Roll stripper device and method

Abstract

A roll stripper device includes a stripper mounted on a stripper support, a sensor and a processor in a control system. The sensor is adapted to provide a measurement of a distance to a work roll and the processor is adapted to determine a position of a tip of the stripper relative to the work roll, using the distance provided by the sensor. A method of determining a distance of a stripper from a work roll and a method of controlling a relative position of a stripper and a work roll, are also provided.

1 - 22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . A roll stripper device, comprising:
 a stripper support;   a stripper mounted on said stripper support and having a tip;   a work roll;   a sensor configured to provide a measurement of a distance to said work roll; and   a processor configured to determine a position of said tip of said stripper relative to said work roll using said distance provided by said sensor.   
     
     
         24 . The device according to  claim 23 , wherein said sensor is mounted at a predetermined distance from said tip of said stripper. 
     
     
         25 . The device according to  claim 23 , which further comprises a feed roll assembly, a feed roller support, a mill housing and a roll chock, said sensor being mounted on said stripper or said stripper support or said feed roll assembly or said feed roller support or said mill housing or said roll chock. 
     
     
         26 . The device according to  claim 23 , wherein said sensor is at least one sensor mounted at a center of the device. 
     
     
         27 . The device according to  claim 23 , wherein said work roll has at least one roll grinding support area, and said sensor is mounted facing said at least one roll grinding support area. 
     
     
         28 . The device according to  claim 23 , wherein said sensor is one of at least two sensors spaced apart along a length of the device. 
     
     
         29 . The device according to  claim 28 , which further comprises ends of the device, one of said at least two sensors being mounted at each respective one of said ends of the device. 
     
     
         30 . The device according to  claim 23 , wherein said sensor is one of at least two sensors spaced apart around a circumference of said work roll. 
     
     
         31 . The device according to  claim 23 , wherein said work roll is one of a pair of upper and lower work rolls, and said sensor is at least one sensor configured to determine a distance from said lower work roll. 
     
     
         32 . The device according to  claim 23 , wherein said sensor is a contact or non-contact inductive or capacitive sensor or a mechanical distance sensor or a transducer or an optical range finder. 
     
     
         33 . The device according to  claim 23 , which further comprises at least one actuator configured to adjust a position of said stripper. 
     
     
         34 . The device according to  claim 33 , which further comprises load sensors configured to calculate a deflection of said stripper. 
     
     
         35 . The device according to  claim 34 , wherein said load sensors are pressure transducers in said at least one actuator or load cells. 
     
     
         36 . A method of determining a distance of a stripper from a work roll, the method comprising the following steps:
 using a sensor to determine a distance of the sensor from a point on the work roll;   extracting stored data relating to a relative position of the sensor and the stripper; and   calculating a position of the stripper, relative to the work roll, from the determined distance and the stored location of the sensor.   
     
     
         37 . A method of controlling a relative position of a stripper and a work roll, the method comprising the following steps:
 determining a distance of a stripper from a work roll by using a sensor to determine a distance of the sensor from a point on the work roll, extracting stored data relating to a relative position of the sensor and the stripper, and calculating a position of the stripper, relative to the work roll, from the determined distance and the stored location of the sensor;   determining a gap representing the distance of the stripper from the work roll;   comparing the gap with a required gap; and   determining if a result of the comparing step is outside an acceptable range of tolerance and, if so, adapting the position of the stripper according to the result of the comparing step.   
     
     
         38 . The method according to  claim 37 , which further comprises:
 placing a respective sensor at each end of the work roll; and   adapting the position of the stripper at each end of the work roll according to outputs of the sensors.   
     
     
         39 . The method according to  claim 38 , which further comprises:
 determining a distance of each of the sensors from a point on the work roll;   calculating an average, minimum or maximum distance using each of the determined distances; and   adapting the position of the stripper based on a result of a comparison between the required gap and the average, minimum or maximum distance.   
     
     
         40 . The method according to  claim 39 , which further comprises automatically repeating the steps of determining and comparing the gap and adapting the position of the stripper. 
     
     
         41 . The method according to  claim 40 , which further comprises applying a delay between the repeated steps when the result of the comparing step is within an acceptable range of tolerance. 
     
     
         42 . The method according to  claim 37 , which further comprises:
 determining when a leading end of an article being rolled has passed the stripper onto a feed roll assembly on an exit side; and   then causing an actuator to move the stripper further from the work roll than a maximum range of tolerance of the required gap.   
     
     
         43 . The method according to  claim 37 , which further comprises:
 calculating a deflection of the stripper from load measurements; and   adjusting a position of the stripper in response to the determined distance and the load measurements.   
     
     
         44 . The method according to  claim 37 , which further comprises measuring a roll load cylinder position in combination with determining a distance from a sensor measurement.