Patents by Inventor August Sprock

August Sprock has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11858020
    Abstract: A method for producing a metallic strip or sheet, in which the strip or sheet is rolled in a multi-stand rolling mill and is discharged downstream of the last roll stand of the rolling mill in a conveying direction. The strip or sheet is cooled in the multi-stand rolling mill and/or downstream of the rolling mill as viewed in the conveying direction, wherein a temperature of the strip or sheet is measured upstream of the last roll stand of the rolling mill as viewed in conveying direction. Based on this measured temperature, a temperature for the strip or sheet at the exit of the last roll stand of the rolling mill is then determined by calculation with the aid of a temperature calculation model, with which further temperature processes of the manufacturing method can be controlled or regulated after a comparison with a predetermined reference value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: SMS GROUP GMBH
    Inventors: August Sprock, Christoph Hassel, Kai Grybel
  • Patent number: 11779977
    Abstract: A method for setting different cooling rates of metal strips or metal plates (rolling material) over the strip width of a cooling stretch in a hot-strip mill or heavy-plate mill is presented. According to the method, for the calculation of the cooling rate, the initial enthalpy distribution over the material width of the rolling material before the cooling is determined. Proceeding therefrom, a target enthalpy distribution is determined in the width direction and length direction of the rolling material while taking into account a calculation of the flatness and the mechanical properties by means of a microstructure model. Subsequently, the coolant amount and the coolant curve of the cooling stretch are set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: SMS group GmbH
    Inventors: August Sprock, Christoph Hassel, Carsten Andreas Klein
  • Patent number: 11745237
    Abstract: A cooling group for a laminar cooling device, including at least one cooling unit arranged above and below a strip to be cooled in order to supply the strip with a cooling liquid, including a central inlet via which cooling liquid is supplied, a distributing tube supplied with cooling liquid by the central inlet, and a number of supplying units supplied with cooling liquid from the distributing tube. Each supplying unit has a number of cooling nozzles via which cooling liquid is discharged onto the strip. In order to minimize the influence of the number of supplying units which are switched on or switched off, and thus have as little expenditure as possible, a volumetric flow rate regulating valve is arranged in or in front of the central inlet. The regulating valve is used to conduct a defined volume of cooling liquid through the central inlet per unit of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: SMS GROUP GMBH
    Inventors: Johannes Alken, Henning Berg, Jens Kiessling-Romanus, August Sprock
  • Publication number: 20230203612
    Abstract: A method for controlling or regulating the temperature of a steel strip in hot forming in a hot strip mill. A superordinate open-loop or closed-loop controller has a process model that predetermines the temperature development of the hot strip. The target values of the individual units are adjusted based on this predetermined temperature development.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2021
    Publication date: June 29, 2023
    Applicant: SMS group GmbH
    Inventors: Christoph HASSEL, August SPROCK, Kai GRYBEL, Guido BUSCHHOFF
  • Patent number: 11612922
    Abstract: A cooling device for cooling a metallic item and a method for operating the cooling device. Such cooling devices having a plurality of cooling bars arranged in parallel in groups for applying a coolant to the metallic item are known in the prior art. In order to be able to set a desired distribution function of the coolant over the width of the metallic item as precisely as possible, the cooling device provides that similar application regions in at least two cooling bars within a group are each formed differently with respect to their contour and/or with respect to their surface area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: SMS GROUP GMBH
    Inventors: August Sprock, Christoph Hassel, Ulrich Cramer
  • Publication number: 20220371066
    Abstract: Method and control device for controlling a cooling device (10) which is set up to control the temperature of a rolling stock, preferably metal strip (B), which the cooling device (10) runs through along a conveying direction (F), the cooling device (10) preferably in front of a rolling train is arranged and the method comprises: determining a total enthalpy of the system formed by the rolling stock; Determining a measure for the formation of scale, which preferably comprises a scale factor that depends on the chemical composition and the surface temperature of the rolling stock; Calculating a temperature distribution and/or average temperature in the rolling stock on the basis of a temperature calculation model, in which the determined total enthalpy and the measure for the formation of scale are included; and setting a cooling capacity of the cooling device (10) taking into account the calculated temperature distribution and/or average temperature in the rolling stock.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2020
    Publication date: November 24, 2022
    Inventors: Thomas HEIMANN, August SPROCK, Christoph HASSEL, Heinz-Juergen OUDEHINKEN
  • Publication number: 20220176429
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing a metallic strip or sheet (1), in which the strip or sheet (1) is rolled in a multi-stand rolling mill (11) and is discharged downstream of the last roll stand (14) of the rolling mill (11) in the conveying direction (F), wherein the strip or sheet (1) is cooled in the multi-stand rolling mill (11) and/or downstream of the rolling mill (11) as viewed in conveying direction (F), wherein a temperature of the strip or sheet (1) is measured upstream of the last roll stand (14) of the rolling mill (11) as viewed in conveying direction (F). Based on this measured temperature, a temperature for the strip or sheet (1) at the exit (A) of the last roll stand (14) of the rolling mill (11), is then determined purely by calculation with the aid of a temperature calculation model, with which temperature further processes of the manufacturing method can be controlled or regulated after a comparison with a predetermined reference value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2020
    Publication date: June 9, 2022
    Inventors: August SPROCK, Christoph HASSEL, Kai GRYBEL
  • Publication number: 20220126343
    Abstract: A method for setting different cooling rates of metal strips or metal plates (rolling material) over the strip width of a cooling stretch in a hot-strip mill or heavy-plate mill is presented. According to the method, for the calculation of the cooling rate, the initial enthalpy distribution over the material width of the rolling material before the cooling is determined. Proceeding therefrom, a target enthalpy distribution is determined in the width direction and length direction of the rolling material while taking into account a calculation of the flatness and the mechanical properties by means of a microstructure model. Subsequently, the coolant amount and the coolant curve of the cooling stretch are set.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2020
    Publication date: April 28, 2022
    Applicant: SMS group GmbH
    Inventors: August SPROCK, Christoph HASSEL, Carsten Andreas KLEIN
  • Publication number: 20210379637
    Abstract: A cooling group for a laminar cooling device, including at least one cooling unit arranged above and below a strip to be cooled in order to supply the strip with a cooling liquid, including a central inlet via which cooling liquid is supplied, a distributing tube supplied with cooling liquid by the central inlet, and a number of supplying units supplied with cooling liquid from the distributing tube. Each supplying unit has a number of cooling nozzles via which cooling liquid is discharged onto the strip. In order to minimize the influence of the number of supplying units which are switched on or switched off, and thus have as little expenditure as possible, a volumetric flow rate regulating valve is arranged in or in front of the central inlet. The regulating valve is used to conduct a defined volume of cooling liquid through the central inlet per unit of time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2019
    Publication date: December 9, 2021
    Inventors: Johannes ALKEN, Henning BERG, Jens KIESSLING-ROMANUS, August SPROCK
  • Publication number: 20210162478
    Abstract: A cooling device for cooling a metallic item and a method for operating the cooling device. Such cooling devices having a plurality of cooling bars arranged in parallel in groups for applying a coolant to the metallic item are known in the prior art. In order to be able to set a desired distribution function of the coolant over the width of the metallic item as precisely as possible, the cooling device provides that similar application regions in at least two cooling bars within a group are each formed differently with respect to their contour and/or with respect to their surface area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2019
    Publication date: June 3, 2021
    Applicant: SMS group GMBH
    Inventors: August SPROCK, Christoph HASSEL, Ulrich CRAMER
  • Patent number: 9833823
    Abstract: A method for producing a metal strip, in which the strip is rolled in a multi-stand rolling mill, is removed behind the final rolling stand of the rolling mill in the direction of conveyance, and is cooled in a cooling device. The strip or metal sheet is subjected to additional rapid cooling immediately after passing the working rollers of the final rolling stand, wherein the strip or the metal sheet is cooled at least partially within the extent of the final rolling stand in the direction of conveyance, wherein rapid cooling is performed by applying a coolant to the strip or metal sheet from above and from below, wherein the volume flow of coolant that is applied to the strip or metal sheet from below measures at least 120% of the volume flow of coolant that is applied to the strip or metal sheet from above.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: SMS GROUP GMBH
    Inventor: August Sprock
  • Publication number: 20170002440
    Abstract: In a method for controlling a metallurgical production plant by means of a microstructure model, which comprises a program which calculates at least one mechanical strength property of a product being produced, which program calculates the strength property on the basis of calculated metallurgical phase components of the microstructure of the produced product, wherein the metallurgical plant comprises a terminating cooling line, and wherein operating parameters for the metallurgical plant with adjustable output values, which are established at least partially in advance, are factored into the calculation of the mechanical strength property, the object of the method is to enable an advantageous adjustment of operating parameters in order to achieve desired mechanical strength properties in a product consisting of a metal steel and/or iron alloy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2015
    Publication date: January 5, 2017
    Applicant: SMS Group GmbH
    Inventors: August Sprock, Christoph Hassell
  • Publication number: 20160082491
    Abstract: A method for producing a metal strip, in which the strip is rolled in a multi-stand rolling mill, is removed behind the final rolling stand of the rolling mill in the direction of conveyance, and is cooled in a cooling device. The strip or metal sheet is subjected to additional rapid cooling immediately after passing the working rollers of the final rolling stand, wherein the strip or the metal sheet is cooled at least partially within the extent of the final rolling stand in the direction of conveyance, wherein rapid cooling is performed by applying a coolant to the strip or metal sheet from above and from below, wherein the volume flow of coolant that is applied to the strip or metal sheet from below measures at least 120% of the volume flow of coolant that is applied to the strip or metal sheet from above.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2014
    Publication date: March 24, 2016
    Inventor: August SPROCK
  • Publication number: 20090214377
    Abstract: For the production of hot strip referred to as TRIP steel (transformation induced plasticity), with a multiphase structure and with outstandingly good deformation properties along with high strengths, from the hot-rolled state, the invention proposes a method which is carried out with a predetermined chemical composition of the steel grade used within the limits 0.12-0.25% C; 0.05-1.8% Si; 1.0-2.0% Mn; the remainder Fe and customary accompanying elements and with a combined rolling and cooling strategy in such a way that a structure comprising 40-70% ferrite, 15-45% bainite and 5-20% residual austenite is obtained, wherein the finish rolling of the hot strip (7) is performed to set a very fine austenite grain (d<8 ?m) in the final forming operation (6?) at temperatures between 770 and 830° C.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2006
    Publication date: August 27, 2009
    Inventors: Wolfgang Hennig, August Sprock, Joachim Ohlert, Christian Bilgen