Quick adjusting rolling mill

A quick adjusting square wire or rectangular wire rolling mill comprising segmented work rolls and a connection between at least one segments on each roll for adjusting positions of said segments, and method of adjusting the roll pass of a square wire or rectangular wire rolling mill without replacing work rolls.

TECHNICAL FIELD 
The present invention relates generally to a system for rolling square and 
rectangular wire, and specifically to a rolling mill wherein roll pass 
dimensions are quickly changed and adjusted. 
BACKGROUND ART 
Square wire and rectangular wire are normally used for windings such as 
those in motors and magnets. Roll forming of square and rectangular wire 
is well known. Examples of square and rectangular wire are shown in U.S. 
Pat. No. 3,417,593. While U.S. Pat. No. 3,417,593 claims a relatively 
light duty, hand held device for squaring small round wire, the general 
principle of rolling stock between perpendicular sets of parallel flat 
rolls is similar to the method of rolling square or rectangular wire in a 
rolling mill. Aside from the obvious differences required for more heavy 
duty rolling mills such as drive trains and strain resistant components, a 
major difference is that the work rolls normally have predetermined 
grooves which cooperate to substantially enclose the stock on all sides in 
order to prevent undesired deformation of the stock in directions parallel 
to the axis of the work rolls by affirmative control. An example of such 
work rolls is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,193,823. Rolls for forming 
square or rectangular wire must have rectangular grooves. Such rolls are 
shown at FIG. 2 of U.S. Pat. No. 3,848,447. The typical rolling stand of a 
rectangular wire rolling mill is of the straddle mount type shown in U.S. 
Pat. Nos. 3,848,447 and 3,691,809 which require extensive dismantling of 
the mill in order to change rolls when roll pass dimensions need to be 
changed. 
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION 
The present invention is an adjustable roll rolling mill for rolling square 
or rectangular wire wherein each roll is segmented into two cooperating 
portions which are quickly adjustable along the longitudinal axis of the 
roll. The apparatus allows one rolling mill to shape different sizes and 
types of wire by providing for quick adjustment of the width of the roll. 
Thus the major object of this invention is to provide a quick adjusting 
rolling mill for square and rectangular wire.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION 
FIG. 1 illustrates a cross-section of the rolling mill of the present 
invention indicated generally at 10. Upper work roll 12 and lower work 
roll 13 cooperate to form a rectangular (or square) roll pass 11. Each 
work roll 12, 13 is segmented into a male segment 14 and a female segment 
15 which are adjustably mounted on roll shafts 19 to define the groove 16 
of each roll 12, 13. For purposes of this disclosure, the terms male and 
female are used as defined by Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary; male: 
designed for fitting into a corresponding hollow part; female: designed 
with a hollow into which a corresponding male part fits. Vertical 
adjustment means 17 are provided to move the rolls 12, 13 and the roll 
shafts 19 vertically toward and away from the roll pass 11. Lateral 
adjustment means 18 are provided to increase and decrease the distance 
between male segments 14 and female segments 15 in unison along the 
longitudinal axis of the roll shafts 19. Thus, the groove 16 and roll pass 
11 dimensions are quickly adjustable to roll various sizes of square wire 
and rectangular wire without having to dismantle the rolling mill 10 to 
change rolls. 
FIG. 2 illustrates the segmented roll 12 and 13 in more detail. The male 
segment 14 forms a first flange 20 perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 
of the work roll 12 or 13 and also forms the base 21 of the groove 16 
concentric with the longitudinal axis of the work roll 12 or 13, while the 
female segment 15 forms a second flange 22 perpendicular to the 
longitudinal axis of the work roll 12 or 13. 
FIG. 3 is provided to show that square wire and rectangular wire can be 
rolled having rounded corners by providing a first radius 30 at the 
juncture of the first flange 20 and the base 21 and a second radius 31 at 
the adjustable juncture of the second flange 22 and the base 21. 
As the wire is rolled between the rolls 12 and 13, the compressive force 
causes metal of the wire to move into the adjustable juncture between the 
base 21 and the second flange 22, which leaves a mark or small fin on the 
rolled wire at or near two of the four corners of the wire. After rolling, 
the wire is passed through a conventional finishing die 40 of FIG. 4 which 
removes the marks. While adjustments to the wire dimensions require 
changes in finishing dies, die changes, in contrast to roll changes, are 
easily made. 
While this invention has been described in detail with particular reference 
to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood that variations 
and modifications can be made effective within the spirit and scope of 
this invention as described hereinbefore and as defined in the appended 
claims. 
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY 
This invention is capable of exploitation in the square and rectangular 
wire industry and is particularly useful in a rolling mill for rolling 
various sizes of square or rectangular wire.