Köppern has developed and patented different hinged frame designs in order to facilitate the exchange of rollers and therefore minimize maintenance shutdowns.

The Hinged Frame is Köppern's classic frame configuration that has been used in around 350 machines and delivered to some 140 customers since 1985.

The outstanding feature of this frame design is that the frame is self-supporting at all times, which means both rollers can be exchanged with a minimum of disassembly and reassembly work. (Please click on the illustration for more details.) To enable this, both ends of the frame are hinged down. The roller assemblies will then slide out on their bearing housings onto the respective frame ends by means of a winch or an extra motor-driven roller retraction device. From these positions, the roller assemblies are lifted away or transferred to a transport carriage. The steps for the reassembly of the new rollers subsequently take place in reverse order. Approx. 2 - 3 working shifts are required for a complete change of rollers from shutdown to restart of production.

The Multi-Hinged Frame (MHF) design is a further development of the classic Hinged Frame. This patented design (DE 10 2012 112 102 B3, other patents pending) has all the advantages of the Hinged Frame, but allows both rollers to be removed at one end of the machine. This frame design is therefore particularly suited to situations where space or crane capacities are limited.

As with the Hinged Frame, the outstanding feature of the Multi-Hinged Frame design is that the frame is self-supporting at all times, which means both rollers can be exchanged with a minimum of disassembly and reassembly work. (Please click on the illustration for more details.) To enable this, only one end of the frame needs to be hinged down. The first roller assembly will then slide out on its bearing blocks onto this frame end by means of a winch or an extra motor-driven roller retraction device. From this position, the roller assembly is lifted away or transferred to a transport carriage. The intermediate pieces of the frame are then swung out on both sides of the machine, providing a passage for the second roller assembly to slide out onto the same hinged-down frame end. The steps for the reassembly of the new rollers subsequently take place in reverse order. Approx. 2 - 3 working shifts are required for a complete change of rollers from shutdown to restart of production.