Improvements in Apparatus for Rolling Metal Beams, Girders, and the like.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Sept., 1894-Accepted, 20th Oct.,
1894
[Communicated from abroad by LEVI DEE YORK, of Portsmouth, in the State of
Ohio, United States of America, Engineer and Manufacturer.]
Improvements in Apparatus for Rolling Metal Beams, Girders, and
the like.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent
Agents, 45 Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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 :-
This invention relates to apparatus for rolling metal beams, girders and the like
and is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which
Figure 1 is a front view of an apparatus embodying my improvement;
Figure 2 is a side view of the same;
Figure 3 is a central vertical section taken in a plane parallel to that of
Figure 2;
Figure 4 is a vertical section illustrating certain parts;
Figure 5 is a plan partly in section.
Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts in all of the figures.
My improvement is particularly applicable to apparatus for rolling beams and
girders having flanges. I employ two pairs of rolls operating in planes at right
angles to each other, or substantially so, as for example, one pair in a horizontal
plane and another pair in vertical planes, and in addition thereto employ supplemental
rollers for finishing the flanges or edges to standard size.
A', A² designate rolls arranged one above the other with their axes in horizontal
planes and with their surfaces in close proximity to each other. As here shown
they are plain cylinders with the ends inclined inwardly at the periphery, so that
obtuse angles will be formed at the extremities of the cylindrical surfaces.
B1, B2 designate two rolls arranged with their axes in vertical planes, or
substantially so. As shown, their axes are in the same vertical planes as the axes
of the horizontal rolls A¹, A³, hence these rolls will operate upon a beam or girder
at the same time as the rolls A¹, A².
The framework of the apparatus may be of any suitable character, and the
rolls A', A, B1, B2, may be supported in any approved manner.
In the present
example of my improvement, the lower horizontal roll A' is supported in non-
adjustable bearings, and the upper horizontal roll A² is supported in adjustable
bearings arranged within housings formed in side frames C₁ C² constituting parts
of the framework of the apparatus. Screws D, engaging with nuts in the tops of
the housings, serve to adjust the bearings for the horizontal roll A2 and to
facilitate the turning of the screws it is preferable to provide them with gear
wheels d' which engage with gear-wheels d'affixed to shaft D' which is supported
in bearings comprised in the framework of the machine. On the shaft D' is a large
hand-wheel D to facilitate the turning of the shaft and hence the adjustment of
bearings in which the upper horizontal roll A2 is journalled.
An advantageous way of supporting the side rolls, or, in other words, the vertical
rolls B1 B2, is to provide them with journals 62 only on their under sides, and to
sustain these journals in movable bearing blocks 63 64 which are connected by
rods to adjustable blocks 66. The blocks 63 64 are concave on their under

page_text: sides to fit upon the journals of the lower horizontal roll A¹ so as to be supported
thereby. The blocks are fitted in slideways comprised in the fixed portion
of the framework of the apparatus. With each of the blocks 66 67 are combined a
pair of screws 610 and these screws engage with the framework of the machine.
Bevel wheels 11 are affixed to the outer ends of the screws 610 and with the bevel
wheels 6 of each pair of screws 10 engage bevel gear wheels 612 which are affixed
to a shaft 6 journalled in the framework of the machine. With one of the bevel
gear wheels 6 of each pair of screws 610 engages a bevel gear-wheel which is
affixed to an upwardly extending shaft b. The shafts 66 are provided at their
upper ends with bevel gear-wheels 16 which engage with bevel gear-wheels d
affixed to the shaft D'. Owing to this combination of parts the turning of the
hand wheel D2 will adjust the side rolls B1 B2 as well as the top roll A'.
In the blocks are rollers 617 which at the peripheries bear against the
peripheries of the side rolls B' B2 and afford support to them.
With this general description of the apparatus, we well turn to the specific
features of construction which constitute the present improvement.
R1, R2, R3, R', designate rollers which may all be of the same shape. The
two lower rollers R1 R2 are supported in stationary bearings 1, 2 provided on the
side frames C, C² of the framework.
The other rollers R³, R are supported in bearings arranged at the ends of
levers. These levers are elbow levers. They are fulcrumed to studs r which
are affixed to straps or riders d which are fitted to the housings formed in side
frames C, C of the framework C, so as to be movable up and down within the
housings. As is usual these riders comprise or contact with the journal bearings
for the upper roll A¹. Hence the levers will rise and fall with the upper
roll A¹.
The rollers R³, R are near the lower ends of one of the arms of the levers ³.
The upper arms of these levers co-act with pins or studs d³ dª projecting from the
side frames C¹ C².
In order that the rollers may be adjusted up and down in these arms of the
levers which support them, such arins are provided with straps combined
with gibs and keys for holding the journal boxes of such rollers. By inserting
different sizes spacing pieces or liners between the journal boxes and the ends of
the lever arms and using keys of different sizes, adjustments may be made in the
position of the rollers R³, R, relatively to the fulcra of the levers.
The shape of the rollers R1, R2, R3, R is circular at all points. Their
longitudinal shape may best be understood by reference to Figs. 1 and 3, where it
will be seen that each has a cylindric body portion 1 having at each extremity a
contracted neck 2 beyond which there is a flaring terminal portion 3.
In forming a beam or girder by means of this apparatus, we contemplate that it
will be passed between the rolls longitudinally first in one direction and then in the
other, several times. In most of its passages between the rolls, the rollers R', R²,
R³, R will have no operation upon it, but towards the completion of its reduction
to the final form, the flanges become so widened or spread in places, particularly
near the ends of the beam or girder, that they will reach the rollers R', R², R³, R*,
and they will therefore be reduced to the proper dimensions. Preferably the ingot
will be thick enough to ensure the edges of the flanges throughout their length
contacting with the rollers R', R2, R3, R at some time before the completion of
the beam or girder, as thus the parallelism of the edges will be insured.
It must be understood that the rollers R' R³ operate in connection with the beam
or girder when the roller passes in one direction between the rollers, and that the
rollers R2, R operate upon the beam or girder when it passes in the reverse
direction, between the rolls. The pins or studs d³, d prevent the rollers R³, R*
when in operation, from being drawn by a beam or girder against the roll A'.
I wish to be distinctly understood in saying that I do not wish to limit myself
to any particular form for the rolls R1, R2, R³, R' or to any particular means for
supporting the same.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. In an apparatus for rolling metal, the combination with main rolls for rolling
in different planes, of supplemental rollers for shaping edges of the rolled material,
substantially as specified.
.
2. In an apparatus for rolling metal, the combination with main rolls for rolling
in different planes, of supplemental rollers for shaping edges of the rolled material,
said supplemental rollers being arranged in a pair or pairs, and one of each pair
being adjustable relatively to its fellow, substantially as specified.
3. In an apparatus for rolling metal, the combination with main rolls, of two
pairs of supplemental rollers for operating upon edges of the rolled material, one of
each pair of supplemental rollers being automatically adjustable into position, and
the corresponding roller of the other pair being automatically adjustable out of
position.
Dated this 8th day of September 1894
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.