Worm and rack rest bar assembly

Abstract

A rest bar assembly for a guide that is employed in a rolling mill to direct a hot rolled product either entering or exiting from the roll pass of a roll stand. The rest bar assembly comprises a core extending transversely with respect to the mill pass line. A saddle is movable along the core and is adapted to carry the guide. An adjustment mechanism serves to move the saddle along the core. The adjustment mechanism comprises a worm rack extending along a back side of the core, and a rotatable worm carried by the saddle and in meshed relationship with the worm rack.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . In a rolling mill in which a guide directs a hot rolled product either into or out of a roll pass aligned on a mill pass line, a rest bar assembly for supporting said guide and for transversely adjusting said guide with respect to the mill pass line, said guide comprising:
 a core extending traversely with respect to the mill pass line;   a saddle movable along said core, said saddle being adapted to carry said guide;   an adjustment mechanism for moving said saddle along said core, said adjustment mechanism comprising a worm track on said core, a worm gear carried by said saddle and in meshed relationship with said worm track; and   means for rotatably adjusting said worm gear.   
     
     
         2 . The rest bar assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a clamping mechanism operable in a clamping mode to fix the position of said saddle on said core, and in a release mode permitting shifting of said saddle along said core. 
     
     
         3 . The rest bar assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said core has a front side arranged to face the roll pass, and a backside, and wherein said worm track extends along said backside. 
     
     
         4 . The rest bar assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said worm track is helically cut. 
     
     
         5 . The rest bar assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising mounting plates detachably secured to opposite ends of said core, said mounting plates being configured and dimensioned for attachment to a housing structure containing work rolls defining said roll pass. 
     
     
         6 . The rest bar assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said means for rotatably adjusting said worm gear comprises a remotely operable drive motor. 
     
     
         7 . The rest bar assembly of  claim 2 , wherein said clamping mechanism is hydraulically actuated and remotely operable. 
     
     
         8 . A rest bar assembly for supporting a guide configured and arranged to direct a hot rolled product either entering or exiting from a roll pass aligned on the pass line of a rolling mill, said rest bar assembly comprising:
 a core extending transversely with respect to the mill pass line, said core having a front side arranged to face the roll pass, and an oppositely facing back side;   a saddle moveable along said core, said saddle being adapted to carry said guide;   an adjustment mechanism for moving said saddle along said core, said adjustment mechanism comprising a worm track extending along the back side of said core, and a worm gear carried by said saddle and in meshed relationship with said worm track; and   means for rotatably adjusting said worm gear.