IMPROVEMENTS IN ROLLING MILLS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF MERCHANTABLE IRON AND STEEL
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Betts Bradshaw, of West End, Rotherham, in the
County of York, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROLLING MILLS
FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF MERCHANTABLE IRON AND STEEL."
Sealed the 15th March 1878, and dated the 4th January 1878.
s
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Betts Bradshaw at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 4th January 1878.
JOSEPH BEITS BRADSHAW, of West End, Rotherham, in the County of York.
IMPROVEMENTS IN ROLLING MILLS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF MERCHANTABLE
IRON AND STEEL."
This Invention has for its object improvements in rolling mills for the manu-
facture of merchantable iron and steel.
In rolling iron and steel into bars, hoops, or rails, and especially of small sections,
I save much labour, and am able to roll bars, hoops, and rails in much greater lengths
than heretofore, thereby saving considerable expense in the cross ends by arranging
the rolls in the following manner :-I arrange in one line three sets of rolls, all of
which are coupled together. Two of these sets of rolls are what are known as
bolting rolls, and may be two or three high, according to the description of work
they are required to do, and the third set, which is in the middle between the two sets
of bolting rolls, are what are known as strand rolls or roughing rolls, and are in all
cases two high only, a spindle being used to connect the other two rolls of the two sets
of bolting rolls when these are used three high. All these rolls have a number of
grooves turned in them suitable for a variety of sizes and descriptions of work; but
these strand or roughing rolls are not intended to complete the operations of the
ordinary strand or roughing rolls, for which other rolls are provided, but they are
used to commence these operations by one passage only between them of the billetts
produced by the adjacent sets of bolting rolls.
The second set of strand or roughing rolls is placed immediately in front of the
first set, and at such a distance as to allow room for the delivery of the bar from

page_text: the first set, and the ordinary operations of these rolls are completed by repeated
passages between the rolls so placed.
In order to provide the additional set of bolting rolls with heated piles or billetts,
employ a large number of furnaces, or furnaces of larger capacity than where only
one set of bolting rolls is used as at present. I also make the biles or billetts
supplied to the bolting rolls of much larger dimensions than is usual, which causes
the bar on reaching the second set of strand or roughing rolls to be of considerable
length; and in order to enable these rolls to complete their operations on the heated
bar before it has cooled too much, and also to enable them to receive without hindrance
to the bolting rolls the additional bars produced by two sets of these rolls, I cause
them to be driven at about double the speed of the first set.
To provide for the increase in length of the bar in the second set of strand or
roughing rolls, a channel or gutter is formed passing beneath the first set of strand
or roughing rolls.
In some cases I provide a carrier or guide, along which the bar is passed from one
set of strand or roughing rolls to the other set, and this carrier or guide is of such a
form that the bar passing along it becomes reversed in position, that is to say, what
was the top surface of the bar at one end becomes the bottom surface at the other
end. The carrier or guide is for this purpose made of an angular section, and is
twisted in the course of its length.
A straight carrier or guide will also in some cases be employed. In the same line
with the second set of strand or roughing rolls, and coupled with them, are the
finishing rolls, one passage between which completes the work. When however, as
may be the case in some descriptions of work, the strand or roughing rolls in the
second set of rolls are replaced by finishing rolls, the adjacent finishing rolls are not
used.
In rolling hoops it is usual in connection with the finishing rolls to use scrapers,
which by bending and scraping the iron or steel removes the scale before it reaches
the nip of the rolls. I employ such scrapers also in producing bars of large sections,
and I arrange to work in combination with the scrapers a pair of small side rollers
to keep the sides of the bar true and square. These rollers are mounted upon
slides, one of which after being adjusted to the size of the bar about to be rolled, is
held firmly in its place by screws, the other being left free to slide backward and
forward, and after the bar has been entered between them by the same motion
by which the scrapers are brought into action, this roller is moved forward by a
wedge being inserted behind the slide. As soon as the bar has passed between the
rollers the wedge is withdrawn, and the slide is then_forced back by a spring
making ready for the insertion of the succeeding bar. For large sections of bars
which cannot conveniently be scraped, I use the side rollers without the combined
scrapers.
In rolling hoops they are delivered from the finishing rolls in very long lengths,
and are difficult to handle by hand. I therefore cause them to be placed as they
are delivered from the finishing rolls between forks or spikes mounted on endless
chains. These chains are arranged at convenient distances alongside the line of
delivery, and they can be caused to move simultaneously, so as to carry the forks
or spikes, between which the hoops lie in a direction at right angles to the line of
delivery, and so the hoops at convenient intervals are moved aside out of the way,
leaving a space clear for those next delivered from the finishing rolls. This lateral
movement of the hoops brings them to the shears, and they are then drawn back
by manual labour step by step, and cut off to the lengthis desired. Rollers are
placed to facilitate the drawing back of the hoops.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Joseph Betts Bradshaw in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
4th July 1878.
JOSEPH BETTS BRADSHAW, of West End, Rotherham, in the County of York.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN ROLLING MILLS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF MERCHANTABLE
IRON AND STEEL."
This Invention has for its object improvements in rolling mills for the manufac-
ture of mechantable iron and steel.
In rolling merchantable iron and steel bars, rails, or hoops a train of rolls con-
sisting of two distinct sets of rolls, which however are coupled together, is now
commonly used, and in the case of hoops and the smaller sizes of bars a third set of
finishing rolls is sometimes added. The first set are what are known as bolting
rolls, and the second set as strand rolls, but as the name of the latter probably
differs in different districts, and with different classes of work I shall hereafter call
this second set "strand " rolls, meaning the rolls adjoining the bolting rolls, into
which the iron is introduced immediately after leaving the bolting rolls.
The bolting rolls receive the pile or billett or bloom (I shall hereafter say pile
only, but meaning any form in which the iron is delivered from the furnace to
these rolls) from the heating furnace, and do the rough work of bolting down the
pile until it reaches a size convenient for entering the strand rolls. The drafts, that
is, the difference in size between the largest and the next groove and so on in these
rolls, are very great, and every groove is usually roughened in some manner in order
to give a firmer grip on the iron as it passes through these grooves.
"
The strand rolls receive the iron from the bolting rolls, and the metal here begins
to assume its finished shape and dimensions, and, except in the case of hoops and
smaller sizes of bars before referred to, the iron is usually finished in these rolls.
The drafts in these rolls are not nearly so great as in the bolting rolls, and it is
usually sufficient to roughen the first groove only (indeed in some cases of lighter
work it is not necessary to roughen the first groove) of each size in the rolls, the
remaining grooves of each respective size being quite smooth.
The finishing rolls are, in the case of hoops, known as "hard" rolls, and are
simply a pair of plain hard chilled rolls, and in the case of bars are known as
guide" rolls, and are used chiefly for the smaller sizes of round and square iron,
which are directed to their place in these rolls by guides. These are supplementary
rolls, and would be used under my arrangement exactly as under the present system,
vis., by adding them to the train at the end of the strand rolls when necessary.
They are always used in the case of hoops.
The working capacity of the strand rolls is invariably greater than that of the
bolting rolls, and it would be so to a greater extent than it actually is were it not
that these rolls being usually driven at the slow speed which is necessary in the
case of the bolting rolls, they cannot on this account take more than a given length
before the iron becomes too cold to finish, and the length is invariably less than
that which the bolting rolls could take with ease. The passes between the strand
rolls (except the first groove when that groove is roughed) and between the finishing
rolls (when the latter are used) might usually be performed at a much higher rate
of speed than that of the bolting rolls. This being so I save much labour, and am
able to roll bars, hoops, and rails in much greater lengths than heretofore, thereby
saving considerable expense in the crop ends, by arranging the rolls in the following
manner, as is illustrated by the plan on Sheet 1 of the Drawing:-I arrange in
one line three sets of rolls, all of which are coupled together. Two of these sets of
rolls are what are known as bolting rolls, and may be two or three high, according
to the description of work they are required to do, and the third set, which is in the
middle between the two sets of bolting rolls, are strand rolls, and are in all cases
two. high only, a spindle being used to connect the other two rolls of the two sets

page_text: of bolting rolls when these are used three high. All these rolls have a number of
grooves turned in them suitable for a variety of sizes and descriptions of work, but
these strand rolls are not intended to complete the operations of the ordinary strand
rolls, for which other rolls are provided, but they are used to commence these opera-
tions by one passage only between them of the billetts produced by the adjacent sets
of bolting rolls.
The second set of strand rolls is placed immediately in front of the first set, and
at such a distance as to allow room for the delivery in front of them of the bar from
the first set, and the ordinary operations of these rolls are completed by repeated
passages between the rolls so placed.
In order to provide the additional set of bolting rolls with heated piles I employ.
a larger number of furnaces or furnaces of larger capacity than where only one set
of bolting rolls is used, as at present. I also make the piles supplied to the bolting
rolls of much larger dimensions than is usual, which causes the bar on reaching the
second set of strand rolls to be of considerable length, and in order to enable these.
rolls to complete their operations on the heated bar before it has cooled too much,
and also to enable them to receive without hindrance to the bolting rolls the addi-
tional bars produced by two sets of these rolls, I cause them to be driven at about
double the speed of the first set.
To provide for the increase in length of the bar in the second set of strand rolls a
channel or gutter is formed, passing beneath the first train of rolls.
In some cases I provide a carrier or guide, along which the bar is passed from one
set of strand rolls to the other set, and this carrier or guide is of such a form that
the bar passing along it becomes reversed in position, that is to say, what was the
top surface of the bar at one end becomes the bottom surface at the other end. The
carrier or guide is for this purpose made of an angular section, and is twisted in the
course of its length.
A straight carrier or guide will also in some cases be employed. Inthe same line
with the second set of strand rolls, and coupled with them, are the finishing rolls,
one passage between which completes the work. When however, as may be the
case in some descriptions of work, the strand rolls in the second set of rolls are
formed with their grooves capable of finishing the work, the adjacent finishing rolls
are not used.
In the Drawing, on Sheet 1, Figure 1 is the slow-speeded train, and Figure 2 the
high-speeded train.
A, A, are the two sets of bolting rolls, either two or three high. B is the strand
rolls containing the first stranding grooves, and between which the metal passes
once only; these rolls are two high, with spindle passing beneath the lower roll to
couple the bolting rolls when these are three high. C is the following strand rolls
containing the remainder of the grooves; the metal is passed twice or oftener
between these rolls. D are the finishing rolls, employed when such rolls are
requisite, and then the metal makes one passage between them; these rolls and the
strand rolls C are driven at a higher rate of speed than the rolls A and B. E is the
channel provided to permit the metal to pass back beneath the first train of rolls.
F is the twisted angle-iron carrier for turning over flat bars in their passage between
the rolls B and C. The bar first rests against one side of the carrier, and in its
passage it is turned by the continually increasing inclination of the side until it
falls over on to the other side, so that the bar is turned right over before is is again
presented to the rolls. It will thus be seen that all the passes in which the draft is
great, or which require roughened grooves, are performed by rolls which are coupled
together, and driven at a low speed. Similarly, all the passes which admit of being
performed at a high speed take place between other rolls, coupled together and
driven independently of the slow-speeded rolls. Then, having thus increased the
producing power of the strand rolls, and relieved them of some of their work, I
effect a compensation by throwing upon them the product of two sets of bolting
rolls.
But, further, there is nothing now to prevent an increase in the size of the pile

page_text: supplied to the bolting rolls, and as the pile does not become a bar of very great
length during the operation of bolting down, this increase does not materially retard
its progress in passing through these rolls. The iron or steel under operation would
thus be rolled out in much longer lengths than heretofore. I therefore increase the
size of the pile at the bolting rolls, and am able to do so because I get through the
operations of the strand rolls so much more quickly than the old system.
In most cases of rolling it would be preferable to use chilled rolls for the strand
rolls, but this at the present time is inconvenient on account of the difficulty in
roughing chilled rolls, but by seperating the roughed grooves in the strand rolls in
the manner described I am able to use chilled rolls for the remaining grooves, and
thus produce a better class of work.
In rolling the larger sizes of bars and hoops the relation of the finished lengths to
the pile from which they are made is not so great as in the smaller sizes, and as the
sizes increase, the second set of strand rolls have less relative work to perform, and
I then prefer to increase the size of the bolting rolls and first set of strand rolls so
as to admit of a larger pile being used, and I am thus (keeping in mind that it is in
the second set of strand rolls that the bar begins to lengthen greatly) able to give
more work to the second set of strand rolls, and the length of the finished material
is thus very largely increased. Indeed, in most cases, I am by this system enabled
to roll twice, and in many cases a greater number of times, the lengths of the ordi-
nary system and the saving of cost in the crop ends is proportionately great.
The following are advantages which I obtain,-
1. Great Saving of Labour.-The amount of work such a mill will be able to
turn out is out of all proportion in comparison with the present system to the number
of men required to work such a mill.
2nd. Great Saving of Time.-Such a mill will turn out from twice (never less
than twice) to three times, and in case of larger sizes even more, the work of an
ordinary mill in a given time.
3rd. Saving in waste of crop ends on account of the increased lengths in which
the material can be rolled.
4th. Economy of Cost and Space.In the erection of such a mill both are out
of proportion to what would be required for mills capable of doing the same amount
of work under the present system.
5th. Economy of Time in Changing Rolls.-The use of two sets of strand rolls
in this form enables double the number of sizes to be introduced, and thus there
is less changing of rolls.
6th. Improvement in the Work Resulting from the Use of Chilled Strand
Rolls. By lengthening the bolting rolls and inserting an additional groove or
grooves equivalent to those in the first set of strand rolls, or by using what is known
as a plain part at the end of these rolls, the first set of strand rolls might be dis-
pensed with, but it would be to a limited extent, and as compared with the
arrangement shown a clumsy expedient.
Also, when the nature of the work is such as to render the roughening of the
first stranding groove unnecessary, the whole of the stranding grooves may be
placed on the fast running rolls, although even then I consider it advantageous to
separate them, and place the first groove on rolls in the same train with the bolting
rolls.
In rolling hoops it is usual in connection with the finishing rolls to use scrapers,
which by bending and scraping the iron or steel removes the scale before it reaches
the nip of the rolls.
I employ such scrapers also in producing bars of larger sections, and I arrange
to work in combination with the scrapers a pair of small side rollers to keep the
sides of the bar true and square; these rollers are, as is illustrated by Sheet 2 of the
Drawings, mounted upon slides, one of which, after being adjusted to the size of
the bar about to be rolled, is held firmly in its place by screws, the other being
left free to slide backward and forward; and after the bar has been entered between
them by the same motion by which the scrapers are brought into action, this roller
:......

page_text: is moved forward by a wedge being inserted behind the slide. As soon as the bar
has passed between the rollers the wedge is withdrawn, and the slide is then forced
back by a spring, making ready for the insertion of the succeeding bar.
For large sections of bars which cannot conveniently be scraped I use the side
rollers without the combined scrapers.
Of the Drawings on Sheets 2 and 3, Figure 3 is a side elevation; Figure 4 is a
front elevation; Figure 5 is a vertical section; and Figure 6 is an horizontal section
of a pair of rolls provided with side rollers and scrapers as described. A is a lever
having its fulcrum and guides upon the housings of the rolls. From this lever,
a link B descends and connects it with a frame C, carrying two horizontal scraping
bars D', D, capable of sliding up and down in the guide grooves E, E, in the housings.
F, F, F, are three fixed horizontal scrapers. The bar which is being rolled lays
upon these, and is supported by them as it is drawn between the rolls."
As soon as
the end of the bar is entered between the rolls, the top scraping bars D¹, D³, are
brought down upon it by depressing the lever A, and the bar is scraped on its top
and bottom surfaces, so as to remove the scale.
The removal of the scale is also promoted by the action of the scrapers in bending
the bar into a wave-like form. G and H are the side rollers, they are carried in
blocks G, H, which are capable of sliding in openings formed to receive them in
the housings. The block G¹ having been set in position, is secured by means of
the locking screws G³: The block H' is formed with a head for which a coires-
ponding cavity is provided in the housing, and a spring lodged in the cavity
beneath the head, tends to press the block H¹ constantly outwards, and so to
separate the rollers G and H. Behind the head of the block H¹, a wedge I is
arranged to slide in guides in the housing, and a link K connects the wedge with
the lever A. Thus at the same time that the top scrapers are brought down as
soon as the rolls have hold of the end of the bar, the side rollers also are made to
close in against the sides of the bar.
In rolling hoops they are delivered from the finishing rolls in very long lengths,
and are difficult to handle by hand. I therefore cause them to be placed as they
are delivered from the finishing rolls between forks or spikes mounted on endless
chains. These chains are arranged at convenient distances alongside the line of
delivery, and they can be caused to move simultaneously, so as to carry the forks
or spikes between which the hoops lie in a direction at right angles to the line of
delivery, and so the hoops at convenient intervals are moved aside out of the way,
leaving a space clear for those next delivered from the finishing rolls. This lateral
movement of the hoops brings them to the shears, and they are then drawn back
by manual labour step by step, and cut off to the lengths desired. Rollers are
placed to facilitate the drawing back of the hoops. This arrangement is illustrated
on Sheet 4 of the Drawings. Figure 7 is a plan of the mechanism; Figure 8 is a
section to a larger scale taken on the line 1, 1, in Figure 7; Figure 9 is a section
on the line 2, 2; in Figure 7 and Figure 10 is a plan of a portion, also to the larger
scale. A is a hand wheel, by means of which the workman standing in a shallow
pit at B, is able through the gearing C to turn the horizontal shaft D. The shaft
D is carried in bearings somewhat below the general floor level, and it has upon it
a number of rollers D¹, D¹. On the same level and parallel with this shaft, but at
some distance from it, there is a similar shaft E, having rollers E¹ upon it. F, F, are
endless pitch chains passing around the rollers D¹ and E¹. F¹, F¹, are spikes with
which the chains F are provided. The hoops as they come from the finishing rolls
are laid by the workmen on to the chains at the place marked G in Figures 7 and
8, and the hoops are allowed to accumulate, until there is a convenient number, as
six or eight in the compartment between two adjacent lines of spikes. The work-
man at the hand wheel A then moves the wheel sufficiently to draw this lot of
hoops forward, and to bring the next series of teeth into position to receive the
hoops from the rolls. As the work continues, the first lot of hoops is presently
brought to rest upon the small rollers H, H, which are set in the floor, and then
the workman in the pit takes hold of the ends of the lot of hoops; and draws them

page_text: all forward together to shears erected at the place marked K. The ends of the
hoops are first cut even, and then they are again drawn forward up to a gauge set
in any desired position upon a scale at L, when the hoops are again cut off, and so
they are accurately and rapidly cut to any lengths desired.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner of per-
forming the same, I would have it understood that I claim,-
First. The combination of apparatus forming an improved rolling mill, and con-
Bisting of two sets of bolting rolls, and a set of stranding rolls, so combined and
arranged that the produce of both sets of bolting rolls is delivered in front of the
stranding rolls which are driven at a much higher speed, and receive and work the
produce of both sets of bolting rolls substantially as described.
Second. In such improved rolling mills interposing between the two sets of
bolting rolls, a set of rolls serving to couple the bolting rolls, and carrying the first
of the stranding grooves substantially as described.
Third. In such improved rolling mills, the underground channel passing beneath
the train of rolls in which are the bolting rolls substantially as described, and
accomodating the increased length which the bar assumes whilst it is being worked
by the stranding rolls, so admitting of the rolls being more conveniently placed
than would otherwise be possible.
Fourth. The improved rolling mill substantially as described, and either with or
without the finishing rolls.
Fifth. The twisted guide for turning the bar over in passing from one set of rolls
to another substantially as described.
Sixth. The application substantially as described of side rollers, capable of being
closed together on to the bar after it has been inserted between the rolls by means
of a wedge and lever; such rollers being applied and worked either with or with-
out scrapers.
Seventh. The apparatus for facilitating the removal of hoop iron from the finish-
ing rolls, and the cutting it to lengths substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Betts Bradshaw, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fourth day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
T D
DD DOTITTE
J. B. BRADSHAW. (L.B.)