Coolant distribution and control system for metal rolling mills and the like

Claim 2

In a liquid coolant distribution system or the like, a coolant header having a chamber and having coolant intake means, plural spaced coolant discharge units plugged removably into the header along its length and each having a coolant discharge orifice means and a coolant inlet, said coolant inlet being disposed in the chamber of the header, pressure-responsive valve means in each coolant discharge unit to regulate the flow of coolant from each unit independently of other units on the header, and means to supply a pressurized control fluid to each discharge unit for activating said valve means of each unit in accordance with a demand for coolant from such unit.

Claim 3

The structure defined by claim 1, and an additional coolant header equipped with said plural discharge units mounted in opposed spaced relation to the first-named header with the discharge orifice means of the discharge units on the two headers in opposed relationship for applying coolant to opposite sides of an element arranged between the two headers.

Claim 4

The structure defined by claim 1, wherein a wall of the header on which the coolant discharge units are disposed has plural openings into which the units extend removably, enlarged heads on the coolant discharge units exteriorly of the header and adapted to abut said wall of the header, threaded fastener means securing said heads fixedly to said header wall, and compressible fluid seals interposed between the opposing faces of the heads and said wall.

Claim 5

The structure defined by claim 3, and said means to supply a pressurized control fluid including passage means for the control fluid formed in each discharge unit and being entirely isolated from the coolant, each discharge unit having an internal chamber receiving the control fluid on one side of said pressure-responsive valve means.

Claim 6

The structure as defined by claim 1, wherein a wall of the header on which the coolant discharge units are mounted has plural openings formed therethrough including smooth bore portions and screw-threaded portions, each coolant discharge unit having a body portion to plug into one of said openings including a threaded part engaging within the screw-threaded portion and a cylindrical land to engage within said smooth bore portion, said land having an annular groove forming a part of said means to supply said control fluid, and a pair of ring seals on said land spaced on opposite sides of said groove and engageable sealingly in said smooth bore portion.

Claim 7

The structure defined by claim 3, wherein each enlarged head consists of a pair of slidably engaged interlocking parts, said threaded fastener means securing the interior one of said parts to said header wall, the exterior part preventing said fastener means from backing out during usage of the system, and additional threaded fastener means securing the exterior part to said interior part.

Claim 8

The structure defined by claim 6, wherein said slidably engaged interlocking parts consist of a sliding dovetail connection.

Claim 9

The structuRe defined by claim 1, wherein each coolant discharge unit includes a plug body portion for entry into an opening in a wall of said header, said plug body portion having a bore and said pressure-responsive valve means mounted for reciprocation in said bore, said valve means including a piston head on one end thereof and a valve head on its other end adapted for seating on a discharge mouth of said bore, said coolant inlet comprising at least one radial port formed through the side wall of said plug body portion on one side of said piston head and between the piston head and valve head, and said means to supply pressurized control fluid including a control fluid passage formed in the side wall of the plug body portion and opening into said bore on the other side of said piston head.

Claim 10

The structure defined by claim 8, and an enlarged head on one end of said plug body portion substantially abutting the exterior of said header wall, said bore of the plug body portion extending through said head, an orifice body mounting plate attached to the forward side of said head and having a cavity, and an orifice body including a coolant discharge aperture mounted within said cavity and held between said mounting plate and head.

Claim 11

The structure defined by claim 9, and a rigid locating element engaged with said orifice body and said mounting plate to accurately position said discharge aperture relative to said unit.

Claim 12

The structure defined by claim 9, wherein said cavity is a stepped cavity having a pair of eccentric bore portions, said orifice body being correspondingly stepped and having correspondingly eccentric diameter portions for entry into the eccentric bore portions to thereby accurately locate the orifice body and its discharge aperture circumferentially.

Claim 13

The structure defined by claim 11, and a spacer ring interposed between the orifice body and the front face of said head and maintaining the orifice body seated in said stepped cavity and establishing a free flow zone for liquid coolant in said discharge unit immediately rearwardly of said orifice body.

Claim 14

The structure defined by claim 12, and said orifice body mounting plate having an oblong recess in its rear face and having a pair of slant axis stepped cavities with eccentric bore portions formed in the bottom face of said oblong recess, a pair of orifice bodies having eccentric diameter portions insertable in said slant axis stepped cavities, an oblong spacer element insertable into the oblong cavity and engaging said orifice bodies and maintaining them seated in said stepped cavities, and an oblong seal mountable upon the rear of said orifice body mounting plate adjacent the mouth of said oblong recess.

Claim 15

A coolant distribution system for metal rolling mills or the like comprising a pair of spaced opposed coolant headers having coolant chambers and adapted to be mounted on opposite sides of rolled metal stock requiring cooling, plural coolant discharge units plugged into opposing sides of said headers in spaced relation to produce opposing coolant spray patterns, each discharge unit including a coolant discharge orifice, each discharge unit having a coolant chamber and coolant inlet port means leading into said chamber, said port means disposed in and directly communicating with a header chamber which is common to all discharge units mounted on such header, each discharge unit further having a control fluid inlet passage means isolated from said coolant chamber and said inlet port means and receiving a control fluid from a remote source, and a valve body mounted for movement in said discharge unit and including a piston head which separates said coolant chamber from said control fluid inlet passage means, said valve body further including a valve head regulating the discharge of coolant from said chamber through said discharge orifice.

Claim 16

A coolant distribution system for metal rolling mills or the like comprising a pair of spaced opposed coolant headers having coolant chambers and adapted to be mounted on opposite sides of rolled metal stock requiring cooling, plural coolant discharge units plugged into opposing sides of said headers in spaced relation to produce opposing coolant spray patterns, each discharge unit including a coolant discharge orifice, each discharge unit having a coolant chamber and coolant inlet port means leading into said chamber, said port means disposed in and directly communicating with a header chamber which is common to all discharge units mounted on such header, each discharge unit further having a control fluid inlet passage means isolated from said coolant chamber and said inlet port means and receiving a control fluid from a remote source, and a valve body mounted for movement in said discharge unit and including a piston head which separates said coolant chamber from said control fluid inlet passage means, said valve body further including a valve head regulating the discharge of coolant from said chamber through said discharge orifice.

Claim 17

The structure defined by claim 14, and each header having spaced openings formed through a wall portion thereof, each opening receiving one of said coolaNt discharge units, each such discharge unit having an enlarged two part head arranged exteriorly of said wall portion and the interior part of said head opposing and abutting the exterior face of said wall portion, said wall portion having screw-threaded openings beneath the interior part of said head, threaded fasteners extending through the interior part of said head and engaging within said screw-threaded openings, additional screw-threaded fasteners attaching the exterior part of said head to the interior part whereby the first-named fasteners are effectively prevented from loosening, and ring seal means interposed between the abutting faces of said wall portion and interior part of said head, whereby sealing of said spaced openings is unnecessary to prevent leakage of coolant from said header around said discharge units.

Claim 18

The structure defined by claim 15, wherein said control fluid inlet passage means includes a control fluid inlet port in the interior part of said head opening through the face thereof abutting the header wall portion, and another ring seal surrounding said inlet port and disposed between the abutting faces.

Claim 19

The structure defined by claim 16, and said control fluid inlet passage means further consisting of a control fluid passage formed in said discharge unit and leading to a chamber in the discharge unit on the side of said piston head remote from said coolant chamber, said inlet passage means additionally comprising a control fluid passage in said wall portion of said header for each coolant discharge unit, said last-named passage registering and communicating with said control fluid inlet port.

Claim 20

The structure defined by claim 14, and each discharge unit having a forward end head arranged exteriorly of one header wall and opposing such wall, a fluid seal interposed between said head and header wall, said head having a cavity, and a discharge orifice body mounted within said cavity, there being a free flow space for coolant in said head immediately rearwardly of said orifice body.

Claim 21

The structure defined by claim 18, and a spacer ring in said cavity interposed between the back of the orifice body and an opposing face of said unit, said spacer ring holding the orifice body seated and defining said free flow space.

Claim 22

The structure defined by claim 18, wherein said head embodies dual slant axis cavities for dual slant axis discharge orifice bodies.

Claim 23

The structure defined by claim 18, and said cavity being stepped and having eccentric bore portions, said orifice body having stepped eccentric diameter portions whereby the orifice body may be accurately positioned and locked within said cavity in a predetermined desirable use position.