1B, the transition between the location of stand 1 from FIG. 1C and that from FIG. 1D also involves tilting approximately 180° about axis K, which extends substantially parallel to the gear shaft of adjustment connector 30. As a result, the orientation of adjustment connector 30 remains unchanged during this tilt, and rollers 20.1-20.3 transition from the inverted-Y configuration shown in FIG. 1C to the Y configuration shown in FIG. 1D, and vice versa.

[0060] Figure 1D, like Figure 1B, shows the inlet side 15 of the stand 1. As in Figure 1B, a roller guide 60 including a universal shaft 62 and a roller adjustment connector 64 is attached to the stand housing 10 using clamp rails 52 via mounting elements 26.1, 26.2, 26.3 and coupling clamp area 50.2.

[0061] In the location of stand 1 shown in FIG. 1D, the stand is arranged on sliding rails 40.3, while rollers 20.3 are rollers with a vertical plane of rotation and coupling clamping area 50.2 is arranged horizontally next to the rolling axis 19.

[0062] Due to the hexagonal shape of the stand housing 10, the stand 1 can be positioned in four locations, as shown in Figures 1A-1D, all of which are compatible with similar placement of the roll motor in a rolling mill equipped with a stand base. As a result, both Y and inverted Y placement of the rollers are possible, as well as two different configurations in terms of different orientations and placements of the adjustment connector 30, once for manual adjustment and once for remote adjustment. This flexibility is not achieved in the case of known square stand housings, because these stands are rigid and can only be translated or displaced on or along one of the sides of the stand housing, which fixes the orientation of the adjustment connector for a given orientation of the roll motor.

[0063] FIG. 2A is a perspective view of the inlet side 15 of a preferred stand 1, with the three rollers 20.1, 20.2, 20.3 arranged in an inverted Y configuration, with the adjustment connector 30 of the eccentricity adjustment means oriented horizontally.

[0064] Along the exterior 12 of stand housing 10, recesses and drilled holes are visible, provided to receive roller shafts and adjustment connectors 30; in FIG. 2A, only the drive end 24.2 of the roller shaft belonging to roller 20.2 is directly visible. It can further be seen that clamping point 44.6 on the inlet side 15 facing the viewer is connected by a bolt to the opposite clamping point 44.6 on the outlet side 13, so that the clamping force applied to clamping points 44.6 can be introduced directly and stably between them to secure stand 1 in its stand housing without seriously deforming or even damaging delicate parts of stand housing 10 due to the local introduction of too much force. Clamping points 44.2 to 44.5 are designed and connected to each other in the same way.

[0065] FIG. 2B, like FIG. 2A, shows the inlet side 15 of the stand 1 from a different perspective than in FIG. 2A, in which the drive end 24.1 of the roller shaft of roller 20.1 can be seen.

[0066] Figures 3A and 3B are side views of the stand, each showing the three rollers oriented in an inverted Y configuration. Figure 3A shows corner 16.1 and sides 14.1 and 14.6, as well as adjustment connector 30 and drive ends 24.2 and 24.3 of the roller shafts of rollers 20.2 and 20.3.

[0067] Figure 3A further shows two water supply openings 43.2 which can be connected to a water connection in the stand base in order to receive water in the stand housing 10 and direct it out via the water outlet opening 42.2, for example to supply water to the water line 66 of the roller guide 60. In Figure 3A next to the drive end 24.2 an air connection 41.2 is also visible, via which compressed air can be supplied to the stand housing 10 in order to protect the interior of the stand housing 10, and in particular the gearbox parts arranged therein, such as the eccentricity adjusting means, against water seeping in due to excessive pressure.

[0068] Figure 3B shows corner 16.4 opposite corner 16.1 from Figure 3A, as well as sides 14.3 and 14.4 opposite sides 14.1 and 14.6. Additionally, slide rails 40.3 and 40.4 are visible on both inlet side 15 and outlet side 13. In the perspective view of Figure 3B, drive end 42.1 of the roller shaft of roller 20.1 is visible in end view, as are air connection 41.1 and two water supply openings 43.3. [Explanation of symbols]

[0069] 1 Stand 10 Stand housing 12 Outside 13 Exit side 14.1, 14.2, 14.3, 14.4, 14.5, 14.6 Side 15 Entrance side 16.1, 16.2, 16.3, 16.4, 16.5, 16.6 angle 19 Rolling shaft 20.1, 20.2, 20.3 Roller 21 Caliber 22 Roll surface 24.1, 24.2, 24.3 Drive end 26.1, 26.2, 26.3 Mounting elements 30 Adjustment Connector 40.2, 40.3, 40.4, 40.5 slide rails 41.1, 41.2, 41.3 Air connections 42.1, 42.2, 42.3 Water outlet opening 43.1, 43.2, 43.3 Water supply opening 44.2, 44.3, 44.4, 44.5, 44.6 Clamp points 50.1, 50.2, 50.6 Coupling clamp area 52 Clamp rail 60 Roller guide 62 Universal shaft 64 Roller adjustment connector 66 Water Line Tilt axis for transitioning between KY and inverted Y configurations

Claims

1. A stand housing (10) for a stand (1) for rolling metal rods, wires or pipes along a rolling axis (19), comprising: The stand housing (10) has an outer side (12) having six side surfaces (14.1 to 14.6) forming the edges of a regular hexagon when viewed along the rolling axis (19), an inlet side (15), and an outlet side (13); at least one water supply opening (43.1, 43.2, 43.3) is arranged on three of the non-adjacent sides (14.1, 14.3, 14.5), the water supply opening being designed to guide water through the interior of the stand housing (10) to a water outlet opening (42.1, 42.2, 42.3) on the outlet side (13) or on the inlet side (15); Stand housing (10).

2. 2. The stand housing (10) according to claim 1, wherein two parallel water supply openings (43.1, 43.2, 43.3) are arranged on each of the three non-adjacent side surfaces (14.1, 14.3, 14.5), one of the water supply openings being designed to guide water through the interior of the stand housing (10) to a water outlet opening (42.1, 42.2, 42.3) at the outlet side (13), and the other of the water supply openings being designed to guide water through the interior of the stand housing (10) to a water outlet opening (42.1, 42.2, 42.3) at the inlet side (15).

3. 3. The stand housing (10) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the water outlet openings (42.1, 42.2, 42.3) are each arranged on a perpendicular bisector of an edge of the regular hexagon, as viewed along the rolling axis (19).

4. 4. A stand housing (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising air connections (41.1, 41.2, 41.3) arranged on three of the side surfaces (14.1, 14.3, 14.5), each of which is not adjacent to the other, and the air connections are designed to direct compressed air into the interior of the stand housing (10).

5. 5. The stand housing (10) according to claim 4, wherein the three air connections (41.1, 41.2, 41.3) lead to a common cavity and the stand housing (10) is designed to prevent the compressed air from escaping from one of the air connections (41.1, 41.2, 41.3) through a valve each.

6. 6. A stand housing (10) according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the air connections (41.1, 41.2, 41.3) are arranged on the same non-adjacent side (14.1, 14.3, 14.5) as the water supply openings (43.1, 43.2, 43.3).

7. 7. A stand housing (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein each one of the water supply openings (43.1, 43.2, 43.3) and each one of the air connections (41.1, 41.2, 41.3) are oriented parallel to each other and are designed to be connected along the same direction.

8. 8. The stand housing (10) according to claim 1, further comprising three bearing holes for mounting one roller shaft each, the bearing holes being made in one of the side surfaces (14.2, 14.4, 14.6) so as to be offset in a rotationally symmetrical manner around the rolling axis (19) by a rotation of 120° each, and the water supply openings (43.1, 43.2, 43.3) being made in the side surfaces (14.1, 14.3, 14.5) that do not comprise any bearing holes.

9. 9. A stand housing (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, which is closed and undivided, in particular made from a monoblock.

10. A stand (1) for rolling metal rods, wires or pipes along a rolling axis (19), comprising: three rollers (20.1, 20.2, 20.3) each arranged on one roller shaft and surrounding the rolling axis (19) in a star shape, and together forming a caliber (21); A stand housing (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 9; A stand (1).

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