Improvements in Apparatus for Use in the Manufacture of Sheet Metal.
Year: 1889

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Use in the Manufacture of Sheet
Metal.
We, EDWIN NORTON, and JOHN GEORGE HODGSON, residing in Maywood, in the
County of Cook, in the State of Illinois, United States of America, Manufacturers,
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:
Our invention relates to improvements in apparatus for making sheet metal directly
from molten metal by rolling a constantly flowing stream of molten metal between
revolving rolls, which serve to chill or set and compress the metal and convert it into
a continuous sheet.
The object of our present improvement is to provide means for governing the space
between the revolving rolls by which the stream of molten metal is converted into
sheet metal, so that the sheet metal produced is made of uniform thickness throughout
and not subject to the variations due to expansion or contraction of the rolls, the
springing of the frame work, or other causes. Also to provide means for rolling the
fluid metal into different thicknesses by the same mill or apparatus. Also to provide
means for deflecting the continuous strip or sheet of metal from the vertical path in
which the molten stream is poured between the chilling rolls into a horizontal path,
and then to pass it between finishing rolls to further finish or roll the sheet while
it is still at a high temperature.
The means which we employ to regulate and control the distance or space between
the chilling rolls and to render uniform the thickness of the sheet metal produced
consists in providing each of the metal rolls with a pair of collars or peripheral faces
which bear against like collars on the opposite roll so that the working faces of the
two rolls cannot crowd closer together when the rolls expand by the heat. Between
the rolling faces or collars and the working faces of the rolls, we also provide
peripheral grooves or recesses to make room for excess of metal due to any variation
in the rate at which the molten metal is poured between the rolls. The rolls between
which the metal is poured and by which it is compressed and set and converted into
sheet metal are, or should be, revolved at a surface speed equal to or greater than the
velocity of the flowing stream of molten metal poured between them, so that the
molten metal will have little or no tendency to collect or dam up between the rolls.
In other words, the chilling rolls should be revolved fast enough to take the metal
away as rapidly as it is delivered to the rolls. The working faces of the rolls arc, or
should be, made wider than the strip of sheet metal desired to be produced, so that
any slight variation in the rate of pouring the molten metal may be compensated for
by variations in the width of the strip of sheet metal produced. The annular grooves
between the working faces and the rolling faces of the rolls also give additional room
or space to receive any excess of metal in case there should be any great variation in
the rate of pouring.
To adapt the same machine to make sheet metal of different thicknesses, we make
the rolling faces or collars on the rolls separate from the rolls themselves, and in the
form of rings or half-rings, so that they may be removed and replaced by thicker or
thinner rings according to the thickness of the sheet metal desired to be produced.
And to this same end the boxes or journals of the rolls are mounted adjustably on
the frame of the machine.
Directly beneath the chilling rolls between which the molten metal is poured, we
provide a guide for the sheet metal, preferably curved from a vertical to a horizontal
direction, by which the strip of sheet metal produced is deflected between the finishing
rolls which further roll and finish the sheet while it is still hot. Any number of
finishing rolls desired may be employed according to the amount of further rolling or
work desired to be done upon the sheet.

page_text: The chilling rolls between which the metal is poured are made hollow and water or
other chilling fluid is constantly forced through them to keep them cool or at the
proper temperature for chilling or setting the stream of molten metal flowing between
them. The shafts of the rolls are made hollow also, and the water is admitted and
discharged through the hollow shaft. To deflect the water from the center to the
periphery of the roll and also to support the peripheral wall of the hollow roll,
where the roll is made long for making wide sheets, we provide each of the rolls with
a central web, having openings for the passage of the water. This central web thus
serves both to deflect the water from the centre to the periphery of the roll, and to
support and strengthen the peripheral wall of the roll.
In the accompanying drawing, which forms a part of this specification, and in which
similar letters of references indicate like parts in all the figures.
Fig. 1 is a plan view of an apparatus, embodying our invention; Fig. 2 is a side
elevation; Fig. 3 a horizontal section and Fig. 4 a vertical section on line 4-4 of Fig. 3.
In said drawing A represents the frame of the machine. B B are the hollow
chilling rolls between which a stream of molten metal is poured directly downwards
from the pouring vessel C in a direction tangential to both rolls, so that the stream
will be equally and simultaneously acted upon by the working faces of both rolls.
DD are a pair of finishing rolls, located one above the other, between which the
'continuous strip of sheet-metal a¹ is delivered or deflected by the guide E. The
guide E may, preferably, consist of a simple curved chute or passage. As the strip of
sheet metal is thus delivered directly to the finishing rolls DD from the chilling
rolls B B and while the strip of sheet metal is still at a high temperature, the
rolls D D may readily be made to further roll or finish the sheet to any desired
extent. Any number of pairs of finishing rolls D D may be employed.
68
At each side of their working faces 7, the rolls B are furnished with annular
grooves or recesses b₁ to receive any excess of metal due to variation in pouring.
Beyond these annular grooves the rolls B are provided with rolling faces or collars 2
which roll together, as is clearly shown in Fig. 3, and thus serve to limit the space
between the working faces bb of the rolls. The rolling faces or collars 62 are pre-
ferably made in the form of segmental or half rings, secured by screws or bolts 64
to the rolls B, so that these stop collars may be readily removed and replaced by
thicker or thinner ones, according to the thickness of sheet metal desired to be
produced. The boxes B' in which the hollow shafts B2 of the rolls B are journaled,
are adjusted closer together or farther apart by set screws 13 B³. The set screws B³ B³
between the boxes have right and left threads.
The water enters the rolls through the inlet pipes F, and it is discharged at the
opposite end through the outlet pipes F. To deflect the water and cause it to circulato
to the periphery of the rolls, we provide the rolls with interior central webs 6, having
openings for the water to pass through. These webs also serve to support the
peripheral wall 67 of the rolls.
The rolls B or their shafts are geared together by gears B6, and are driven from the
driving shaft G by suitable gearing G¹. The rolls B should be made to revolve at a
surface speed equal to or greater than the velocity of the flowing stream of metal
which issues from the discharge opening of the pouring vessel C. Ordinarily we
drive the rolls at a surface speed of from 300 to 500 feet per minute.
The pouring vessel C is supported upon adjustable standards C.
H, H are gas burners for heating the pouring vessel C and preventing the chilling
of the molten metal therein.
The pouring vessel C is furnished with a valve c¹ having a lever for operating
and adjusting it.
K represents a crucible or other vessel, from which the molten metal is drawn into
the pouring vessel C through the conductor or runner K¹.
K³ represents a series of gas burners for heating the conductor K¹.
The vessel K is also heated by suitable heaters K³.
The metal which is to be converted into sheet metal may be melted in the vessel K
or delivered thereto in a molten condition.

page_text: N, N, represent a pair of scrapers, having handles N' N¹. These scrapers serve to
strip the sheet metal from the periphery of the rolls B B in case it should tend to
adhere thereto.
The stop collars or rolling faces 6 of the rolls B may of course be made integral
with the rolls instead of in separate rings where the mill is desired to produce sheet
metal of one particular thickness.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1st. The combination of two revolving chilling rolls B B with a pouring vessel above
and between them, said rolls B B having working faces and rolling faces or
collars serving as stops to regulate the space between the working faces of the
rolls, substantially as specified.
2nd. The combination with a pair of revolving chilling rolls and a pouring nozzle
arranged above and between them, said rolls having working faces and rolling faces
outside of the working faces and grooves or recesses between the rolling faces and
the working faces, substantially as specified.
3rd. The combination with a pair of revolving chilling rolls, a pouring vessel
arranged above and between them, and a second pair of rolls D D, substantially as
specified.
4th. The combination with a pair of chilling rolls and pouring vessel arranged above
and between them, a curved guide for deflecting the sheet metal strip from the vertical
to a horizontal direction and a second pair of rolls D D to which the strip is delivered.
by said guide, substantially as specified.
5th. The apparatus for producing sheet metal in a continuous strip as it is poured
from a vessel consisting in a pair of chilling rolls between which the molten metal is
poured and by which it is set, in combination with a pair of finishing rolls to further
roll the metal while it is still hot, substantially as specified.
6th. The combination with a pouring vessel and chilling rolls of finishing rolls,
substantially as specified.
7th. In an apparatus for rolling fluid metal, the combination with the revolving
chilling rolls BB, of removable or adjustable stop collars to govern the space between
the rolls, whereby the same rolls are adapted to produce metal of different thicknesses,
substantially as specified.
Sth. The revolving chilling rolls B B furnished with removable segmental stop
collars, substantially as specified.
9th. The revolving chilling rolls B B in combination with a pouring vessel C,
said rolls being mounted in adjustable bearings and furnished with removable stop
collars, substantially as specified.
10th. In an apparatus for rolling fluid metal the hollow chilling rolls B B, having
a central web with water passages through the same for deflecting water and
supporting the peripheral wall of the rolls, substantially as specified.
11th. In an apparatus for rolling fluid metal, revolving chilling rolls B B having
a hollow space in the interior thereof, divided into two or more compartments by
a central web, said web having openings through the same for the passage of the
water and said rolls baving hollow shafts for the entry and exit of the water, sub-
stantially as specified.
HHHHHUNA
DAL 1000
ARDAVULT TUUR
YOULL IIIIIUIN. UUNIT UUTUUD
EDWIN NORTON.
JOHN GEORGE HODGSON.
Witnesses:
H. M. MUNDAY.
Edw. S. EvARTS.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicants.