Scrap clearing system, metal-strip production line, and scrap clearing method

Abstract

A scrap clearing system suited for a metal-strip production line, in particular a combined casting-rolling plant, to a metal-strip production line having such a scrap clearing system, and to a method for clearing scrap from a metal-strip production line. The system includes a cutting means for cutting up a metal strip fed to the scrap clearing system, and a strip catcher, which is located upstream of the cutting means in a transport direction (T) of the metal strip. The strip catcher has a pivotably mounted catching arm.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to a scrap clearing system for a metal-strip production line, in particular a combined casting-rolling plant, to a metal-strip production line having such a scrap clearing system, and to a method for clearing scrap from a metal-strip production line.PRIOR ART

[0002] In metal-strip production lines, in particular combined casting-rolling plants for endless strip production, cast strands or slabs made from them are (continuously) rolled into strips by means of a rolling mill. At the end of each production line, the rolled strip can then be wound up by a coiler. If the metal coil produced during the coiling has reached a predetermined size or the wound-up strip has reached a predetermined length, the strip is cut upstream of the coiler in the transport direction with the aid of co-rotating strip shears, which follow the speed of the strip, for example drum shears or the like. It is then possible to start coiling a new metal coil. In order to enable continuous production, additional coilers are usually provided to which the rolled strip can be selectively fed.

[0003] Especially in the case of thin rolled strips, for example with a thickness of 1 mm or less, problems may occur due to failure of components of the production line or when the strip is threaded into the coiler because of the high elasticity or flexibility compared to thicker strips, and the high conveying speed. For example, what is referred to as a “cobble” may form, i.e., a severe deformation of the strip in a strip portion, which prevents further conveying of the strip. In this case, the operation of the production line or the combined casting-rolling plant has to be interrupted and the affected portion of the strip removed. For this purpose, manual cutting up of the strip, for example by means of a plurality of flame cuts, and lifting off of the strip from the production line, for example by means of an indoor crane, are necessary. Such a procedure is usually highly complex because of the length of the strip portion to be removed. For example, if a cobble occurs in the coiler region, the strip to be scrapped has to be removed over a length from an entrance of an induction furnace upstream of a finishing mill as far as the coiler region and also from a laminar cooling region between the finishing mill and the coiler region. This scrap subsequently has to be manually cut into a manageable format and disposed of.

[0004] It is known from WO 2009 / 121678 that, in the event of an un-planned interruption of production, the continuous casting process can be maintained in a combined casting-rolling plant by a) a strand portion being cut off with first shears, b) a foot part of the strand portion being lifted from a roller conveyor by means of a lifting device, c) raw material passing through the first shears being cut into pieces of scrap by means of the first shears, the pieces of scrap being conveyed out, and the strand portion being removed until the combined casting-rolling plant is ready for operation again.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] It is an object of the present invention to improve, in particular to facilitate and / or to accelerate, the scrapping of a strip portion in a metal-strip finishing mill.

[0006] This object is achieved by a scrap clearing system for a metal-strip production line, a metal-strip production line, and a method for clearing scrap from a metal-strip production line according to the independent claims.

[0007] Preferred embodiments are the subject matter of the independent claims and the description below.

[0008] According to a first aspect of the invention, a scrap clearing system for a metal-strip production line, in particular a combined casting-rolling plant, has a cutting means for cutting up a metal strip fed to the scrap clearing system, and a strip catcher, which is located upstream of the cutting means in a transport direction of the metal strip. The strip catcher has a pivotably mounted catching arm.

[0009] A cutting means within the meaning of the present invention is preferably a device which is designed for cutting up a metal strip. The cutting means can, for example, cut up a metal strip into a first strip portion and a subsequent second strip portion with respect to a transport direction. The cutting means can be designed, for example, as strip shears, for example as hydraulically actuable toggle lever shears.

[0010] A strip catcher within the meaning of the present invention is preferably a device which is designed for collecting or catching a metal strip, in particular an incoming metal-strip head end. The strip catcher can, for example, prevent the metal strip from being conveyed in an uncontrolled or at least unbraked manner beyond the end of a production line, in particular a combined casting-rolling plant. For this purpose, a conventional strip catcher has a catching cage blocking the transport path of the metal strip. A strip catcher is expediently located in a transport direction downstream of the final coiler in the production line.

[0011] One aspect of the invention is based on the approach of providing an arrangement consisting of a cutting means for cutting up a metal strip and, upstream thereof with respect to a transport direction of the metal strip, a strip catcher with a pivotable catching arm. This arrangement can be provided, for example, downstream of a final coiler of a metal-strip production line, in particular combined casting-rolling plant, and expediently forms a scrap clearing system. The pivotable catching arm can be used to release a transport path to the cutting means that is blocked during normal operation of the production line. The cutting means at the end of the production line enables the automatic or at least semi-automatic shredding of a metal-strip portion to be scrapped, without said metal-strip portion having to be lifted off from the production line with great effort and subsequently (manually) shredded. As a result, the scrap clearing system can significantly accelerate the removal of a strip portion from the production line and can thus reduce the plant downtime associated with a production failure. In addition, the end-side cutting means can reduce the risk of injury, such as cuts or burns when manually cutting up the strip. At the same time, the risk of damaging components of the production line, such as rollers or cooling heads, when carrying out the required flame cuts can be reduced.

[0012] Preferred embodiments of the invention and developments thereof will be described below. Unless expressly precluded, these embodiments can each be combined with one another as desired and with the aspects of the invention described hereinafter.

[0013] In order to be able to selectively release the transport path to the cutting means, in particular downstream of a final coiler of the production line, the catching arm is pivotable according to the invention between a catching position and a release position. In the catching position, the catching arm blocks the transport path through the scrap clearing system. For example, in the catching position, the catching arm can at least partly project into a transport path of the metal strip in such a way that the metal strip is guided out of the transport direction into a catching cage by the catching arm. In this way, in the catching position, the catching arm can reliably prevent the metal strip from being undesirably conveyed as far as the cutting means during normal operation of the production line. This can prevent damage to the cutting means and / or an uncontrolled escape of the metal strip from the production line at the end thereof.

[0014] On the other hand, in the release position, a metal strip fed to the scrap clearing system can pass through the strip catcher. In the release position, the catching arm can, for example, be pivoted out of the transport path of the metal strip.

[0015] In order in this case to enable reliable transport of the metal strip as far as the cutting means and, if necessary, to position the metal strip in a suitable manner to be cut up, it is advantageous if a first transport means for conveying the metal strip past the strip catcher is provided. The transport means can be designed, for example, as a roller conveyor, in particular as a roller table having a plurality of rollers. Expediently, at least some of the rollers can be actively driven, i.e., are provided with a drive or coupled thereto. In this respect, the first transport means is preferably an active transport means. The first transport means also enables the scrap clearing system to be seamlessly integrated in the production line, for example by connecting it to the transport path to the final coiler of the production line.

[0016] The first transport means preferably extends over a transport section upstream of the strip catcher in the transport direction and over a transport section downstream of the strip catcher in the transport direction, in particular as far as the cutting means. For example, rollers of the first transport means can be provided both upstream and downstream of the strip catcher. In this respect, the transport means can convey the metal strip from the final coiler of the production line as far as the cutting means or at least past the strip catcher.

[0017] In order to assist the conveying of a metal strip located in the scrap clearing system, a second transport means for, in particular selective or targeted, feeding of the metal strip into the cutting means is preferably provided. Said second transport means is expediently located downstream of the strip catcher and immediately upstream of the cutting means in the transport direction. The second conveying means can, for example, have a conveyor roller, which is also referred to as a driver roller and is designed for the active transport of the metal strip. The second conveying means is expediently located or can be located in such a way that the transport path through the scrap clearing system runs at least partly between the first and second transport means. It is preferred that the metal strip is sup-ported on an underside by the first transport means, such as the roller conveyor, while the second transport means, such as the driver roller, is positioned with a predetermined pressure against an upper side of the metal strip.

[0018] By means of the first and / or second transport means, a head end, i.e., front end in the transport direction, of the metal strip or metal-strip portion to be scrapped can, for example, be positioned downstream of the cutting means in such a way that an actuation of the cutting means produces a manageable metal-strip part or scrap part. In order to be able to easily transport away this scrap part, a container is preferably provided for receiving metal-strip portions cut up by the cutting means. The container is expediently located downstream of the cutting means in the transport direction, for example in such a way that the scrap parts can drop into the container. The container, also referred to as a scrap bucket, may in particular be a skip.

[0019] According to a second aspect of the invention, the metal-strip production line, in particular the combined casting-rolling plant, has a scrap clearing system according to the first aspect of the invention. The scrap clearing system can reduce downtimes caused by the occurrence of cobbles and the associated production failures of the production line. At the same time, the scrap clearing system enables an increase in operational safety, since fewer operators are required to remove a metal-strip portion from the production line and, in particular, fewer manual working steps, such as flame cuts, have to be carried out. In addition, less indoor crane activity may be required.

[0020] The metal-strip production line may have, for example, a roughing mill, an induction furnace, a finishing mill, a cooling section, and one or more coilers. In order to be able to automatically or semi-automatically remove the metal strip from such a production line and scrap it, for example if problems arise when threading the strip into one of the coilers, the scrap clearing system is preferably located downstream of the final component of the production line in the transport direction of the metal strip through the production line, in particular downstream of the final coiler in the transport direction. In particular, the scrap clearing system can be attached to the production line and can therefore extend the production line.

[0021] According to a third aspect of the invention, in a method for clearing scrap from a metal-strip production line, in particular a combined casting-rolling plant, a metal strip located in a metal-strip production line is cut up into a first metal-strip portion and a second metal-strip portion, wherein the first metal-strip portion lies upstream of the second metal-strip portion in a transport direction through the metal-strip production line. In this sense, the first metal-strip portion can be understood as a preceding metal-strip portion and the second metal-strip portion as a subsequent metal-strip portion.

[0022] After the cutting, the first metal-strip portion is removed from the metal-strip production line. The second metal-strip portion is conveyed through the metal-strip production line to a scrap clearing system, which is located in particular downstream of a final coiler and has a cutting means for cutting up a metal strip fed to the scrap clearing system, and a strip catcher, which is located upstream of the cutting means in a transport direction of the metal strip. The strip catcher has a pivotably mounted catching arm, wherein the catching arm is pivotable between a catching position, in which the catching arm blocks a transport path through the scrap clearing system, and a release position, in which a metal strip fed to the scrap clearing system can pass through the strip catcher, and wherein, before the second metal-strip portion is conveyed to the scrap clearing system, the catching arm of the strip catcher is pivoted from a catching position into a release position. The second metal-strip portion is then cut up into a multiplicity of metal-strip pieces, which may also be referred to as scrap parts, by means of a cutting means of the scrap clearing system. The second metal-strip portion can be cut up automatically or at least semi-automatically, and therefore operators can be economized on and operational safety increased.

[0023] Expediently, the metal strip is first cut up in such a way that the first metal-strip portion comprises a cobble, i.e., an undesirably deformed strip portion. Since such a deformation makes further conveying of the first metal-strip portion through the production line more difficult or even impossible, the first metal-strip portion is preferably lifted out of the metal-strip production line. For example, the first metal-strip portion can be lifted out of the production line by means of a crane.

[0024] In order to be able to initiate the removal of scrap from the production line, in a preferred manner before the second metal-strip portion is conveyed to the scrap clearing system, a catching arm of a strip catcher of the scrap clearing system, which strip catcher is located upstream of the cutting means in the transport direction, is pivoted from a catching position into a release position. In the catching position, the catching arm expediently blocks a transport path through the scrap clearing system. In particular, in the catching position, the catching arm can reliably prevent the metal strip from being undesirably conveyed as far as the cutting means during normal operation of the production line. This can prevent damage to the cutting means and / or an uncontrolled escape of the metal strip from the production line at the end thereof.

[0025] On the other hand, in the release position, the metal strip fed to the scrap clearing system can expediently pass through the strip catcher.

[0026] If the transport path into the scrap clearing system or through the scrap clearing system is released, the metal strip conveyed as far as the cutting means can be cut up into metal-strip pieces. In a preferred manner, the metal-strip pieces are conveyed into a container arranged downstream of the cutting means in the transport direction. For example, the metal-strip pieces can drop into the container, which is also referred to as a scrap bucket. Collecting the pieces of scrap in the container allows easy and efficient removal of said scrap parts.

[0027] A further increase in the efficiency of scrapping metal-strip portions in the production line can be achieved by simply manually splitting the metal strip into the first and the second metal-strip portions and removing the first metal-strip portion. In contrast, at least the cutting up of the second metal-strip portion by means of the cutting means into a multiplicity of metal-strip pieces, but preferably also the conveying of the second metal-strip portion to the scrap clearing system, in particular by means of the scrap clearing system to the cutting means, expediently takes place automatically or semi-automatically. This means that control or operation of the production line, in particular of the scrap clearing system, for example of corresponding conveyor systems and / or of the cutting means, by operators is not necessary or is necessary only to a small extent, at least insofar as the second metal-strip portion is concerned.

[0028] The properties, features and advantages of this invention, and the manner in which these are achieved, will become clearer and more clearly comprehensible in conjunction with the description below of an exemplary embodiment, which is explained in more detail in conjunction with the drawings. In the drawings, at least partly schematically:

[0029] FIG. 1 shows an example of a metal-strip production line with a scrap clearing system;

[0030] FIG. 2 shows an example of a method for clearing scrap from a metal-strip production line; and

[0031] FIG. 3 shows an example of a scrap clearing system.

[0032] To the extent expedient, the same reference signs are used in the figures for the same or mutually corresponding elements of the invention.DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0033] FIG. 1 shows an example of a metal-strip production line 50 with a scrap clearing system 1. In the present example, in addition to the scrap clearing system 1, the metal-strip production line 50 has a combined casting-rolling plant for the continuous production of metal strips 2, a casting machine 51, descaling de-vices 53, a roughing mill 54, an induction furnace 55, a finishing mill 56, a cooling section 57, a cutting means 58 and a plurality of, in the present example three, coilers 59, 60, 61. The scrap clearing system 1 follows downstream of the final coiler 61 with respect to a transport direction T of the metal strip 2 through the production line 50.

[0034] A mold 62 of the casting machine 51 is used to produce a partially solidified metal strand 63. The descaling device 53 for descaling the strand 63 follows the casting machine 51. The strand 63 is subsequently rolled through a plurality of, in the example shown three, roughing stands 64a, 64b, 64c of the roughing mill 54 to form a roughened strip 65. The roughened strip 65 is heated by the induction furnace 55 and descaled again by a further descaling device 53 in order to be able to avoid scale being rolled into the strip in the subsequent finishing mill 56. In order to obtain the desired final strip thickness, the finishing mill 56 has a plurality of, in the example shown five, finishing stands 66a, 66b, 66c, 66d, 66e. In the cooling section 57, for example a laminar cooling region, the metal strip 2 thus thinly rolled is cooled to a temperature suitable for winding it up. After a metal coil coiled by means of one of the three coilers 59, 60, 61 from wound-up metal strip 2 has reached a predetermined size, the metal strip 2 can be cut by means of the cutting means 58 and further coiled on another of the three coilers 59, 60, 61 to form a new metal coil.

[0035] In particular when changing the currently active coiler 59, 60, 61, that is, when threading the metal strip 2 into another coiler 59, 60, 61, deformation of the metal strip 2 may occur because of the high elasticity H flexibility of the metal strip 2 in comparison to the strand 63 or to the roughened strip 65. Such a deformed region of the metal strip 2 then cannot be further transported or coiled and therefore the metal strip 2 backs up. Inadvertent deformation of the metal strip 2 and the associated backing up may in principle also occur, however, at other components of the finishing mill 50. This is particularly the case if further cutting means (not shown) are provided upstream of the roughing mill 54 or the finishing mill 56 in the transport direction T, for example to produce slabs or to cut the metal strip 2 after it has reached a predetermined length.

[0036] The backing up and the associated further deformation of the metal strip 2 is referred to as a “cobble”71 and forces production in the production line 50 to stop. In order to be able to put the production line 50 back into operation, the cobble 71 first of all has to be removed. Since the shutdown of the production line 50 and the subsequent resumption of operation result in undefined production parameters or it not being possible to keep to at least the specified production parameters, it is frequently the case that a portion of the metal strip 2 located in the region of the cooling section 57 and / or finishing mill 56 at the resumption of operation does not meet any specified quality criteria. Therefore, in addition to the cobble 71 or a first metal-strip portion 2a containing the cobble 71, this additional second metal-strip portion 2b also has to be removed from the production line 50. For this purpose, the scrap clearing system 1 can be used, as explained below in connection with FIG. 2.

[0037] FIG. 2 shows a method 100 for clearing scrap from a metal-strip production line, in particular a combined casting-rolling plant. In a method step S1, the metal strip located in the metal-strip production line is cut up into the first metal-strip portion and the second metal-strip portion. The first metal-strip portion lies upstream of the second metal-strip portion in the transport direction. The metal strip is expediently cut up manually, for example by means of corresponding flame cuts. This in particular allows the cobble to be separated from the metal strip. Expediently, a strip portion forming the cobble accordingly corresponds to at least a part of the first metal-strip portion. Accordingly, the second metal-strip portion expediently corresponds to that portion of the metal strip which, although it can in principle be processed further after the production line has been put back into operation, would then not meet the specified quality criteria.

[0038] The first metal-strip portion separated from the metal strip is removed from the metal-strip production line in a further method step S2. This is expediently also carried out manually. For this purpose, for example, an indoor crane can be used.

[0039] By removal of the first metal-strip portion, in particular the strip portion contained therein and forming the cobble, from the production line, the metal strip or the second metal-strip portion can be transported again unhindered in the transport direction through the metal-strip production line. Accordingly, in a further method step S3, the second metal-strip portion is expediently conveyed through the metal-strip production line, past the coilers, to the scrap clearing system. There, in a further method step S4, the second metal-strip portion can be cut up into a multiplicity of metal-strip pieces by means of a cutting means of the scrap clearing system. The metal-strip pieces can be collected, for example in a container located downstream of the cutting means, and then transported away with little effort.

[0040] The conveying of the second metal-strip portion, in method step S3, can be carried out at least partially in automated fashion. Alternatively or in addition, the cutting up of the second metal-strip portion, in method step S4, can be at least partially automated. The conveying, in method step S3, and the cutting up, in method step S4, can together also be understood as a scrapping step, in which the metal strip or the second metal-strip portion is gradually moved over a distance in the transport direction and a region at the head end, i.e., the strip end at the front in the transport direction, is cut off.

[0041] FIG. 3 shows a scrap clearing system 1, for example for the production line 50 from FIG. 1, in detail. The scrap clearing system 1 has a cutting means 10, a strip catcher 20 located upstream of the cutting means 10 in the transport direction T of a metal strip 2, a first transport means 30, a second transport means 32, and a container 40. The cutting means 10 is designed to cut up the metal strip 2, which is fed to the scrap clearing system 1 and is to be scrapped, into metal-strip pieces 3, which are collected by the container 40.

[0042] The metal strip 2 can be fed to the scrap clearing system 1, for example, by means of a lower driver roller 67, which is longitudinally adjustable parallel to the transport direction T, in the region of a final coiler 61 of the production line 50. The metal strip 2 runs through between the lower driver roller 67 and an upper driver roller 68, which is arranged in a fixed position in the transport direction T. If an axis of rotation 70 of the lower driver roller 67 is positioned upstream of an axis of rotation 69 of the upper driver roller 68 in the transport direction T, so that a tangent of the lower driver roller 67 or the upper driver roller 68, at the intersecting point of a connecting line connecting the axes of rotation 69 and 70 to each other, and of the lower driver roller 67 or the upper driver roller 68 tilts relative to the transport direction T, the metal strip 2 can run in the direction of the coiler 61 below the lower driver roller 67. If, by contrast, the axes of rotation 69 and 70 are positioned at the same height in the transport direction T, so that a tangent of the lower driver roller 67 or the upper driver roller 68, at the intersecting point of the connecting line connecting the axes of rotation 69 and 70 to each other, and of the lower driver roller 67 or the upper driver roller 68 runs parallel to the transport direction T, the metal strip 2 can continue to run in the transport direction T.

[0043] For transporting the metal strip 2 in the scrap clearing system 1, use is made of the first transport means 30, for example, a roller conveyor or roller table with a multiplicity of transport rollers 31, indicated in FIG. 3. For reasons of clarity, only one of the transport rollers 31 is provided with a reference sign. Expediently, at least some of the transport rollers 31 can be actively driven, for example by means of a motor, not shown. The first transport means 30 thus enables conveying of the metal strip 2 in the transport direction T, in particular past the strip catcher 20 to the cutting means 10. In order to be able to support the metal strip 2 during this conveying operation, the second transport means 32, for example in the form of a driver roller, is provided, specifically preferably on an (up-per) side of the metal strip 2 facing away from the first transport means 30, so that the metal strip 2 can pass through between the first and second transport means 30, 32.

[0044] Of course, the lower driver roller 67 and upper driver roller 68, which are located upstream of the scrap clearing system 1 in the transport direction T, can also serve for transporting the metal strip 2 in the scrap clearing system 1 or can at least support the transport. In particular, alternatively or in addition to the first and / or second transport means 30, 32, the driver rollers 67, 68 can convey the metal strip 2 to be scrapped to or into the cutting means 10 or at least one metal-strip portion through the cutting means 10.

[0045] The strip catcher 20 has a catching arm 21, which is pivotable between a catching position, which is indicated by dotted lines and in which the catching arm 21 blocks the transport of the metal strip 2 through the scrap clearing system 1, and a release position, in which the metal strip 2 can pass through the strip catcher 20. In the catching position, the catching arm 21 can thus in particular prevent the metal strip 2, during normal operation of the production line 50, in the event of a malfunction, for example a failed threading of a strip end in front in the transport direction T into the final coiler, in the example the coiler 61, from being conveyed beyond the end of the production line 50 and possibly putting material and people in a region at the end of production line 50 at risk.

[0046] The catching arm 21 can in particular be a hydraulically actuable catching arm 21.

[0047] Expediently, the cutting means 10 has two cutting tools 11, 12, for example two cutting edges or one cutting edge and an anvil, which are arranged such that the metal strip 2 can be guided through between them in the transport direction T. When a pre-determined length of the metal strip 2 has been conveyed through the cutting tools 11, 12, the cutting tools 11, 12 can be moved toward each other so that a metal-strip piece 3 is severed. Since, during the scrapping of the metal strip 2, continuous transport of the metal strip 2 is not necessary, unlike during regular operation of a combined casting-rolling plant in which a metal strand has to be continuously produced and transported away, the cutting means 10 can be designed as strip shears with positionally fixed cutting tools 11, 12 in the transport direction T, in particular as hydraulically actuable toggle lever shears. More complex drum shears or pendulum shears with partly co-rotating cutting tools are not necessary. By means of the transport means 30 and the conveying means 32, the metal strip 2 can be gradually transported in the transport direction T and a metal-strip piece 3 can in each case be severed.

[0048] Alternatively, however, continuous conveying of the metal strip 2 through the scrap clearing system 1 and cutting up by means of a correspondingly designed cutting means 10, such as drum shears or pendulum shears, is also conceivable. As a result, the scrapping of the metal strip 2 can be accelerated even further.

[0049] The container 40, which is also referred to as a scrap bucket, is expediently located directly downstream of the cutting means 10 in the transport direction T. The container 40 can be arranged in particular in such a way that the severed metal-strip pieces 3 do not have to be transported further, but automatically drop into the container 40 after being severed from the metal strip 2. For this purpose, the container 40 is advantageously located slightly below a plane defined by the metal strip 2. It is optionally also possible to provide a guide for the metal-strip pieces 3 to ensure reliable collecting by the container 40.

[0050] Although the invention has been illustrated and described in detail by the preferred exemplary embodiments, the invention is not limited by the examples disclosed and other variations may be derived therefrom by a person skilled in the art without departing from the scope of protection of the invention.LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS1 Scrap clearing system

[0052] 2 Metal strip

[0053] 2a, 2b First, second metal-strip portion

[0054] 3 Metal-strip piece

[0055] 10 Cutting means

[0056] 11, 12 Cutting tools

[0057] 20 Strip catcher

[0058] 21 Catching arm

[0059] 30 First transport means

[0060] 31 Transport roller

[0061] 32 Second transport means

[0062] 40 Container

[0063] 50 Metal-strip production line

[0064] 51 Casting machine

[0065] 53 Descaling device

[0066] 54 Roughing mill

[0067] 55 Induction furnace

[0068] 56 Finishing mill

[0069] 57 Cooling section

[0070] 58 Cutting means

[0071] 59, 60, Coiler

[0072] 61

[0073] 62 Mold

[0074] 63 Metal strand

[0075] 64a-c Roughing stand

[0076] 65 Roughened strip

[0077] 66a-e Finishing stand

[0078] 67 Lower driver roller

[0079] 68 Upper driver roller

[0080] 69, 70 Axis of rotation

[0081] 71 Cobble

[0082] 100 Method

[0083] S1-4 Method steps

[0084] T Transport direction

Examples

Embodiment Construction

[0033]FIG. 1 shows an example of a metal-strip production line 50 with a scrap clearing system 1. In the present example, in addition to the scrap clearing system 1, the metal-strip production line 50 has a combined casting-rolling plant for the continuous production of metal strips 2, a casting machine 51, descaling de-vices 53, a roughing mill 54, an induction furnace 55, a finishing mill 56, a cooling section 57, a cutting means 58 and a plurality of, in the present example three, coilers 59, 60, 61. The scrap clearing system 1 follows downstream of the final coiler 61 with respect to a transport direction T of the metal strip 2 through the production line 50.

[0034]A mold 62 of the casting machine 51 is used to produce a partially solidified metal strand 63. The descaling device 53 for descaling the strand 63 follows the casting machine 51. The strand 63 is subsequently rolled through a plurality of, in the example shown three, roughing stands 64a, 64b, 64c of the roughing mill 5...

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to a scrap clearing system for a metal-strip production line, in particular a combined casting-rolling plant, to a metal-strip production line having such a scrap clearing system, and to a method for clearing scrap from a metal-strip production line.PRIOR ART

[0002] In metal-strip production lines, in particular combined casting-rolling plants for endless strip production, cast strands or slabs made from them are (continuously) rolled into strips by means of a rolling mill. At the end of each production line, the rolled strip can then be wound up by a coiler. If the metal coil produced during the coiling has reached a predetermined size or the wound-up strip has reached a predetermined length, the strip is cut upstream of the coiler in the transport direction with the aid of co-rotating strip shears, which follow the speed of the strip, for example drum shears or the like. It is then possible to start coiling a new metal coil. In order to enable continuous production, additional coilers are usually provided to which the rolled strip can be selectively fed.

[0003] Especially in the case of thin rolled strips, for example with a thickness of 1 mm or less, problems may occur due to failure of components of the production line or when the strip is threaded into the coiler because of the high elasticity or flexibility compared to thicker strips, and the high conveying speed. For example, what is referred to as a “cobble” may form, i.e., a severe deformation of the strip in a strip portion, which prevents further conveying of the strip. In this case, the operation of the production line or the combined casting-rolling plant has to be interrupted and the affected portion of the strip removed. For this purpose, manual cutting up of the strip, for example by means of a plurality of flame cuts, and lifting off of the strip from the production line, for example by means of an indoor crane, are necessary. Such a procedure is usually highly complex because of the length of the strip portion to be removed. For example, if a cobble occurs in the coiler region, the strip to be scrapped has to be removed over a length from an entrance of an induction furnace upstream of a finishing mill as far as the coiler region and also from a laminar cooling region between the finishing mill and the coiler region. This scrap subsequently has to be manually cut into a manageable format and disposed of.

[0004] It is known from WO 2009 / 121678 that, in the event of an un-planned interruption of production, the continuous casting process can be maintained in a combined casting-rolling plant by a) a strand portion being cut off with first shears, b) a foot part of the strand portion being lifted from a roller conveyor by means of a lifting device, c) raw material passing through the first shears being cut into pieces of scrap by means of the first shears, the pieces of scrap being conveyed out, and the strand portion being removed until the combined casting-rolling plant is ready for operation again.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] It is an object of the present invention to improve, in particular to facilitate and / or to accelerate, the scrapping of a strip portion in a metal-strip finishing mill.

[0006] This object is achieved by a scrap clearing system for a metal-strip production line, a metal-strip production line, and a method for clearing scrap from a metal-strip production line according to the independent claims.

[0007] Preferred embodiments are the subject matter of the independent claims and the description below.

[0008] According to a first aspect of the invention, a scrap clearing system for a metal-strip production line, in particular a combined casting-rolling plant, has a cutting means for cutting up a metal strip fed to the scrap clearing system, and a strip catcher, which is located upstream of the cutting means in a transport direction of the metal strip. The strip catcher has a pivotably mounted catching arm.

[0009] A cutting means within the meaning of the present invention is preferably a device which is designed for cutting up a metal strip. The cutting means can, for example, cut up a metal strip into a first strip portion and a subsequent second strip portion with respect to a transport direction. The cutting means can be designed, for example, as strip shears, for example as hydraulically actuable toggle lever shears.

[0010] A strip catcher within the meaning of the present invention is preferably a device which is designed for collecting or catching a metal strip, in particular an incoming metal-strip head end. The strip catcher can, for example, prevent the metal strip from being conveyed in an uncontrolled or at least unbraked manner beyond the end of a production line, in particular a combined casting-rolling plant. For this purpose, a conventional strip catcher has a catching cage blocking the transport path of the metal strip. A strip catcher is expediently located in a transport direction downstream of the final coiler in the production line.

[0011] One aspect of the invention is based on the approach of providing an arrangement consisting of a cutting means for cutting up a metal strip and, upstream thereof with respect to a transport direction of the metal strip, a strip catcher with a pivotable catching arm. This arrangement can be provided, for example, downstream of a final coiler of a metal-strip production line, in particular combined casting-rolling plant, and expediently forms a scrap clearing system. The pivotable catching arm can be used to release a transport path to the cutting means that is blocked during normal operation of the production line. The cutting means at the end of the production line enables the automatic or at least semi-automatic shredding of a metal-strip portion to be scrapped, without said metal-strip portion having to be lifted off from the production line with great effort and subsequently (manually) shredded. As a result, the scrap clearing system can significantly accelerate the removal of a strip portion from the production line and can thus reduce the plant downtime associated with a production failure. In addition, the end-side cutting means can reduce the risk of injury, such as cuts or burns when manually cutting up the strip. At the same time, the risk of damaging components of the production line, such as rollers or cooling heads, when carrying out the required flame cuts can be reduced.

[0012] Preferred embodiments of the invention and developments thereof will be described below. Unless expressly precluded, these embodiments can each be combined with one another as desired and with the aspects of the invention described hereinafter.

[0013] In order to be able to selectively release the transport path to the cutting means, in particular downstream of a final coiler of the production line, the catching arm is pivotable according to the invention between a catching position and a release position. In the catching position, the catching arm blocks the transport path through the scrap clearing system. For example, in the catching position, the catching arm can at least partly project into a transport path of the metal strip in such a way that the metal strip is guided out of the transport direction into a catching cage by the catching arm. In this way, in the catching position, the catching arm can reliably prevent the metal strip from being undesirably conveyed as far as the cutting means during normal operation of the production line. This can prevent damage to the cutting means and / or an uncontrolled escape of the metal strip from the production line at the end thereof.

[0014] On the other hand, in the release position, a metal strip fed to the scrap clearing system can pass through the strip catcher. In the release position, the catching arm can, for example, be pivoted out of the transport path of the metal strip.

[0015] In order in this case to enable reliable transport of the metal strip as far as the cutting means and, if necessary, to position the metal strip in a suitable manner to be cut up, it is advantageous if a first transport means for conveying the metal strip past the strip catcher is provided. The transport means can be designed, for example, as a roller conveyor, in particular as a roller table having a plurality of rollers. Expediently, at least some of the rollers can be actively driven, i.e., are provided with a drive or coupled thereto. In this respect, the first transport means is preferably an active transport means. The first transport means also enables the scrap clearing system to be seamlessly integrated in the production line, for example by connecting it to the transport path to the final coiler of the production line.

[0016] The first transport means preferably extends over a transport section upstream of the strip catcher in the transport direction and over a transport section downstream of the strip catcher in the transport direction, in particular as far as the cutting means. For example, rollers of the first transport means can be provided both upstream and downstream of the strip catcher. In this respect, the transport means can convey the metal strip from the final coiler of the production line as far as the cutting means or at least past the strip catcher.

[0017] In order to assist the conveying of a metal strip located in the scrap clearing system, a second transport means for, in particular selective or targeted, feeding of the metal strip into the cutting means is preferably provided. Said second transport means is expediently located downstream of the strip catcher and immediately upstream of the cutting means in the transport direction. The second conveying means can, for example, have a conveyor roller, which is also referred to as a driver roller and is designed for the active transport of the metal strip. The second conveying means is expediently located or can be located in such a way that the transport path through the scrap clearing system runs at least partly between the first and second transport means. It is preferred that the metal strip is sup-ported on an underside by the first transport means, such as the roller conveyor, while the second transport means, such as the driver roller, is positioned with a predetermined pressure against an upper side of the metal strip.

[0018] By means of the first and / or second transport means, a head end, i.e., front end in the transport direction, of the metal strip or metal-strip portion to be scrapped can, for example, be positioned downstream of the cutting means in such a way that an actuation of the cutting means produces a manageable metal-strip part or scrap part. In order to be able to easily transport away this scrap part, a container is preferably provided for receiving metal-strip portions cut up by the cutting means. The container is expediently located downstream of the cutting means in the transport direction, for example in such a way that the scrap parts can drop into the container. The container, also referred to as a scrap bucket, may in particular be a skip.

[0019] According to a second aspect of the invention, the metal-strip production line, in particular the combined casting-rolling plant, has a scrap clearing system according to the first aspect of the invention. The scrap clearing system can reduce downtimes caused by the occurrence of cobbles and the associated production failures of the production line. At the same time, the scrap clearing system enables an increase in operational safety, since fewer operators are required to remove a metal-strip portion from the production line and, in particular, fewer manual working steps, such as flame cuts, have to be carried out. In addition, less indoor crane activity may be required.

[0020] The metal-strip production line may have, for example, a roughing mill, an induction furnace, a finishing mill, a cooling section, and one or more coilers. In order to be able to automatically or semi-automatically remove the metal strip from such a production line and scrap it, for example if problems arise when threading the strip into one of the coilers, the scrap clearing system is preferably located downstream of the final component of the production line in the transport direction of the metal strip through the production line, in particular downstream of the final coiler in the transport direction. In particular, the scrap clearing system can be attached to the production line and can therefore extend the production line.

[0021] According to a third aspect of the invention, in a method for clearing scrap from a metal-strip production line, in particular a combined casting-rolling plant, a metal strip located in a metal-strip production line is cut up into a first metal-strip portion and a second metal-strip portion, wherein the first metal-strip portion lies upstream of the second metal-strip portion in a transport direction through the metal-strip production line. In this sense, the first metal-strip portion can be understood as a preceding metal-strip portion and the second metal-strip portion as a subsequent metal-strip portion.

[0022] After the cutting, the first metal-strip portion is removed from the metal-strip production line. The second metal-strip portion is conveyed through the metal-strip production line to a scrap clearing system, which is located in particular downstream of a final coiler and has a cutting means for cutting up a metal strip fed to the scrap clearing system, and a strip catcher, which is located upstream of the cutting means in a transport direction of the metal strip. The strip catcher has a pivotably mounted catching arm, wherein the catching arm is pivotable between a catching position, in which the catching arm blocks a transport path through the scrap clearing system, and a release position, in which a metal strip fed to the scrap clearing system can pass through the strip catcher, and wherein, before the second metal-strip portion is conveyed to the scrap clearing system, the catching arm of the strip catcher is pivoted from a catching position into a release position. The second metal-strip portion is then cut up into a multiplicity of metal-strip pieces, which may also be referred to as scrap parts, by means of a cutting means of the scrap clearing system. The second metal-strip portion can be cut up automatically or at least semi-automatically, and therefore operators can be economized on and operational safety increased.

[0023] Expediently, the metal strip is first cut up in such a way that the first metal-strip portion comprises a cobble, i.e., an undesirably deformed strip portion. Since such a deformation makes further conveying of the first metal-strip portion through the production line more difficult or even impossible, the first metal-strip portion is preferably lifted out of the metal-strip production line. For example, the first metal-strip portion can be lifted out of the production line by means of a crane.

[0024] In order to be able to initiate the removal of scrap from the production line, in a preferred manner before the second metal-strip portion is conveyed to the scrap clearing system, a catching arm of a strip catcher of the scrap clearing system, which strip catcher is located upstream of the cutting means in the transport direction, is pivoted from a catching position into a release position. In the catching position, the catching arm expediently blocks a transport path through the scrap clearing system. In particular, in the catching position, the catching arm can reliably prevent the metal strip from being undesirably conveyed as far as the cutting means during normal operation of the production line. This can prevent damage to the cutting means and / or an uncontrolled escape of the metal strip from the production line at the end thereof.

[0025] On the other hand, in the release position, the metal strip fed to the scrap clearing system can expediently pass through the strip catcher.

[0026] If the transport path into the scrap clearing system or through the scrap clearing system is released, the metal strip conveyed as far as the cutting means can be cut up into metal-strip pieces. In a preferred manner, the metal-strip pieces are conveyed into a container arranged downstream of the cutting means in the transport direction. For example, the metal-strip pieces can drop into the container, which is also referred to as a scrap bucket. Collecting the pieces of scrap in the container allows easy and efficient removal of said scrap parts.

[0027] A further increase in the efficiency of scrapping metal-strip portions in the production line can be achieved by simply manually splitting the metal strip into the first and the second metal-strip portions and removing the first metal-strip portion. In contrast, at least the cutting up of the second metal-strip portion by means of the cutting means into a multiplicity of metal-strip pieces, but preferably also the conveying of the second metal-strip portion to the scrap clearing system, in particular by means of the scrap clearing system to the cutting means, expediently takes place automatically or semi-automatically. This means that control or operation of the production line, in particular of the scrap clearing system, for example of corresponding conveyor systems and / or of the cutting means, by operators is not necessary or is necessary only to a small extent, at least insofar as the second metal-strip portion is concerned.

[0028] The properties, features and advantages of this invention, and the manner in which these are achieved, will become clearer and more clearly comprehensible in conjunction with the description below of an exemplary embodiment, which is explained in more detail in conjunction with the drawings. In the drawings, at least partly schematically:

[0029] FIG. 1 shows an example of a metal-strip production line with a scrap clearing system;

[0030] FIG. 2 shows an example of a method for clearing scrap from a metal-strip production line; and

[0031] FIG. 3 shows an example of a scrap clearing system.

[0032] To the extent expedient, the same reference signs are used in the figures for the same or mutually corresponding elements of the invention.DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0033] FIG. 1 shows an example of a metal-strip production line 50 with a scrap clearing system 1. In the present example, in addition to the scrap clearing system 1, the metal-strip production line 50 has a combined casting-rolling plant for the continuous production of metal strips 2, a casting machine 51, descaling de-vices 53, a roughing mill 54, an induction furnace 55, a finishing mill 56, a cooling section 57, a cutting means 58 and a plurality of, in the present example three, coilers 59, 60, 61. The scrap clearing system 1 follows downstream of the final coiler 61 with respect to a transport direction T of the metal strip 2 through the production line 50.

[0034] A mold 62 of the casting machine 51 is used to produce a partially solidified metal strand 63. The descaling device 53 for descaling the strand 63 follows the casting machine 51. The strand 63 is subsequently rolled through a plurality of, in the example shown three, roughing stands 64a, 64b, 64c of the roughing mill 54 to form a roughened strip 65. The roughened strip 65 is heated by the induction furnace 55 and descaled again by a further descaling device 53 in order to be able to avoid scale being rolled into the strip in the subsequent finishing mill 56. In order to obtain the desired final strip thickness, the finishing mill 56 has a plurality of, in the example shown five, finishing stands 66a, 66b, 66c, 66d, 66e. In the cooling section 57, for example a laminar cooling region, the metal strip 2 thus thinly rolled is cooled to a temperature suitable for winding it up. After a metal coil coiled by means of one of the three coilers 59, 60, 61 from wound-up metal strip 2 has reached a predetermined size, the metal strip 2 can be cut by means of the cutting means 58 and further coiled on another of the three coilers 59, 60, 61 to form a new metal coil.

[0035] In particular when changing the currently active coiler 59, 60, 61, that is, when threading the metal strip 2 into another coiler 59, 60, 61, deformation of the metal strip 2 may occur because of the high elasticity H flexibility of the metal strip 2 in comparison to the strand 63 or to the roughened strip 65. Such a deformed region of the metal strip 2 then cannot be further transported or coiled and therefore the metal strip 2 backs up. Inadvertent deformation of the metal strip 2 and the associated backing up may in principle also occur, however, at other components of the finishing mill 50. This is particularly the case if further cutting means (not shown) are provided upstream of the roughing mill 54 or the finishing mill 56 in the transport direction T, for example to produce slabs or to cut the metal strip 2 after it has reached a predetermined length.

[0036] The backing up and the associated further deformation of the metal strip 2 is referred to as a “cobble”71 and forces production in the production line 50 to stop. In order to be able to put the production line 50 back into operation, the cobble 71 first of all has to be removed. Since the shutdown of the production line 50 and the subsequent resumption of operation result in undefined production parameters or it not being possible to keep to at least the specified production parameters, it is frequently the case that a portion of the metal strip 2 located in the region of the cooling section 57 and / or finishing mill 56 at the resumption of operation does not meet any specified quality criteria. Therefore, in addition to the cobble 71 or a first metal-strip portion 2a containing the cobble 71, this additional second metal-strip portion 2b also has to be removed from the production line 50. For this purpose, the scrap clearing system 1 can be used, as explained below in connection with FIG. 2.

[0037] FIG. 2 shows a method 100 for clearing scrap from a metal-strip production line, in particular a combined casting-rolling plant. In a method step S1, the metal strip located in the metal-strip production line is cut up into the first metal-strip portion and the second metal-strip portion. The first metal-strip portion lies upstream of the second metal-strip portion in the transport direction. The metal strip is expediently cut up manually, for example by means of corresponding flame cuts. This in particular allows the cobble to be separated from the metal strip. Expediently, a strip portion forming the cobble accordingly corresponds to at least a part of the first metal-strip portion. Accordingly, the second metal-strip portion expediently corresponds to that portion of the metal strip which, although it can in principle be processed further after the production line has been put back into operation, would then not meet the specified quality criteria.

[0038] The first metal-strip portion separated from the metal strip is removed from the metal-strip production line in a further method step S2. This is expediently also carried out manually. For this purpose, for example, an indoor crane can be used.

[0039] By removal of the first metal-strip portion, in particular the strip portion contained therein and forming the cobble, from the production line, the metal strip or the second metal-strip portion can be transported again unhindered in the transport direction through the metal-strip production line. Accordingly, in a further method step S3, the second metal-strip portion is expediently conveyed through the metal-strip production line, past the coilers, to the scrap clearing system. There, in a further method step S4, the second metal-strip portion can be cut up into a multiplicity of metal-strip pieces by means of a cutting means of the scrap clearing system. The metal-strip pieces can be collected, for example in a container located downstream of the cutting means, and then transported away with little effort.

[0040] The conveying of the second metal-strip portion, in method step S3, can be carried out at least partially in automated fashion. Alternatively or in addition, the cutting up of the second metal-strip portion, in method step S4, can be at least partially automated. The conveying, in method step S3, and the cutting up, in method step S4, can together also be understood as a scrapping step, in which the metal strip or the second metal-strip portion is gradually moved over a distance in the transport direction and a region at the head end, i.e., the strip end at the front in the transport direction, is cut off.

[0041] FIG. 3 shows a scrap clearing system 1, for example for the production line 50 from FIG. 1, in detail. The scrap clearing system 1 has a cutting means 10, a strip catcher 20 located upstream of the cutting means 10 in the transport direction T of a metal strip 2, a first transport means 30, a second transport means 32, and a container 40. The cutting means 10 is designed to cut up the metal strip 2, which is fed to the scrap clearing system 1 and is to be scrapped, into metal-strip pieces 3, which are collected by the container 40.

[0042] The metal strip 2 can be fed to the scrap clearing system 1, for example, by means of a lower driver roller 67, which is longitudinally adjustable parallel to the transport direction T, in the region of a final coiler 61 of the production line 50. The metal strip 2 runs through between the lower driver roller 67 and an upper driver roller 68, which is arranged in a fixed position in the transport direction T. If an axis of rotation 70 of the lower driver roller 67 is positioned upstream of an axis of rotation 69 of the upper driver roller 68 in the transport direction T, so that a tangent of the lower driver roller 67 or the upper driver roller 68, at the intersecting point of a connecting line connecting the axes of rotation 69 and 70 to each other, and of the lower driver roller 67 or the upper driver roller 68 tilts relative to the transport direction T, the metal strip 2 can run in the direction of the coiler 61 below the lower driver roller 67. If, by contrast, the axes of rotation 69 and 70 are positioned at the same height in the transport direction T, so that a tangent of the lower driver roller 67 or the upper driver roller 68, at the intersecting point of the connecting line connecting the axes of rotation 69 and 70 to each other, and of the lower driver roller 67 or the upper driver roller 68 runs parallel to the transport direction T, the metal strip 2 can continue to run in the transport direction T.

[0043] For transporting the metal strip 2 in the scrap clearing system 1, use is made of the first transport means 30, for example, a roller conveyor or roller table with a multiplicity of transport rollers 31, indicated in FIG. 3. For reasons of clarity, only one of the transport rollers 31 is provided with a reference sign. Expediently, at least some of the transport rollers 31 can be actively driven, for example by means of a motor, not shown. The first transport means 30 thus enables conveying of the metal strip 2 in the transport direction T, in particular past the strip catcher 20 to the cutting means 10. In order to be able to support the metal strip 2 during this conveying operation, the second transport means 32, for example in the form of a driver roller, is provided, specifically preferably on an (up-per) side of the metal strip 2 facing away from the first transport means 30, so that the metal strip 2 can pass through between the first and second transport means 30, 32.

[0044] Of course, the lower driver roller 67 and upper driver roller 68, which are located upstream of the scrap clearing system 1 in the transport direction T, can also serve for transporting the metal strip 2 in the scrap clearing system 1 or can at least support the transport. In particular, alternatively or in addition to the first and / or second transport means 30, 32, the driver rollers 67, 68 can convey the metal strip 2 to be scrapped to or into the cutting means 10 or at least one metal-strip portion through the cutting means 10.

[0045] The strip catcher 20 has a catching arm 21, which is pivotable between a catching position, which is indicated by dotted lines and in which the catching arm 21 blocks the transport of the metal strip 2 through the scrap clearing system 1, and a release position, in which the metal strip 2 can pass through the strip catcher 20. In the catching position, the catching arm 21 can thus in particular prevent the metal strip 2, during normal operation of the production line 50, in the event of a malfunction, for example a failed threading of a strip end in front in the transport direction T into the final coiler, in the example the coiler 61, from being conveyed beyond the end of the production line 50 and possibly putting material and people in a region at the end of production line 50 at risk.

[0046] The catching arm 21 can in particular be a hydraulically actuable catching arm 21.

[0047] Expediently, the cutting means 10 has two cutting tools 11, 12, for example two cutting edges or one cutting edge and an anvil, which are arranged such that the metal strip 2 can be guided through between them in the transport direction T. When a pre-determined length of the metal strip 2 has been conveyed through the cutting tools 11, 12, the cutting tools 11, 12 can be moved toward each other so that a metal-strip piece 3 is severed. Since, during the scrapping of the metal strip 2, continuous transport of the metal strip 2 is not necessary, unlike during regular operation of a combined casting-rolling plant in which a metal strand has to be continuously produced and transported away, the cutting means 10 can be designed as strip shears with positionally fixed cutting tools 11, 12 in the transport direction T, in particular as hydraulically actuable toggle lever shears. More complex drum shears or pendulum shears with partly co-rotating cutting tools are not necessary. By means of the transport means 30 and the conveying means 32, the metal strip 2 can be gradually transported in the transport direction T and a metal-strip piece 3 can in each case be severed.

[0048] Alternatively, however, continuous conveying of the metal strip 2 through the scrap clearing system 1 and cutting up by means of a correspondingly designed cutting means 10, such as drum shears or pendulum shears, is also conceivable. As a result, the scrapping of the metal strip 2 can be accelerated even further.

[0049] The container 40, which is also referred to as a scrap bucket, is expediently located directly downstream of the cutting means 10 in the transport direction T. The container 40 can be arranged in particular in such a way that the severed metal-strip pieces 3 do not have to be transported further, but automatically drop into the container 40 after being severed from the metal strip 2. For this purpose, the container 40 is advantageously located slightly below a plane defined by the metal strip 2. It is optionally also possible to provide a guide for the metal-strip pieces 3 to ensure reliable collecting by the container 40.

[0050] Although the invention has been illustrated and described in detail by the preferred exemplary embodiments, the invention is not limited by the examples disclosed and other variations may be derived therefrom by a person skilled in the art without departing from the scope of protection of the invention.LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS1 Scrap clearing system

[0052] 2 Metal strip

[0053] 2a, 2b First, second metal-strip portion

[0054] 3 Metal-strip piece

[0055] 10 Cutting means

[0056] 11, 12 Cutting tools

[0057] 20 Strip catcher

[0058] 21 Catching arm

[0059] 30 First transport means

[0060] 31 Transport roller

[0061] 32 Second transport means

[0062] 40 Container

[0063] 50 Metal-strip production line

[0064] 51 Casting machine

[0065] 53 Descaling device

[0066] 54 Roughing mill

[0067] 55 Induction furnace

[0068] 56 Finishing mill

[0069] 57 Cooling section

[0070] 58 Cutting means

[0071] 59, 60, Coiler

[0072] 61

[0073] 62 Mold

[0074] 63 Metal strand

[0075] 64a-c Roughing stand

[0076] 65 Roughened strip

[0077] 66a-e Finishing stand

[0078] 67 Lower driver roller

[0079] 68 Upper driver roller

[0080] 69, 70 Axis of rotation

[0081] 71 Cobble

[0082] 100 Method

[0083] S1-4 Method steps

[0084] T Transport direction

Examples

Embodiment Construction

[0033]FIG. 1 shows an example of a metal-strip production line 50 with a scrap clearing system 1. In the present example, in addition to the scrap clearing system 1, the metal-strip production line 50 has a combined casting-rolling plant for the continuous production of metal strips 2, a casting machine 51, descaling de-vices 53, a roughing mill 54, an induction furnace 55, a finishing mill 56, a cooling section 57, a cutting means 58 and a plurality of, in the present example three, coilers 59, 60, 61. The scrap clearing system 1 follows downstream of the final coiler 61 with respect to a transport direction T of the metal strip 2 through the production line 50.

[0034]A mold 62 of the casting machine 51 is used to produce a partially solidified metal strand 63. The descaling device 53 for descaling the strand 63 follows the casting machine 51. The strand 63 is subsequently rolled through a plurality of, in the example shown three, roughing stands 64a, 64b, 64c of the roughing mill 5...

Claims

1. A scrap clearing system for a metal-strip production line, in particular a combined cast-rolling plant, having a cutting means for cutting up a metal strip fed to the scrap clearing system and a strip catcher, which is located upstream of the cutting means in a transport direction (T) of the metal strip -and has a pivotably mounted catching arm, wherein the catching arm is pivotable between a catching position, in which the catching arm blocks a transport path through the scrap clearing system, and a release position, in which a metal strip fed to the scrap clearing system can pass through the strip catcher.

2. The scrap clearing system as claimed in claim 1, having a first transport means for conveying the metal strip past the strip catcher, wherein the first transport means extends over a transport section upstream of the strip catcher in the transport direction (T) and over a transport section downstream of the strip catcher in the transport direction (T).

3. The scrap clearing system as claimed in claim 1. having a second transport means for feeding the metal strip into the cutting means, wherein the second transport means is located or can be located downstream of the strip catcher and immediately upstream of the cutting means in the transport direction (T) in such a way that a transport path through the scrap clearing system runs at least partly between the first and second conveying means.

4. The scrap clearing system as claimed in claim 1, having a container which is located downstream of the cutting means in the transport direction (T) for receiving metal-strip portions cut up by the cutting means.

5. A metal-strip production line, in particular combined casting-rolling plant, having a scrap clearing system as claimed in claim 1.

6. The metal-strip production line as claimed in claim 5, wherein the scrap clearing system is located in a transport direction (T) of a metal strip through the production line downstream of a final coiler in the transport direction (T).

7. A method for clearing scrap from a metal-strip production line H, in particular a combined casting-rolling plant, comprising:cutting up (S1) a metal strip located on a metal-strip production line into a first metal-strip portion and a second metal-strip portion, wherein the first metal-strip portion lies upstream of the second metal-strip portion in a transport direction (T) through the metal-strip production line;removing (S2) the first metal-strip portion from the metal-strip production line,conveying (S3) the second metal-strip portion through the metal-strip production line to a scrap clearing system having a cutting means for cutting up a metal strip fed to the scrap clearing system, and a strip catcher, which is located upstream of the cutting means in a transport direction (T) of the metal strip and has a pivotably mounted catching arm, wherein the catching arm is pivotable between a catching position, in which the catching arm blocks a transport path through the scrap clearing system, and a release position, in which a metal strip fed to the scrap clearing system can pass through the strip catcher; and wherein, before the second metal-strip portion is conveyed (S3) to the scrap clearing system, the catching arm of the strip catcher is pivoted from a catching position into a release position, andcutting up (S4) the second metal-strip portion into a multiplicity of metal-strip pieces means of the cutting means of the scrap clearing system.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the first metal-strip portion is lifted out of the metal-strip production line.

9. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein, before the second metal-strip portion is conveyed to the scrap clearing system, a catching arm of a strip catcher of the scrap clearing system, which strip catcher is located upstream of the cutting means in the transport direction (T), is pivoted from a catching position, in which the catching arm blocks a transport path through the scrap clearing system, into a release position, in which the second metal-strip portion can pass through the strip catcher.

10. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the metal-strip pieces are conveyed into a container located downstream of the cutting means in the transport direction (T).

11. The method as claimed in claim 7, whereinthe cutting up of the metal strip into the first and second metal-strip portions and the removing of the first metal-strip portion take place manually, andthe cutting up of the second metal-strip portion by means of the cutting means into a multiplicity of metal-strip pieces takes place automatically or semi-automatically.

Images