Method and apparatus for controlling the thickness of rolled strip material

Claim 2

IN A ROLLING MILL OF THE TYPE HAVING A PLURALITY OF STANDS THROUGH WHICH A STRIP OF MATERIAL TO BE REDUCED IN THICKNESS IS PASSED, EACH OF THE STANDS COMPRISING A PAIR OF OPPOSED ROLLS ROTATING AT A PREDETERMINED SPEED, THE METHOD OF REDUCING MATERIAL TO A FINAL THICKNESS WHICH COMPRISES PASSING THE MATERIAL THROUGH THE STANDS IN SUCCESSION, APPLYING PRESSURE ON THE MATERIAL IN EACH STAND, MAINTAINING THE SPEED OF THE ROLLS, IN EACH STAND AT A FIXED PREDETERMINED SPEED, SENSING THE TENSION IN THE MATERIAL BEFORE IT ENTERS A PAIR OF STANDS, AND VARYING THE PRESSURE ON THE MATERIAL AT THE NEXT STAND IN ACCORDANCE WITH VARIATIONS IN THE TENSION IN THE MATERIAL BEFORE IT ENTERS THE STAND TO MAINTAIN THE MASS FLOW OF THE MATERIAL CONSTANT THROUGHOUT THE MILL.

Claim 3

IN A MULTI-STAND ROLLING MILL COMPRISING A FIRST STAND, A FINAL STAND AND A PLURALITY OF INTERMEDIATE STANDS, EACH OF THE STANDS COMPRISING A PAIR OF MATERIAL ENGAGING ROLLS, THE COMBINATION COMPRISING AN X-RAY THICKNESS GAGE MEANS POSITIONED BETWEEN SAID FIRST AND STAND AND THE FIRST OF THE INTERMEDIATE STANDS FOR REGULATING THE FORCE EXERTED BETWEEN THE MATERIAL ENGAGING ROLLS OF THE FIRST OF SAID STANDS, MEANS FOR MAINTAINING THE SPEED OF THE ROLLS IN EACH INTERMEDIATE STAND AT A FIXED PREDETERMINED SPEED, AND MEANS POSITIONED BEFORE EACH OF SAID INTERMEDIATE STAND FOR SENSING THE TENSION IN A STRIP PASSING THROUGH SAID INTERMEDIATE STAND, SAID TENSION SENSING MEANS BEING OPERATIVE TO CONTROL THE FORCE BETWEEN THE ROLLS OF THE FOLLOWING INTERMEDIATE STAND, WHEREBY THE THICKNESS OF A STRIP DELIVERED BY AN INTERMEDIATE STAND VARIES WITH THE TENSION IN THE STRIP IN ADVANCE OF SUCH INTERMEDIATE STAND.

Claim 4

IN A MULTI-STAND ROLLING MILL COMPRISING A FIRST STAND, A FINAL STAND AND A PLURALITY OF INTERMEDIATE STANDS, EACH OF THE STANDS COMPRISING A PAIR OF MATERIAL ENGAGING ROLLS, THE COMBINATION COMPRISING AN X-RAY THICKNESS GAGE MEANS POSITIONED BETWEEN SAID FIRST AND STAND AND THE FIRST OF THE INTERMEDIATE STANDS FOR REGULATING THE FORCE EXERTED BETWEEN THE MATERIAL ENGAGING ROLLS OF THE FIRST OF SAID STANDS, MEANS FOR MAINTAINING THE SPEED OF THE ROLLS IN EACH INTERMEDIATE STAND AT A FIXED PREDETERMINED SPEED, AND MEANS POSITIONED BEFORE EACH OF SAID INTERMEDIATE STAND FOR SENSING THE TENSION IN A STRIP PASSING THROUGH SAID INTERMEDIATE STAND, SAID TENSION SENSING MEANS BEING OPERATIVE TO CONTROL THE FORCE BETWEEN THE ROLLS OF THE FOLLOWING INTERMEDIATE STAND, WHEREBY THE THICKNESS OF A STRIP DELIVERED BY AN INTERMEDIATE STAND VARIES WITH THE TENSION IN THE STRIP IN ADVANCE OF SUCH INTERMEDIATE STAND.