Improved Method of and Apparatus for Rolling Seamless Tubes and other Tubular Articles from Hollow Ingots
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of. Application, 19th Feb., 1889 ·
Complete Specification Left, 19th Nov., 1889-Accepted, 21st Dec., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION,
Improved Method of and Apparatus for Rolling Seamless Tubes and
other Tubular Articles from Hollow Ingots.
A communication from abroad by CHARLES KELLOGG, of Findlay, in the County
of Hancock, and State of Ohio, United States of America.
I WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON F.C.S., M.I.M.E,, of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, and 6, Bank Street, Manchester, both
in the County of Lancaster, and 323, High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is, first, to produce seamless tubes, etcetera, from hol-
low ingots by means of an organized machine, consisting of a series of pairs of
suitably shaped rolls, each successive pair of the series being driven at a greater
speed than the preceding pair, and a tapered or conical mandrel placed between
the series of rolls; second, to progressively roll and reduce a series of heated ingots
into tubes or similar articles in the same machine, so that the several stages of the
operation from placing the heated ingot on the mandrel, the progressivo rolling and
reduction of a number of ingots and the delivery of a completed tube off the end of
the mandrel may be carried on simultaneously and continuously; third, to support
or hold a nandrel between a series of pairs of rolls so that a heated ingot can be
placed on the mandrel and fed to the rolls, without decentering the mandrel; fourth,
to provide means for independently operating the grips by which the mandrel is held;
fifth, to provide means for cooling the mandrel without exposing the heated ingot
to the cooling agent.
In carrying out the invention in suitable housings are placed a series of pairs
of grooved rolls, so disposed as to bring into alternate relation pairs of vertical
and pairs of horizontal rolls. The rolls are each provided with a peripheral groove
of such shape in cross section that the grooves in the rolls of each pair form a
cavity or " poss" of the same shape that the article is intended to take from the
rolls. To cause the rolls of each pair to rotate in unison their ends are geared
together; and the rolls are mounted in movable bearings in order that they may be
adjusted laterally for the purpose of placing the grooves in proper relation to each
other and to a mandrel and to centre the successive pairs of rolls around said
mandrel.
The mandrel is preferably made with a uniform taper commencing near the sup-
ported end at the first pair of rolls, and extending to the end which rests between
the discharging pair of rolls. It is also made hollow to facilitate cooling as hereafter
described. The mandrel is projected between the series of pairs of rolls centrally
within the grooves, where it is held and supported by grips or holders placed in
front of the first pair of rolls and with the parts that clasp the mandrel in alignment
with the grooves therein. These grips work independently of each other, each being
operated by its own mechanism. One grip is placed as close to the first pair of rolls
as possible, while the other is far enough from the first to permit an ingot to be
placed on the mandrel between it and the other grip. The said grips are each pre-
ferably formed of two arms pivoted together by a pin, which projects from the
bracket hereafter referred to. The holding ends of the two arms are provided with
recessed jaws which when closed together clasp the mandrel. The grips are opened
and closed by power applied to the lower ends of the arms. For this purpose these
ends are connected by suitable means with a piston in a steam cylinder which is fixed
to the bed-plate of the machine, one under each grip. The steam is led into the
LD Q77

page_text: cylinders by pipes provided with suitable three way valves for controlling the
admission of steain. By means of said devices the jaws are opened and closed at
will, and those of one grip independently of the other.
The mandrel may be either solid or hollow. If hollow it should be provided with
means for cooling it. It is preferred for this purpose to close its outer end and
provide it with an interior pipe open at the forward end and at the other connected
with an opening through the side of the mandrel stem at a point opposite one of the
grips, and registering with a chamber in one jaw that connects by a suitable pipe
with a water supply; the other jaw being also provided with a chamber that registers
with an opening through the mandrel stem. Water is let into the mandrel through
the interior pipe, at its forward end, flows back and out through the opening in the
mandrel stem and chamber in the jaw, and is carried through a pipe to any distance
from the machine. Suitable valves in the jaws and chambers cut off the entrance
and exit of the water, so that it flows in and out only when the grip is closed.
The several pairs of rolls move with a gradually increasing surface speed in order
that the additional length that the ingot receives by reason of its reduction may be
passed by the successive pairs of rolls. This increase of speed is produced by
suitably proportioned gears.
Dated this 18th day of February 1889.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant,
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Method of and Apparatus for Rolling Seamless Tubes and
other Tubular Articles from Hollow Ingots.
A communication from abroad by CHARLES KELLOGG, of Findlay, in the County
of Hancock, and State of Ohio, United States of America.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S. M.I.M.E. of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street, Liverpool, and 6 Bank Street, Manchester both
in the County of Lancaster, and 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what inanner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement :-
It has been discovered that hollow steel ingots can be converted into seamless
tubes, columns and similar articles, by means of an organized machine composed of
a series of pairs of positively driven rolls and a tapered mandrel extended between
the rolls, and that such articles can be manufactured more rapidly by making the
andrel iminovable and arranging the supports or holders therefor so that the heated
ingot can be passed over the supported end of the mandrel without changing the
relation of the mandrel to the rolls.
The object of the invention is, first, to produce seamless tubes, etcetera, from hollow
ingots by means of an organized machine, consisting of a series of pairs of suitably
shaped rolls, each successive pair of the series being driven at a greater speed than
the preceding pair, and a tapered or conical mandrel placed between the series of
rolls; second, to progressively roll and reduce a series of heated ingots into tubes or
similar articles in the same machine so that the several stages of the operation from
placing the heated ingot on the mandrel, the progressive rolling and reduction of a
number of ingots and the delivery of a completed tube off the end of the mandrel may
be carried on simultaneously and continuously; third, to support or hold a mandrel
between a series of pairs of rolls so that a heated ingot can be placed on the mandrel
and fed to the rolls without decentering the mandrel; fourth, to provide means for
independently operating the grips by which the mandrel is held; fifth, to provide
means for cooling the mandrel without exposing the heated ingot to the cooling
agent.

page_text: In the accompanying drawings :-
Figure 1 is a plan of the organized machine for rolling seamless tubes etcetera,
from hollow ingots.
Figure 2 an end elevation of the same.
Figure 3 a sectional side elevation of the machine, showing the operation of feeding
and reducing a series of ingots simultaneously.
Figures 4 and 5 are detail views of the gears for operating the rolls.
Figure 6 a horizontal section taken through one of the grips and longitudinally of
the inandrel, and of an ingot thereon, also showing means of controlling the flow of
water into and out of the mandrel and also the gradual reduction of the ingot by the
several pairs of rolls during the "pass" through the machine.
Figure 7 diagrams illustrating in cross section the various forms given to the
ingot by the successive pairs of rolls.
Figure 8 an enlarged plan view of the grips and the first two pairs of rolls with the
mandrel held in place and showing one grip open, and an ingot partly passed through
the same.
Figure 9 represents on an enlarged scale one of the grips closed and the means
by which it is operated partly in section, and
Figure 9 the same with the grips open.
A indicates the housings of the machine, and B B₁ the rolls which are arranged in
pairs and so disposed as to bring into alternate relation the pairs of horizontal rolls B
and the pairs of vertical rolls B¹. The rolls are each provided with a peripheral
groove 6, of such shape in cross section that the grooves in the rolls of each pair
form a cavity or “ pass" of the same shape that the article is intended to receive
from the rolls. To cause the rolls of each pair to rotate positively together in unison
their ends are connected by gears 6 6.
The rolls are movable laterally for the purpose of placing the grooves in proper
relation to the mandrel and also with a view to their adjustinent towards and from
the mandrel for the purpose of varying the reduction of the ingot. For this purpose,
their journals are mounted in inovable bearings c c, which are arranged to slide in
suitable guide ways dd formed in the housings A, and the adjustment of such bearings
is effected by means of adjusting screws e e in the usual manner. These movable
bearings are shown on an enlarged scale in Figure 8 (Sheet 11), but in connection
with the vertical rolls only.
C is the mandrel which is preferably made with a uniform taper cominencing near
the outer side of the first pair of rolls and extending to the end which rests between
the last or discharging pair of rolls; it is also made hollow to facilitate cooling by
means hereafter described. By tapering the mandrel it will be seen by reference
to Figure 6 the rolling action is greatly facilitated as the bind of the metal
against the mandrel occurs only in the line of the bite of the rolls, the ingots
being of larger internal diameter than the mandrel on both sides of this line. Hence
the resistance to the drawing action of the rolls occurs only at the point of reduction,
beyond this point between the successive pairs of rolls the ingot meets with no
resistance to its progress from the mandrel and the result is that the rolling can be
performed more rapidly and with less power by using a tapered mandrel than with
any other known form. While it is preferred that a tapering mandrel shall be
used, yet parts of the invention may be used with other forms of mandrels to which
they are applicable.
The mandrel is projected between the series of pairs of rolls centrally within the
grooves b its extremity resting just beyond the "bite" of the last pair of rolls. In
this position it is held and supported by suitable devices that permit the ingot to be
placed on the mandrel and fed to the rolls without withdrawing the mandrel or
changing its position relatively to the grooves, whereby heated ingots can be placed
on the mandrel preparatory to being fed to the rolls, while one or more ingots are
already on the mandrel and undergoing the rolling operation. The devices for this
purpose consist of grips or holders D D¹ placed in front of the first pair of rolls and
with the parts that clasp the mandrel in alignment with the grooves therein. These

page_text: grips work independently, each being operated by its own mechanism. Grip Deis
placed as close to the first pair of rolls as possible, while grip D is far enough from
the first to permit an ingot to be placed on the mandrel between, it and grip D' as
shown in Figure 3. The said grips are each preferably formed of two arms f f
pivoted together by a pin R which projects from the brackets hereafter referred to.
The upper or holding ends of the two arms are provided with recessed jaws i i
which when closed together form a cavity of substantially the same form and size as
the reduced portion c¹ of the mandrel, these reduced parts being provided in order
that the grips may hold the mandrel against endwise motion as well as laterally.
The grips are opened and closed by power applied to the lower ends of the arms f.
For this purpose the lower ends of arms f f (see Figures 8, 9 and 9*) are connected
by links with the projecting arms g g of the piston E in the cylinder F, vertical
slots h being made in the sides of the cylinder for the arms to move in, said slots
terminating at a point above the line reached by the face of the piston on the up
stroke (see Figure 9). The cylinders are fixed to the bed plate of the machine, one
under each grip, and stean, water or other fluid is adinitted under the piston
through a pipe m, passed up through the bed plate and the bottom of the cylinder.
The pipe m should be provided with a suitable three way valve V or other suitable
device for controlling the admission of steam or other agent through the pipe.
An exhaust or discharge pipe m¹ connects with the chamber of said valve. By
means of said cylinders, pistons and connections, the jaws of the grips are opened
and closed at will by the movement of the pistons, and when closed on the mandrel
they clasp and hold it with all the force that can be applied by means of the steam
under the piston; and as each grip is supplied with its own cylinder piston and
connections, each can be independently operated at will, to clasp and release the
mandrel. This arrangement affords opportunity for placing the heated ingots on
the mandrel, while one or more has already been passed to the rolls. This opera-
tion is illustrated by Figure 3 and is as follows:
The heated ingot is placed over the rear end of the mandrel that projects out of
grip D far enough to receive the ingot prior to being passed through the said grip.
Grip D is now opened, D¹ remaining closed and supporting, holding and centering
the mandrel, and the ingot is moved on the mandrel until it is between the two
grips whereupon grip D is closed, and (if the preceding ingot has passed far enough
into the rolls, that is, if it has cleared the first pair and is well advanced through
the second) grip D¹ is opened, D remaining closed and holding the mandrel, and
the ingot shoved past grip D until its forward end is caught by the first pair of
rolls, and when it is drawn in between said rolls and clears grip D¹, the latter is
closed, and grip D again opened to pass another ingot on the mandrel between the
grips. The holding of the mandrel is thus transferred from one grip to the other
alternately to permit the ingots to be placed on the mandrel and fed to the rolls,
whereby a continuous succession of unrolled and partially rolled ingots passes on
the mandrel and through the machine in all stages of reduction; from the first
reduction by the first pair of rolls to the final rolling by the last pair where the com-
pleted tube is rolled off the end 2 of the mandrel. From the foregoing it will be
seen that the mandrel serves several important purposes. In the first place its rear
end which projects beyond the first grips, receives and supports the heated ingot
and guides it to the grip and by holding it at one or more points, the feeding of
the ingots can be continuous, as one of the grips can at any time be released for
passing an ingot, without decentering the mandrel, and without risk of its being
drawn in between the rolls. To enable the grips to withstand the drawing action of
the rolls, brackets H H are provided for the grips on the side nearest the rolls.
Bracket H is bolted directly to the housing of the first pair of rolls and the adjoining
grip D' bears directly against it (see Figures 8 and 9). Bracket H¹ is bolted to
the bed plate and grip D bears against it, both brackets are provided with openings S
for the ingots to pass through when inoved past the grips.
The mandrel above described may be constructed either solid or hollow as may be
desired. When a hollow mandrel is used, means for cooling the same become

page_text: necessary. Suitable devices for this purpose are illustrated in Figure 6. A suitable
pipe or tube 3 extending from a water supply pipe, communicates with a cylindrical
recess 4 in the inner face of one of the jaws of the grips D. Adjacent to this
recess in the mandrel C is a corresponding orifice 5, with which, when the grip
grasps the mandrel, such recess registers, and within this orifice is secured the short
tube or chamber 6, having projecting laterally from its inner end and extending into
the mandrel to a point near its forward extremity, the pipe 7. Opposite orifice 5
and to the rear of the same, in the side of the mandrel, is a second orifice 8, in
which is also secured a short tube 9 whose outer end registers with a correspondingly
shaped recess 10 in the other jaw of the grip, which in turn communicates with a
suitable pipe 11. Water being admitted to the pipe 3, passes through the same
and through recess 4 thence through chainber 6, thence through pipe 7 and is
discharged within the mandrel at a point near its inner end. The water thus con-
veyed to the interior of the mandrel flows back to the tube or chamber 8 and thence
through the recess 10 to the pipe or tube 11 which conveys it away from the machine.
The devices for conducting the water to and away from the mandrel being thus
carried by the jaws of one of the grippers will move towards and from the mandrel
as such jaws are closed and opened, respectively, and as there are no pipes or other
elements of the water circulating devices which project beyond the surface of the
mandrel, the heated ingot may, in the operation of the machines, be passed on over
one end of the same and the finished product off the other, without interfering with
such water circulating devices.
In order to prevent the discharge of the water carried by the circulating devices
upon the ingot when the same is being passed on over the mandrel and when the
grip D is open suitable check valves are placed in the water circulating devices,
which act automatically to let on the water when the grip is closed and shut it off
when opened. The valve 12 is placed in the chamber in recess 4 its stem being held
in suitable guides, and it is kept on its seat in said chamber by the pressure of the
water led into said chamber by pipe 3; valve 13 is located in the chambered orifice 5
in the mandrel with which the pipe 7 connects; valve 1 is placed in the chambered
órifice 9 in the opposite side of the mandrel. Valves 13 and 14 are respectively
kept on their seats by light coiled springs as shown.
To open these valves for the inflow of water, when the ingot has been passed over
the end of the mandrel and the grip is being closed, the valves 12 13 are each
provided on its under or outer side with a stem which is of such length that when
the jaws of the grippers are closed upon the mandrel the stems of the valves strike
together forcing such valves back off their seats, thereby permitting the water to
flow into the tube 7 and thence to the interior of the mandrel; the water thence
passes to the chambered orifice 8 and pressing on valve 14 forces it off its seat and
flows out into the waste pipe 11 whence it is delivered at any convenient distance
away from the machine. As soon as the grip is opened the stem of valve 13 being
moved away from the stem of valve 12, the latter is closed by the pressure of water
behind it, and valve 13 in the mandrel is closed by its spring, the water being thereby
cut off from flowing, and the water in the mandrel being prevented from flowing out
by the closing of the valve in the mandrel.
The mechanisin for rotating the several pairs of horizontal and vertical rolls is shown
in Figures 1, 2, 4, and 5, the same consisting of the train of gears I 1', etcetera,
and KK, etcetera, mounted on shafts L L, etcetera, and M M₁, etcetera, respec-
tively which are carried in suitable bearings in the respective housings N. O. These
gears, instead of being of a diameter to rotate all the rolls at the same surface speed
are proportioned to drive them at progressively increasing velocities from the pair
which receives the ingots to the pair which discharges the finished product, the
amount of increase in the velocity of each succeeding pair being sufficient to not only
cause them to feed forward in a given time the same length of the ingot as the pre-
ceding pair, but also the additional length of the same occasioned by the reduction
therein in passing between them.
The proportion of the various gears comprising the two trains is best-shown in

page_text: Figures 4 and 5 in which L and M indicate the shafts for operating the first pair of
horizontal and vertical rolls B and B respectively and Li and M¹ the shafts for
operating the last pairs thereof, these several shafts being connected alternately by
means of the sleeves or couplings to the upper roll of one pair and to the under
roll of the next pair of the horizontal series, and to the left hand roll of one pair and
the right hand rolls of the next pair of the vertical series, and so on throughout each
series.
As thus constructed the operation of rolling tubes by the described machine is
as follows:-
The ingot heated to rolling heat, is placed on end of the mandrel; grip D is
now opened and the ingot passed through the same; grip D is closed; grip D
opened and the ingot passed through the latter to the first pair of rolls, which draws
it in and gives it the first reduction. Another ingot is now placed on the end of
the mandrel, and when the first ingot has passed the first pair of rolls, grip D¹ is
closed, D opened and the second ingot passed through the latter grip. When the
first ingot has passed far enough, say partly through the fifth pair of rolls, the grip D¹
is opened, the second ingot passed through and fed to the rolls, and when the second
ingot is partly passed through the fifth pair of rolls, a third ingot is passed through
the grip D and fed to the first pair of rolls. In this way the rolling can be made
continuous and no interference can take place between the ingots undergoing reduc-
tion provided they are fed to the machine at the proper intervals.
Figure 7 shows the ingot and the various forms given to it by the several pairs
of rolls as it passes through the machine, the successive numerals indicating the
several stages through which the ingot passes from the time it is placed on the
mandrel until it is delivered from the last pair of rolls a finished tube.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said 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 organised machine for rolling seamless tubes and similar articles, the
combination with the rolls of said machine, of a tapering or conical mandrel pro-
jected between said rolls and supports therefor, that grasp the mandrel at several
points, and are operated separately to grasp and hold or release the mandrel in order
that an ingot may be passed to and through the rolls without displacing the mandrel
or interrupting the rolling operation.
2. The combination with a series of pairs of positively driven rolls arranged for
progressively rolling an ingot into a tube or similar article, of a stationary, tapering
or conical mandrel projected between said rolls suitable supports by which the
mandril is held horizontally and prevented from being drawn between the rolls.
3. In an organised machine for producing seamless tubes and similar articles from
hollow ingots, the combination with a series of pairs of rolls, provided with con-
secutively graduated grooves, of a mandrel projected between the said rolls, said
mandrel having a straight or cylindrical portion outside of the rolls and a tapered
portion between the rolls and suitable supports for the mandrel that grasp the cylin-
drical part of the mandrel and hold and centre the mandrel in the grooves
between the rolls, one of the supports being detachable from the mandrel while the
other continues to sustain and hold it.
4. The combination with a mandrel of a rolling machine, of grips for grasping
and supporting the same, a cylinder and piston for operating each of said grips and
suitable pipes and valves for conducting the operating agent to and away froin said
cylinder and controlling its movements.
5. A grip for grasping the mandrel consisting of two levers pivoted together near
their middles and provided in their upper ends with recesses of the same shape as the
mandrel, combined with a steamn cylinder, a piston fitted to operate therein, suitable
pipes and regulating devices for controlling the flow of steam or other actuating
agent to and from said cylinder, and connecting devices between the lower ends of
the levers composing the gripper, and the piston.

page_text: 6. The combination with a hollow mandrel and a grip for grasping the same of
devices carried by said grip for conducting water to and away from the mandrel
when said mandrel is grasped by the grip, and mechanism for cutting off the supply
of water and preventing the escape of the same from said supply or the interior of
the mandrel when the grip is released from the mandrel.
7. The grip D consisting of the two levers ff pivoted together near their centres
and provided in their upper ends with recesses ii and 4, 10, combined with the
hollow mandrel C provided with the orifices 5, 8, tubes 6, 9, pipes 3, 7, 11, the valves
4, 13, 14, springs for controlling valves 13, 14, and means for operating and closing
the grips.
8. The process of manufacturing seamless tubes from hollow ingots herein described,
the same consisting in reducing and elongating the heated ingot between a series of
exterior rolls moving with gradually increasing speed with passes of gradually
decreasing area and an internal support consisting of a mandrel which tapers. to
correspond to the said cavities or passes in the rolls.
Deted this 18th day of November 1880