Improvements in Rolling Mills for Use in the Manufacture of Seamless Tubes.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Oct., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 25th Aug., 1895-Accepted, 29th Oct., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Rolling Mills for Use in the Manufacture of
Seamless Tubes.
I, PAUL HESSE, of 9 Garten Strasse, Iserlohn, in the Empire of Germany,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The present invention relates to improvements in machinery for rolling out,
finishing and grooving rolled seamless tubes.
In carrying my invention into practice I employ grooved rolls of the usual
construction for rolling tubes arranged in two or three high trains. The inside of
the tubes however is sinoothed by means of self adjusting mandrel heads of peculiar
construction as hereinafter more particularly referred to.
At each side of the train of rolls a bed plate having bearing or transporting rolls
for the tubes is provided and at each end of said bed plate means are provided for
retaining or supporting the rod or rods to which is or are attached the mandrel
head or heads afore mentioned. The said maudrel head rods are of such length
as to allow the head to extend between the rolls and the mandrel head is so
constructed, that when the tube to be worked has its end inserted between the
rolls, the rest of the tube length being slid over the mandrel head retaining rod,
and its end encircling the mandrel head, this latter, on contact with the inner
surface of the said tube expands automatically, i.e. increases in diameter when
friction is applied thereto in one direction but decreases or falls back when
rubbed in the opposite direction. Or the said mandrel head may be widened by
hand by suitable mechanism.
The mandrel head consists of a cylindrical mantle, split or divided lengthwise
into three or more segments held together by collars or riugs. These mandrel
heads may be hored out interiorly to fit on to conical or tapering collars formed
on the retaining rod, which passes through the said head and on which the same
may slide longitudinally within certain limits.
It will thus be evident that if a pull is exercised on the head so as to pull the
same towards the large end of the cones formed on the retaining rods the sections
of said heads will be driven or wedged apart by the said cones, the retaining rings
being of sufficient diameter to allow such action within certain limits. If the
said head is subjected to friction acting on its exterior surfaces in the opposite
direction to that just described, the sections or segments will be pulled towards the
small end of the cone and the exterior diameter will consequently decrease.
I can also use loose wedges or levers arranged between the interior of the head
and stops on the rod passing through the same, which will act to push the segments
apart when the pull is in one certain direction but allow the same to close on to
the rod when the pull is in the opposite direction.
Or I can arrange intermediate wedges, levers or stops or both between the said
rod and interior of the mandrel head which do not act automatically but will act
to push the sections of the head apart when the rod is turned on its own axis.
Thus wedges or levers may be employed which rest between tangential projections
or depressions on or in the rod and similar projections on the interior of the
mandrel bead so that on turning the rod in one direction the said levers or wedges
will act to push the said sections apart, whilst on turning the rod in the opposite
directions the wedges or levers will allow the said sections to close on to the rod.

page_text: In working with this class of mandrel head I advantageously divide the same
into sections longitudinally not by cutting the said mantle or shell in a direction
parallel to the axis of the rod but slanting or spirally to the same, so as to avoid
the formation of scores on the interior of the tubes.
When employing my invention in connection with three high trains of rolls, I
advantageously make the bed or frame supporting the tube carrying rolls, vertically
adjustable, by means of mechanical or hydraulic pressure. And I may arrange
two mandrel heads the retaining rods of which extend towards opposite ends of
the frame or bed plate, so that each head shall expand in the opposite direction, the
tube passing over both heads at one passage through the rolls, but only being
operated by one of the same the other remaining closed. The mandrel head
retaining rods are so arranged as to be subjected to a pull when working but not
to pressure. Thus when the said tube has been passed between the two lower
rolls it is operated by the head which has its retaining rod supported at that end
of the machine frame which the said tube leaves, the tube passing over the
inoperative second mandrel and rod, so that when it has completed its passage
through the lower rolls, it is in position on the inoperative mandrel head for the
back passage through the upper rolls. The bed or frame as also the mandrel
heads, retaining rods and their connections are now raised by suitable hydraulic or
mechanical means and the tube brought to a level with the grooves of the upper rolls,
through which it makes its back passage, the mandrel head which has hitherto been
inoperative, coming into operation and the hitherto operative head resting. Thus
the tube may be passed backward and forward through the rolls until it is finished.
The mandrel heads and rods may be operated-raised and lowered-simultaneously
with or independently of the bed plate or frame and by the same or independent
means, and the mandrel heads or heads and rods may be adjustably arranged and
detachably connected to their retaining parts.
If two high trains only are employed no raising or lowering mechanism is
necessary.
By providing the mandrel head with exterior ribs and projections and grooving
the rolls to correspond, ribs may be formed in the tubes being operated or their
section may be otherwise varied.
Dated this 20th day of October 1901
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in Rolling Mills for Use in the Manufacture of
Seamless Tubes.
I, PAUL HESSE, of No. 9 Gartenstrasse Iserlohn, in the Empire of Germany,
Engineer, 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 :-
The present invention relates to machinery for rolling out, finishing and
grooving seamless tubes, and consists in the details of construction hereinafter
described.
And in order to render the present Specification more easily intelligible reference
is had to the accompanying drawing in which similar reference nunerals denote
similar parts throughout the several views :-
Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section through a machine constructed
according to my invention,
Figure 2 is a vertical cross section through the roll bearings.

page_text: Figure 3 a plan of the machine.
Figures 4 to 7 show detail views of various forms of mandrel heads employed in
connection with the present class of machinery.
Referring to Figures 1 to 3 ;-The rolls 37, 38 and 39, which may either
be arranged in two, or as shown three high trains are provided with semicircular
grooves and rotate in the directions indicated by the arrows in Figure 1, being
driven in the usual manner by suitable gearing. The rods 41 and 42 are held
stationary at their ends at 45 and 44 respectively and carry at their forward ends
mandrel heads of one or other of the constructions shown in Figures 4, 5 and 6.
The mandrel heads shown at Figures 4 and 5 are constructed to expand in diameter,
when a pull, or push and pressure is exercised on them, as hereinafter particularly
described.
In Figure 4 a vertical longitudinal and a cross section as also a side elevation of
one form of mandrel head are shown, the mandrel head rod being provided with
conical collars 74 on which are mounted to slide the segments 71, 72, 73 forming
the head, their expansive movement being limited by means of collars 75.
Obviously when a pull is exercised on the rod 74, the segments forming the head
will be expanded but on the rod being pushed in the opposite direction as shown by
the arrow they will collapse or close together. As will be seen at Figure 7: (side
elevation) the segments or parts forming the head are not split in a line parallel to
the longitudinal axis of the head but slanting to the same, so as to prevent grooves
or seams being formed on the interior of the tubes along the lines of juncture of the
parts of the beads.
Figure 5 shows in longitudinal and cross section a modified form of head
consisting of four parts 76, 77, 78, 79 arranged on a shaft 80 having collars against
which wedges 81 which wedge against inward projections of the parts of the head
are supported. Thus if a pull is exercised on the head in the direction of the
arrow the parts forming the same will be expanded under the action of the wedges 81.
The expansion of the parts is limited by the nut and the collar arranged at the
ends of the four parts on the rod 80 said nut and collar having cup shaped
projections to pass over the ends of the parts as shown at 82.
According to the construction shown at Figure 6 the expansion of the four
parts 83, 84, 85 and 86 is effected by means of wedges 88 inserted between
projections on the inner surface of the said parts and projections on the rod 87 so
that on turning the said rod by means of the lever 92 the parts will be driven
outwardly. The lever 92 may be retained in any desired position, i.e. the head
may be adjusted to any desired degree of expansion by means of a pawl 91 engaging
in ratchet teeth on the guide tube 90 of the mandrel rod. The expansion of the
said parts is limited by means of a washer 89 and the end of the tube 90 said
washer and tube having facial projections engaging in depressions in the ends of
the parts.
The tube 40 Figures 1 to 3 is guided by means of guide rolls 62 between the
rolls 38 and 39 and forced by means of the same over the mandrel head which may
be of either of the constructions shown. The friction of the tube interior on the
head will cause the latter to expand thus smoothing the interior walls of the tube,
whilst the rolls will smooth and finish the exterior of the said tubè.
Since however one passage through the rolls is not sufficient to properly
finish the tube a second mandrel bead is provided supported on a rod 42, which
head remains inoperative during the passage of the tube in the direction of
the arrow Figure 1, as will be evident from its construction as previously
described. Thus the rods of the mandrel heads will always be subjected to
tensional strains and not to pressure, and may consequently be subjected to
very high strains. When the tube has passed through the rolls 38 and 39
and over the rod 42, the beds or frames 63 at either side of the rolls carrying
the rolls 62 are raised simultaneously so that the tube may be passed in the
opposite direction through 37 and 38. The beds or frames 63 are raised by
means of the following mechanism: At one end of the machine is arranged an

page_text: hydraulic cylinder 48 having piston rod 52 and reversing lever 69. The piston
rod 52 of the cylinder is connected by suitable mechanism such as a link, to one
arm of a bell crank lever 50, mounted on a shaft 50 arranged in the machine frame.
The other arm of the bell crank lever is coupled by means of a connecting rod 55
to a lever arm 54 keyed to a shaft 55 running parallel to the shaft of the bell crank
lever 50. To the shaft 55 is keyed a second lever arın 55 having its end attached
to the frame 63 by means of a link or its equivalent, and a third arm 56 which is
coupled by means of a rod 56 to the upper end of a bell crank lever 57 58 mounted
on a spindle 57 also parallel to shaft 55. Instead of a bell crank lever two
separate levers 57, 58 may be employed keyed to the shaft 57. The arms 51
and 55 are linked to one frame 63 and 58 and 60 to the other, the upper arm 57
being coupled to the upper arm of a similar lever arrangement 59, 60 mounted on
shaft 59ª. From this description it will be evident that on reversing the cylinder 48
by means of the lever 69, the piston rod 52 will exercise a pull on all the levers 50,
54, 57 and 59 and raise both beds or frames 63 and with them the tube 40 bringing
the latter in position to be passed between the upper two rolls 37 and 38.
These two rolls will work the said tube through in the opposite direction,
in which passage the mandrel head of the rod 42 will come into operation that of
the rod 41 remaining inoperative. After the tube has been worked by the rolls 37
and 38, the hydraulic cylinder may be reversed and the beds lowered and the tube
again passed through the lower pair of rolls 38 and 39. These operations may be
repeated, as often as may be considered necessary.
The retaining levers 44 and 45 for the rods 42 and 41 may be mounted on
suitable arms 43 and 46 and operated to exercise a pull on or to release the said
rods from strain by suitable lever mechanism, such as a hand lever 49 keyed to the
spindle supporting the arm 46 and a downwardly extending lever fast on the same
spindle 46 and connected by means of a rod 67 to a similar lever 68 fast on
the spindle supporting the arm 43 of the rod or rods 42. The spindle 46* is carried
in brackets 63* on the frame 63. Or the movement of this mechanism may be
made dependent on the movement of the hydraulic piston and coupled to the same
by any suitable means which will be readily understood by those skilled in the art.
The frame or bed 63 is guided vertically in the machine frame by means of vertical
guide rods 66 extending downwardly therefrom and guided in sleeves 65 of the
stationary part of the machine frame. If the present invention is employed in
connection with a two high train, or pair of rolls only, the upper roll will be
omitted and the tube be passed over the roll 38 in the well known manner and then
back between the two rolls 38 and 39 in repeating the rolling operation, or the rolls
may be reversed in any well known manner and the tube passed backwards and
forwards between the same. in the latter case the device for raising and lowering
the bed or frame 63 may be dispensed with.
If as shown in Figure 7 in cross section the mandrel head is provided with
projections corresponding to grooves formed in the rolls, the tubes may be provided
with any desired number of longitudinal ribs. Such longitudinal ribs will render
the tubes stronger and are particularly adapted for employment in connection with
boiler tubes columns and similar purposes.
Instead of raising the beds or frames 63 by means of hydraulic cylinders the
same may be raised and lowered by mechanical means such as lever systems. The
guide rolls 62 may also be provided with driving mechanism if desired.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. Rolling mill for rolling out smoothing and grooving seamless tubes in which
the hollow metal object under treatment is passed through grooved rolls (37, 38
and 39) and over suitable mandrel heads (Figures 4, 5, 6 and 7) adapted to expand
or change their form either automatically by friction on contacting with the tube
being rolled or by suitable mechanical means substantially as described.

page_text: 2. A mandrel head as illustrated in Figure 4 consisting of suitable segments (71,
72, 73) constructed and arranged in combination with a cone or cones 74 to expand
on contacting with the interior of the tube in three directions, the said segments
having their contacting surfaces one with the other arranged slantingly to the
longitudinal axis of the head substantially as described.
3. A mandrel head as illustrated in Figure 5 having the parts 76, 77, 78 and 79
supported by means of inserted wedges 81 against collars on the rod 80 so that on
the exterior of the head contacting with the interior of the tube the wedges shall be
caused to operate the parts to expand substantially as described.
4. A mandrel head as illustrated in Figure 6 having segmental parts and having
projections on the rod passing through the said head, said projections being adapted
to support laterally operating wedges 88 which operate to push the parts of the said
head apart when the rod is turned, and means for retaining the rod in any desired
position with regard to the head substantially as described.
5. A rolling mill of the construction covered by Claim 1, in which two vertically
movable beds or frames are arranged one in front of and one behind the rolls, said
frames being moved by means of one hydraulic cylinder the movement of the one
frame being transmitted to the other by suitable lever mechanism (50, 53, 56, 51,
54, 55, 57, 58, 59, 60 and 61) and in which the retaining mechanism for the
rods 41, 42 of the mandrel heads may be conjointly operated with the hydraulic
cylinder substantially as described.
Doted thia 28th day of August 1805
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.