摘要:
The invention provides a method of splicing rolled plates with each other, including the steps of (a) positioning a rear end portion of a leading rolled plate above a front end portion of a following rolled plate by a distance slightly greater than a diameter of a cylindrical cutter having a rotation axis extending in a width-wise direction of the leading and following rolled plates, the positioning being carried out while the leading and following rolled plates is being transferred, (b) cutting an upper surface of the front end portion of the following rolled plate with the cylindrical cutter only within a region at which the following rolled plate is to be spliced with the leading rolled plate, the cutting being carried out in a direction F in which the rolled plates are being transferred, (c) blowing reducing flame to the upper surface being cut from above the upper surface in the direction F while the step (b) is being carried out, (d) cutting a lower surface of the rear end portion of the leading rolled plate only within a region at which the leading rolled plate is to be spliced with the following rolled plate, the cutting being carried out in a direction R opposite to the direction F after the step (b) has been completed, (e) blowing reducing flame to the lower surface being cut from below the lower surface in the direction R while the step (d) is being carried out, and (f) splicing the leading rolled plate with the following rolled plate by compression at the region after the step (d) has been completed, the reducing flame being blown to both the upper surface of the front end portion of the following rolled plate and the lower surface of the rear end portion of the leading rolled plate until the splicing are completed. The invention also provides an apparatus for carrying out the above mentioned method.