Abstract: A roll stand has upper and lower rotatable working rolls defining a nip that pinches a workpiece strip and upper and lower vertically spaced rotatable backing rolls vertically flanking and engaging the working rolls. A drive includes a motor, upper and lower backing-roll outputs drivable by the motor, and upper and lower working-roll outputs also drivable by the motor. Respective upper and lower backing-roll and working-roll releasable connections are provided between the outputs and the respective rolls. When the working rolls are of large diameter, the backing-roll connections are released to disconnect the backing rolls from the drive and the working-roll connections are engaged to connect the working rolls to the drive and, when the working rolls are of small diameter, the working-roll connections are released to disconnect the working rolls from the drive and the backing-roll connections are engaged to connect the backing rolls to the drive.

Abstract: The invention relates to a four- or six-high rolling stand for a rolling train and to a method for operating the same. The aim of the invention is to provide rolling stands that can adapt rapidly to rolling products of different thicknesses and/or hardnesses. To achieve this, rolling stands are provided with minimum expenditure that can be selectively operated with both thin and thick working rolls. The inventive combined drive in the four- or six-high rolling stand allows thick working rolls to be directly connected to a motor, whereas thin working rolls are merely carried along by neighbouring back-up rolls or intermediate rolls by means of friction.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for producing strips of homogenous structures and characteristics made of non-alloyed and low-alloyed steel by continuous hot rolling in several roll passes in the austenitic region and subsequently in the ferritic region, as well as coiling. The invention is characterised in that continuous-cast strip and/or strip rough rolled in the austenitic region, starting with a temperature T≧Ar3+30° C., with a total degree of deformation of eh≧30% is rolled in two or several roll passes in the austenitic region and in that the rolling stock is intensively cooled after every roll pass until the ferritic transformation has been completed, after which the rolling stock is end rolled to final thickness in the ferritic range in several passes with a total degree of deformation eh≧60%.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a hot-rolling process and a hot-rolling mill for metal strips (5) having one or more roll stands with work rolls (1, 2). In order to prevent surface defects on the work rolls (1, 2), a coolant liquid is sprayed on the entry side in a narrow region extending immediately in front of the roll gap exclusively by a series of flat jet nozzles in such a way that their core jets primarily strike the surface of the work rolls or are directed into the roll gap for direct cooling and in that the entering metal strip is acted upon at the same time by the same coolant liquid for protecting the surfaces of the rolls from the radiated heat of the metal strip. The spraying of the coolant liquid is regulated in such a way that the metal strip is cooled only in a very narrow outer zone. In so doing, the temperature at the surface of the work rolls (1, 2) is adjusted in such a way that it lies below the boiling point of the coolant liquid at least immediately in front of the roll gap.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the production of hot rolled strip or heavy plates from stainless and refractory steels or from forgeable alloys on a nickel basis with a final thickness in the range of 5 to 60 mm by the production of a slab from monobloc casting or by continuous casting and heating the slab at a temperature above 1100.degree. C. followed by the hot rolling of the slab and accelerated cooling of the product rolled to the end thickness. The characterizing feature of the invention is that the heated slab is rolled without interruptions first to a maximum of 1/6 of its initial thickness, mainly by deformation passes in which the degree of deformation pass in the thickness direction is greater than the degrees of deformation shown by curve A in FIG. 1, in dependence on the surface temperature of the product.

Abstract: The invention comprises a process for the production of clad hot rolled strip. A steel slab as base material is cladded with a layer material of a corrosion-resistnt material. The slab is of a low-alloy steel having a carbon content of up to 0.25% by weight, the layer material preferably is stainless, more particularly a stainless austenitic steel or a wrought alloy on a nickel basis. The steel slab and the layer material are connected by explosive cladding, the resulting composite body being heated to rolling temperature and is subsequently rolled down to one quarter of the initial thickness with a high reduction of pass of phi greater than 0.10 and then rolled to final thickness of the hot rolled strip. The finish rolling temperature is in the range of 900.degree. C. The clad hot rolled strip is subjected to a cooling rate in the core of at least 8.degree. C./s to a cooling temperature of below 650.degree. C.