Improvements in Machines or Mechanism for and relating to the Tilting or Turning and Feeding of Steel Ingots, Slabs, and Billets or Iron Blooms in connection with Cogging and such like Rolling and Reducing Mills.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Sept., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 13th June, 1890-Accepted, 19th July, 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines or Mechanism for and relating to the
Tilting or Turning and Feeding of Steel Ingots, Slabs, and Billets
or Iron Blooms in connection with Cogging and such like Rolling
and Reducing Mills.
We, JAMES NEILSON, Steel Manufacturer, and JOHN WHITELAW, Foreinan Pattern-
maker, both of the Mossend Steel Works, Mossend, Lanarkshire, do hereby declare
the nature of our invention to be as follows:-
This Invention has reference to and comprises a new general construction, or
arrangement and combination of the parts of apparatus or mechanism for the
tilting or turning of steel ingots, slabs, and billets, or iron blooms in a bot state, and
bringing them opposite the grooves or passes in the rolls of the cogging mills, all over
or on the usual sets of rollers, termed live rollers, which feed them through the said
reducing and shaping rolls. These improvements comprise many new and important
features, and will be more convenient and efficient than the appliances heretofore used
for the like purposes, especially for long rolls with many reducing passes on either side
of the main cogging pass.
The nature and novelty of the invention or improvements consist all as follows:-
According to one arrangement, a horizontal carriage, preferably with a rectangular
open frame, would be erected on four wheels traversed on rails in a foundation
chamber or recess some distance below the level of the front set of "live" rollers
and at right angles to these. This carriage frame would have vertical standards or
housings erected on it at each side projecting up and traversing between two pairs
of the rollers and which would carry a transverse shaft in the centre between them.
These standards would each consist of two vertical cheeks of a box form, with a
space between them within which a spur or segmental toothed wheel would be
mounted on the transverse shaft to each actuate a pair of levers mounted in the
upper part of the standards for tilting the ingots or blocks, at each end, and bringing
them opposite the passes in the cogging rolls, all as will hereinafter be described.
The transverse shaft would have an oscillating lever mounted near its centre, actuated
by one or two double or single acting hydraulic ram cylinders secured on the ends of
the said traversing carriage which would be traversed to and fro on its rails by the
reciprocating rod and piston of a stationary double-acting hydraulic cylinder, or
two single-acting hydraulic cylinders, to move the said vertical frames with their
tilting levers of this carriage to and fro to any pass in the rolls of the cogging or
other reducing mill. Each of the said spur wheels on the centre shaft of this
traversing carriage frame, would work into a segmental spur wheel formed on the
lower eye or axis of a long tilting lever mounted on a short spindle or stud over the
spur wheel in the cheeks or open part of each standard. These tilting levers would
oscillate vertically between the same pair of rollers in which the standards traversed
horizontally and when in their normal position not required for tilting the ingots or blocks,
would lie horizontally, and have a short arm projecting up vertically, with a catch heel
on its outer end, all below the upper surface of the live rollers in this position; but
such that when these tilting levers were raised vertically by the motion of the
hydraulic cylinder on the carriage in one direction they would raise the ingot or
bloom over them by the turning of the said centre spur wheel, and the vertical arm
and heel part would form a lateral stop for preventing the lower edge of the ingot or
bloom from sliding laterally, and so be turned vertically over on its edge upon the
rollers. A further improvement consists in mounting a corresponding single armed
lever in the cheeks of the upper ends of the standards parallel to and at some distance
in front of the tilting lever, with a segmental toothed wheel on its eye, gearing into
the segmental toothed wheel on the tilting lever, so that this pair of single levers

page_text: would be raised simultaneously with the tilting levers, and so stop the block or bloom
in its vertical position as tilted over the centre of the standard frames, and traversing
rollers by the double-armed lever, and so guide the ingot or slab over these rollers to
the passes of the rolling mill opposite which the carriage and tilting frame are
traversed to. Both the double and single-armed levers are turned down to their
horizontal position between the live rollers out of the way of the return motion of
the ingot or slab over these by the reverse reciprocation of the hydraulic cylinders
on the carriage, all ready for being removed to again turn over the ingot or slab
and remove it to suit the successive passes required in its further reducing in the
rolling mill. It will be understood, from the position of the two pairs of levers on
their centres facing each other in the top of each box standard, that either the double
or the single armed levers may tilt the ingot or slab up between them over the
lateral arm and heel of the former, which acts as a stop in whichever way the ingot
is turned, so that the single levers also form tilting arms when brought under the
ingot to turn it up towards the long arm of the double levers, which in this case stop
the ingot from tilting over, the one set of levers tilting the ingot from right to left
and the other set from left to right, each set forming stops to the other on opposite
sides of the ingot. The double and single armed levers may be formed with different
widths of gaps between them to take in different sizes of slabs, or be angled at their
upper ends to a greater or less extent, and be angled or rounded at their lower ends
to assist the lower edge of the ingot or block, to assume the central position between
the levers, in the act of tilting. The reciprocating rod of the hydraulic cylinder or
cylinders, mounted on the traversing carriage frame of the tilting mechanism, might
be connected to actuate the lever of the central spur wheel shaft either by a slotted
recess or bush, or by links, or by a toothed rack working into a segmental rack or
wheel mounted on the said lever or its shaft, in any case to give the reverse action of the
spur wheels in the standards to oscillate the tilting levers all as described, either to tilt
the ingot up between them or fold down out of the way according to the reciprocation
given to the pistons of the hydraulic cylinders. The live rollers for feeding the
slabs in reverse directions are mounted at the front and back of the reducing rolls of the
mill and actuated all as usual by the reversing gearing separate and distinct from
the new or improved ingot tilting and traversing mechanism and gearing herein
described.
Dated the 13th September 1889.
W. R. M. THOMSON & Co.,
Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines or Mechanism for and relating to the
Tilting or Turning and Feeding of Steel Ingots, Slabs, and Billets
or Iron Blooms in connection with Cogging and such like Rolling
and Reducing Mills.
We, JAMES NEILSON, Steel Manufacturer, and JOHN WHITELAW, Foreman
Patternmaker, both of the Mossend Steel Works, Mossend, Lanarkshire, do hereby
declare the nature of our invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement in writing, reference being had to the accompanying Sheet of Drawings,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
Our said Invention has reference to and comprises a new general construction, or
arrangement and combination of the parts of apparatus or mechanism for the tilting
or turning of steel ingots, slabs, and billets, or iron blooms in a hot state, and
traversing them opposite the grooves or passes in the rolls of the cogging or other
mills, all over or on the usual sets of roller, termed feed "live" rollers, which feed
them through the said reducing and shaping rolls. These improvements comprise
many new and important features of utility which will be more convenient and efficient

page_text: than the appliances heretofore used for the like purposes, especially for long rolls
with many reducing passes on either side of the main cogging pass.
Anu in order that our said Invention and the manner of performing or carrying
the same into effect or practice may be properly understood, we have hereunto
appended an explanatory Sheet of Drawings, in which the same reference letters are
used to indicate corresponding parts in all the figures where shown. Figure 1 is a
longitudinal sectional elevation of our improved ingot or billet traversing carriage A, A¹,
and hydraulic motive cylinders E, E, & F, and other improved fittings, taken on a
line 1-1 in the plan, parallel to the feed live rollers R, and rolls X of the mill, in
Figure 2, which is a corresponding plan view to Figure 1, with the feed rollers R
as removed. And Figure 3 is an end elevation of one side of the said traversing
carriage A, A, at right angles to Figure 1, all showing and illustrative of one
general arrangement of our improvements for the tilting or turning, traversing and
feeding of steel ingots, slabs, and billets or iron blooms on the feed rollers R in
connection with cogging and such like rolling and reducing mills. And Figures 4 to 6
show details which will hereinafter be referred to.
Referring to these Drawings:-According to this arrangement, a horizontal
carriage, preferably formed of a strong rectangular open frame A, A¹, is erected on
four wheel: A secured on the ends of two axles A³ mounted in bearings under the
end frames A¹, A', and preferably double flanged and traversed on a pair of parallel
rails Z under them and outside and parallel to the two side frames A A of the
carriage A, A', and secured to the foundation Z, in the chamber or recess =, some
distance below the level of the front set of "live" feed rollers R, and at right angles
to these but traversing parallel to and under them. This carriage frame A A' has
vertical standards or housings B, B, erected one over the centre of each side frame A,
projecting up and each traversing between a pair of the rollers R, R, and which carries
a transverse shaft C in eye or bush bearings B₁ near the centre between them, and
at right angles to the traverse of the carriage A A¹ and feeding rollers R. These
standards B B each consist of two vertical cheeks of a box form, formed in one with
their securing soleplate B2 and by a cross bar at the top B₁ with a space between
them within which a spur or segmental toothed wheel c is mounted on each end of the
transverse shaft (, passed in through a recess B³ in the outer end cheek B to each
actuate a pair of levers D D' and D2 mounted on two separate axle pins or spindles D³,
with bearings in the upper part of the standards B, B, in the space between the said
cheeks and over their motive wheels c, for tilting the ingots or blocks I near their ends,
and traversing on and over their feed rollers R to bring them opposite the grooves or
passes in the cogging rolls X all as will hereinafter be described. The transverse
shaft C has an oscillating lever C¹ mounted near its centre, actuated by two double
acting hydraulic ram cylinders E, E, secured by flanges at A on the upper central
parts of the ends A', A¹, of the said traversing carriage A, A', which is traversed to
and fro on its rails Z by the reciprocating rod and piston F1 of a stationary double-
acting hydraulic cylinder F, bolted at Z" to the foundation Z' outside the said
traversing recess z and rails Ź of the carriage, the inner end of the piston rod F¹
being secured at F" to one end A¹ of the carriage, so as to move the carriage A, A¹,
and the said vertical frames B, B, with their tilting levers D, D' and D' to and fro to
any pass in the rolls X of the cogging or other reducing mill, as shown dotted in in
Figure 1. Each of the said spur wheels c on the centre shaft C of this traversing
carriage frame A, A¹, works into a segmental spur wheel c¹ formed on the centre eye
or axis of each of the long tilting double armed levers D D' mounted on its short
spindle or stud D³ over the spur wheel c in the cheeks or open part of each standard B B.
These tilting levers D, D1 and D2 oscillate vertically between the same pair of
rollers R, R, in which the standards B are traversed horizontally, and when in their
normal position not required for tilting the ingots or blocks I would lie horizontally
as shown in sharp lines in Figures 1, 2, and 3, but when tilting the ingots I are raised
to the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 1 and have each their short arm D¹
projecting up vertically, below the top surface of the rollers R R, with
heel D" on its outer end, all so as to pass freely under the ingot I, below the upper
catch

page_text: surface of the live rollers R in this position; but such that when these tilting
levers D, D¹, and D³, were raised vertically by the motion of the hydraulic
cylinders EE on the carriage A, A', in one direction the arms D would raise the
ingot or bloom I over them by the turning of the said centre spur wheel c, and the
vertical arm D¹ and its heel part D¹¹ would form a lateral stop for preventing the lower
edge of the ingot or bloom I from sliding laterally while being thus turned over on
its edge upon its rollers R, R, to its vertical position as indicated in dotted lines in
Figure 1, and as shown in the separate diagram view Figure 4 in the act of
being tilted.
A further improvement consists in mounting a corresponding single armed
lever D2 in the cheeks of the upper ends of the standards B B parallel to and at
some distance in front of each tilting lever D, D¹, with a segmental toothed wheel c²
on its eye, gearing into the segmental toothed wheel c¹ on the tilting lever D D' so
that this pair of single levers D2 D2 will be raised simultaneously with the tilting
levers D, D, and so stop the block or bloom I in its vertical position as tilted over the
centre B of the standard frames B, B, and traversing rollers R, R, by the double-
armed levers D, D¹, as before described and so guide and traverse the ingot or slab I
on edge as turned over these rollers R, to the passes or grooves x of the rolls X of
the mill opposite which the carriage and tilting frame are traversed to. Both the
double and single-armed levers D, D¹, and D2, are turned down to their horizontal
position between the live rollers R out of the way of the return motion of the ingot
or slab I over these by the reverse reciprocation of the hydraulic cylinders E, E, on
the carriage A. A', all ready for being removed to again turn over the ingot or slab I
and remove it to suit the successive passes a required in its further reduction in the
rolling mill. It will be understood, from the position of the two pairs of lovers D, D¹,
and D² on their centres facing each other in the top of each box standard B, B, that
either the double or the single armed levers D, D¹, or D³, may tilt the ingot or slab [
up between them over the lateral arm D and heel D₁ of the former, which acts as a stop
in whichever way the ingot is turned, so that the single levers D2 also might form
tilting arms when brought under the ingot to turn it up towards the long arm and
stop D D of the double lever D, D', which in this case stop the ingot from tilting
over, the one set of levers tilting the ingot from right to left and the other set from
left to right, each set forming stops to the other on opposite sides of the ingot. In
some cases as for the tilting of nearly square ingots or blocks the short stop
arm D D of these tilting levers might be dispensed with, both levers of each pair
being then similar to D². The double and single armed levers D, D¹, and D², may be
fitted in slightly different planes to pass each other within their recesses and formed
with different widths of gaps between them to take in different sizes of slabs or
billets I, or be angled at their upper ends to a greater or less extent, and be angled or
modified at their lower ends to assist the lower edge of the ingot or block I to assume
the central position between the levers in the act of tilting. The reciprocating rods E¹
of the pistons of the hydraulic cylinder or cylinders E, E, mounted on the traversing
carriage A, A, of the tilting mechanism, might be connected to actuate the lever
of the central spur wheel shaft C either by a slotted recess and bush E" or it might
be by equivalent links, or by a toothed rack working into a segmental rack or wheel
mounted on the said shaft C, instead of the lever C¹, in any case to give the reverse
action of the spur wheels c c in the standards B B to oscillate the tilting levers D, D',
and D2, all as described, either to tilt the ingot I up between them or fold down out
of the way according to the reverse reciprocation given to the pistons E² of the
hydraulic cylinders E E. The ordinary live rollers R for feeding the slabs or
ingots I in the reverse directions to or from the rolls X of the mill are mounted in a
horizontal line in strong frames R1, on the foundation or floor of the mill, at the sides
of or over the recess in which the carriage A A' traverses at the front and back of
the reducing rolls X X of the mill and actuated all as usual by the reversing gearing
separate and distinct from the new or improved ingot tilting and traversing mechanism
and gearing herein described.
For actuating the carriage A, A', to and fro as described by the rod and

page_text: piston F1 of the cylinder F, a malleable iron pipe as dotted in at f2 f" in Figures 1
and 2, is fitted to each end inlet and outlet branch f, f³, of the cylinder F, and led
up to the top of a railed platform G, carried on four columns GI erected near the
side, so as to be supplied with pressure water from an accumulator to either end of
the cylinder while discharging from the other end, by a reversing lever and valve
chest shown in sectional end and side elevations in Figures 5 and 6 to a large scale,
as will hereinafter be described. In like manner the pistons E and piston rods E
are moved to and fro in their cylinders E to actuate the tilting levers D¹ and D³, all
as hereinbefore described, by simultaneously admitting pressure water to the branches e
at the one end of the cylinders E, while exhausting from the branches e¹ at the other
end, or vice versa; the pressure water being thus admitted by two pipes e, ell, for
both cylinders E, corresponding to f³, 11, of the other cylinder F. The malleable
iron pipes e², e, are fixed by collars and pillow blocks e³, e³, to a beam frame or
rail G secured at G" to the column G¹, the outer circumference and ends of each
pipe e²e are turned at e¹¹ to work through stuffing boxes at E111 at the outer end
of two close tubes E³, secured by lateral branches to the branches e, e¹, of the
hydraulic cylinders E, E, so as to travel to and fro with these and the carriage A, A¹,
on the parts e of the supply fixed reverse pressure pipes e², e", of the reversing
hand lever valve and chest V, V1, V2, shown in Figures 5 and 6, and which would
be fitted on the upper ends of these pipes on the rail platform G, convenient for a
man to stand there and operate the levers of the two reversing valves fitted on
these pipes, and on the pipes f2, 11, to control the action both of the carriage A, A¹,
and of the tilting levers D, D₁, and D2 all as before described, from where the
operator could see the slab or ingot I passing to and fro through the rolls X, X, of
the mill. The reversing valve and chest Figures 5 and 6 consists of a single
oscillating circular valve V, V₁, turned to work in a bored chest V2 formed with an
inlet branch V³, leading from the hydraulic accumulator of the works. The valve V
would have its turning spindle V₁ passed out through a collar stuffing box V* in
the one end of its chest V³, with a hand lever V1 on its outside, for shutting or
reversing the valve V. The valve chest V2 would be formed with a central exhaust.
or outlet branch and tube v¹ in the centre, in direct communication with a central
pocket in the valve V, and with branches v2, vl, on each side of the central
branch ; and the valve V would be formed with faces to shut up both of these
branch ports, vll, which would lead to the opposite ends of the moving cylinders E
by the pipes e, ell, or for the valve of the fixed cylinder F these branches would
be connected by the pipes f, f³, f". Thus then when the valve V and hand
lever V was in the central position as shown in Figures 5 and 6, both branches v², vll,
would be shut and the pressure water would be closed in both ends of the cylinders,
and so maintain the carriage A, A¹, and the levers D, D', and D³, in the position to
which they were set for the time being, by the moving of the pistons E³ of the
hydraulic cylinders E, E, as before described, but when the valve V and hand
lever V was turned to either of the positions dotted in in Figure 5, this would
admit pressure water to either the branch v², or ul, and exhaust from the other,
and so move the pistons F1 or E to either end of their cylinders F or E, E, to
actuate the carriage A, A³, or its tilting levers D, D¹, and D, all as hereinbefore
described.
Instead of having only one stationary hydraulic cylinder F for actuating the
carriage A, A¹, two such cylinders may be used, either parallel to each other on
the same end of the carriage or in line opposite each other at opposite ends of the
carriage, in which case they might be single acting. And instead of having two
horizontal double acting cylinders E, E, mounted on the traversing carriage A, A¹,
they might be made larger and single acting, or a single double acting horizontal
cylinder E may be used. And instead of being horizontal, these cylinders may be
placed vertically or at other angles to oscillate the shaft C, and gearing of the tilting
levers D, D¹, and D. And instead of the carriage A, A¹, carrying the tilting
levers D D and D³ traversing on wheels, it might be reciprocated on slide guides.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that
what we claim is :-
First. The construction or arrangement and combination of the parts of machines
or mechanism having stationary and moving hydraulic cylinders and duplex sets of
traversing tilting levers for the tilting or turning and feeding of steel ingots, slats,
and billets or iron blooms in connection with cogging and such-like rolling and
reducing mills, substantially as herein described in reference to and shown in the
accompanying Drawings.
Second. In machines or mechanism for the tilting or turning and feeding of steel
ingots, slabs, and billets or iron blooms in connection with cogging and such-like
rolling and reducing mills, the construction and use of tilting levers D, D and D²,
actuated by toothed gearing c, c', c² and an oscillating horizontal shaft and lever C, C₁,
from cylinders E E¹ on a traversing carriage A, A', substantially as and in the
manner herein described, in reference to and shown in the accompanying Drawings.
Third. In machines or mechanism for the tilting or turning and feeding of steel
ingots, slabs, and billets or iron blooms in connection with cogging and such-like
rolling and reducing mills, the construction and use of double armed oscillating and
tilting levers D, D₁, each in combination with a single armed lever D³, actuated by
toothed gearing, on a horizontal traversing carriage, substantially as and for the
purposes herein described, in reference to and shown in the accompanying Drawings.
Dated the 12th June 1890.
W. R. M. THOMSON & Co.,
96, Buchanan Street, Glasgow, Agents.