Improvements in Apparatus for Rolling Furnace Flues and the like.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd May, 1896
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Feb., 1897-Accepted, 27th Mar., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Rolling Furnace Flues and
the like.
We, WILLIAM FORD SUDDABY, Engineer, and THE LEEDS FORGE
COMPANY, LIMITED, Engineers and Iron Masters, both of the Leeds Forge,
Leeds, in the County of York, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
According to this invention apparatus for rolling furnace flues and the like
is provided with means whereby the diameter of the end or ends of a flue may be
altered in the rolling apparatus or mill itself, after or during the rolling operation
thus obviating the expenditure of time and labour involved in the present mode of
removing the rolled flue from the rolling apparatus to a special mill in which its
ends are operated upon.
In an arrangement for reducing the diameter of one end of a flue, we form the
corresponding end of the bottom or outer roll of the mill of reduced diameter
and arrange thereon an adjustable loose ring the outer surface of which corresponds
to the formation it is desired to impart to the reduced end portion of the flue,
the arrangement being such that the ring can be moved towards or away from
the upper or inner roll the end portion of which is made smaller than its remaining
portion. The loose ring may be supported on and guided by rollers carried
by a frame that is connected to the ram or rams of one or more hydraulic
cylinders. When rolling a corrugated flue the end of which is to be reduced,
the corrugations are first rolled while the loose ring is held away from the upper
or inner roll; the loose ring is then gradually raised so that, as the rolls are
rotated, it will force inwardly, and thus reduce the diameter of, the flue end, the
rolling of which between the end portion of the inner roll and the loose ring
completes the operation. If desired means such as a water-gas burner or burners,
may be arranged so as to heat or maintain the temperature of the end portion of the
flue, whilst the corrugating is being effected; the burner or burners may be carried
by a movable arm so that they can be swung into position between the top of
the inner roll and the top of the flue. As will be understood, if it be desired, both
ends of the apparatus may be provided with arrangements of the kind above
described.
Apparatus according to this invention may be variously modified, for instance
toggles, wedges or other suitable mechanism inay be employed instead of hydraulic
rams to raise the loose ring; this ring may be shaped so as to form an additional
head or corrugation; and, for increasing instead of decreasing the diameter of a
flue end, the ring may be arranged around the reduced end of the inner roll.
Moreover, in place of a complete ring a plate of the required thickness and length
may be inserted between the end portions of the upper and lower rolls; the end or
both ends of the plate may be tapered to facilitate insertion between the rolls.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Rolling Furnace Flues and
the like.
We, WILLIAM FORD SUDDABY, Engineer, and THE LEEDS FORGE
COMPANY, LIMITED, Engineers and Iron Masters, both of the Leeds Forge,
Leeds, in the County of York, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
According to this invention apparatus for rolling furnace flues and the like is
provided with means whereby the diameter of the end or ends of a flue may be
altered in the rolling apparatus or mill itself, after or during the rolling operation
thus obviating the expenditure of time and labour involved in the present mode of
removing the rolled flue from the rolling apparatus to a special mill in which its
ends are operated upon.
In an arrangement for reducing the diameter of one end of a flue, we form the
corresponding end of the bottom or outer roll of the mill of reduced diameter and
arrange thereon an adjustable loose ring the outer surface of which corresponds to
the formation it is desired to impart to the reduced end portion of the flue, the
arrangement being such that the ring can be moved towards or away from the
upper or inner roll the end portion of which is made smaller than its remaining
portion. The loose ring may be supported on and guided by rollers carried by a
frame that is connected to the ram or rams of one or more hydraulic cylinders.
When rolling a corrugated flue the end of which is to be reduced, the corrugations
are first rolled while the loose ring is held away from the upper or inner roll; the
loose ring is then gradually raised so that, as the rolls are rotated, it will force
inwardly and thus reduce the diameter of the flue and the rolling of which between
the end portion of the inner roll and the loose ring completes the operation. If
desired means such as a water-gas burner or burners, may be arranged so as to heat
or maintain the temperature of the end portion of the flue whilst the corrugating
is being effected; the burner or burners may be carried by a movable arm so
that they can be swung into position between the top of the inner roll and the
top of the flue. As will be understood, if it be desired, both ends of the apparatus
may be provided with arrangements of the kind above described.
Apparatus according to this invention may be variously modified, for instance
toggles, wedges or other suitable mechanism may be employed instead of hydraulic
rams to raise the loose ring; this ring may be shaped so as to form an additional
head or corrugation.
Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings is a front elevation showing so much of a
corrugating mill of the kind described in Fox's Specification No. 219 of 1882 as is
necessary to illustrate the application thereto of our present invention.
Fig. 2 is a part longitudinal section, to a larger scale than Fig. 1, showing one
end of a corrugating mill having our present invention applied thereto, the parts
being shown in the position they occupy prior to the corrugating and reducing
operations.
Fig. 3 is a cross section on the line y of Fig. 2.
Figs. 4 and 5 are corresponding views to Figs. 2 and 3 respectively but showing
the parts in the positions they assume during the corrugating and reducing
operations.
A A are the housings or standards and B, the bed or foundation of the mill. C,
is the top or inner roll, and D is a sliding headstock for withdrawing this roll out
of or away from the housings A A so as to enable a flue to be placed in position

page_text: prior to being corrugated and reduced and removed after being corrugated and
reduced. E is the bottom or outer roll capable of adjustment in its relation to the
top or inner roll C as well understood. Fis a plain furnace flue or tube to be
operated upon.
The ends or shoulders E¹ of the bottom or outer roll E are made of less diameter
than the body or corrugated portion thereof and on them are arranged vertically
adjustable loose rings G and G. The outer surface of these rings may be varied
to suit requirement. In the example illustrated, the ring G is shown as having
a plain outer surface and is therefore suitable for use in cases where the flue
end has simply to be reduced in diameter and a practically square shoulder left
between the corrugated and reduced end portions.
The ring G' also has a plain outer surface but the inner end thereof is made
with an annular concave surface G' so as to form in conjunction with the adjacent
corrugated end portions of the rolls C and E an extra tread, ridge or part
corrugation as shown in Fig. 4. Each ring is supported and guided by loose
rollers H mounted in a frame I carried by a hydraulic ram J arranged to work in
a hydraulic cylinder K fixed on the bed of the mill. L L are pivoted water-gas
burners whereby the end portions of the flue F can be maintained at a suitable
working temperature. With the arrangement described a plain flue is corrugated
in the usual manner between the two rolls C and E, the loose rings G, G' being at
this time supported either by the ends El of the roll E or by the hydraulic rams J
so as to have no action upon the ends of the flue, the temperature of which may
be maintained at a suitable point by the flames of the burners L which for this
purpose are swung into the flue ends. By then gradually raising the loose
rings G, G by the hydraulic rams so as to force them against the ends of the flue
whilst the rolls C and E are revolving, the ends of the flue will be gradually
reduced in diameter until they are compressed between the rings and the reduced
ends of the inner roll C as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, whereupon the said ends will
have been, reduced to the desired shape and dimensions.
For increasing the diameter of one or each end of a flue, a loose ring, or rings,
may be applied to the reduced end or ends C₁ of the inner roll C, a somewhat
similar arrangement of apparatus to that already described being provided for
holding it or them out of operation during the corrugating of the flue and for
forcing it or them against the interior of the flue end or ends and towards the
reduced end or ends of the outer roll E when it is required to expand such end or
ends. The arrangement or apparatus referred to may be carried by a bracket or
brackets fixed to the adjacent housing or housings A, A.
Instead of using a complete ring such as G or G¹ for reducing the flue end, a
loose plate of suitable thickness, length and width and preferably tapered at one
or each end, may be used, this plate being inserted between the reduced end
portions of the inner and outer rolls and supported by the latter roll during the
reducing operation, at which time the plate will be caused by the friction between
it and the flue end to travel endways and the thickness of the said plate being
such that the flue end will be forced against the reduced end C¹ of the roll C and
so reduced in diameter.
As will be obvious the alteration in the size of the end or ends of the flue may
be effected simultaneously with the corrugation of the body thereof, but usually
it will be more advantageous to effect the said alteration in the size of the flue
ends separately, as described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. In apparatus for rolling furnace flues and the like, a presser or pressers and
means for causing same to approach the reduced end or ends of one of the rolls the
arrangement being such that one or each end of a flue or other partially formed
article in the machine can be altered in dimensions without removal for that purpose

page_text: from the rolling apparatus or mill itself, substantially as described for the purpose
specified.
2. In apparatus for rolling furnace flues and the like, the combination with
rolls having reduced ends and adapted for rolling flues or the like between them,
of a loose ring or loose rings the outer surface of which (or each of which) is of
a form adapted to impart the desired formation to the end portion or portions of
the partially formed flue or other like article under treatment, and meaus whereby
the said ring or rings can be so operated as to cause the same to press the corre-
sponding end of the said article against the adjacent end of one of the rolls, the
arrangement being such that the end or ends of the article being formed will be
reduced or increased in diameter, according as the loose ring or rings is or are
located outside or within the said article, and the desired formation will be imparted
to the said end or ends, substantially as described.
3. Apparatus of the kind herein referred to constructed with means arranged
and operating substantially as herein before described with reference respectively
to and shown in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive of the drawings aunexed for reducing the
end or ends of boiler flues or like articles.
4. In apparatus for rolling furnace flues and the like, the use in conjunction
with the reduced ends of the rolls, of a plate having a tapered end or ends and
inserted between the roll ends so as to reduce the diameter of the end of a boiler
flue or like article passed between it and the reduced end of one of the rolls
substantially as herein described.
Dated this 22nd day of February 1897.
For the Applicant,
W. LLOYD WISE,
46 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Chartered Patent Agent.