Stand housing including roller guide

Abstract

To provide a stand that enables more flexible use, adjustment constitution, and small designing in a roller.SOLUTION: A stand rolls a metal rod, a wire, and a pipe. The stand comprises: three rollers 20.1-20.3 arranged on one roller shaft to surround a rolling shaft in a star shape to form a caliber 21; a stand housing 10 having an outside 12 including six side surfaces 14.1-14.6 arranged to deviate at 60° rotation angle along the rolling shaft with respect to the rolling shaft as a center, and two end faces 15 opposing to each other, the stand housing forming a regular hexagonal shape; and a roller guide 60 including a universal shaft 62 which is mounted on one of the end faces of the stand housing, the universal shaft including a roller adjustment connector 64 and capable of adjusting a center of the roller guide, and mounted on the stand housing in one of corners 16.1-16.6 in a hexagonal shape.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1B

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a stand for rolling long metal products, in particular rods, wires or pipes, along a rolling axis, the stand comprising a roller guide mounted on the inlet side of the stand. [Background technology]

[0002] Stands for rolling rod-shaped materials are known in principle for the production of metal pipes, rods, or wires. In this case, the caliber is set accordingly so that the material can be rolled to the desired diameter. For example, a stand from this technical field is known from US Pat. No. 5,629,499.

[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 typically star-shaped 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, for example, the three rollers of the first and third stands of a rolling mill having four stands are typically arranged in what is known as a "Y configuration," while the rollers of the second and fourth stands located behind them, for example, are arranged in what is known as an "inverted-Y configuration" (λ). Due to 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] Switching between different configurations of a conventional rectangular parallelepiped stand is typically done by rotating it, for example, by about 180°, about a horizontal axis. However, this switching results in, among other obstacles, the entry side, i.e., the end face of the stand where the material to be rolled enters the stand, being swapped with the exit side, i.e., the opposite end face where the material to be rolled leaves the stand. In other words, the entry side becomes the exit side, and vice versa.

[0009] 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.

[0010] To prevent the material to be rolled from performing a twisting movement between successive stands and making it difficult to control the point of application of the rollers along the periphery of the material to be rolled, roller guides are known which are typically attached to the stands on their inlet side. An arrangement of this type is known, for example, from US Pat. No. 5,649,999.

[0011] A particularly effective roller guide offers the possibility of centrally adjusting the caliber between the infeed rollers using a roller adjustment mechanism. For this purpose, for example, a shaft, usually a universal shaft, is used to introduce the roller adjustment torque via a roller adjustment connector, i.e., a coupling for the shaft, which connection can be fixed to a stand.

[0012] Furthermore, there are two basic configurations for the roller adjustment connector: manual adjustment of the rollers, and automatic adjustment, known as remote adjustment. While the location of the roller adjustment connector on the operator's side of the stand housing allows good accessibility for manual operation of the roller stand connection from this side, in this location it is not possible to easily operate and activate the roller adjustment connector automatically, i.e., by what is known as remote adjustment, because the motor required for this cannot be provided on this side so as not to prevent the user from accessing the stand.

[0013] In the prior art, modifying the stand in such a way that the roller guides are correctly positioned and set after switching between Y and reverse Y configurations involves considerable effort, especially when this is a roller guide that includes a roller adjustment connector. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0014] [Patent Document 1] DE 10015340 A1 [Patent Document 2] Chinese Patent Application Publication No. 114130828 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0015] Against this background, the object of the present invention is to provide a stand in the above technical field which allows for more flexible use in a rolling mill and in particular a more flexible selection of both the position in the rolling mill and also the roller adjustment configuration, while at the same time allowing for a compact design of the rolling mill.

[0016] In other words, the aim is to develop a stand in the above technical field in such a way that it can be positioned at different locations on the stand base, with one roller guide each mounted with central adjustment. [Means for solving the problem]

[0017] This object is achieved by a stand according to claim 1. Advantageous embodiments of the invention emerge from the dependent claims.

[0018] A stand for rolling long metal products, particularly rods, wires, or pipes, along a rolling axis includes three rollers each arranged on a roller shaft, surrounding the rolling axis in a star shape and forming a caliber together, the three roller shafts preferably being mounted by eccentric bushings in bearing holes in the stand housing so that the radial spacing of the rollers from the rolling axis is adjustable; a stand housing having an exterior with at least six side faces, each of which is arranged offset from the center of the rolling axis by a rotation of 60° when viewed along the rolling axis, the side faces together forming a regular hexagon, at least in an imaginary extension line; and a roller guide attached to an end face, particularly the inlet side, of the stand housing and including a universal shaft, the universal shaft including a roller adjustment connector via which the roller guide can be centrally adjusted, the roller adjustment connectors being attached to the stand housing at the corners of the hexagon.

[0019] In this context, the side surfaces are surfaces of the stand housing that laterally define two end faces, specifically a front face called the inlet side and a rear face called the outlet side, through which the rolling axis extends. When viewed along the rolling axis, these end faces together form the lateral outer surface of the stand housing. These side faces are arranged so that they are offset from the rolling axis by 60°, i.e., so that adjacent side faces enclose an interior angle of 120°. These side faces thus form, at least in an imaginary extension, a regular hexagon, meaning that the projection of the stand housing along the rolling axis defines a polygon with at least six sides and corners. In this case, instead of sharp corners, rounded, chamfered, or similar transitions can be provided between adjacent side faces of the hexagon, interconnecting the straight side faces.

[0020] 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.

[0021] The star-shaped arrangement of the rollers around the rolling axis means that each roller or its rotation plane is arranged at an angle of 120° to the two adjacent rollers or their rotation planes. This also applies to the roller shafts, whose axes intersect outside the roller rotation plane, but not in the caliber. However, within the stand, each roller shaft is at an angle of 120° to the other two roller shafts. This results in a synergy between the geometry of the roller arrangement and the stand housing, especially due to the similar symmetry of the star-shaped arrangement of the three rollers on the one hand and the regular hexagonal exterior of the stand housing on the other hand.

[0022] In the case of this preferred stand, the distance of the rollers from the rolling axis can be set to set the caliber by rotating an eccentric bushing, i.e. by eccentric adjustment, as known for example from DE 10 200 04 133 A1.

[0023] The number and arrangement of the sides of the present stand housing, compared to a four-sided rectangular stand housing known from the prior art, offers the advantage that the stand can be used in a modular manner in different locations in a rolling mill and in different configurations with respect to the adjustability of the roller guides. In other words, the stand can be used in several different orientations, e.g., Y- and inverted-Y-configurations, with and without roller guides, with different assignments of the end faces as inlet or outlet sides, and with different roller adjustments of the roller guides, e.g., manual or automatic. This reduces the number of stands that must be kept available to the rolling mill operator, since the same stands can be used throughout the entire rolling mill, even after mill modifications with respect to the adjustability of the roller guides between manual and automatic. Thus, the present invention achieves more flexible use within the rolling mill, and in particular, more flexible selection of both the location in the rolling mill and also the roller adjustment configuration, while simultaneously achieving a compact design for the rolling mill.

[0024] The stand housing preferably includes at least one pair of coupling clamp areas arranged at the corners of a hexagon, with roller adjustment connectors attached to the at least one pair of coupling clamp areas, one coupling clamp area of ​​the pair arranged on one of the end faces and the other coupling clamp area of ​​the pair arranged on the other of the end faces.

[0025] A corner in the sense of the arrangement of the coupling clamping areas according to this preferred embodiment extends from the point where the side surfaces meet, or in the case of non-sharp corners, the point where their imaginary extensions meet, in the direction of the adjacent corner up to 25% of the perimeter distance from the adjacent corner. It is particularly preferred to arrange the coupling clamping areas, which themselves have a perimeter extension corresponding to the size of the coupling, in the center of the corner of the regular hexagon formed by the side surfaces.

[0026] The coupling clamp area makes it possible to ensure a safe, secure and accurate mounting of the roller adjustment connector on the stand housing, which is particularly advantageous when switching stand housings, since, for example, the roller guide may then have to be readjusted if, as is usual, it is intended to be positioned on the inlet side in both situations.

[0027] In a preferred embodiment, the stand housing includes two pairs of coupling clamping regions, one of which is located at one corner of a hexagon and the other at a corner of the hexagon offset by 120° from the rolling axis, and the roller adjustment connector is attached to one of these pairs. In other words, one of the pair of coupling clamping regions is located at a first corner and the other of the pair is located at an adjacent, but circumferential, second corner of the hexagon.

[0028] As a result, switching between two different configurations, particularly between the Y and reverse Y configurations, can be achieved by tilting around a tilt axis extending through the corner located between the first and second corners and the center of the stand housing, i.e., an oblique tilt axis compared to the conventional horizontal tilt axis in the case of a rectangular stand housing. In this case, the first and second corners exchange positions when switching, and the attachment of the roller adjustment connector, i.e., the coupling for central adjustment of the roller guide, can be performed reliably, quickly, and accurately at the appropriate corner by the coupling clamp area. This is particularly advantageous if the stand housing additionally includes a bearing hole for the adjustment connector for the stand rollers, located in the area of ​​the third corner. Switching between two different configurations along the tilt axis extending through the corner near which the adjustment connector for the roller adjustment is located is particularly efficient for the entire rolling mill.

[0029] The stand housing preferably includes three pairs of coupling clamp areas, one of which is located at one corner of the hexagon and two of which are located at the adjacent corners, and the roller adjustment connector is attached to one of these pairs. In other words, in this preferred embodiment, a pair of coupling clamp areas is also located at a third corner located between the first and second corners, so that three adjacent corners each have a pair of coupling clamp areas.

[0030] This provides additional flexibility for the third corner to maintain its position when switching between two different configurations, particularly between the Y and inverted Y configurations, by tilting about a tilt axis extending through the corner located between the first and second corners and the center of the stand housing. The coupling clamp area allows reliable, fast, and accurate installation of the roller adjustment connector, i.e., the coupling for central adjustment of the roller guide, at each appropriate corner. This is particularly advantageous if the stand housing additionally includes a bearing hole for the adjustment connector for the stand's rollers, located in the region of the third corner. Switching between the two different configurations along the tilt axis extending through the corner near which the adjustment connector for the roller adjustment is located is particularly efficient for the entire rolling mill.

[0031] The coupling clamping area preferably includes a threaded hole for fixing the coupling for the shaft of the roller guide, so that the coupling, i.e. the roller adjustment connector, can be securely and firmly attached to the stand housing.

[0032] In a preferred embodiment, the coupling clamping area is created on the end face, as a result of which a more reliable and space-saving mounting of the coupling can be ensured.

[0033] The stand housing advantageously further comprises a clamp rail which is screwed to the coupling clamp area and by means of which the coupling can be oriented and mounted, thereby allowing simple and accurate mounting and orientation of the coupling.

[0034] In a preferred embodiment, the stand housing includes at least one operating material connection on an end surface, and the roller guide includes an operating material line connected to the operating material connection on the stand housing.

[0035] The roller guides can be reliably and effectively supplied with, for example, cooling water via an operating material line connected to an operating material connection on the stand housing, since the connection of this line can already be made before the stand is inserted into the stand base and can be correspondingly reliably designed and also quickly implemented due to better accessibility.When the stand housing is received in the stand base, if the operating material supply line is connected to a corresponding operating material connection on or in the stand base, the operating material, for example cooling water, can be guided through the stand housing in that it is introduced into the stand housing through, for example, an operating material supply opening.

[0036] In this case, this preferred arrangement of the operating material connection on the end face facilitates the supply of operating material to the roller guide, since the roller guide is mounted on the same end face and therefore the operating material line can be guided in a geometrically simple manner.

[0037] In this way, the working material, in particular the cooling water, can be reliably guided through the working material line of the roller guide, so that the rollers and the material to be rolled can be cooled using cooling water, for example.

[0038] The stand preferably further includes an adjustment connector for introducing an adjustment torque to adjust the radial position of the roller shafts relative to the rolling axis to set the caliber. In this case, at least two adjustment configurations are possible: remote adjustment via an external motor and manual adjustment. For this purpose, an external motor or a suitable tool, such as a wrench, must be engaged with the adjustment connector to activate, i.e., rotate, it. The rotational movement can be transmitted, for example, via a gearbox, to one of the eccentric bushings of the stand. From the eccentric bushing, the rotational movement can be transmitted to the other eccentric bushings of the roller shafts in a manner known in principle. In this way, all roller shafts can be synchronously adjusted via a single adjustment connector, and the caliber can be set accordingly. Other adjustment mechanisms are also possible.

[0039] The adjustment connector is preferably located on the outside of the stand housing, i.e., laterally outside, at one corner of a regular hexagon. In this context, "at one corner of a regular hexagon" means that the adjustment connector is located closer to the corner than to the center of the side, i.e., closer to the transition between two adjacent side faces. This location of the adjustment connector allows for more flexible use of the stand. The stand can therefore be rotated approximately 180° around an axis extending through the corner and the rolling axis, thereby switching between a Y-configuration and an inverted Y-configuration without substantially changing the position of the adjustment connector.

[0040] 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]

[0041] [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

[0042] In the following description of the figures, identical or corresponding elements are provided with the same reference numerals and repeated description is largely avoided.

[0043] 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.

[0044] 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.

[0045] 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.

[0046] 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.

[0047] 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.

[0048] 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.

[0049] 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.

[0050] 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.

[0051] 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.

[0052] 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.

[0053] 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.

[0054] 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.

[0055] 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.

[0056] 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.

[0057] 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.

[0058] 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.

[0059] 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.

[0060] 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.

[0061] 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.

[0062] 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.

[0063] 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.

[0064] 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.

[0065] 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.

[0066] 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.

[0067] 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.

[0068] 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.

[0069] 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.

[0070] 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.

[0071] 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.

[0072] 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.

[0073] 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.

[0074] 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.

[0075] 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.

[0076] 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.

[0077] 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]

[0078] 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 (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) having an outer side (12) including at least six side surfaces (14.1, 14.2, 14.3, 14.4, 14.5, 14.6) that are arranged so as to be offset from the center of the rolling axis (19) by a rotation of 60° when viewed along the rolling axis (19), and two end surfaces (13, 15) that are opposite to each other, wherein the side surfaces (14.1 to 14.6) form a regular hexagon at least in an imaginary extension line; a roller guide (60) attached to one of the two end faces (13, 15) of the stand housing (10) and including a universal shaft (62), the universal shaft (62) including roller adjustment connectors (64) through which the roller guide (60) can be centrally adjusted, the roller adjustment connectors (64) being attached to the stand housing (10) at the corners (16.1, 16.2, 16.3, 16.4, 16.5, 16.6) of the regular hexagon; A stand (1).

2. 2. The stand (1) according to claim 1, wherein the stand housing (10) includes at least one pair of coupling clamp areas (50.1, 50.2, 50.6) arranged at one corner (16.1, 16.2, 16.6) of the regular hexagon, the roller adjustment connector (64) being attached to the at least one pair of coupling clamp areas (50.1, 50.2, 50.6), one coupling clamp area (50.1, 50.2, 50.6) of the pair being arranged on one of the two end faces (13, 15), and the other coupling clamp area (50.1, 50.2, 50.6) of the pair being arranged on the other of the two end faces (15, 13).

3. 3. The stand (1) according to claim 2, wherein the stand (1) comprises two pairs of coupling clamp areas (50.2, 50.6), one of which (50.2, 50.6) is arranged at one corner (16.2, 16.6) of the regular hexagon and the other (50.6, 50.2) is arranged at a corner (16.6, 16.2) of the regular hexagon that is offset by 120° from the rolling axis (19), and the roller adjustment connector (64) is attached to one of the two pairs (50.2, 50.6).

4. 4. The stand (1) according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the stand (1) comprises three pairs of coupling clamp areas (50.1, 50.2, 50.6), one (50.1) of the three pairs being arranged at one corner (16.1) of the regular hexagon and two (50.2, 50.6) being arranged at corners (16.2, 16.6) adjacent to the one corner, and the roller adjustment connector (64) is attached to one of the three pairs (50.1, 50.2, 50.6).

5. 5. The stand (1) according to claim 1, wherein the stand housing (10) includes at least one operating material connection (42.1, 42.2, 42.3) on the end face (13, 15), and the roller guide (60) includes an operating material line (66) connected to the operating material connection (42.1, 42.2, 42.3) on the stand housing (10).

6. 6. The stand (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising an adjustment connector (30), in particular a remote adjustment connector, for introducing an adjustment torque to adjust the radial position of the roller shaft to set the caliber (21).

7. 7. The stand (1) according to claim 6, wherein the adjustment connector (30) is arranged on the outer side (12) of the stand housing (10) at one of the corners (16.1 to 16.6) of the regular hexagon.

8. A stand (1) according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the adjustment connector (30) is manually actuatable or the remote adjustment connector is automatically actuatable by a motor.

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