IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR ROLLING METALLIC HOOPS, STRAPS, AND PLATES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Lloyd Wise, of Chandos Chambers, Adelphi, in
the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
FOR ROLLING METALLIC HOOPS, STRAPS, AND PLATES." A coinmunication from
abroad by Bernard Lauth, of Howard, County of Center, State of Pennsylvania,
United States of America, Manufacturer.
Sealed the 9th February 1877, and dated the 26th October 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Lloyd Wise at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 26th October 1876.
WILLIAM LLOYD WISE, of Chandos Chambers, Adelphi, in the County of Middlesex.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR ROLLING METALLIC HOOPS, STRAPS, AND
PLATES." A communication from abroad by Bernard Lauth, of Howard, County
of Center, State of Pennsylvania, United States of America, Manufacturer.
The object of this Invention is to produce from a heated bar or billet at a single
pass through the machine a thin, flat, broad, product, such as hoop iron, pipe iron,
nail plate, etc., such product varying with the size and form of the bar or billet, and
the amount of drawing, spreading, narrowing, etc., which it receives in the operation,
all of which elements are under the control of the operator.
Machinery constructed according to this Invention consists of a long housing or
frame, or a series of vertical and horizontal housings or frames carrying a series of
horizontal and vertical plain faced rolls arranged alternately in pairs at the proper
distance apart, and in a common line of feed with a series of guides which extend
from one pair of horizontal rolls to the next, and through between the intermediate
pair of vertical rolls, the rolls being all properly geared and provided with adjusting
screws, bearing blocks, and other accessories such as are requisite in the use and
operation of such and similar rolls. Preferably the first pair of rolls in the line of
feed is vertical, and the last pair horizontal. The vertical rolls are arranged at the
proper distance apart for the bar, billet, hoop, or plate passing through between them
to be engaged thereby and narrowed or edged up, as may be desired, and to the
desired extent, and their line of feed is in the same line with that of the horizontal
rolls on each side.
One great practical difficulty which in connection with the present Invention has
D
1

page_text: had to be overcome has arisen from the tendency of a comparatively broad thin
strap hoop or plate of iron to buckle transversely or tip, so that one edge would be
higher than the other whenever a lateral rolling pressure was applied to it sufficient
to narrow it or even to compact its edges.
By the term "buckle transversely "it is meant that the strap, hoop, or plate
under an edgwise pressure tends to bend or fold transversely to a U form or to some
irregular form by bulging up or down between or at its edges, so that the folds or
wrinkles so formed shall run lengthwise of the strap, hoop, or plate instead of cross-
ways, as is generally the case in buckling. To overcome this tendency and by
means of vertical rolls to narrow or edge up the strap, hoop, or plate, the guides
herein-before referred to are employed. Each of the said guides receives the bar,
billet, hoop, strap, or plate from the preceding pair of horizontal rolls, and delivers
the same at its opposite end to the next pair of horizontal rolls; a longitudinal
opening through the said guide from end to end is of such size that the bar or piece
of metal may pass freely along it without danger of getting locked, and be guided
with the necessary accuracy in the line of feed and delivery. The top and bottom
plates of the said guide pass without break or interruption between the vertical
rolls, and the sides of the said guide are hollowed out to some extent so that the
opening through the guide is partly uncovered on each side, such hollowing out
being made to a radius the same or slightly in excess of that of the vertical rolls,
and extending at its deepest point on each side as far beyond the path of the bar
or piece of metal as will be equal to one half the amount of reduction in width to
be effected thereby. The amount of edgewise reduction is commonly very small, and
is sometimes barely enough to square up and perfect the edge so as to prevent its
becoming rough, broken, or ragged. The parallel top and bottom plates of the
guide then operate to prevent the bar or piece of metal operated on from buckling,
or tipping, or twisting transversely while the vertical rolls are acting upon its edges,
and it is passed on to the next horizontal rolls to be drawn and reduced in thickness,
from which rolls it is conducted by a like guide (but of different proportions as the
changed shape of the iron may require) through between another pair of like vertical
rolls, whee it is again acted on in like manner, and so on continuously until a
product of the required shape is produced.
The side plates of the guide just beyond the hollowed out place are made some-
what sloping or bell mouthed so as to bring the bar or metal operated on back to
the proper direction of feed should it deviate therefrom, and to prevent it or a
splinter on it from catching and stopping the work.
The vertical depth of the opening through the guide may be varied by making
the upper plate adjustable.
The improved machinery herein-before described is applicable to rolling all metals
capable of being worked in the manner described.
Motion is given to the horizontal rolls by suitable gearing such as ordinarily
employed for driving metal rolls or other suitable gearing. The gearing for the
vertical rolls should be made adjustable by devices such as are common with the
vertical rolls of the universal mill.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by 4
the said William Lloyd Wise in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 11th
April 1877.
WILLIAM LLOYD WISE, of Chandos Chambers, Adelphi, in the County of Middlesex.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR ROLLING METALLIC HOOPS, STRAPS, AND
PLATES." A communication from abroad by Bernard Lauth, of Howard, County of 5
Center, State of Pennsylvania, United States of America, Manufacturer.
The object of this Invention is to produce from a heated bar or billet at a single
.

page_text: pass through the machine a thin, flat, broad product, such as hoop iron, pipe iron,
nail plate, et cetera, such products varying with the size and form of the bar or
billet, and the amount of drawing, spreading, narrowing, et coetera, which it receives
in the operation, all of which elements are under the control of the operator.
Machinery constructed according to this Invention consists of a long housing or
frame, or a series of vertical and horizontal housings or frames carrying a series of
horizontal and vertical plain faced rolls arranged alternately in pairs at the proper
distance apart and in a common line of feed, with a series of guides which extend
from one pair of horizontal rolls to the next, and through between the intermediate
pair of vertical rolls, the rolls being all properly geared and provided with adjusting
screws, bearing blocks, and other accessories, such as are requisite in the use and
operation of such and similar rolls. Preferably the first pair of rolls in the line of
feed is vertical, and the last pair horizontal. The vertical rolls are arranged at the
proper distance apart for the bar, billet, hoop, or plate passing through between
them to be engaged thereby, and narrowed or edged up as may be desired, and to
the desired extent, and their line of feed is in the same line with that of the hori-
zontal rolls on each side.
One great practical difficulty which in connection with the present Invention has
had to be overcome has arisen from the tendency of a comparatively broad, thin,
strap hoop or plate of iron to buckle transversely or tip, so that one edge would be
higher than the other whenever a lateral rolling pressure was applied to it sufficient
to narrow it or even to compact its edges.
"
By the term "buckle transversely it is meant that the strap, hoop, or plate
under an edgewise pressure tends to bend or fold transversely to a U form or to
some irregular form by bulging up or down between or at its edges, so that the
folds or wrinkles so formed shall run lengthwise of the strap, hoop, or plate, instead
of crossways, as is generally the case in buckling. To overcome this tendency and
by means of vertical rolls to narrow or edge up the strap, hoop, or plate, the guides
herein-before referred to are employed. Each of the said guides receives the bar,
billet, hoop, strap, or plate from the proceeding pair of horizontal rolls, and delivers
the same at its opposite end to the next pair of horizontal rolis; a longitudinal
opening through the said guide from end to end is of such size that the bar or piece
of metal may pass freely along it without danger of getting locked, and be guided
with the necessary accuracy in the line of feed and delivery. The top and bottom
plates of the said guide pass without break or interruption between the vertical
rolls, and the sides of the said guide are hollowed out to some extent so that the
opening through the guide is partly uncovered on each side, such hollowing out
being made to a radius the same or slightly in excess of that of the vertical rolls,
and extending at its deepest point on each side as far beyond the path of the bar or
piece of metal as will be equal to one half the amount of reduction in width to be
effected thereby. The amount of edgewise reduction is commonly very small, and is
sometimes barely enough to square up and perfect the edge so as to prevent its
becoming rough, broken, or ragged. The parallel top and bottom plates of the
guide then operate to prevent the bar or piece of metal operated on from buckling
or tipping, or twisting transversely while the vertical rolls are acting upon its edges,
and it is passed on to the next horizontal rolls to be drawn and reduced in thickness,
from which rolls it is conducted by a like guide (but of different proportions as the
changed shape of the iron may require) through between another pair of like
vertical rolls, where it is again acted on in like manner and so on continuously until
a product of the required shape is produced.
The side plates of the guide, just beyond the hollowed out place, are made some-
what sloping or bell-mouthed, so as to bring the bar or metal operated on back to
the proper direction of feed should it deviate therefrom, and to prevent it or a
splinter on it from catching and stopping the work.
The vertical depth of the opening through the guide may be varied by making the
upper plate adjustable.

page_text: The improved machinery herein-before described is applicable to rolling all metals
capable of being worked in the manner described.
Motion is given to the horizontal rolls by suitable gearing, such as ordinarily
employed for driving metal rolls or other suitable gearing. The gearing for the
vertical rolls should be made adjustable by devices such as are common with the
vertical rolls of the universal mill.
But in order that this Invention may be clearly understood I will proceed to
describe, with reference to the accompanying Drawings, the means of carrying it
into effect.
Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of so much of the improved machine
as is necessary to illustrate its practical operation; Fig. 2 is a top or plan view of
the same portion of the machine; Fig. 3 shows partly in section a side elevation of
the entire machine to a reduced scale; and Fig. 4 is an enlarged view in perspective
of the guide employed.
In general terms, the said machine consists of a long housing or frame, or a series
of such, carrying a series of horizontal and vertical plain faced rolls arranged alter-
nately in pairs in a common line of feed with a series of guides which extend from
one pair of horizontal rolls to the next, and through between the intermediate pair
of vertical rolls, the rolls all being properly geared and provided with adjusting
screws bearing blocks, et cætera, such as are requisite in the use and operation of
such and similar rolls.
The object of the Invention is to produce from a heated bar or billet at a single
pass through the machine a thin, flat, broad product, such as hoop iron, pipe iron,
nail plate, et cætera, such product varying with the size and form of the bar or billet,
and the amount of drawing, spreading, narrowing, et caetera, which it receives in
the operation, all of which elements are under the control of the operator.
In Figs. 1 and 2 is shewn so much of the machine in length as includes two pair
of horizontal and one pair of vertical rolls and one guide. The remainder of the
machine is formed by the addition of like vertical and horizontal rolls in pairs and
like guides all in the same line of feed, so that with an explanation of Figs. 1, 2,
and 4, the operation of the entire machine, illustrated in Fig. 3, will be readily
understood.
The upright frames or housings A, A, which carry the plain faced horizontal rolls
B, B, are of any suitable construction, and do not differ in any principle of operation
from such as are common in sheet rolling mills.
Any suitable form or construction of bearing blocks b, and adjusting screws b¹
may be added. These horizontal rolls are arranged in pairs at a little distance
apart, and with a line of feed from one to the other, horizontal or nearly so. Between
the upright housings A, A, and supported by lugs A¹ thereon, or in other suitable
way, are arranged horizontal frames or housings C, and by means of bearing blocks d
and adjusting screws d¹ is mounted therein a pair of vertical rolls D, D, also plain
faced, by which term as applied to both these rolls and also to the horizontal rolls
it is meant that neither is grooved in any such way as that a collar on the opposite
roll shall in operation enter therein. These vertical rolls are arranged at the proper
distance apart for the bar, billet, hoop, or plate passing through between them to
be engaged thereby, and narrowed or edged up as may be desired, and to the desired
extent, and their line of feed is in the same line with that of the horizontal rolls on
each side.
One great practical difficulty which in connection with the present Invention has
had to be overcome has arisen from the tendency of a comparatively broad thin
strap, hoop, or plate of iron to buckle transversely or tip, so that one edge would be
higher than the other whenever a lateral rolling pressure was applied to it sufficient
to narrow it or even to compact its edges.
"
By the term "buckle transversely it is meant that the strap, hoop, or plate
under an edgewise pressure tends to bend or fold transversely to a U form, or to
some irregular form, by bulging up or down between or at its edges, so that the

page_text: folds or wrinkles so formed shall run lengthwise of the strap, hoop, or plate instead
of crossways, as is generally the case in buckling.
To overcome this tendency and by means of vertical rolls to narrow or edge up
the strap, hoop, or plate, a guide G, more fully shewn in Fig. 4, is employed. This
guide at its receiving end a receives the bar, billet, hoop, strap, or plate from the
preceding pair of horizontal rolls, and at its opposite end a¹ delivers the same to the
next pair of horizontal rolls, its arrangement or place in the machine for such
purpose being represented in Figs. 1 and 2. The longitudinal opening s from a to a²
through the guide is of such size in both breadth and vertical depth that the bar,
et cætera, may pass freely along without danger of getting locked, but also shall be
guided with the necessary accuracy in the line of feed and delivery. The top and
bottom plates c, c', of this guide pass without break or interruption through between
the vertical rolls D, D, or at least through so much of the space between them as is
limited (measuring lengthwise of the feed) by the beginning and end of the bite of the
vertical rolls on the bar, et cætera, passing through; and the sides e, e', of the guide
are hollowed out to the same extent as represented in Figs. 2 and 4, so that the
openings through the guide is uncovered on each side, such hollowing out being
made to a radius the same or slightly in excess of that of the vertical rolls, and
extending at its deepest point on each side as far beyond the path of the edge of
the bar, et cætera, as will be equal to one-half the amount of reduction in width to
be effected thereby. The amount of edgewise reduction required is commonly very
small, and is sometimes barely enough to square up and perfect the edge so as to
prevent its becoming rough, broken, or ragged. The parallel top and bottom
plates c, c¹, of the guide then operate to prevent the bar, billet, hoop, strap, or plate
from buckling or tipping or twisting transversely, while the vertical rolls are acting
on its edges either to compress and narrow it transversely or to perfect its edges or
both, and it is passed on to the next horizontal rolls to be drawn and reduced in
thickness, from which rolls it is conducted by a like guide (but of different pro-
portions as the changed shape of the iron may require) through between another
pair of like vertical rolls where it is again acted on in like manner, and so on
continuously until a product of the required shape is produced; and as it may
possibly happen sometimes that the forward end of the bar, et cætera, may be thrown
a little out of line by the vertical rolls or a splinter may be thrown out laterally, the
side plates e, e¹, just beyond each hollowed out place are made somewhat sloping or
bell-mouthed, as shewn at n, n, Fig. 4, so as to bring the bar, et cætera, back to the
proper direction of feed, and prevent it or a splinter on it from catching and
stopping the work.
The vertical depth of the openings through the guide may be varied at pleasure
by making the upper plate adjustable up and down by the use of adjusting
screws r, r, though other equivalent means of effecting such adjustment may be
employed.
As already stated these rolls and guides and rolls are duplicated, as represented
in Fig. 3, so as to form a series of any desired number, the entire series employed
constituting the entire machine.
For most purposes in rolling metals (and the improvement may be applied to all
metals capable of being worked in the manner described) four pairs of horizontal
and four pairs of vertical rolls will suffice, but the number may be increased or
lessened at pleasure. Preferably the first pair of rolls in the line of feed is vertical
and the last pair horizontal. In giving the number of pairs or sets above stated, it
is assumed that the ordinary skill of the experienced iron worker is employed in
bringing the iron or other metal to the form proper for the reduction desired before
it is introduced into this machine.
It is deemed unnecessary to shew in the Drawing the gearing necessary to
operate the horizontal rolls, especially as the omission in the Drawing enables the
novel features of the machine to be shewn with greater clearness; but gear wheels,
such as ordinarily employed for driving metal rolls or other suitable gearing, may
be applied on or coupled to the roll necks B¹, and one pair of rolls geared to the

page_text: next or each pair have an independent motion, but in either case the speeds of the
several rolls should be regulated by the skilled operator in accordance with known
rules, so that the hoop, strap, or plate passing through from the billet or bar form
shall be passed along from one pair of rolls to another and finally discharged
without buckling in direction of its length. Gearing for the vertical rolls is
represented at m; such gearing should be made adjustable by devices such as are
common with the vertical rolls of the universal mill, and being common it is
unnecessary to illustrate or explain them further.
By the use of plain faced rolls, all sizes of flat thin iron or other malleable metal
(rectangular in cross section) may be rolled without change in the machine, except
changing the guides and readjusting the rolls, the only limit being that resulting
from the lengths of the working faces of the rolls and the strength of the machinery.
A set of guides being provided for each size of product to be made, the entire
machine is complete.
The machine may be turned on its side or may be so built without a substantial
departure from the Invention described, and in the description given the terms
"horizontal" and "vertical" are to be understood not absolutly but with reference
to the position of the machine, as shewn. The guides instead of being made close
may be made of open or skeleton work, provided they afford a bearing surface for
the bar, billet, plate, or hoop, over so much and such parts of its surface as to secure
the same result, and the guide is designated as "close" only in this sense
Having now described the nature of the said Invention and meaus for carrying
the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that 1 do not confine myself to
the precise details herein-before described and illustrated in the accompanying
Drawings, as the same may be varied without departing from the nature of the said
Invention, but I claim as the Invention,―
1st. A series of two or more horizontal and two or more vertical plain faced
edging rolls arranged in a common line of feed in combination with a guide or
guides, which between the vertical rolls along the line of their bite shall enclose the
plate, bar, billet, or hoop, on its flat sides, substantially as set forth.
2nd. In combination with a pair of vertical or edging rolls of a rolling mill, a
guide passing between such rolls which open at its edges or sides, shall enclose the
top and bottom flat sides of the bar, billet, plate, or hoop, substantially as and for
the purposes set forth.
3rd. In combination with the vertical edging rolls D, D, a guide G having open
sides along the length of bite of the rolls, a close top and bottom through the same
length, and bell-mouthed or sloping sides adjacent to the rolls, as at n, n, sub-
stantially as and for the purpose set forth.
4th. The combination of adjustable plain faced horizontal and vertical or edging
rolls and removable guides passing between the vertical rolls, whereby through
readjustment of the rolls and interchanging of the guides, metallic straps, hoops,
and plates of different sizes can be produced without changing the rolls, substantially
as set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Lloyd Wise, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Eleventh day of April, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-seven
Witness,
F. J. BROUGHAM.
W. LLOYD WISE. (L.S.)