Improvements in Machinery for Rolling Wire Rods, Hoops, or Reducing the Sectional Area of Bars of Metal.
Year: 1893

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery for Rolling Wire Rods, Hoops, or
Reducing the Sectional Area of Bars of Metal.
I, JOHN STEPHEN TAYLOR, 129 North Road, Clayton, Manchester, in the
County of Lancashire, Roll Turner, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following, statement :-
My invention relates to what are termed continuous mills in which the bar of
metal is reduced in sectional area continuously by passing through one pair of
rolls after another succesively till the bar of metal is reduced to the required
sectional area & form. It has been the practice in connection with this class of
mill, to cog or bolt down the bloom in a separate mill or a separate pair of rolls
not worked on the continuous principle but backwards & forwards in the usual
way of rolling and after being cooled down the billets formed from such blooms
are taken to the continuous mill where they are reheated & then the sectional area
is further reduced to the required size & form. It is also usual to roll one rod or
bar of metal at one time. The rolls are contained in a housing and the working
parts or grooves in the barrels of such rolls, work in the centre of the housing
the necks of rolls protruding through the sides of the housings. The bar of
metal entering these grooves in the barrels of rolls in the centre of the housing
at the first pair, is pulled through by the action of the rolls.
When it emerges
from the other side of the rolls it is recieved by a guide which conducts it to
the next pair of rolls, & so on till the desired sectional area is obtained. Also
these rolls are driven by a coupling box fitting on to the end of the bottom roll,
which carries a pinion on neck outside of housing which gears into another pinion on
neck of top roll; the coupling box fits also on to a shaft which is driven by suitable
bevil gearing from the main shaft. In the improved form of mill I combine the
two operations of cogging or bolting down, & the further operation of reducing
to the required sectional area, which combination, saves heat & also makes less
complication in driving the machine. In the improved mill the rolls are .con-
structed differently also the positions of working parts of rolls are arranged
differently. They are designed to reduce two bars of metal at the same time,
the driving being effected from the centre of the housing by central spiral pinion
direct from the main shaft, the bars of metal being reduced in sectional area
continuously at opposite sides of the housings. The rolls are placed horizontally
& vertically alternately but there are no conducting guides as the vertical rolls
are so placed and so designed in size as to act as guides between the horizontal
rolls, as well as rolls to reduce the bars of metal in sectional area. Also the top
larger horizontal roll in this mill is the driving roll, & is fixed between brasses
which hold it in position; & it receives motion from cut gear or spiral on main
shaft, gearing into its central pinion working in centre of housing. The smaller
bottom horizontal roll is driven by suitable gearing, nearly twice as fast as the top
roll; so that by this method of driving from the top roll, & the bottom roll
travelling not quite so far per second as the top roll & by shortening the distance
between horizontal rolls, the tendency is to keep the metal bars well under control.
The smaller bottom rolls are adjustable end ways, so as to bring grooves in line.
Also they can be lowered & raised to get the desired thicknesses of bars of metal.
1 also arrange cutters at suitable places in the machine which automatically cut
off the first ends of the bars of metal as they are passing through the machine.
The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which similar
letters of reference, indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

page_text: Fig. 1. represents the plan of mill in part showing position of furnaces.
Fig. 2. represents side elevation.
Fig. 3. represents end elevation.
Figs. 4 & 5 represent coils for winding up products.
Fig. 6 represents one of the rolls out of housing partly in section.
Fig. 7 represents one of the rolls out of housing showing central spiral pinion on
each side of which is shown the ordinary toothed gearing, which drives the bottom
smaller horizontal roll.
Fig. 8. shows a washer for fastening roll barrels on to the necks.
Fig. 9. shows a plan of working mill in a different manner.
In Fig. 1. A represents the furnace into which the blooms are charged. When
heated they pass through the set of cogging or bolting rolls as represented by the
line B. C. in Fig. 2. emerging from the cogging or bolting rolls at C in the form of
a billet which instead of being cooled runs into another furnace D where it is
reheated. Then it is introduced into the lower or finishing train at C' & the
sectional area further reduced to the required size & form emerging at B¹. This
operation may be performed by using the lower train of rolls C B' as the cogging
or bolting rolls, & the top train of rolls C. B. as the finishing rolls. By suitably
arranging the number of rolls in each train. In all 4 bars of metal are being
treated at the same time, two in the form of blooms being reduced to billets one on
each side of the housing in top train of rolls, as shown in plan Fig. 1. at C B
& C¹ B¹; entering at B & B & travelling through cogging or bolting rolls &
entering furnace D to be reheated, & two in the form of billets being further
reduced in sectional area, one on each side of the housing in the lower or finishing
train of rolls, one of which is shown in Fig. 2. entering at C¹ & emerging at B¹
when it is allowed to cool on the floor or is coiled or rolled up by coils placed as
shown at Figs. 4. & 5. depending on what is being rolled.
At Fig. 2. is shown the general side elevation of cogging or bolting rolls; & the
finishing train of rolls; at B. the bloom from furnace A. shown in Fig. 1. is
inserted passing along to C., & then into furnace D where it is reheated, & then
passed by the lower train entering at C¹ travelling to B', till the required sectional
area & form is attained. A similar operation is going on at the other side of the
machine at the same time. Also the method of placing & fixing the rolls in
position is shown in this figure as well as the relative sizes of rolls, E. representing
larger top horizontal roll in top train of rolls & F representing smaller bottom
horizontal roll in top train. Likewise E' & F¹ represent top & bottom
horizontal rolls in the bottom train of rolls. But rolls of any convenient size may
be used. It will be seen by reference to plan Fig. 1. that the rolls are placed
horizontally & vertically commencing at B the first pair are horizontal & the next
pair vertical & so on alternately, horizontally, & vertically, along the machine to C.
The same thing is shown at Fig. 2. G represents vertical holls with the cap screwed
on hiding them, then comes the horizontal pair E. F then next vertical pair with
cap removed at H, showing position of vertical rolls. It is also shown that the
vertical rolls H are both of equal diameter, though much less than the top
horizontal roll. In this manner by placing the horizontal rolls as near together as
convenient, & by reducing the diameter of the vertical rolls I make the vertical
rolls act as conducting guides between the horizontal rolls, also at the same time
they reduce the sectional area of the bars of metal. Thus rendering the usual
conducting guides from one pair of rolls to another unnecessary, & by the extra
stiffness which occurs by shortening the length of bar exposed between the rolls,
tends to keep the bars of metal firm in their places in the machine. At Fig. 2.
is shown the method of fixing the rolls & holding them in position. The top
Jarger horizontal rolls E E' in the top & bottom trains are fixed in their places &
do not move up or down, as the thicknesses of bars of metal are obtained by raising
or lowering bottom smaller horizontal rolls F & F¹ so as to give the desired size in
sectional area.
It is also shown in Fig. 2 how the smaller bottom horizontal
rolls F & F which are shorter than the top horizontal rolls & are mounted in

page_text: fixings secured to the housings are adjusted end ways so as to bring grooves in
smaller bottom horizontal F & F¹ in line with grooves in the top larger horizontal
rolls E & E. The screws M & M' are slackened & liners inserted behind the
fixings N & N¹ in which the bottom rolls F & F are held, or by suitably arranged
set screws thus moving the bottom rolls F & F end ways till the grooves are in the
right position. Fig. 2. also shows how the larger top horizontal roll E' of the
bottom train is held to its work. The smaller bottom horizontal roll F having
been placed in position on both sides of the machine the larger top horizontal
roll E is then fixed with its central spiral pinion gearing into spiral or cut gear on
main shaft. To hold this roll E' down to its work & in a position so that the
centre of smaller bottom horizontal roll F & the centre of larger top horizontal
roll E are in line with each other, the two arms II screwed to franie & allowed
to move up & down by slot K' & pressed into position by screwing down Y shaped
piece J, thereby forcing frictional rollers L' on to face of large horizontal roll E¹
at suitable angles thus holding it in the required position.
The smaller bottom horizontal roll F of the top train is now placed in position
on both sides of the machine, the larger top horizontal roll E of the top train is
then fixed with its central spiral pinion gearing into central spiral pinion of top
roll E in bottom train, & to hold this roll E to its work with its centre in line to
the centre of smaller bottom horizontal roll F, the two arms left & right II which
are screwed to frame & allowed to move up & down by slot K. These arms I I
are moved by a triangular piece J' instead of Y shaped piece J. as in bottom
which is screwed down & forces the frictional rollers L on to the face of large
horizontal roll E at suitable angles thus holding it in the required position. Fig. 2
also shows the automatic cutter for cutting off the front ends of the bars of metal
or rods produced by the operation of the rolling mill. G' represents vertical pair
of rolls covered by cap; fitting close up to these rolls is the cutter block O. The
bar of metal passing from C to B₁ as it leaves the vertical rolls G! strikes the
horn P which is fastened to the cutter; pushing the said cutter forwards & into
contact with the inclined piece fixed above the cutter at Q & against which
inclined piece Q the small wheel at the top of cutter comes in contact so that the
cutter is forced to descend while travelling forwards till the rack R which is also
fastened to the cutter engages with the revolving gear wheel S. which is caused to
revolve by being in gear with a suitable revolving gear wheel mounted in a suitable
position & driven in any suitable manner. The cutter has now travelled to the end
of the incline Q & the bar of metal is by this time cut through. The engage-
ment of the rack R with the revolving gear wheel also causes the cutter to be
drawn down to the bottom of the carve T which forces the cutter down past
the end of cutter block O & allows the piece cut off to drop down & the bar of
metal to pass through the hole U in the cutter & U in the horn P to the next
pair of rolls towards B'. At the same time the horn P engages with the pivoted
framework which holds gear wheel S in position pushing pivoted piece Y from
under the gear wheel S at the same time pressing down the arm W which raises
the rod to which it is connected & moves the gear wheel S. down & out of gear
with the rack R where it is held by the latch arrangement Z. When the last
end of the bar of metal has passed through the cutter such cutter is immediately
pulled back to its place by the strong spiral spring X. As it goes back to its
place the rack R having passed the gear wheel S. the horn P in its backward
motion strikes the latch connection Z & releaces the pivoted framework in which
the gear wheel S is mounted which is then raised by its own weight being suitably
disposed & the pivoted piece Y also being released is pulled back by the strong
spiral spring X', the gear wheel S being thus brought into gear & position ready
for engaging with the rack R & cutting off the end of the next bar of metal as
soon as it presents itself. At its upper end the cutter aforesaid is guided by
the wheel mounted in the upper part of such cutter being provided with a central
projecting Hange which passes into a groove formed to recieve it in the incline Q
& curve T. The incline Q & curve T are formed upon a part Q' secured to

page_text: the housing by bolts in the manner indicated in the accompanying drawing. At
its lower end the above mentioned cutter is guided by one side of such cutter.
bearing against the housing & the other side of such cutter bearing against a
guide Q' secured to the cutter block O by bolts in the manner indicated in the
accompanying drawing. The spring X is so placed that its tendancy will always
be to keep the wheel at the upper end of the cutter in contact with the incline Q
& curve T as the case may be. The bearing of the flange of the wheel at the
upper end of the cutter against the sides of the groove in the incline Q & curve T
against which such wheel bears & the bearing of the sides of the cutter at its lower
part against the housing & guide O¹ must be made sufficiently free for such cutter
to be readily moved by each rod to be operated upon & to be moved back into
position by the spring X after each rod operated upon has passed clear of such
cutter. Instead of the cutter being guided in the manner above described slides
adapted to guide such cutter horizontally & vertically may be employed & such
slides may be arranged in a manner which will be obvious to persons conversant
with engineering. A cutter such as is discribed above is provided at each side of
the rolling mill illustrated in the accompanying drawing & if it be desirable more
than one such cutter may be provided at each side of the rolling mill. I will now
proceed to discribe the construction & use of the rolls which I employ. In the end
elevation Fig. 3 EE & F F show the top train of rolls & E' E F F show the
bottom train of rolls working on each side of the housing. This view also shows
the difference in diameter of the bottom smaller horizontal rolls F F & F F¹ &
how each of thein is driven from the corresponding top roll in each train of rolls.
On the main shaft is a spiral or cut gear A¹ which gears into the central spiral B'
which is secured to the top roll of the bottom train & works in the centre of
housing CC on each side of each of the central spiral pinions B & B is a smaller
pinion of ordinary tooth gearing D' D'. Into these gear at each side the smaller
pinions of the small bottom horizontal rolls F. F. & F F which are driven about
twice as fast per second as the top horizontal rolls. In this manner by giving the
top roll lead & it being larger in diameter & driving from it there is brought about
an action which serves to keep the bars of metal in their places in the machine.
The central spiral pinion B of the bottom train gears into the central spiral
pinion B of the top train which carries smaller pinions of ordinary tooth gear on
each side as discribed above which serve to drive the bottom rolls of the top train
in the manner discribed above & shown in Fig. 3. I do not tie myself to use spiral
or cut gear as ordinary pinions may be used instead of cut or spiral gear & any
suitable form of gearing may be used for driving. Fig. 6 represents one of the top
horizontal rolls B³ of the top train out of the housing showing the spiral pinion &
the toothed ordinary gear at each side in section, the top horizontal roll B² of the
bottom train being similar thereto. These rolls are constructed in a special way.
The necks A. running through the central spiral pinion B³ & also through the
barrels of rolls E E may be of steel or other suitable metal. The central spiral
pinions are made in half & bolted together by means of bolt holes C & C the roll
barrels are also made separate & fixed on as shown by Figs. 6. 7. & 8. In Fig. 6
at D the neck is made slightly taper & the barrel is bored out at D² to fit this
taper & also bored out taper at F2 for a purpose to be explained hereinafter.
These tapers at each side of the barrel do not extend far into such barrels as they
are only a means of adjustment, the central portion of the hole in the barrel being
bored out to the same size as the neck. A feather or key H' is inserted in the roll
neck. The barrel is put on the neck & pushed on to the taper seat at D' then the
taper washer Fig. 8 is inserted at F* to fill up the taper then an ordinary washer is
put over the taper washer & the end of the neck of the roll & the set screw G'
tightened which pressing on the said ordinary washer pushes the taper washer
into position thereby forcing the roll barrel firmly on to the taper seat D². The
feather or key H¹ inserted in the roll neck engages with the barrels also & holds it
from turning on the neck. A notch is formed in the taper washer as is indicated
in Fig. 8 in order that such washer may be placed in position without being

page_text: obstructed by the feather or key H' previously inserted in the roll neck. In this
Fig. 6 the central spiral pinion is shown in section. At Fig. 7 another method of
fastening on the barrels of the rolls is shown. At D' the barrel & neck are taper.d
as described above but the other side at F is bored to fit the neck. Then the two
set screws H' which are inserted into screwed holes each formed half in the barrel
& half in the neck are tightened & push the barrel firmly on to its seat at D' &
hold it there also being fixed half in the barrel & half in the ueck they also act as
two keys to keep the barrels from turning on the necks. These rolls may be also
cast solid as indicated at 1 in Fig. 7. The central spiral pinion & the ordinary
gear at each side of it are shown in this Fig. 7. Although in describing each of
the above mentioned methods of constructing the top horizontal rolls I have in
each case refered only to one end of the roll it is obvious that although it is not
absolutely necessary for such to be the case both ends of each roll will usually
be constructed in the same manner. The bottom horizontal rolls of each train
may be somewhat larger than is indicated in the accompanying drawing & may
be constructed similarly to the top rolls or made solid. The vertical rolls which
first act upon the bar or rod of metal being rolled & those which last act upon
it in each operation are driven by suitable spiral or bevel gearing from suitably
arranged shafts, but some of the intermediate vertical rolls may receive their
motion from the bars or rod of metal passing between them. For convenience
of illustration the horizontal rolls are shown somewhat closer together in Figs. 1
& 2 than would correspond with the employnent of gear wheels of the size illus-
trated in Fig. 3, -but the extent to which such rolls must be separated for the said
gearing to be employed will be apparent without further description to persons
conversant with rolling mills. At Fig. 9 is shown another method of placing the
mill instead of working two trains of rolls one above another, the top train may be
placed along line C B & driven by a separate shaft as the cogging or bolting rolls,
& the bottom train of rolls placed along the line C' B' as the finishing train,
& driven by another separate shaft also performing the same work exactly. The
blooms being reduced one on each side of the train placed at CB & entering
furnace D & then being introduced into train at C¹ B' to be further reduced one ou
each side of the train to the required form & size of sectional area.
Having now particularly described, & ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, & in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1st. Placing the furnaces A. & D in the relative positions, to the machine as
shown in plan at Fig. 1, thereby being enabled to perform the cogging or bolting
operation, & the further reduction of sectional area or finishing, at one operation
blooms being reduced to billets one on each side of the machine outside of the
housing as shown at B. C. & B' C' in plan Fig. 1. & billets being further reduced
to the sectional area & form required. one on each side of the machine, outside of
the housing, in all operating upon 4 bars of metal at the same time, in the same
machine, in the manner previously shown & described.
2nd. Reducing the size of bottom smaller horizontal rolls in top & bottom trains
of rolls; & driving from the top roll in each train; also, by reducing the size of
the vertical rolls so as to get the horizontal rolls as near to each other as they can
conveniently be worked, so that the shortest possible pieces of the bars of metal are
exposed between the rolls; thereby keeping the bars of metal stiff & under more
sure control. Also, rendering the conducting guides from one pair of rolls to
another unnecessary.
3rd. The position of the working barrels of the rolls, outside the housing one at
each side & driven by the central spiral pinion which works inside the centre of the
housing.
4th. The n.ethod of fixing & adjusting the rolls outside the housings, the
smaller bottom horizontal rolls in the bottom train being placed in the housings,
over which the larger top horizontal rolls ruu. To hold these top rolls in position,

page_text: the two arms left & right having small frictional rollers which run upon the barrels
of top horizontal rolls, of bottom train at suitable angles hold them in the position
required. The arms which are fastened to frame, the Y shaped piece to be drawn
down forcing the frictional rollers against the barrels of the top horizontal rolls, of
the bottom train thereby fixing them to their work. The top train of rolls
adjusted in a similar manner. Also method of adjusting smaller bottom horizontal
rolls. The larger top horizontal rolls are fixed between brasses so that they
cannot move end ways. The bottom smaller horizontal rolls are free to be adjusted
endways, by slackening screws & inserting liners; or by suitably arranged set
screws they can also be raised or lowered in order to get desired thicknesses of
sectional area of bars of metal, as herein before shown & described.
5th. The special feature of the bottom smaller horizontal rolls; they do not
extend the whole length of the larger top horizontal rolls, but are short & are held
in fixings one at each side of the housing & driven from the toothed ordinary gear
at the side of central spiral pinion as shown at Fig. 3.
6th. The special arrangement of cutters one on each side of the machine at
suitable places in the machine for the purpose of cutting off the first ends of the
bars of metal automatically as they are travelling through the machine in the
manner hereinbefore shown & described.
7th. The driving by cut or spiral gear from the main shaft into the central spiral
pinion of the top larger horizontal roll of the bottom train, mounted in the centre
of the two rolls & working in the centre of the housing, carrying on each side of it
a wheel of ordinary tooth. gearing which gears into the smaller pinions attached to
the bottom smaller horizontal rolls of the bottom train & drives them. The central
spiral pinion gears also into central spiral pinion, of the top larger horizontal roll
of the top train; this in like manner, carries ordinary tooth gear on each side
which drives the smaller bottom rolls in top train, in the manner hereinbefore
shown & described.
8th. The special construction of rolls. The central spiral pinion carrying the
ordinary tooth gearing on each side also the rolls one on each end of the neck.
The central spiral pinion bolted on & the rolls at each end of the neck fastened on
in the manner previously shown & described. for rolling 2 bars of metal at the
same time.
9th. Instead of placing the trains one above another as shown at Fig. 2, they
may be placed separately & driven separately, as shown at Fig. 9, top train of rolls
being placed along line C. B, as the cogging or bolting rolls, & bottom train placed
along the line C' B' as the finishing train. performing the same operation with two
distinct trains, as herein before shown & described.
.
Dated this 16th day of March 1893.
JOHN STEPHEN TAYLOR.