Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-02-14
THE LARGEST OF ALL.
A Train of Four High Rolls Being
Made for Carnegie, Phipps & Co.
ANOTHER GREAT sTkIDEFOR
The Coke Regions Strikers Receive Ad-
ditions to Their Ranks.
ITEMS FROM THE FIELD OF INDUSTRY

Robinson. Rea & Co. have received an
order from Carnegie, Phipps & Co. for
train of four high rolls to be used in the
Bessemer plant at Homestead.
This is new departure in rolling mill
machinery and is acknowledged to be
wonderful improvement, as extensive i'm
provements in these appliances for the pro-
duction of iron and steel are not every
day occurrences. Some years ago when a
Southside workman introduced a train of
three high rolls it was thought the height Of
perfection in rolls had been reached.
j. A. Potter, general manager of the
Homestead mills, has invented the new
train of four rolls. They are 81 inches in
diameter and ITO inches long. The top and
bottom roll will be equal in size and weight,
but the second and third, or middle pair. al
though also equal in size, are only half as
heavy. The four rolls will weigh IS tons,
exclusive of other appliances connected with
them, which will fully double the weight.
Work on the casting will be commenced in
few days, and the progress of this work at
the Southside foundry will be watched with
interest
A Great Step in the March of Progress.
President Weihe of the ANA algamated As
sociation said yesterday afternoon he had
never heard of such an extensive train Of
rolls being built in this country, but he is
satisfied the improvement is an important, as
we'll as successful one. in the iron making
industry. But Mr.. Weihe has seen so much
progress that be is not surprised at anything
turned out by the practical men in his line.
A member of tine firm was seen, but he
had nothing to say beyond admitting that
the improvement was to be made. 1t is sup
posed the firm intends to get out their Gov
ernment order for 6, 600 tons of armor plate
on the new train.
The mysterious part Of the new train is
the manner in which the work is to be done.
1t is claimed the greater portion Of the strain
will be on the smaller rolls. The large in
gots pass through these two rolls as often as
it may be necessary to roll to any desired
guage. On each side of the train are station
airy roller tables, and to the rolls is con-
nected reversible engine.
Mr.. Potter claims that while the small
rolls perform the heavy work, the two out
side large rolls, which are IN close prox-
unity to the others. obtain all the heavy
pressure, thus lessening the danger OF the
rolls to break. In many mills these acci-
dents are of frequent occurrence, and very
disastrous both to machinery and the work
mems time.
Cutting Down the Liability of Loss.
1t nearly always happens, in case Of a
break, that the top or bottom roll, although
they are the heaviest in the present trains
of three high plate rolls. are the ones that
60. But with Mr.. Potter's invention it is
claimed that il break takes place, it must
necessarily be one of the two small rolls,
consequently the loss will not be SO great,
neither will so much time be required to re-
place them.
1t usually requires from three to five days
to replace broken roll. This results in a
loss to both the men and the firm to more
than the cost Of the roll, which in most cases
is about $500.
The largest train OF plate rolls in the
world is at the Homestead mills and it is a
matter of considerable importance that the
same firm should be the first to introduce a
greater and more extensive improvement in
the same line.