Rolling strip from powder

Claim 2

Apparatus for producing sheet and strip from particulate material comprising, a. a pair of opposed rolls defining a nip therebetween for rolling a sheet from particulate material, b. feed-adjusting means for adjusting the rate of feed of the particulate material into the nip, c. density-measuring means for measuring the density of the rolled sheet and producing a signal representative of the density, d. spacIng means operable to maintain a substantially constant spacing between the rolls, and e. control means operable to control the feed-adjusting means in response to a signal representative of the density of the rolled sheet, to produce a sheet of substantially constant density and thickness.

Claim 3

Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which said spacing means comprises means for continuously measuring the spacing between the rolls and control means responsive to the output of said measuring means operative to maintain said spacing at a substantially constant value.

Claim 4

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the spacing means includes a jack permitting adjustment of the rolls toward or away from each other, a motor for effecting said adjustment, and a control circuit for feeding an error signal to the motor to maintain the roll gap constant, the control circuit being arranged so that the roll gap under load is independent of the load and is constant when a reference signal is constant.

Claim 5

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the rolls form part of an infinitely stiff rolling mill stand and are therefore settable to provide a desired roll gap which will remain substantially constant during rolling.

Claim 6

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the density-measuring means is operable to detect density of the rolled sheet without physically contacting it.

Claim 7

Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the density-measuring means is a gamma ray gauge.

Claim 8

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the feed-adjusting means includes opposed plates one for each roll, defining together with the peripheral roll surfaces in the region of the nip a hopper for the particulate material, and wherein said control means is operable to move each plate relative to its respective roll so as to increase or decrease the area of the peripheral roll surface exposed to the particulate material in the hopper and thereby adjust the rate of the feed of the particulate material to the nip.

Claim 9

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said feed-adjusting means includes plates fixed relative to the rolls and defining together with the peripheral roll surfaces in the region of the nip a hopper for the particulate material, and a member positioned within the hopper and adjustable towards or away from the nip to adjust the amount of particulate material fed to the nip, and wherein said control means is operable to affect said adjustment of said member.

Claim 10

In apparatus for producing sheet and strip including a pair of opposed rolls defining a nip therebetween for rolling from particulate material a sheet having a thickness determined by the spacing between said rolls, and feed means for feeding particulate material into said nip, the improvement which comprises in combination: a. means for adjusting the rate of feed of said particulate material by said feed means, b. density-measuring means for measuring the density of the rolled sheet and producing a signal representative of the density, c. spacing means which maintains a substantially constant spacing between the rolls, and d. control means which controls the feed-adjusting means in response to a signal representative of the density of the rolled sheet to produce a sheet of substantially constant density and thickness.

Claim 11

In apparatus for producing sheet and strip including a pair of opposed rolls defining a nip therebetween for rolling from particulate material a sheet having a thickness determined by the spacing between said rolls, and feed means for feeding particulate material into said nip, the improvement which comprises in combination: a. means for adjusting the rate of feed of said particulate material by said feed means, b. density-measuring means for measuring the density of the rolled sheet and producing a signal representative of the density, c. spacing means which maintains a substantially constant spacing between the rolls, and d. control means which controls the feed-adjusting means in response to a signal representative of the density of the rolled sheet to produce a sheet of substantially constant density and thickness.

Claim 12

Apparatus as claimed in claim 9 in which said spacing means comprises means for continuously measuring the spacing between the rolls and control means responsive to the output of said measuring means operative to maintain said spacing at a substantially constant value.