Shiftable transmission in rolling mill technology

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11261941-B2
Application number	US-201816622418-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 13, 2018
Priority date	Jun 14, 2017
Publication date	Mar 1, 2022
Grant date	Mar 1, 2022

Abstract

The invention relates to a shiftable transmission ( 1 ) having at least two shifting levels, preferably for use in rolling mill technology, said shiftable transmission comprising: a rotatably mounted input shaft ( 20 ), to which an input torque an be applied; a rotatably mounted first output shaft ( 30 ) and a rotatably mounted second output shaft ( 40 ), which are arranged parallel and are connected to each other by means of an output transmission stage in such a way that aid output shafts rotate oppositely, preferably at the same rotational speed, when an input torque is applied to the input shaft ( 20 ) at any shifting level of the shiftable transmission ( 1 ); a first coupling ( 50 ), which is designed to selectively connect an disconnect the input shaft ( 20 ) and the first output shaft ( 30 ), a first shifting level of the shiftable transmission ( 1 ) being realized in the coupled state, in which first shifting level the input shaft ( 20 ) and the first output shaft ( 30 ) are connected to each other in such a way that the input torque is transferred from the input shaft ( 20 ) to the first output shaft ( 30 ) without step-up or step-down, preferably without redirection and without a spur gear stage.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A shiftable transmission for use in rolling mills, the shiftable transmission comprising:
a rotatably supported input shaft subjected to an input torque;
a rotatably supported first output shaft and a rotatably supported second output shaft arranged parallel to each other and selectively connected by an input transmission stage and an output transmission stage in such a manner that in each shifting stage of the shiftable transmission upon application of the input torque to the input shaft, the first and second output shafts rotate in opposite directions, the input transmission stage including a spur gear stage arranged between the input shaft and second output shaft, the output transmission stage including a gear element stage arranged between the first and second output shafts;
a first clutch configured to connect and disconnect the input shaft and the first output shaft in a switching manner, wherein in a connecting condition of the first clutch, a first shifting stage of the shiftable transmission is realized in which the input shaft and the first output shaft are connected with each other so that the input torque is transmitted from the input shaft directly to the first output shaft without increased or decreased ratio, without deviation, and without the spur gear stage transmitting rotational motion between the input and second output shafts;
wherein the input transmission stage further comprises a second clutch for driving the second output shaft in a second shifting stage of the shiftable transmission, the second shifting stage enabling the input torque to the input shaft to be transmitted to the second output shaft via the spur gear stage and to the first output shaft via the output transmission stage, the second clutch connecting and disconnecting the spur gear stage with the second output shaft in a switchable manner, the first and second clutches being synchronously switched on and off between the first and second shifting stages of the shiftable transmission such that during the first shifting stage the first clutch connects the input shaft and first output shaft and the second clutch is disengaged from the spur gear stage, and during the second shifting stage the first clutch is disengaged from the first output shaft and the second clutch is connected with the spur gear stage, and
wherein the gear element stage includes a first gear element coaxially mounted to the first output shaft and meshing with a second gear element coaxially mounted to the second output shaft, wherein the first gear element drives the second gear element to rotate the second output shaft in the first shifting stage, and the second gear element drives the first gear element to rotate the first output shaft in the second shifting stage of the shiftable transmission.

2. The shiftable transmission according to claim 1 , wherein the input shaft and the first output shaft are axially arranged one behind another along a same rotational axis.

3. The shiftable transmission according to claim 2 , wherein the first and second output shafts rotate in opposite directions at equal rotational speeds during the first and second shifting stages.

4. The shiftable transmission according to claim 1 , wherein the gear element stage includes a first pinion gear fixedly connected with the first output shaft, and a second pinion gear fixedly connected with the second output shaft.

5. The shiftable transmission according to claim 4 , wherein the first and second pinion gears have equal sized diameters.

6. The shiftable transmission according to claim 1 , wherein the first clutch is a formlocking clutch having a first shift sleeve concentrically arranged with respect to the first output shaft and axially displaceable for shifting the first clutch.

7. The shiftable transmission according to claim 1 , wherein the spur gear stage is configured to provide an increased or reduced gear ratio between the input shaft and second output shaft in the second shifting stage.

8. The shiftable transmission according to claim 1 , wherein the spur gear stage comprises a first spur gear fixedly connected with the input shaft, and a second spur gear that meshes with the first spur gear and is selectively connectable with the second output shaft via the second clutch such that in a second shifting stage, the input torque from the input shaft is transmitted to the second output shaft by the first and second spur gears.

9. The shiftable transmission according to claim 8 , wherein the diameter of the first spur gear is smaller than the diameter of the second spur gear.

10. The shiftable transmission according to claim 8 , wherein the second spur gear is disengaged from and freely rotates about the second output shaft in the first shifting stage.

11. The shiftable transmission according to claim 8 , wherein the first spur gear is formed integral with the input shaft.

12. The shiftable transmission according to claim 1 , wherein the second clutch is a formlocking clutch comprising a second shift sleeve concentrically arranged relative to the second output shaft and axially displaceable for shifting the second clutch.

13. The shiftable transmission according to claim 1 , wherein the first clutch and the second clutch are configured to shift together and in opposite directions.

14. A rolling mill for rolling a metal strip and comprising shiftable transmission of claim 1 .

Assignees

• Sms Group Gmbh

Inventors

• Krueger Matthias
• Moellering Frank
• Catic Nathalie

Classifications

• B21B35/04

  each stand having its own motor or motors · CPC title

• B30B3/04 Primary

  co-operating with one another, e.g. with co-operating cones · CPC title

• F16H3/085 Primary

  with more than one output shaft · CPC title

• F16H2200/0034

  the gear ratios comprising two forward speeds · CPC title

• B21B35/12

  Toothed-wheel gearings specially adapted for metal-rolling mills; Housings or mountings therefor · CPC title