Device for driving a pair of vertical rolls mounted in bearing chocks

Abstract

A device for driving a pair of vertical rolls or the support shafts thereof mounted in bearing chocks, wherein the necks of the vertical rolls can be coupled to drive gear shafts which are each mounted in a gear housing which is connected to and is movable together with the respective chock. The drive gear shafts are constructed as vertically mounted unilateral bevel gear shafts whose bevel gears mesh with the bevel gears of also unilateral bevel gear shafts in the form of hollow bevel gear shafts which are mounted horizontally and coaxially in the respective gear unit support housing. The hollow bevel gear shafts can be coupled to the drive unit through a floating intermediate shaft arranged between the two hollow shafts, wherein each hollow bevel gear shaft is connected through an internal spline to an external spline of the intermediate shaft.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The invention relates to a device for driving a pair of vertical rolls or the support shafts of the vertical rolls, wherein the vertical rolls or the support shafts are mounted in bearing chocks which can be adjusted by sliding them relative to each other, wherein the necks of the vertical rolls or of the support shafts can be coupled to drive gear shafts which are each mounted in a gear housing which is connected to and is moveable together with the respective chock.

[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0004] Various embodiments of devices of the above-described type have become known for use in wire rolling trains and have the purpose of facilitating a precise adjustment. of the vertical rolls and an easy exchange thereof at high wire speeds.

[0005] In the device according to U.S. Pat. No. 3,670,587, the two vertical rolls can be placed from above into the bearing chocks which are arranged in a guide frame so as to be horizontally moveable and adjustable relative to each other. Coupling sleeves can be placed on the upwardly projecting roll necks of the vertical rolls, wherein the coupling sleeves can be driven for rotation by universal joint spindles hinged to the coupling sleeves and a common gear arrangement.

[0006] In another device known from EP 139 199 A1, the vertical rolls are each mounted in a horizontally moveable support housing and are coupled with their downwardly directed roll necks to a gear unit, the housing of which is connected and slidable with the support housing of the vertical rolls. The two combinations of support housing and gear housing are slidable relative to each other and the vertical rolls thereof are each driven by a drive unit through a sliding coupling arrangement, wherein the drive unit is arranged laterally underneath the respective combination.

[0007] In another device known from JP 57190703, the horizontal rolls of a pair of horizontal rolls are each placed on a roll support shaft which is mounted in a bearing housing, which, in turn, is fixedly connected to a gear housing with a drive motor flanged thereon. Both housing and motor combinations are connected to one another so as to be pivotable. The adjustment of the rolls is effected by pivoting this housing and motor combination. For use in wire rolling trains, this combination can be moved by means of appropriate support frames into different angular positions, wherein the roll support shafts assume an appropriate angular position relative to the rolling line.

[0008] All of these known embodiments are very complicated, some of them require two drive units, and, because of the large masses which have to be moved, make it more difficult to carry out the precise and rapid adjustment of the vertical rolls which are required in the last stands of wire rolling trains.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Therefore, it is the primary object of the present invention to improve the above-described devices in such a way that, in addition to being of significantly simpler construction and requiring only one drive unit for the device, a rapid and precise roll adjustment is made possible.

[0010] In accordance with the present invention, the drive gear shafts are constructed as vertically mounted unilateral bevel gear shafts whose bevel gears mesh with the bevel gears of also unilateral bevel gear shafts in the form of hollow bevel gear shafts which are mounted horizontally and coaxially in the respective gear unit support housing, wherein the hollow bevel gear shafts can be coupled to the drive unit through a floating intermediate shaft arranged between the two hollow shafts, wherein each hollow bevel gear shaft is connected through an internal spline to an external spline of the intermediate shaft.

[0011] The vertically mounted bevel gear shafts may be constructed at their ends facing away from the bevel gears.

[0012] The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of the disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages, specific objects attained by its use, reference should be had to the drawing and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated and described preferred embodiments of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0013] In the drawing:

[0014] FIG. 1 is an elevational view of the device according to the present invention, as seen in the rolling direction, and partially in section; and

[0015] FIG. 2 is a partial view of the device of FIG. 1, also partially in section, on a larger scale.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0016] As illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawing, the two vertical roll rings VWR1 and VWR2 are slid onto roll support shafts WTW1 and WTW2 which are each mounted in one of the two bearing chocks LES1 and LES2 which can be moved horizontally toward each other and away from each other in a manner which is not illustrated.

[0017] Arranged underneath the bearing chocks are two gear housings GG1 and GG2, wherein the gear housings are connected in a positively locking manner to the respective bearing chocks LES1 or LES2. Vertically supported in each bearing chock is a bevel gear shaft KW1 or KW2 which is provided with a downwardly directed bevel gear KR1 or KR2. As seen in FIG. 2, the bevel gears KR1 and KR2 mesh with bevel gears KR3 and KR4 of hollow bevel gear shafts KHW3 and KHW4 which are mounted horizontally and coaxially relative to each other in the gear housings GG1 and GG2. One of the hollow bevel gear shafts KHW3 is axially slidably coupled to a drive spindle ASP. The two hollow bevel gear shafts KHW3 and KHW4 each have an internal spline ZP13 and ZP14, respectively. Arranged in these splines in an axially floating and slidable manner is an intermediate shaft whose end portions ZWA3 and ZWA4 are provided with splines ZPA3 and ZPA4 which engage in and are axially moveable in the internal splines ZP13 and ZP14 of the hollow bevel gear shafts KHW3 and KHW4.

[0018] As can be seen in the drawing, the bevel gear shafts KW1 and KW2 mounted in the two gear housings GG1 and GG2 can follow the horizontal displacement movements of the bearing chocks LES1 and LES2 and the gear housings GG1 and GG2 which are caused by adjustments of the vertical roll rings VWR1 and VWR2, because the hollow bevel gear shafts KHW3 and KHW4 are continuously drive-connected through their spline couplings to the intermediate roll ZW.

[0019] As can also be seen in the drawing, the vertical bevel gear shafts KW1 and KW2 are at their ends facing away from the bevel gears KR1 and KR2 and facing the roll support shafts WT1 and WT2 constructed as coupling members TR1 and TR2 for receiving the necks ZA1 and ZA2 of the roll support shafts WTW1 and WTW2, respectively.

[0020] While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail to illustrate the inventive principles, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.

Claims

1. A device for driving a pair of vertical rolls or support shafts of vertical rolls mounted in bearing chocks which are moveable relative to each other, wherein the vertical rolls or the support shafts have necks configured to be coupled to drive gear shafts, wherein each drive gear shaft is mounted in a gear housing connected to the bearing chocks and moveable together with the bearing chocks, wherein the drive gear shafts are vertically mounted unilateral bevel gear shafts with bevel gears mounted. so as to be in engagement with bevel gears of hollow bevel gear shafts mounted horizontally coaxially in one of the gear housings, wherein each hollow bevel gear shaft has an internal spline, further comprising a floating intermediate shaft having an external spline and arranged between the gear wheel shafts so that the internal and external splines engage in each other, wherein the intermediate shaft is adapted to be connected to a drive unit.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the vertically mounted bevel gear shafts comprise at ends thereof facing away from the bevel gears coupling members for the necks of the vertical rolls or the support shafts thereof.