EP1332011B1 - Method for producing strip-shaped input stock, especially from metal, which is profiled in subsequent sections, and corresponding device - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a method for producing a strip-shaped starting material, in particular of metal, which profiled in successive sections is, and a device for it.

From DE 195 04 711 C2 is a method for producing a band-shaped Metallic material known by rolling a rolling stand, which has a Narrowing limit, in which a metal band in two or more than two Rolling is rolled. It works so that the metal strip repeatedly rolled what is it from the beginning to the end continuously the rolling stand goes through, the working direction is then reversed, so that the metal strip the mill then runs through once more in full length, but now in reverse direction.

From DE-PS 104 875 it is known for the production of tubes in a single Step a profile into strip or tabular workpieces to roll. One Similar method disclosed in DE 197 04 300 A1 for the production of profiled Boards, Namely of body panels.

From DE-PS 638 195 is a Pilgerschrittverfahren for producing thin strips from a thick starting work known. In this method is deformed the starting work step by step with a high degree of deformation and thereby pushed against the usual rolling direction through the nip.

From US 1,106,172 it is known, with an arrangement of three consecutively arranged roll stands to continuously roll profiles into a strip.

DE 199 38 966 C1 shows how a section-wise profiled strip-shaped Starting material with uniformly high surface quality can be produced economically can. For this purpose, the metal strip in successive sections, which are shorter than the circumference of the two rolls, respectively between the same two rolls rolled in two or more than two rolling steps, why the metal strip between every two successive rolling steps retrieved and then the recovered portion of the metal strip again rolled becomes.

For carrying out the method, DE 199 38 966 C1 discloses a rolling stand with a arranged on the inlet side of the nip first reel for the metal strip to be rolled and with one on the outlet side of the nip arranged second reel for winding the strip-shaped starting material, wherein a drive motor is provided for the reel provided on the inlet side of the roll gap is provided, which a retrieval of the metal strip in steps of a predetermined length allows, in particular a servomotor. The length the steps by which the metal strip is retrieved each, can by a electronic drive control, in particular programmatically, the Be adapted to requirements. By such a program control can also the discontinuous drive of the rolls with forward turning, standstill and optionally with reverse rotation optimally to the single rolling task be adjusted.

It has been shown that it is in the piercing of the profiling roller in the Metal strip can happen that the band-shaped semi-finished product on that side, which the profiling roller is facing away, but not with the desired accuracy is obtained in the desired shape. This is especially true in the case of Rolls of metal strips, which profiled in sections only on one side, but on the other side should just stay, but not exactly kept exactly become.

The present invention has for its object to provide a way as a band-shaped semi-finished, which is to be profiled by a rolling process sections, on the side facing away from the profiling roller with higher accuracy in the desired shape can be obtained. In particular, a band-shaped semi-finished product, which is to be profiled in sections only on one side, should just be obtained on the other side with greater accuracy.

This object is achieved by the method with the specified in claim 1 Features. One for carrying out the method according to the invention Particularly suitable device is the subject of claim 51. Advantageous developments of the invention are the subject of Dependent claims.

(a) Spannen des Metallbandes,

(b) das Metallband wird in einem Walzspalt, welcher durch eine Walze und durch eine bewegliche Platte begrenzt wird, relativ zu der Walze positioniert,

(c) Positionieren der Platte relativ zur Walze,
wobei die Schritte (b) und (c) aufeinanderfolgend oder gleichzeitig oder einander zeitlich überlappend oder in umgekehrter Reihenfolge aufeinanderfolgend durchgeführt werden können und der Schritt (c) auch vor dem Schritt (a) erfolgen kann,

(d) Einstechen in das Metallband mit der Walze durch Verkleinern des Abstandes der Mantelfläche der Walze von dem Metallband, wobei zumindest während des Beginns des Einstechens das Metallband in Ruhe gehalten oder allenfalls so langsam bewegt und die Walze nicht oder allenfalls so langsam gedreht wird, daß das Metallband im Walzspalt unter Zugspannung bleibt,

(e) Walzen eines Abschnittes des Metallbandes in dem Walzspalt, wozu die Walze gedreht und die Platte synchron dazu geradlinig bewegt wird,

(f) Freigeben des Metallbandes durch Öffnen des Walzspaltes, wobei die Schritte (b) bis (f) für jeden zu profilierenden Abschnitt des Metallbandes wiederholt werden.

According to the invention, a metal strip is rolled by rolling in a roll gap, which is delimited by a roll and by a plate, in order to produce a band-shaped primary material of metal. The rolling takes place in one or more rolling steps by the following method steps:

(a) tensioning the metal strip,

(b) the metal strip is positioned relative to the roller in a nip defined by a roller and by a movable plate,

(c) positioning the plate relative to the roller,
wherein steps (b) and (c) may be performed successively or concurrently or overlapping in time, or in succession, and step (c) may also be performed prior to step (a),

(D) piercing the metal strip with the roll by reducing the distance of the lateral surface of the roll from the metal strip, wherein at least during the beginning of the piercing the metal strip is kept at rest or at most slowly moved and the roll is not or at least slowly rotated, the metal strip remains under tension in the nip,

(e) rolling a portion of the metal strip in the nip, for which purpose the roll is rotated and the plate is moved in a straight line synchronously,

(f) releasing the metal strip by opening the nip, repeating steps (b) through (f) for each section of the metal strip to be profiled.

It is understood by a "metal band" and a band, which is not is completely made of metal but contains non-metallic constituents, e.g. oxide, carbide or ceramic components or a metalloid such as graphite. Examples are ribbons of composite materials such as silver graphite and silver metal oxide, in particular materials based on silver-tin oxide with up to 20 wt .-% non-metallic constituents. Find bands of such materials as semi-finished products for the production of electrical contacts use.

If the metal band to achieve greater Stichiefnahmen and / or to achieve smaller deviations in each to be profiled band section rolled in more than one rolling step, then after the first Procedure in a section steps (b) to (f) repeated and closed this purpose after opening the roll gap in step (f) the metal strip retrieved and the metal strip in the nip by acting on the same Roll in the retrieved section again rolled. The tension in the Band is best selected during the entire procedure Value kept constant. This leads to a greater positioning accuracy of Metal strip in the nip and to a greater dimensional accuracy.

In order to achieve a particularly high accuracy and repeatability, the roll is first referred to before each rolling cycle or before each rolling step their starting angle positioned in a preselected reference position to to avoid that position errors add up. Positioning the roller in a reference position is best done by turning back the roller and may be before step (b), after step (b) or after step (c). When setting the starting angle of the roller is preferably already a Presetting the size of the roll gap.

According to the invention, the metal strip in the nip between a roller and a reshaped with this cooperating plate. Should the metal band only profiled on one side, then the plate is in the area in which the metal band the plate rests during forming, just trained. The plate will when rolling a portion of the metal strip moves rectilinearly, namely synchronous with the roller with which the plate cooperates. When retrieving The metal band is a movement of the plate synchronously with the roller and / or with the metal band not essential, unless the metal band would also rolled when retrieving, which in an embodiment of the inventive method may be the case.

If the metal strip to be profiled on both sides, according to the invention Method first profiled one side, then the metal strip is turned, so that its profiled side faces the plate, and then it goes down profiled the other side of the inventive method, it - depending on the profile shapes to be produced - is particularly preferred to replace the plate against such a plate, which one on the one side of the metal strip has already rolled profile complementary corresponding profile, around the already profiled side of the metal strip when profiling the other Optimally support page. How to reach the desired profiles with very high accuracy. When profiling on both sides becomes the metal band expediently first profiled on one side full length, then turned and then in another pass in one or more Rolling steps profiled on the other side. If necessary, the profiling roller replaced. Instead of replacing the plate, it can especially when the metal strip on the second side profiled in places which are above the places where on the first page of the Metal strips were already rolled in wells to be cheaper, a profiled one Support roller with the largest possible diameter to support the metal strip if this is to be profiled on the second page.

If a plate replacement is made or in its place a back-up roll is used with a particularly large diameter, the pass line of Walzbandes something about the protruding from the plate or support roller Profile laid. This has the advantage that a scratching of the metal strip during Transport excluded and a vertical adjustment of the plate or on their If necessary, provide a support roll with a particularly large diameter can avoided. Otherwise, the vertical adjustment would be required if the Support roller with her metal band supporting segment or the plate with her the profiled metal band supporting profile in the starting position for a new roll pass must be reset.

It has been found that produced by the process according to the invention tapes may be, which are profiled in sections, preferably only on one side, and in which of the action of the roller on one side of the Bandes originating bumps on the other side of the band opposite the previous approach significantly reduced or even completely avoided become.

During rolling, the plate serves to act on the metal strip roller, which Also referred to as a work roll, as an abutment. She takes the rolling forces and forwards them conveniently in the stand of the rolling stand in, in which also the work roll and expediently existing Support rollers are stored. Preferably, the plate is stored floating, what a light, low-friction mobility in conjunction with a reliable Force introduction allowed.

The best way to proceed so that the roller limits the nip from above and that the plate is horizontal under the roller and by a support roller is supported, which in turn is stored in the usual way in the rolling stand. In In this case, the rolling forces can be transferred from the plate to the back-up roll and introduced from this in a known manner in the stand of the mill stand become. To ensure a horizontal position of the plate, this is next to support the backup roller in addition, preferably on both sides the rolling gap, wherein the carrying capacity of the support means be smaller can be considered that of the back-up roll, which immediately under the cooperating with the plate Stripper is lying.

A floating storage of the plate is achieved with advantage in that one supports the plate by rolling elements. These may be roles or Rolls which best provide a field on either side of the nip forming the plate at a plurality of locations or lines, which can be distributed over the entire width and length of the plate. The Rolling elements can be driven, but need not be driven, but can be designed free-running. Particularly preferred as rolling elements are free-running balls, on which the plate with its underside lies.

The plate can be driven directly, e.g. by means of a spur ring gear, which is shrunk onto the support roller arranged below the plate and his moment on a plate attached to the rack on the plate transfers. This ensures an exact positioning of the plate in each phase of the Movement of the plate possible, i. during positioning, rolling and during Retrieving. Furthermore, the drive of the plate is also by means of a hydraulic Piston-cylinder unit or by means of a driven by an electric motor Spindle, in particular with a low-friction and precise ball screw possible. Preferably, however, the plate does not become direct during rolling, but only indirectly driven by them by driving the stripper and / or the metal strip is taken. This is because of the between the work roll and the plate occurring rolling pressure a sufficient Frictional engagement.

Advantageously, to drive the plate and their support roller is driven, which is arranged under the plate.

A major advantage of the invention is that it is applicable to other applications can be transferred. One application concerns the production of metal strips, which have grooves that are not in the longitudinal direction from the beginning of the tape to the End of the tape extend, but from one longitudinal edge continuously through to extend other longitudinal edge of the metal strip across its entire width and recur at intervals in the metal band. From such grooved Metal bands can be obtained by dividing the metal bands e.g. Contact springs or Producing current-conducting fins for electric motors, in particular for servomotors. Advanced servo motors are getting faster and faster and more accurate. This places increasing demands on the dimensional accuracy of the current-carrying fins in these engines. The dimensional accuracy of the width of the groove should be better as 0.02 mm. If you want to roll such a groove in a metal band, are to one or more rolling passes required.

By conventional technique, you milled the groove in the metal band, but achieved no high surface quality. The milling of grooves, which are transversely extending over the metal band is difficult. One has in the state of the art already tried to produce grooved band-shaped semi-finished products, that a longitudinal groove in several rolling passes in a metal strip rolls. Here are both sides of the groove side bars in the metal band obtained, which limit the groove. As the metal band in the groove area by the material displacement When rolling accordingly strong is lengthened, in the area of the side bars but not, the side bars must be stretched to compensate, e.g. with reels, which develop a strong traction. Even if you have the side bars It is not possible to roll grooves with a depth of approx Thickness of the metal strip exceeds. In addition, the process is expensive and does not lead to the desired accuracy, because the metal strip every rolling pass suffers a delay, which causes the groove from rolling pass to roll pass becomes wider with increasing fluctuations. Also in the DE-PS 104 875 and in DE 197 04 300 A1 described operations allow no high dimensional accuracy.

By inventive stepwise and sectional rolling can be but generally profiled metal bands in which the profile over the entire Width of the metal strip extends, both with high dimensional accuracy than even with high surface quality, especially when the inventive discontinuous rolling process is developed so that the Metal band not just in one step, but in each section to be profiled is rolled in several steps, including the metal strip after a Rolling retrieved and rolled again in the already rolled section becomes. Particularly high accuracies can be achieved if the metal strip not only rolled in one direction and only brought back in the opposite direction, but if it is rolled in both directions, including the Retrieving.

A particular advantage of the invention is that with her profiles in strips can be rolled, which by machining processes such. by milling at all can not be produced, namely grooves, which are transverse to Extend longitudinally of the metal strip and have edges that are not extending in a straight line from one edge to the other edge of the metal strip, but in the longitudinal direction of the metal strip in pockets or niches extend, in turn, the rectilinear or arcuate edges to have. Such grooves, which expand in pockets or niches, can after In any case, the process of the invention are rolled when the Pockets or niches do not widen the groove so much that there are problems with the displacement of the material from the pockets or niches to be formed. Also arcuate and oblique grooves can be applied of the discontinuous rolling process according to the invention in a metal strip to be rolled.

• eine unzureichende Ebenheit der Bandoberfläche und des Bodens der eingeprägten Vertiefung,
• Schwankungen der Banddicke im Bereich des Bodens der Vertiefungen in der Größenordnung von einem oder wenigen zehnteln Millimetern,
• eine unregelmäßige Rauhigkeit der Bandoberfläche an der Stelle der abgefrästen Ausbuchtungen,
• eine Reproduzierbarkeit von so profilierten Metallbändern mit Toleranzen, welche lediglich im Bereich von einigen zehnteln Millimetern liegen,

wobei sich die Qualität noch verschlechtert, wenn mehrere Vertiefungen über die Breite des Metallbandes verteilt geformt werden. Außerdem ist die bekannte Verfahrensweise unwirtschaftlich, da sich das Bilden der Vertiefungen auf zwei örtlich und zeitlich getrennte Verfahren aufgliedert, nämlich in das Prägen der Vertiefung und in das Abfräsen der dadurch entstehenden Ausbuchtungen.In a particular embodiment of the invention, it is possible to form recesses with a closed border on a metal band, but at the same time to obtain a flat surface area on the opposite side of the metal band in the area of the formed recess. The outline of such a depression may be square, rectangular, oval, circular or any other closed line. The edge of the recess may be a peripheral wall extending perpendicular or nearly perpendicular to the plate or a peripheral wall extending obliquely to the plate and widening outwardly from the bottom of the recess. However, as with a shallow trough, the edge may also progress gradually into the bottom of the depression. So far, such depressions in bands by an embossing process, for. B. formed by deep drawing, in which on the opposite surface of the metal strip, a bulge is formed, which is milled to restore the flatness of the strip surface. A disadvantage of the previous procedure are

• insufficient flatness of the strip surface and the bottom of the embossed recess,
• Variations in the thickness of the strip in the area of the bottom of the depressions of the order of one or a few tenths of a millimeter,
• an irregular roughness of the strip surface at the location of the milled out bulges,
• a reproducibility of such profiled metal strips with tolerances which are only in the range of a few tenths of a millimeter,

wherein the quality deteriorates even if several recesses are formed distributed over the width of the metal strip. In addition, the known procedure is uneconomical, since the formation of the wells is divided into two spatially and temporally separate processes, namely in the embossing of the depression and in the milling of the resulting bulges.

In contrast, forming a profiled metal strip with recesses, which have a closed edge, according to the invention Walzverfahren the significant advantage that the wells not with time and locally separate process steps must be made, but in the Rolling gap between a roller and a plate are made simultaneously can. For this purpose, a plate with bumps can be used, which is the case Press rolling process in one side of the metal strip, while a corresponding Displacing the amount of metal to the opposite side of the metal strip, where it is rolled out by the roller, so that the respective recess opposite location of the tape surface is just obtained.

The dimensional accuracy and the flatness of the surfaces, which achieved according to the invention are better by a power of ten than the conventional one Method.

The method according to the invention is particularly advantageous when forming depressions in a metal band, when through the rolling process on the opposite Side not only the material displaced by the shaping of the recesses is rolled out, but at the same time a moderate reduction of Thickness of the metal strip is brought about in total, preferably in one Order of magnitude of 10% thickness decrease. In this way, one can be particularly achieve high accuracy.

The easiest way to form depressions, which are trough-like or one Have circumferential wall which slopes in such a way that the recess extended outwards from its bottom. To make a Deepening with a steeper, in particular with a vertical peripheral wall it may be advantageous to do this in two or more than two steps, wherein in a first step, a depression having an oblique peripheral wall, e.g. under an angle of 45 °, is formed and only in a second step, the peripheral wall steeper, e.g. almost 90 °.

The batchwise multistep rolling process according to the invention is particularly advantageous for the production of such profiled profiled strips. To For example, the plate facing the driven roller may be repeated Profile rolls are always brought back. To scratch the metal band to exclude during transport through the nip and an adjustment the support roller, which is arranged under the plate, to avoid the Pass line of the metal strip preferably slightly above the from the plate to laid above the profile above, which is in profile rolling in the metal strip should impress.

The invention is particularly suitable for a regularly recurring profile to roll discontinuously into a metal strip; from such a metal band can be divided by dividing the metal strip with each other equal mass parts such as. Electricity fins or contact springs for electrical purposes with gain high accuracy. The parts of the metal strip is done appropriately by punching. The method according to the invention is also advantageous applicable to plated tapes and to taped tapes in which the aufzuplattierenden sheets after the rolls according to the invention on different Heights are. Profiled bands with recessed plating can not by known Walzplattierverfahren by rolling in the tape longitudinal direction produce, because at higher degrees of deformation, especially in more than 50% deformation, the associated material shift to a serious problem becomes.

With the discontinuous multistage rolling process according to the invention, it is possible to produce the strip-shaped primary material with particularly high and uniform surface quality and with very small thickness tolerances, or to produce a starting material with the quality known from the prior art without roll change in greater length than hitherto. Thickness tolerances of ± 1 μm, repeatability accuracies of ± 2 μm, roughness depths of only R _t = 0.18 μm and center line average (CLA) of only R _a = 0.022 μm were achieved (DIN 4762).

In order to process at least two rolling steps in a portion of the metal strip To be able to perform, the circumference of the rollers should be at least to be twice the length of the retrieved sections, with the retrieved section should be slightly larger than the longitudinal direction of the measured strip-shaped semifinished dimension of auszustanzenden from the semifinished product Workpieces, so that the unavoidable punching waste consideration Can be found. Is the metal band not only in one direction, but sometimes in the One direction and then rolled in the other direction, then you can, for. Also do this by placing the metal strip between the same sections a few times the roller and the plate back and forth rolls and the last rolling step between a peripheral portion of the roller and a portion of Plate performs, which until then for a smaller number of rolling steps were used and therefore have a better surface quality, so that in the last rolling step the metal strip a surface with also optimal Giving goodness.

Be the sections of the metal strip times in one direction and sometimes in Rolled in the other direction, you also get a cheaper material structure, as if you always roll the metal strip in the same direction would. This is all the more important the stronger the rolling brought about decrease in the thickness of the metal strip, because so is the The rolls caused material displacement is stronger. Another advantage lies in that the favorable influence on the material structure in sections reciprocating rolls is cheaper than if as in the prior art a metal band full length alternately in one and the other Direction is rolled.

The number of rolling steps with which one and the same section of the Metal strip is acted upon, the desired Stichabnahme and surface quality matched to the starting material to be generated.

The accuracy and surface quality, which can be achieved according to the invention, are larger than when milling, larger than when the metal band as in Prior art for generating a longitudinal groove repeatedly full length is rolled, which is due to the uneven Elongation is only possible up to a decrease in thickness of at most 10%.

The discontinuous mode of operation of the method according to the invention provides a significant contribution to the dimensional accuracy of the profile of profiled metal strips. Because of the discontinuous operation, each rolling step begins from the standstill of the metal strip, the roller and the plate out or at so low speed that a prevailing in the metal strip tension maintained during the insertion of the roller in the metal strip can be. Therefore, in the initial phase of each rolling step, the resulting from the engagement of the roller in the metal strip resulting elongation of the metal strip unlike a continuous roll forming process, not abrupt, but so gentle that they are important for the dimensional stability of the profile Tension in the metal strip is maintained, e.g. by regulation of the drive of reels, which provided for the maintenance of the tension are. For this purpose, the acceleration and braking of the roller and the metal strip during rolling preferably to the same extent and synchronously. The best way in the metal strip during piercing a constant tension maintained, and which is best maintained even when rolling.

If a profile is rolled in sections in a metal strip, so can the Roll one, optionally in segments with the same or different Diameter divided, cylindrical shell or have a profiled jacket. With a cylindrical jacket, a profile can be rolled into the metal strip, in particular by displacing the roller, the height of the roll gap is changed during rolling.

The dimensional accuracy and the surface quality are the better, the shorter the Rolling steps are. Advantageously, the rolling steps become shorter than half the circumference the roller chosen. In this case, the profile extends only over one Part of the circumference of the roller. The remaining part of the lateral surface of the roller you can form cylindrical; that makes it possible with the cylindrical section the roll surface the respective portion of the metal strip in one not yet profiling the first rolling step, but to equalize to thereby to increase the dimensional accuracy of the rolled strip.

An application for which the invention is advantageously used can to produce a strip-shaped metal precursor, which in regular is profiled in recurrent sections, concerns pen pens for Fountain pens.

Fountain pens have a different length over their length Thickness. In the rear area, nibs are typically 0.2 mm thick. Towards the top The feather gets thicker at the nib finally a maximum of about 0.6 mm. It is known to make nibs by a metal band by rolling sections, namely in steps whose length is the Length of the later nibs corresponds, first with a corresponding Longitudinal profile is provided, which extends over the entire width of the metal strip extends. This profiled metal strip is a starting material from which later punched out the nibs and formed into the desired curved shape become.

In order to produce the profiled starting material, it is known from two to a nip limiting rollers, which are stored in a rolling stand, the upper Roll to be circumferentially provided with an empirically determined contour, which is complementary to the intended course of the thickness of the nibs is voting. Outside this coordinated contour, the lateral surface of the upper roller at such a small distance from its axis that it is in this range does not come to an engagement with the metal strip in the nip. With the Beginning of the matched contour having peripheral portion of the punctures rotating roller into the metal band and then takes it for the duration of one Rolling step, namely as long as it is engaged with the metal strip, with and thereby causes both a feed and a profiling of the metal strip. The metal strip is unrolled from a first reel and the emerging from the nip profiled metal strip from a second reel rolled up. Since the feed of the metal strip caused by the two rollers is, arises between them and the second, winding reel inevitably a certain length of the metal strip, which in the prior art required to provide a belt loop with a belt tensioner, which creates a balance between the discontinuous Tape feed through the rollers and the continuous winding movement the second reel. This is associated with a lot of equipment, the is disadvantageous.

Profiled tapes made in the known manner are undesirable Deviations on.

The present invention, in contrast, shows a way how profiled one strip-shaped starting material, e.g. for nibs with greater accuracy, can be produced. The flat, level support of the metal strip provides this in conjunction with a pricking the best first Non-rotating roller in the dormant metal band a significant contribution. To effect the piercing, the roller is against the still resting plate relocated. Another contribution is provided by the belt tension in all phases of the rolling process can be maintained. In the known Procedure is different, because there the rollers constantly with consistent Revolve speed, causing the piercing of the profiled roller and thus use the tape feed abruptly and be terminated again. A uniform tensile force in the metal strip during profiling, which for a uniform work result with high dimensional accuracy would be favorable is not possible with the known method of operation.

The metal band comes in for higher demands on accuracy or in large rolling passes in several rolling steps to reach the depth of the desired profile of the starting material rolled. In case of several Walzschritte is the metal strip between two consecutive rolling steps brought back and then the retrieved section of the metal strip rolled again between the roller and the plate. But it can already be done when retrieving the relevant section of the tape are rolled again. Only when in a profiled section of the metal strip in one or several rolling steps and optionally after one or more Return steps the desired profile has been rolled, is for profiling the next band portion of the metal band of this next band section conveyed into the nip, accurately positioned in its longitudinal direction and then processed in the nip.

However, it would also be possible after a first rolling step in a first If necessary, after the initial situation has been restored Roller e.g. by turning back the roller and if necessary by moving back the plate a same first rolling step in a subsequent band section then bring the tape back by two steps, then in the first band section a second rolling step and then in the second band section perform the second rolling step.

• Dadurch, daß das Profil des Metallbandes in mehreren Walzschritten erzeugt wird, erzielt man eine größere Maßhaltigkeit als bisher, was sich z.B. bei Schreibfedern insbesondere im späteren Schaftbereich auswirkt.
• Da das gewünschte Profil in einem Abschnitt des Metallbandes nicht durch einen einzigen, sondern durch zwei oder mehr als zwei Walzschritte erzeugt wird, können auch härtere Metallbänder profiliert werden, auch federharte Bänder.
• Dadurch, daß das Profil des Metallbandes in mehreren Walzstichen erzeugt werden kann, können verschiedene Walzarten wie Egalisieren, Vorprofilieren, Plattieren, Maskenwalzen und Spiegelglanzwalzen nacheinander in unterschiedlicher Reihenfolge auf demselben Abschnitt des Metallbandes ausgeführt werden.
• Das eröffnet der Erfindung Anwendungen, die über den Schreibfederbereich hinausgehen und eine Vielzahl von profilierten Teilen erfaßt, die aus einem bandförmigen Halbzeug gebildet und durch Stanzen des Bandes vereinzelt werden können. Anwendungsbeispiele sind elektrische Leiterstrukturen wie z. B. Kontaktfedern, Stromwendelamellen für elektrische Motoren, ferner Leadframes sowie Kettenglieder für Uhrarmbänder und für Schmuckketten.
• Durch die Möglichkeit, das Profilieren in mehreren Walzschritten vorzunehmen, lassen sich sehr vielgestaltige Profile erzeugen.
• Zur Vielseitigkeit der Erfindung trägt bei, daß das Metallband nicht in jedem Walzschritt profiliert werden muß, sondern in einem ersten Walzschritt lediglich gleichmäßig in seiner Dicke reduziert werden kann, wozu die Walze jedenfalls auch einen zylindrischen Abschnitt hat, wenn sie nicht ohnehin zylindrisch ist.
• Der Fortschritt, den die Erfindung bringt, wird durch minimalen apparativen Aufwand erreicht. Ausgehend von einem an sich bekannten Walzgerüst ist in diesem im wesentlichen nur eine Arbeitswalze durch eine Platte zu ersetzen und die Arbeitsweise zu modifizieren, welche zu der Profilierung führt. Ist die Walze in Umfangsrichtung profiliert, dann wird sie vorzugsweise so gestaltet, daß sie in Umfangsrichtung aufeinanderfolgend Abschnitte mit unterschiedlicher Kontur hat, welche insbesondere durch Freisparungen voneinander getrennt sind und in Verbindung mit dem bevorzugten Rückholen des Metallbandes ein wiederholtes Walzen ein und desselben Abschnittes des Metallbandes erlauben.
• Es ist auch möglich, die Walze zylindrisch auszubilden und die für ein Profilieren erforderliche Veränderung der Höhe des Walzspaltes beim Walzen dadurch zu erzielen, daß man die Walze und / oder die Platte, vorzugsweise die Walze, welche vorzugsweise über der Platte liegt, im Walzgerüst verlagert. Das kann z.B. mit einem Elektromotor geschehen, welcher Spindeln antreibt, welche auf die zu verlagernde Walze und / oder Platte einwirken und mit einem eine wiederholbare Einstellung ermöglichenden inkrementalen Drehgeber gekoppelt sind, mit dessen Hilfe der Elektromotor gesteuert wird. Es ist ferner möglich, die Walze und / oder die Platte hydraulisch zu verlagern, indem man in jeden Walzenständer im Kopf oder im unteren Querjoch einen hydraulisch arbeitenden Zylinder positioniert. Die beiden Hydraulikzylinder sind in der hydraulisch arbeitenden Walzenanstellung integriert und werden mittels einer Positionsregelung mit Kraftüberwachung angefahren. Die Regelung kann mit Servoventilen als Stellgliedern sowie mit Lage-Sensoren und Druckgebern als lstwertgebern ausgerüstet sein. Damit ist es möglich, nahezu jeden vorgegebenen Kurvenverlauf, abhängig von dem zu walzenden Profil, mit der Walze anzufahren. Gegenüber der Verwendung eines elektronisch gesteuerten elektrischen Servoantriebes hat ein hydraulisches Anstellsystem den Vorteil, schneller und präziser zu sein.
  Mit einem solchen Servoantrieb für das Verlagern der Walze und / oder der als ihr Widerlager dienenden Platte ist es möglich, auch mit einer zylindrischen Walze in einem oder mehreren Schritten ein Profil in das Metallband zu walzen. Es hängt von der gewünschten Profilierung ab, wie der Durchmesser der Walze zu wählen und wie die Walze gegenüber der Platte in Abhängigkeit vom Bandvorschub zu verlagern ist. Eine entsprechende, von dem zu walzenden Profil abgeleitete Steuerkurve für den Antrieb, der die Walze relativ zur Platte verlagern soll, kann als Steuerkurve in einem programmierbaren elektronischen Steuergerät gespeichert sein. Durch Abspeichem mehrerer Steuerkurven kann erfindungsgemäß mit einem Walzgerüst ohne Austausch der Walze eine entsprechende Anzahl von unterschiedlichen Profilieraufgaben in Metallbändern bewältigt werden.
  Es ist außerdem möglich, das Verlagern der Walze während des Walzens anzuwenden bei einem Walzgerüst, welches eine profilierte Walze hat. Durch eine solche Kombination von zwei verschiedenen Möglichkeiten, die Höhe des Walzspaltes im Verlauf des Walzens zu verändern, nämlich durch Verwenden einer profilierten Walze in Kombination mit dem Verlagern der Walze relativ zur Platte, läßt sich die vielseitige Verwendbarkeit des Walzgerüstes zum Herstellen von abschnittsweise profilierten Bändern noch steigern.
  Wird mit einer zylindrischen Walze gearbeitet, ist es vorteilhaft, sie mit einem achsparallelen Einschnitt zu versehen, um auf diese Weise eine Referenz für die Drehwinkelstellung der Walze zu erhalten.
• Die exakte Positionierung des jeweils geforderten Walzensegments zum Metallband kann mit Hilfe einer Regelung für den Walzendrehwinkel erfolgen.
• Für das Zurückholen des Metallbandes kommt der Rückholvorrichtung, z.B. einer ersten Haspel, von welcher das zu profilierende Metallband abgewickelt wird, eine besondere Bedeutung zu, weil sie die Länge des Schrittes, um welchen das Metallband zurückgeholt wird, hinreichend genau reproduzieren können muß. Dazu versieht man diese erste Haspel, zweckmäßigerweise auch die das Metallband ziehende zweite Haspel z.B. mit einem Servomotor, welcher einen inkrementalen Drehgeber aufweist, der eine genaue Festlegung der gewünschten Schrittlänge beim Abwickeln und auch beim Aufwickeln ermöglicht. Noch genauer kann man die Schrittlänge festlegen, wenn man die Haspeln mit Bandüberlaufrollen versieht, welche mit einem Inkrementaldrehgeber gekoppelt sind, der in der Bandpositionsregelung als Istwertgeber dient.

The variant of the invention with repeated rolling steps, which deals with the production of unilaterally profiled starting material, has significant advantages:

• The fact that the profile of the metal strip is produced in several rolling steps, one achieves a greater dimensional accuracy than before, which affects, for example, in writing springs especially in the later shaft area.
• Since the desired profile is generated in a section of the metal strip not by a single, but by two or more than two rolling steps, even harder metal strips can be profiled, even resilient tapes.
• Characterized in that the profile of the metal strip can be produced in a plurality of rolling passes, various types of rolling such as leveling, pre-profiling, plating, masking and mirror mirroring can be performed sequentially in different order on the same portion of the metal strip.
• This opens up the invention applications that go beyond the pen area and a variety of profiled parts detected that can be formed from a band-shaped semi-finished and separated by punching the tape. Application examples are electrical conductor structures such. As contact springs, electric power fins for electric motors, also lead frames and chain links for watch straps and jewelry chains.
• Due to the possibility of profiling in several rolling steps, very diverse profiles can be produced.
• The versatility of the invention contributes to the fact that the metal strip does not have to be profiled in each rolling step, but can only be uniformly reduced in thickness in a first rolling step, to which the roller has a cylindrical section anyway, if it is not cylindrical anyway.
• The progress that brings the invention is achieved by minimal expenditure on equipment. Starting from a roll stand which is known per se, essentially only one work roll is to be replaced by a plate in this and to modify the mode of operation which leads to the profiling. If the roll is profiled in the circumferential direction, then it is preferably designed so that it has successively circumferentially sections of different contour, which are separated from each other in particular by recesses and in connection with the preferred retrieval of the metal strip repeated rolling one and the same portion of the metal strip allow.
• It is also possible to make the roller cylindrical and to achieve the required for profiling the height of the roll gap during rolling, characterized in that the roller and / or the plate, preferably the roller, which preferably lies above the plate, displaced in the rolling stand , This can for example be done with an electric motor which drives spindles, which act on the roller to be displaced and / or plate and are coupled to a repeatable setting enabling incremental shaft encoder, with the aid of the electric motor is controlled. It is also possible to hydraulically displace the roller and / or the plate by positioning a hydraulically operating cylinder in each roller stand in the head or in the lower transverse yoke. The two hydraulic cylinders are integrated in the hydraulically operated roller adjustment and are started up by means of a position control with force monitoring. The control can be equipped with servo valves as actuators as well as with position sensors and pressure sensors as actual value encoders. This makes it possible to approach almost any given curve, depending on the profile to be rolled, with the roller. Compared with the use of an electronically controlled electric servo drive, a hydraulic setting system has the advantage of being faster and more precise.
  With such a servo drive for displacing the roller and / or serving as its abutment plate, it is possible to roll with a cylindrical roller in one or more steps a profile in the metal strip. It depends on the desired profiling, how to choose the diameter of the roller and how to move the roller relative to the plate depending on the tape feed. A corresponding, derived from the profile to be rolled control cam for the drive, which is to displace the roller relative to the plate can be stored as a control curve in a programmable electronic control unit. By storing a plurality of control cams, according to the invention, a corresponding number of different profiling tasks in metal strips can be mastered with a roll stand without replacement of the roll.
  It is also possible to apply the shifting of the roller during rolling in a rolling mill having a profiled roller. By such a combination of two different ways to change the height of the roll gap in the course of rolling, namely by using a profiled roller in combination with the displacement of the roller relative to the plate, the versatility of the roll stand for producing sections profiled strips can be even increase.
  When working with a cylindrical roll, it is advantageous to provide it with an axis-parallel cut, in order to obtain in this way a reference for the rotational angular position of the roll.
• The exact positioning of the respectively required roller segment to the metal strip can be done by means of a control for the roller rotation angle.
• For the retrieval of the metal strip of the return device, such as a first reel, from which the metal strip to be profiled is unwound, a special importance, because it must be able to reproduce the length of the step by which the metal strip is retrieved sufficiently accurate. For this purpose, one provides this first reel, expediently also the second reel pulling the metal strip, for example with a servomotor, which has an incremental rotary encoder which enables an exact definition of the desired stride length during unwinding and also during winding. More precisely, one can determine the stride length by providing the reels with tape overrunning rollers which are coupled to an incremental encoder which serves as an actual value encoder in the tape position control.

The width of the metal strip may be such that from each of the successive arranged band sections a single profiled part, e.g. a single profiled writing pen can be punched out. The economy of the process and a rolling mill operating on the process can be easily multiplied if wider bands are edited that way wide are that from each profiled section of the starting material two or more as two adjacent nibs or the like profiled objects can be formed.

A particularly advantageous development of the invention is the subject of the claim 22. According to this embodiment of the invention, the metal strip before equalized to the rolling of the profile. Under a leveling is a rolling of Understood metal strip in a roll stand with highly constant roll gap, whereby the thickness variations of the metal strip are reduced. rolling mills with two work rolls for leveling are known from DE 25 41 402 C2 known, which is referred to for further details. At one for Zwekke The rolling stand which is suitable for the invention becomes a highly constant rolling gap achieved in that at the beyond the roll neck bearing out to the outside extended roll neck of two back-up rolls, one of which is the plate from the bottom supports and the other supports the work roll from above, perpendicular to the roll axes are directed away from the rolling stock biasing forces are exerted which can be aligned vertically and preferably in one around the Walzwinkel deviating from the roll axis, by the incoming Metal band going impact line. This is the working game reduced the rolls in the roll neck bearings.

Therefore, according to the invention, it is not necessary for the purpose of leveling the roll stand provided for profiling the metal strip another, preceded by the leveling rolling mill. Rather, that will Leveling and profiling carried out in one and the same stand, why the metal strip not only in the profiling serving steps is moved in the feed direction through the nip. Rather, the metal band first in steps that - taking into account the following Profiling still stretching the leveled section - at least as long as the profiling step, with modest decrease in its thickness equalized. After that, the band will be one step away from at least the one for the Profiling required length and at the most advanced during leveling Length is retrieved and afterwards it is returned to the retrieved section of the Metal strip rolled the profile. In a rolling stand, in which the work roll is profiled and has a peripheral portion with the contour, which on the desired course of the thickness e.g. a feather pen is tuned, which is to be made from the metal strip, the roller for this purpose in addition nor a cylindrical peripheral portion, which of the contour having separate peripheral portion is separated (claim 25). With the cylindrical Peripheral portion of the leveling step is performed. The cylindrical one Peripheral section is in view of its determination and taking into account chosen the elongation of the metal strip occurring during rolling so long that the equalized portion of the metal strip at least the length of Quill pen has, preferably a little longer, so that the beginning and / or the end of the profiling step is a distance from the beginning and end of the equalized section can comply.

Advantageously, the roll stand serving the profiling is therefore also at the same time Roll stand designed for leveling and with a stepwise forward and equipped backward working tape feed.

• Die Dickenschwankungen von ± 20 µm im Vormaterial und damit auch in den daraus herzustellenden Werkstücken, z. B. Schreibfedern, können auf weniger als ± 2 µm, z.B. auf ± 1 µm in einer einzelnen Schreibfeder verringert werden, insbesondere im späteren Schaftbereich der Schreibfedern.
• Die Reproduzierbarkeit des Verlaufs der Dicke von Schreibfeder zu Schreibfeder kann auf weniger als ± 4 µm, z.B. auf ± 2 µm verbessert werden.
• Das sind Genauigkeiten, die bei der Herstellung von Schreibfedern durch Walzen bisher nicht erreicht wurden. Entsprechende Genauigkeiten sind auch bei bandförmigem Vormaterial für andere profilierte Erzeugnisse als Schreibfedern erreichbar.
• Der große Fortschritt an Genauigkeit wird durch minimalen apparativen Aufwand erreicht. Ausgehend von einem an sich bekannten Walzgerüst ist in diesem gegebenenfalls die der Profilierung dienende Arbeitswalze zu modifizieren, indem sie mit einem geeigneten zylindrischen Abschnitt versehen wird, es ist eine Arbeitswalze gegen eine Platte auszutauschen und es sind die Walzenzapfen von zwei Stützwalzen zur Verringerung des Lagerspiels vorzuspannen, z.B. auf eine der in der DE-25 41 402 C2 offenbarten Weisen. Außerdem benötigt man Mittel, die nicht nur ein schrittweises Vorschieben, sondern auch ein schrittweises Zurückholen des Metallbandes in Schritten erlauben, die ungefähr so lang sind wie die Schritte beim Egalisieren. Das kann, wie schon erwähnt, einfach dadurch geschehen, daß man mindestens eine erste Haspel, von welcher das zu profilierende Metallband abgewickelt wird, mit einem Elektromotor versieht, welcher sich mit hinreichender Genauigkeit in Schritten von der gewünschten Länge steuern und in der Drehrichtung umsteuern läßt. Das geschieht vorzugsweise mit einem Servomotor, welcher einen inkrementalen Drehgeber aufweist, der eine genaue Festlegung der gewünschten Schrittlänge beim Abwickeln und Aufwickeln ermöglicht, oder mittels zweier Servoregler mit Kraftmeßdosen an Umlenkrollen für das Metallband, als lstwertgeber für Haspeln, welche das Metallband abwickeln und aufwickeln und die Zugspannung im Metallband verwirklichen oder alternativ von einer Regeletektronik in Positionsregelung gehalten werden. Als lstwertgeber dienen dabei am besten zwei Inkrementaldrehgeber, die an den beiden Umlenkrollen der Haspeln positioniert sind. Ein Servomotor ist normalerweise mit einem nachgeordneten Getriebe verbunden. Wenn nachstehend von Servomotoren geredet wird, wird unterstellt, daß sie normalerweise ebenfalls mit einem nachgeordneten Getriebe verbunden sind.

The development of the invention according to claim 28 and according to claim 34 has significant advantages:

• The thickness variations of ± 20 microns in the starting material and thus in the workpieces to be produced therefrom, for. As nibs, can be reduced to less than ± 2 microns, for example, to ± 1 micron in a single nib, especially in the later shaft region of the nibs.
• The reproducibility of the curve of the thickness from nib to nib can be improved to less than ± 4 microns, for example to ± 2 microns.
• These are accuracies that have not yet been achieved in the production of nibs by rollers. Corresponding accuracies can also be achieved with strip-shaped starting material for profiled articles other than writing nibs.
• The great advance in accuracy is achieved by minimal equipment expense. Starting from a roll stand which is known per se, it may be necessary to modify the profiling roll therewith by providing it with a suitable cylindrical section, to exchange a work roll for a sheet and to bias the roll collars of two support rolls to reduce bearing play , eg in one of the ways disclosed in DE-25 41 402 C2. In addition, means are needed which not only allow incremental advancement but also gradual retrieval of the metal strip in increments approximately as long as the leveling steps. This can, as already mentioned, simply be done by providing at least a first reel, from which the metal strip to be profiled is unwound, with an electric motor which can be controlled with sufficient accuracy in steps of the desired length and reversed in the direction of rotation , This is preferably done with a servomotor, which has an incremental encoder, which allows an accurate determination of the desired stride length during unwinding and winding, or by means of two servocontrollers with load cells on pulleys for the metal strip, as lstwertgeber for reels, which unwind and wind the metal strip and realize the tension in the metal strip or alternatively be held by a control electronics in position control. Two incremental encoders, which are positioned on the two deflection rollers of the reels, are best used as actual encoders. A servomotor is normally connected to a downstream transmission. When servomotors are referred to below, it is assumed that they are normally also connected to a downstream transmission.

• Das hat den weiteren Vorteil, daß durch das Zusammenspiel der Servomotoren in allen Phasen des erfindungsgemäßen Verfahrens, beim Einstechen, beim Egalisieren wie beim Profilieren und beim Rückholen des Metallbandes auf dieses ein definierter Zug ausgeübt werden kann, welcher das Erreichen eines gleichmäßigen Vormaterials mit geringen Dickenschwankungen begünstigt. Dieser Zug soll möglichst gleichbleibend sein und eine gewisse Grundzugkraft nicht unterschreiten, welche beim Herstellen von Schreibfedern z.B. 500 N betragen kann. Beim Zurückholen zieht deshalb die erste Haspel das Metallband mit größerer Kraft gegen die kleinere Aufhaspelkraft der zweiten Haspel. Durch das Aufrechterhalten einer möglichst gleichbleibenden Grundzugkraft im Metallband in allen Phasen der Bearbeitung des Metallbandes erzielt man eine verbesserte Gleichmäßigkeit des gewalzten Vormaterials und vermeidet man das Auftreten eines Bandverlaufs, d.h., das Metallband verzieht sich nicht.
• Ein weiterer Vorteil des Antriebs der Haspeln mit Servomotoren besteht darin, daß der Bandvorschub und der Antrieb der Walze so gut aufeinander abgestimmt werden können, daß anders als beim Stand der Technik anstelle eines kontinuierlichen Antriebs der Walze ein diskontinuierlicher Walzenantrieb erfolgen kann. Insbesondere kann die Geschwindigkeit, bei der der Einstich der profilierten Walze in das Metallband erfolgt, auf die Bandvorschubgeschwindigkeit so abgestimmt werden, daß beim Einstechen keine abrupte Beschleunigung des Metallbandes erfolgt. Insbesondere kann das Einstechen der profilierten Walze in das Metallband zunächst in Ruhe oder bei langsamem Bandvorschub und bei langsamer Walzendrehung erfolgen, gefolgt von einer beschleunigten Bandvorschubbewegung und Walzendrehung. Dies ist für das Erreichen von geringen Maßtoleranzen besonders vorteilhaft.
• Dadurch, daß das Metallband mittels einer Bandpositionsregelung im Walzspalt relativ zur Walze positioniert wird, die mit Hilfe einer Walzendrehwinkelregelung für jeden Walzschritt erneut exakt positioniert wird, bleiben Maßabweichungen in den Profilabständen je nach Profil im hundertstel Millimeter Bereich.
• Ein weiterer Vorteil der Verwendung von Servomotoren zum Antrieb der Haspeln besteht darin, daß besondere Bandspanneinrichtungen, wie sie im Stand der Technik erforderlich sind, nicht benötigt werden.
• Ein weiterer Vorteil der Verwendung der Servomotoren zum Antrieb der Haspeln besteht darin, daß der Bandvorschub durch ein programmierbares elektronisches Steuergerät sehr exakt auf die Länge und Lage der profilierten Bandabschnitte und auf die Walzendrehung abgestimmt werden kann, vorzugsweise auch auf die vertikale Verlagerung der Walze, um insbesondere bei einem durch einen zylindrischen Walzenmantel oder Walzenmantelabschnitt begrenzten Walzspalt dessen Höhe zu verändern und dadurch eine bestimmte Profilierung zu erzeugen.

Preferably, a second reel, which winds the profiled metal strip, provided with such a servo motor.

• This has the further advantage that a defined train can be exercised by the interaction of the servomotors in all phases of the method according to the invention, during grooving, leveling as profiling and retrieving the metal strip on this, which achieves a uniform material with low thickness variations favored. This train should be as consistent as possible and should not fall below a certain basic tensile force, which may be 500 N in the manufacture of writing nibs, for example. When retrieving therefore pulls the first reel, the metal strip with greater force against the smaller Aufhaspelkraft the second reel. By maintaining a constant as possible basic tensile force in the metal strip in all phases of the processing of the metal strip to achieve improved uniformity of the rolled semi-finished material and avoids the occurrence of a band profile, ie, the metal strip does not warp.
• Another advantage of the drive of the reels with servomotors is that the tape feed and the drive of the roller can be coordinated so well that unlike the prior art instead of a continuous drive of the roller can be a discontinuous roller drive. In particular, the speed at which the puncture of the profiled roller is made in the metal strip, can be adjusted to the tape feed speed so that there is no abrupt acceleration of the metal strip during piercing. In particular, the grooving of the profiled roll into the metal strip may initially be at rest or at low tape feed and slow roll rotation, followed by accelerated tape feed and roll rotation. This is particularly advantageous for achieving low dimensional tolerances.
• Characterized in that the metal strip is positioned by means of a belt position control in the nip relative to the roller, which is accurately repositioned by means of a roller rotation angle control for each rolling step, dimensional deviations remain in the profile intervals depending on the profile in hundredths of a millimeter range.
• Another advantage of using servomotors to drive the reels is that special belt tensioners as required in the prior art are not needed.
• Another advantage of using the servomotors to drive the reels is that the tape feed can be tuned by a programmable electronic control unit very accurately on the length and position of the profiled tape sections and on the roller rotation, preferably also on the vertical displacement of the roller In particular, in a limited by a cylindrical roll shell or roll shell section roll gap to change the height and thereby to produce a certain profiling.

The retrieval of the metal strip can not only by one on the inlet side Roll arranged in the nip, but also by a Pliers feed device trained return device. This embodiment is particularly suitable for working with shorter or stiffer belts. If the retrieval device is a forceps feed device, it can over it be used to advance the metal strip and the nip supply.

From the return device depends on the flow control of the process, which the control of the tape position, the rotational angle position of the roller and the Position of the roller linked together.

Instead of a arranged on the outlet side of the nip reel can as a pulling device for emerging during rolling from the nip band also a forceps feed device can be used. Also this embodiment is especially suitable for editing shorter or stiffer Bands.

The quality of the strip-shaped starting material produced is increased if both during grooving as well as rolling as well as when retrieving the band in this a defined train is maintained, in particular by means of a Band tension control with two servocontrollers and load cells on the pulleys as lstwertgeber for the reels, with this favorable influence so occurs more strongly, the thinner the metal strip is. But even with thicker bands is it is beneficial to tape the grooving and during rolling and retrieving between the return device and the pulling device by a successive coordinated movement of these two devices under tension to hold and guide exactly.

In the method according to the invention, the optimum belt tension in all Phases of a rolling step are maintained, especially in the critical phase of piercing a profiled roll into the metal strip, because because each rolling step because of the nature of the discontinuous invention Multi - step rolling process from standstill of the roll, the plate and the metal strip starts out, the engagement of the profiled roller takes place in the metal band not abrupt, but so gentle that in this critical phase the grooving of the profiled roller into the metal band and in the whole Rolling step, the tensile force of the belt tensioner, e.g. the reels, on one for the respective band optimal constant value can be controlled. To the reels and the roller are accelerating and braking the Metal strip and the roller with advantage with their respective drive motors synchronously and accelerated or decelerated to the same degree.

The optimum preload, with which the bearing clearance of the support rollers weggespannt can be determined empirically for each application and then remains constant for the application. The optimization is preferably done so that the strain occurring in the particular application of the Rolling stand determined during leveling and by appropriate adjustment of the bias voltage is compensated.

The specified in claim 51 apparatus for producing a band-shaped Starting material of metal by rolling a metal strip according to the invention Method has a rolling mill in which a roll and a linearly displaceable, the roller-facing plate limit a nip, and a return device arranged on the inlet side of the roll gap for the metal strip, for which a drive motor is provided, which allows retrieval of the metal strip in steps of predeterminable length, in particular a servo motor, wherein the plate synchronously with the roller and / or with the metal strip in the predetermined direction of movement, which is the Metal strip in the nip has, drivable and independent of the metal strip is drivable and retrievable. The ability to synchronize the disk with the Roller and / or to move with the metal strip, ensures that the Metal strip during rolling on the plate immediately in the nip no slip experiences. In addition, the plate is driven independently of the metal strip and retrievable to, after completion of a rolling operation in a selected Section of the metal strip to be able to retrieve the plate without the To recover metal band so that the metal band in a subsequent Section can be rolled. The driving of the plate can be done directly, but preferably is done indirectly by the plate during rolling of the driven roller and the driven metal belt, preferably also arranged under the plate and the plate supporting, driven Support roller is taken. The latter can cover the plate between two also retrieve successive rolling steps; To do this, the frictional connection is sufficient between the support roller and lying on her plate, wherein if necessary, the frictional force caused by the weight of the plate by pressing elements, which additionally press the plate against the support roller, can be strengthened. In such pressing elements may be, for example to act on rollers, which by pressure cylinder on the plate be pressed.

Profiled metal parts obtained by dividing metal bands and in sections by only one rolling step of the batch rolling process are formed, e.g. in the automotive industry use and can There replace metal parts that previously produced consuming by welding become.

The invention is not only applicable to the rolling of strips of metal in the sense, as the term "metal band" is used here, but also on Plastic bands, and on tapes made of a composite material Plastic base, for example, a plastic with metallic or mineral or ceramic fillers, or metallized plastic tapes as well plastic coated metal bands.

Figur 1

zeigt eine teilweise geschnittene Seitenansicht einer Maschine gemäß der Erfindung,

Figur 2

zeigt eine teilweise geschnittene Vorderansicht der Maschine,

Figur 3

zeigt einen gegenüber der Figur 1 vergrößerten Ausschnitt aus der Maschine, nämlich den Hauptteil des Walzgerüstes der Maschine,

Figur 3a

zeigt die Einzelheit X aus Figur 3,

Figur 4

zeigt einen gegenüber der Figur 2 vergrößerten Ausschnitt aus der Maschine, nämlich das Walzgerüst,

Figur 4a

zeigt die Einzelheit Y aus Figur 4,

Figuren 5-10

zeigen ein Ablaufschema eines ersten mit der Maschine ausführbaren Arbeitsverfahrens,

Figuren 11-16

zeigen ein Ablaufschema eines zweiten mit der Maschine ausführbaren Arbeitsverfahrens,

Figur 17

zeigt ein schematisches Diagramm zum Durchführen der Erfindung mit zwei zylindrischen Walzen,

Figur 18

zeigt eine abgewandelte Maschine gemäß der Erfindung in einer der Figur 1 entsprechenden Darstellung,

Figur 19

zeigt ein durch die Erfindung herstellbares Metallband mit Nuten, welche sich in rechteckige Nischen erweitern,

Figur 20

zeigt ein durch die Erfindung herstellbares Metallband mit Nuten, welche sich in einer bogenförmigen Nische erweitern, und die

Figur 21

zeigt ein durch die Erfindung herstellbares Metallband mit Nuten, welche sich in rechteckige Nischen erweitern, und mit Vertiefungen, welche eine geschlossene Umrandung haben.

Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the accompanying schematic drawings, which show embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 1

shows a partially sectioned side view of a machine according to the invention,

FIG. 2

shows a partially sectioned front view of the machine,

FIG. 3

1 shows a section of the machine which is enlarged compared to FIG. 1, namely the main part of the rolling stand of the machine,

FIG. 3a

shows the detail X from FIG. 3,

FIG. 4

2 shows an enlarged detail of the machine compared with FIG. 2, namely the rolling stand,

FIG. 4a

shows the detail Y of FIG. 4,

Figures 5-10

show a flowchart of a first machine-executable method of operation;

Figures 11-16

show a flowchart of a second machine-executable method of operation;

FIG. 17

shows a schematic diagram for carrying out the invention with two cylindrical rollers,

FIG. 18

shows a modified machine according to the invention in a representation corresponding to Figure 1,

FIG. 19

shows a metal strip which can be produced by the invention and which has grooves which widen into rectangular niches,

FIG. 20

shows a producible by the invention metal strip with grooves that expand in an arcuate niche, and the

FIG. 21

shows a producible by the invention metal strip with grooves which extend into rectangular niches, and with depressions which have a closed border.

Corresponding parts are in the examples with matching reference numerals designated.

The machine shown in Figure 1 and Figure 2 has a foundation 1, on which in the middle of a rolling stand 2 is constructed, in front of which and behind which in each case a receiving device 3 and 4 for a reel 5 and 6 attached is, which by a trained as an electric servomotor drive motor 7, 8 is drivable.

In side mounting parts 9 of the rolling stand is a work roll 12, below simply referred to as a roller, stored, which together with one underneath arranged flat plate 67 limits a nip 13. Above the Roller 12 and below plate 67 are each a support roller 14 and 15 in FIG Built-in parts 10 and 10a installed, which is larger in diameter than the Roller 12. The built-in parts 9, 9a of the work roll 12 are each in a cutout the built-in parts 10, 10 a of the support rollers 14, 15 are arranged.

A metal strip 16 to be processed passes from the reel 5 via an overflow roller 17 into the nip 13, passes through it and passes via a further overflow roller 18 on the second reel 6, which in the rolling stand 2 machined metal band 16 wound. Between the nip 13 and the second overrun roller 18 is still a device 19 for the suction of Rolling oil provided in which the metal strip 16 is cleaned from the rolling oil becomes.

The structure of the roll stand 2 is shown in more detail in Figures 3 and 4. It follows that the roller 12, whose diameter is only about 1/3 the diameter of the back-up rolls 14 and 15 is with their roll necks 20 and 21 are mounted in Rollenzapfenlagern 22, which formed as a roller bearing are. A roll neck 21 of the roll 12 is over its roll neck bearing 22 extended and formed as part of a gimbal 23, which allows the drive of the roller 12 by means of a propeller shaft 24. A roller 12 via the propeller shaft 24 synchronously driving electric motor 41 is shown in FIG. He drives the roller 12 and the lower support roller 15th via a branching gear 48. But it is also possible, the roller 12 and the backup roller 15 by two separate motors to drive.

The support rollers 14 and 15 have roll necks 25, which in as a roller bearing trained roll neck bearing 26 of the side mounting parts 10 and 10 a stored are. The roll pins 25 are extended beyond the roll neck bearings 26 and stuck in cups 27, of which the cups of the lower Support roller 14 are braced with the foundation 1, while the bearing shells 27 of the upper support roller 15 clamped with a traverse arranged above 28 are. The clamping takes place in each case with one of the bearing shell 27th outgoing threaded rod 29, on which a set of disc springs 30 arranged is, which is tensioned by a nut 31. That's just above the crossbar 28, provided on the foundation 1 but in the same way. Through this Preload is the bearing clearance of the support rollers 14 and 15 and thus the Influence on the deviations of the thickness of the rolled metal strip from his Desired thickness reduced. Thus, the roller 12 and the support rollers 14 and reach 15 a concentricity of ± 1 micron.

The plate 67 is supported not only by the lower support roller 15, but additionally through two squares of ball bearings 65, one of which is a field on the inlet side of the roll gap 13 and a field on the outlet side of the roll gap 13 is arranged. The ball bearings each consist of a pot 69, which is firmly closed by a convex lid 70. The lid 70 has a circular centered opening through which a below the lid arranged Ball 71, whose diameter is greater than the diameter of the center Hole, with a part of its spherical surface passes through. The ball 71 is replaced by a arranged in the pot 69 spring 72 against the crowned lid 70 pressed. In this way, the ball 71 is between the edge of the center Opening of the lid 70 and the spring 72 resiliently and otherwise freely movable stored. The ball bearings 65 are arranged in the two fields so that their Balls lie with their top in a common plane, in which they the the bottom of the plate 67 springy and smooth, that is, low-friction support. The ball bearings are arranged in brackets 66, which in height are adjustably mounted on the rolling stand 2. The height of the ball bearings 65 is adjusted so that the plate 67 during rolling, when against the lower support roller 15 is pressed, the balls 71 slightly from the edge of the central opening in the lid 70 presses down.

The lower support roller 15 is by means of an adjusting device operating with wedges 73, which between the two roll stand window beds and the two lower roller bearing bodies of the lower support roller 15 is indicated in adjustable in vertical direction. Thus, the plate 67 in the vertical direction adjustable.

At the bottom of the plate 67 are interposed with the interposition of disc springs 84th attached to each other two parallel racks 82 which extend in the direction of Double arrow (Figure 3) extend, that is the rolling direction. The racks 82 mesh with two sprockets 83, which laterally on the lower support roller 15th are fastened, in particular by shrinking onto the support roller 15. On this Way, the plate 67 can be driven very accurately by the lower support roller 15 be, which in turn is driven by the electric motor 41 (FIG 2). The plate springs 84 compensate for a flattening of the support roller 15, which can be caused by the rolling forces.

Alternatively, the plate 67 does not have its own drive but is replaced by the synchronous Driving the roller 12, the metal strip 16 and the lower support roller 15 taken by a friction lock. If the plate 67 between two Walzschritten be retrieved, this is done by driving the lower Support roller 15 in the corresponding direction, with the required frictional engagement between the support roller 15 and the plate 67 by the weight of Plate 67 is effected. Should the dead weight for a reliable friction closure not sufficient, the plate 67 can additionally against the support roller 15th be pressed by rollers, not shown by means of pressure cylinders be pressed on the top of the plate 67.

The required preload of the roll stand 2 is using two spindles 32 and 33 generated, which from above on the traverse 28 and on the bearing shells Press 27 and each by its own, on top of the mill stand 2 arranged, electric motor 34 (see Figure 1) are driven. To this Purpose, both electric motors 34 have a trained as a pinion driving Shaft 49, the teeth of each mesh with a gear 50. The two Gears 50 are rotatably on the one spindle 32 and on the other spindle 33 attached. The appropriate preload of the rolling stand is empirical the elongation of the rolling stand determined in each application and so adjusted so that the strain is compensated. After this default works the machine according to the invention as follows:

The metal strip 16 to be processed is unrolled from the first reel 5, through passed through the nip 13, pulled to the second reel 6 and on this attached.

The plate 67 has a flat top. The roller 12 has a lateral surface (FIG 5) with a profiled peripheral portion 35, which in the circumferential direction the roller 12 measured has a length L1, and a cylindrical peripheral portion 36, which measured in the circumferential direction of the roller 12 has a length L2 has, both separated by two recesses 37 and 38. The cylindrical Peripheral portion 36 of the lateral surface has the greatest distance from the Axle of the roller 12, the recesses 37 and 38 have the smallest distance from the axis of the roller 12. The profiled peripheral portion 35 of the lateral surface has a contour whose course is aligned in the circumferential direction on the Longitudinal course of the thickness of a workpiece, z. B. a nib, from the Metal band 16 is finally to be produced.

In Figures 5 to 16, the plate 67, which is the metal strip 16 during rolling supported, only partially shown.

The processing of the metal strip 16 begins with that in between the two reels 5 and 6 strained metal band of the cylindrical peripheral portion 36 of the roller 12 punctures, gently at standstill of the metal strip 16 and at non-rotating roller 12, at best, at a slower, to a low Peripheral speed of the cylindrical peripheral portion 36 adapted Feed rate of the metal strip 16. This puncture phase is shown in FIG 5, but not to scale, but with exaggerated dickem Metal band 16. In the further course of Figures 6 to 16 are also the Stichabnahmen of the metal strip exaggerated by the rolling process, to make the rolling process clearer. The cylindrical peripheral portion 36 rolls on the metal strip 16 and reduces its thickness typical of 0.66 mm to 0.60 mm with simultaneous leveling of Dikke. The end of the leveling step is shown in FIG. The metal band 16 now comes out of engagement of the cylindrical peripheral portion 36 of the roller 12, which continues to rotate a little bit until the cutout 37 the metal band 16 faces. Preferably with shut down roller 12 and shut down plate 67, the metal strip 16 is now by Umsteuem the two formed as servomotors drive motors 7 and 8, namely by a length greater than L1 but less than L2; L2 is the length, on which the metal band 16 has been leveled. The length around which the metal band 16 is selected, so that in the next step (Figure 7), when the movement of the roller 12 and the advancing movement of the metal strip 16 are restarted, the profiled peripheral portion 35 of the roller 12, which has the contour matched to the workpieces to be produced, immediately after the beginning of the leveled portion of the metal strip 16 gently into this puncture (Figure 7) or slightly, e.g. 2 mm, behind. While the cutout 37 facing the metal strip 16 is rotated by turning the Spindles 32 and 33, the roller 12 displaced by such a degree down that with the profiled peripheral portion next piercing the metal band 16 35 of the roller 12, the desired penetration depth is achieved. At further Rotation of the second roller 12 and matched feed of the metal strip 16 by means of the second reel 6 is with the profiled peripheral portion 35 the proposed profile over the entire width of the metal strip 16 rolled in its equalized section rolled (Figures 7 and 8). figure 8 shows the end point of the profiling rolling step. He finishes at a short distance the end of the equalized section at its level. With progressive Rotation of the roller 12 whose cutout 38 faces the metal strip 16. In this phase, the upper roller 12 by turning the spindles 32 and 33 again shifted upward, so that for the following Egalisierwalzschritt required height of the roll gap 13 is set. The location of the cutout 38 between the profiled peripheral portion 35 and the cylindrical peripheral portion 36 of the roller 12 and the positioning of the metal strip 16 in Rolling gap 13 by means of the servomotors 7 and 8 of the reels 5 and 6 is so to each other agreed that the next puncture of the cylindrical peripheral portion 36 in a small, about 2 mm distance behind the end of the previously equalized portion of the metal strip 16 takes place (Figure 9), which another leveling step, as shown in Figures 9 and 10, initiated becomes.

During leveling, profiling and retrieval, the servomotors provide 8 and 9 for a uniform as possible tensile stress in the metal strip 16th

As far as it can be achieved by the greater degree of accuracy achieved by the leveling step If it does not arrive, it can be left out and put the metal band in it relevant sections are processed by only one rolling step, namely, by those through which the section is profiled.

The embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 11 to 16 differs from the embodiment shown in Figures 5 to 10 in that the Top roller 12 not only with two peripheral portions, but with three peripheral portions 35, 36 and 40, which by recesses 37, 38 and 39 from each other are separated, acting on the metal strip 16 to be processed. That's it provided roll stand 2 has the same structure as shown in Figures 1 to 4, with the proviso that as roller 12 in the figures 11 to 16 shown roller 12 is used, wherein the profiling of the roller 12 exaggerated is shown strongly. Also in this example the leveling step is not mandatory.

The peripheral portion 36 is cylindrical, whereas the two peripheral portions 35 and 40 have a non-cylindrical profile. As in the example of the figures 5-10, the cylindrical peripheral portion 36 has the largest one throughout Distance from the axis of the roller 12, which is advantageous when it comes goes, the cylindrical peripheral portion, which serves to leveling after Needs to be sharpened.

The working method shown in Figures 11 to 16 corresponds to that in the Figures 5 to 10 illustrated working method with the peculiarity that after equalizing the relevant portion of the metal strip 16 not in one single, but profiled in two consecutive rolling steps, between where the metal band 16 is retrieved again.

FIG. 11 shows, analogously to FIG. 5, the insertion of the cylindrical peripheral section 36 of the roller 12 in the metal strip 16. Figure 12 shows analogous to the figure 6 the end of the leveling step. By further rotation of the roller 12 passes the metal strip 16 from the engagement and can be retrieved by the reel 5 become. During this phase, the roller 12 by means of the spindles 32nd and 33 down to the height of the nip 13 for the subsequent to set the first profiling rolling, the beginning of which is shown in FIG is. FIG. 13 corresponds to FIG. 7 and shows the insertion of the first non-cylindrical, profiled peripheral portion 35 of the roller 12. Figure 14 corresponds to Figure 8 and shows the end of the first profiling rolling step.

Upon further rotation of the roller 12, the metal strip 16 passes again from the Engage out and in this phase while the cutout 39 the metal band 16, this is brought back one more time and by pressing the spindles 32 and 33 set the nip 13 for the second profiling roll step, its beginning with the piercing of the profiled peripheral portion 40 is shown in FIG.

Figure 16 shows the end of the second roll forming step. By turning further the roller 12, the metal strip 16 is again free and can for leveling in subsequent band section are positioned, with simultaneous or subsequent Setting the height of the roll gap intended for leveling 13. The sequence of steps illustrated in FIGS. 11 to 16 is then repeated. In order to achieve a high reproducibility of the angle of rotation of the roller 12, It is best to roll 12 into a predetermined one after each cycle Starting position (e.g., 0 ° position) to turn back to avoid Inaccuracies by continued full revolutions of the roller 12th add.

This procedure is particularly suitable for the production of profiled sections in tapes where the desired stitch loss is not or only difficult or not with the desired accuracy in a single profiling roll step can be achieved.

The invention can also be carried out with more than two profiling rolling steps become. To accommodate the required number of peripheral sections too can, which take part in the rolling process, the diameter of the roller 12 can be increased as needed.

It is also possible, in addition to or instead of a leveling rolling step Provide Reduzierwalzschritt in which the thickness of the metal strip 16 sections is first uniformly diminished, before being in a later Rolling step is profiled.

The invention is not only applicable to the production of starting material for Nibs, but also for the production of other strip-shaped materials, which in a sequence of regularly recurring sections about the entire width of the metal strip 16 is profiled, e.g. for the production of a strip-shaped starting material for the production of electrical conductor structures such as As contact springs or lead frames or for the production of grooved Ribbons with transverse to the longitudinal direction of the metal strip 16 parallel or not parallel grooves extending to the roll axis, with or without pockets or niches, which grooves are continuous from one to the other longitudinal edge of the metal strip extend and from which e.g. Commutator bars, electric Connector or other electrical contact parts can be punched out. Also by profiling stiffened sheet metal parts for the automotive industry can inexpensive and manufactured with high accuracy. Each with the help of optionally profiled rolls producible profile shape can by the inventive Procedures are formed.

FIG. 17 shows, in a schematic diagram, how the servomotors 7 and 8 the two reels 5 and 6, preferably also designed as servomotors Electric motors 41 and 42, for driving the roller 12 and the backup roller 15, and the two electric motors 34, which are preferably also is servomotors with downstream gear 34a and with which by means of the spindles 33 and 32, the roller 12 can be moved over a unitary electronic control unit 43 are linked together. In order to can be predetermined as a function of a control unit 43 and preferably stored in digital form profile shape, which in the metal band 16 is to be rolled, by controlling the servomotors 7 and 8 of the feed controlled by the metal strip 16 during rolling and retrieval, matched to it the roller 12 and the backup roller 15 are rotated, stopped and optionally turned back and depending on the feed of the metal strip 16 and the shape entered into the control unit 43, the roller 12 by pressing the electric motors 34 are displaced. Here are the current positions each returned by incremental encoders to the controller 43. These encoders are part of servomotors 7, 8, 41 and 42. Between the spindles 32 and 33 and the two servo motors 34 is each an incremental Encoder 44 shown separately by way of example.

FIG. 17 shows a cylindrical roller 12, which has a radial, axis-parallel Incision 45 has to gain a reference for their angular position. For the case that the roller 12 has a non-cylindrical peripheral portion, such as shown in the previous examples, a shift of the roller 12 omitted during rolling; she would then only if necessary between take place the individual rolling steps.

The curve after which the roller 12 is displaced can not only be software stored in the control unit. Basically, rather, a mechanical Curve control by means of a synchronous with the tape feed Cam possible.

With the device shown in Figure 17 can also transversely to its longitudinal direction grooved metal bands or metal bands with one another continuously made over the entire width of the metal strip 16 extending profile be when the roller 12 with a circumferentially extending appropriate profiling is provided.

FIG. 18 shows an embodiment modified with respect to FIGS. 1 to 4. It differs from the embodiment of Figures 1 to 4 in that instead of reels 5 and 6 forceps feed devices 52nd and 53 are provided. This embodiment is particularly suitable for shorter or thicker metal bands 16, which are not so easily wound can.

The forceps feeders 52 and 53 have a carriage 56, 57 which by means of a servomotor 54, 55 in the horizontal direction of the nip 13 and can be removed from it. For this purpose is at the Underside of the carriage 56, 57 a dovetailed spring 58 is provided, which engages in a mating dovetail groove 59, 60, which is formed on a lug portion 61, 62 of the roll stand 2. The engagement of groove 59, 60 and spring 58 is an accurate horizontal guide the carriage 56, 57 reached. Other types of leadership are possible. On Each carriage 56, 57 is a rigidly attached to the carriage lower Bake 63 and an upper jaw 64, whose distance from the lower jaw variable is, preferably by means of a pressure medium cylinder. Between the two Jaws 63 and 64, which form a pair of pliers, become the metal band 16 passed and clamped as needed. The Pliers feed devices 52 and 53 can individually but also together be operated and moved together. In the second case it is possible, both when rolling and when retrieving in between the two gripper feed devices 52 and 53 clamped portion of the Metal band 16 to maintain a defined tensile stress.

The two forceps feed devices 52 and 53 are, as shown in FIG. 18, arranged adjacent to the nip 13. At the outlet side of the roll gap 13 is following in the rolling direction on the forceps feed device 53 arranged the means 19 for sucking off rolling oil, to which a Thickness gauge 51 connects, which the thickness of the rolled metal strip 16th detected and reported with a probe or non-contact, so that in case of deviations can be controlled or regulated by the desired thickness, to change the height of the nip 13 in a suitable manner.

Figure 19 shows a producible by the invention metal strip 16, which under Forming transverse grooves 74 in the bottom of the metal strip 16 and transverse grooves 75 and 76 in the top of the metal strip 16 has been profiled on both sides by the method according to the invention, wherein in a first pass, the grooves 74 in the bottom and in a second pass, after turning the metal strip, the grooves 75 and 76th were formed in the top of the metal strip 16. The order of the process steps is not mandatory. In the example shown, the grooves 74 narrower than the overlying grooves 75, which are in the top of the Metal band 16 with the narrower grooves 76 alternate. A special feature is that the wider grooves 75 continue into rectangular niches 77, their depth measured in the longitudinal direction 79 of the belt 16 relative is small, so that the displacement of the material from the niches manageable is.

The illustrated in Figure 20, inventively producible metal strip differs from the metal strip shown in Figure 19 in that instead of rectangular niches 77 arcuate niches 78 has been generated are.

The invention not only allows the production of metal strips with grooves, which expand into rectangular or arcuate niches, as in the figures 19 and 20, but also allows, in a metal band 16 in a row and / or side by side depressions 80 to form, which is a closed Outline, z. B. triangular, rectangular or circular bordered are as shown in Figure 21. Other outlines are possible. In the example shown in FIG. 20, the recesses 80 are peripheral walls limited, which is perpendicular or nearly perpendicular to the plate 67 run. The peripheral walls of the recesses 80 but can also be inclined to the plate 67, in such a way that the depressions from their bottom starting to expand towards the top of the metal strip 16 out.

Such recesses 80 can be formed by the metal strip 16 is moved through the gap between the work roll 12 and a plate 67, which on its upper side to the recesses 80 complementary humps 81st has, which are shown schematically in Figures 3a and 4a.

Claims (74)

1. Method for producing strip-like input stock from metal, which is profiled in subsequent sections on one or both sides, by rolling a metal strip in one or more rolling steps, comprising the following process steps:

   (a) Tensioning the metal strip (16);

   (b) positioning the metal strip (16) in a rolling gap (13), which is defined by a roller (12) and a movable plate (67), relative to the roller (12);

   (c) positioning the plate (67) relative to the roller (12);
   steps (b) and (c) being carried out either successively or simultaneously or in timely overlapping fashion or in a successive inverse order, or step

   (c) being carried out before step (a);

   (d) grooving the metal strip (16) with the roller (12) by reducing the distance of the shell surface of the roller (12) to the metal strip (16), the metal strip (16) being maintained steady or being moved only slowly at least during the beginning phase of the grooving step, and the roller (12) being rotated not at all or only very slowly so that the metal strip (16) remains under tensile stress in the rolling gap (13);

   (e) rolling a section of the metal strip (16) in the rolling gap (13) by rotating the roller (12) and moving the plate (67) or taking at along in a rectilinear manner in synchronism with the rotation of the roller (12); and

   (f) releasing the metal strip (16) by opening the rolling gap (13);
   steps (b) to (f) being repeated for every section to be profiled of the metal strip (16).
2. The method as defined in Claim 1, characterised in that the metal strip (16) is profiled on one side only.
3. The method as defined in Claim 1, characterised in that the metal strip (16) is at first profiled on one side only and is then tumed over so that its profiled side faces the plate (67),
   and that the metal strip (16) is then profiled on its other side.
4. The method as defined in Claim 3, characterised in that following profiling of the one side of the metal strip (16) the plate (67) is exchanged against another plate provided with a profile complementary to the profile previously rolled into the metal strip (16).
5. The method as defined in any of the preceding claims, characterised in that a flat plate (67) is used if the metal strip (16) is profiled only on one side or initially only on one side.
6. The method as defined in any of the preceding claims, characterised in that recesses (80) with closed borders are formed in the metal strip (16), for which purpose the plate (67) used is one provided with bumps (81) complementary to the recesses (80).
7. The method as defined in Claim 6, characterised in that a moderate reduction of the overall thickness of the metal strip (16) is effected by having the roller (12), arranged opposite the plate (67), acting on the metal strip (16) at the same time the recesses (80) are formed.
8. The method as defined in Claim 7, characterised in that the moderate reduction in thickness of the metal strip (16) is equal to approximately 10 % of its previous thickness.
9. The method as defined in Claim 6, 7 or 8, characterised in that the recesses (80) are formed in several steps and that the steepness of the circumferential wall of the recesses (80) increases from one step to the next.
10. The method as defined in any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the tensile stress in the metal strip (16) is kept constant during the grooving and the rolling phases.
11. The method as defined in any of the preceding claims, characterised in that when several rolling steps are carried out for profiling the metal strip (16) in the respective sections, the process steps (b) to (e) are repeated, for which purpose the metal strip (16) is recalled after opening the rolling gap (13), and the recalled section of the metal strip (16) is rolled once again in the rolling gap (13) under the action of the same roller (12).
12. The method as defined in any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the metal strip (16) is not rolled during the recalling phase.
13. The method as defined in any of Claims 1 to 11, characterised in that the metal strip (16) is rolled also during the recalling phase.
14. The method as defined in any of the preceding claims, characterised in that plate (67) is floatingly supported.
15. The method as defined in any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the roller (12) defines the rolling gap (13) from above, and that the plate (67) is arranged in horizontal position and is supported by a back-up roller (15).
16. The method as defined in any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the plate (67) is supported on both sides of the rolling gap (13).
17. The method as defined in Claim 15 or Claim 16, characterised in that the plate (67) is supported on both sides of the rolling gap (13) by rolling elements.
18. The method as defined in any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the surface of the plate (67), facing the roller (12), is configured to be flat.
19. The method as defined in any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the plate (67) is moved during the rolling process by being entrained by the driven roller (12) and/or the metal strip (16).
20. The method as defined in any of claims 13 to 17, characterised in that the plate (67) is moved by its back-up roller (15), which is driven for that purpose.
21. The method as defined in any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the metal strip (16) is recalled by a length shorter than the circumference of the roller (12).
22. The method as defined in any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the metal strip (16) is simultaneously equalised by the rolling process.
23. The method as defined in any of the preceding claims, characterised in that using the roller (12) a profile is rolled into the sections of the metal strip (16), the profile extending over the full width of the metal strip (16), so that the metal strip (16) exhibits a thickness that varies over its length.
24. The method as defined in Claim 23, characterised in that a periodically recurring profile is rolled into the metal strip (16).
25. The method as defined in any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the roller (12), the plate (67) and the metal strip (16) are accelerated and braked, resp., in synchronism and to the same degree during the rolling steps.
26. The method as defined in any of the preceding claims, characterised in that for producing strip-shaped input stock with a selected profile, which recurs in successive sections of the input stock, the sections to be profiled of the metal strip (16) are guided through the rolling gap (13) in steps of predetermined lengths, and the height of the rolling gap (13) is reduced from one rolling step to the next until the desired depth of the selected profile of the input stock is obtained in the respective sections of the metal strip (16).
27. The method as defined in any of the preceding claims in combination with Claim 14, characterised in that in the first rolling step the metal strip (16) is only reduced in thickness, but is not yet profiled.
28. The method as defined in Claim 27, characterised in that the metal strip (16) is equalised in the first rolling step.
29. The method as defined in Claim 27 or Claim 28, characterised in that the reducing rolling step is followed by one or more profiling rolling steps in one and the same rolling gap (13).
30. The method as defined in Claim 27, 28 or 29, characterised in that the length (L2) of the reducing rolling step, during which the metal strip may also be equalised, is longer than the length (L1) of the next following profiling rolling step, taking into account the elongation of the reduced section occurring in the next following profiling step.
31. The method as defined in any of claims 27 to 30, characterised in that following the reducing rolling step the metal strip (16) is recalled by a length shorter than the length (L2) of the reducing rolling step and longer than the length (L1) of the next following profiling rolling step to be performed on the same section of the metal strip (16).
32. The method as defined in any of the preceding claims in combination with Claim 14, characterised in that it is performed in a roll stand (2), in which the surface of the roller (12) includes a profiled section (35, 40) having a contour which together with the plate (67) defines the rolling gap (13).
33. The method as defined in any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the roller (12) has a cylindrical shell which is preferably subdivided into segments of equal or different diameter.
34. The method as defined in any of claims 1 to 32 in combination with Claim 19, characterised in that prior to rolling a profile the metal strip (16) is initially equalised in the rolling gap (13), with moderate reduction of its thickness, between the roller (12) and the plate (67) in steps having a length (L2) not shorter than the length (L1) of the first profiling rolling step, and is then recalled by a step at least equal to the length (L1) of the first profiling rolling step and maximally equal to the second length (L2), whereafter the profile is rolled into the recalled section of the metal strip (16),
    and that for equalising the metal strip (16) the shell of the roller (12) has a cylindrical circumferential section (36) separate from those one or more profiled circumferential sections (35, 40) that exhibit a non-cylindrical contour.
35. The method as defined in any of the preceding claims, characterised in that during rolling of the metal strip (16) the roller (12) of the roll stand (2) is displaced for varying the height of the rolling gap (13).
36. The method as defined in Claim 35, characterised in that the roller (12) is displaced by a servo drive (32, 34, 44).
37. The method as defined in Claim 36, characterised in that one or two electric motors (34) or one or two short hydraulic cylinders are used for the servo drive.
38. The method as defined in any of claims 35 to 37, characterised in that the displacement of the roller (12) is effected with the aid of a program-controlled drive (32, 33, 34, 44), the profile to be produced in the respective rolling step being stored in a programmable control unit (43) as control curve for the drive (32, 33, 34, 44) effecting the displacement of the roller (12).
39. The method as defined in any of claims 35 to 38, characterised in that the roller (2) has a notch (45), which is parallel to the axis of the roller (2).
40. The method as defined in any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the roller (12) is driven in synchronism with the feeding motion of the metal strip (16).
41. The method as defined in any of the preceding claims in combination with Claim 18, characterised in that a relieved portion (37, 38, 39) is provided in the shell surface of the roller (12) between the circumferential sections (35, 38, 40) which are active during the rolling process, which relieved portion extends over a circumferential angle sufficient to ensure that the circumferential section (35, 36, 40), which is active during the rolling process, will groove the metal strip (16) only after the metal strip (16) has been released by the circumferential section active during the preceding rolling step.
42. The method as defined in any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the metal strip (16) to be rolled is uncoiled from a first coiler (5) and the rolled metal strip (16) is wound up on a second coiler (6), and that the rotary speed of the roller (12) and the circumferential speed of the coilers (5, 6) are matched, especially during the phase when the roller (12) grooves the metal strip (16).
43. The method as defined in any of the preceding claims, characterised in that grooving by the roller (12) is effected at reduced rotary speed of the roller (12) and, correspondingly, at reduced feeding speed of the metal strip (16), and that the movements are then accelerated.
44. The method as defined in any of claims 1 to 40, characterised in that the metal strip (16) is recalled by means of a first gripper mechanism (52).
45. The method as defined in Claim 44, characterised in that by means of the first gripper mechanism (52) the metal strip (16) is also advanced for rolling.
46. The method as defined in Claim 43 or Claim 44, characterised in that the metal strip (16) is pulled during the rolling process with the aid of a second gripper mechanism (53) which engages that section of the metal strip (16) that leaves the rolling gap (13).
47. The method as defined in any of the preceding claims, characterised in that a tensile stress is continuously maintained in the metal strip (16) during rolling and also during recalling of the strip.
48. The method as defined in any of the preceding claims, characterised in that a tensile stress is continuously maintained in the metal strip (16) during the grooving of the metal strip (16) by the roller (12).
49. The method as defined in any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the width of the metal strip (16) is so selected to allow two or more of the objects, which are intended to be punched out from the input stock formed by the rolling process, can be punched out so that they are arranged side-by-side.
50. The method according to any of the preceding claims as applied to strips consisting of a plastic material and to strips consisting of a compound material based on a plastic material or including a plastic material as substantial component.
51. Device for producing strip-shaped input stock, especially from metal, by rolling a strip (16), especially for performing the method defined in Claim 1 or Claim 50,
    having a roll stand (2) in which a roller (12) defines a rolling gap (13),
    and having recalling means (5, 52) for the strip (16) arranged on the intake side of the rolling gap (13),
    characterised in that a drive motor (7, 54), especially a servomotor, is provided for the recalling means (5, 52), which drive motor permits the strip (16) to be recalled in steps of a predeterminable length, and that the rolling gap (13) is additionally defined by a plate (67) that faces the roller (12) and can be linearly displaced, and can be driven in synchronism with the roller (12) and/or with the strip (16) in the predetermined direction of movement of the strip (16) in the rolling gap (13), and can also be driven and recalled independently of the strip (16).
52. The device as defined in Claim 51, characterised in that the plate (67) is arranged below the roller (12).
53. The device as defined in Claim 51 or Claim 52, characterised in that the height of the rolling gap (13) is variable.
54. The device as defined in Claim 51 for producing strip-shaped input stock, having a selected profile which recurs in successive sections of the input stock, characterised in that the roller (12) and/or the plate (67) can be displaced during the rolling operation in upward and downward direction in the roll stand (2) in controlled fashion, namely by a distance determined by the selected profile and in response to the feeding motion of the strip (16).
55. The device as defined in any of the preceding claims 51 to 54, characterised in that the roller (12) has a cylindrical shell surface.
56. The device as defined in Claim 53 for producing strip-shaped input stock, having a profile which recurs in successive sections of the input stock characterised in that the shell surface of the roller (12) has two or more separate circumferential sections (35, 36, 40), that follow each other in the circumferential direction and that do not all exhibit the same contour.
57. The device as defined in any of claims 51 to 56, wherein the recalling means for the strip (16) is a first coiler (5).
58. The device as defined in any of claims 51 to 56, wherein the recalling means for the strip (16) is a first gripper mechanism (52).
59. The device as defined in any of claims 51 to 58, wherein a pulling device (6, 53) for the strip-shaped input stock is provided on the discharge side of the rolling gap (13).
60. The device as defined in Claim 59, wherein the pulling device is a second coiler (6) intended to wind up the strip-shaped input stock.
61. The device as defined in Claim 59, wherein the pulling device is a second gripper mechanism (53).
62. The device as defined in Claim 56, wherein the roller (12) has a cylindrical circumferential section (36).
63. The device as defined in any of claims 51 to 62, wherein the roll stand (2) is designed as an equalising rolling mill.
64. The device as defined in any of claims 51 to 63, wherein the drive motor (7, 52) for the recalling device (5, 52) provided on the intake side of the rolling gap (13) is an electric servomotor.
65. The device as defined in any of claims 51 to 64, wherein the pulling device (6, 53) provided on the discharge side of the rolling gap (13) is driven by an electric servomotor (8, 55).
66. The device as defined in any of the preceding claims, characterised in that a roller coupled to an incremental rotary transducer, which can be rotated by the strip (16) running over it, is associated to the recalling device (5, 52) and/or the pulling device (6, 53).
67. The device as defined in any of claims 51 to 66, wherein the roller (12) and the plate (67), respectively, are engaged on their sides facing away from the rolling gap (13) by a back-up roller (14, 15), respectively, whose roller necks (25) preferably can be prestressed in their roller neck bearings (26) in order to reduce their bearing play.
68. The device as defined in any of claims 51 to 67, wherein the roller (12) is driven intermittently so that during the advance motion of the strip (16) it is driven in synchronism with the pulling device (6, 53) provided on the discharge side of the rolling gap (13), whereas when the recalling device (5, 52) provided on the intake side of the rolling gap (13) is driven in reverse direction for the purpose of maintaining the strip tension and for recalling the strip (16), it is temporarily stopped and/or repositioned by rotating it in forward or in reverse direction.
69. The device as defined in any of claims 51 to 68, wherein the circumferential speed of the roller (12) and the speed of the pulling device (6, 53), and preferably also the speed of the recalling device (5, 52) can be controlled at desire.
70. The device as defined in Claim 53 or Claim 54, wherein one or more servo drives (32, 33, 34, 44) are provided for displacing the roller (12).
71. The device as defined in Claim 70, wherein each of the servo drives (32, 33, 34, 44) comprises an electric motor (34) or one or two short hydraulic cylinders.
72. The device as defined in Claim 65, wherein an electronic control unit (43) is provided in which the displacement of the roller (12) required for an envisaged profile is stored as curve, preferably digitally, and wherein the servomotors (7, 8; 54, 55) of the recalling device (5, 52) and the pulling device (6, 53), a servomotor (42) for rotation of the roller (12) and one or more setting drives (32, 33, 34) with an incremental rotary transducer (44) for the roller (12) are connected with that control unit (13), and wherein preferably a servomotor is also provided for the back-up roller (15) that may be provided for the plate (67).
73. The device as defined in any of claims 51 to 72, wherein the sense of rotation of the roller (12) and of the coilers (5, 6) can be reversed for rolling in both directions.
74. The device as defined in any of claims 51 to 73, wherein the roller (12) has a notch (45) parallel to its axis.

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