Improvements in or connected with the Rolling of Thin Steel Sheets.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Dec., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 23rd Feb., 1894-Accepted, 24th Mar., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with the Rolling of Thin Steel
Sheets.
1, WILLIAM ROYSE LYSAGHT, of The Swan Garden Works, Wolverhampton
in the County of Stafford, Ironmaster, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to the rolling of thin steel sheets such as those of No. 24
B.W.G. and thinner, and which are not of very small area.
Such sheets have heretofore been rolled out to their finished thickness in packs
of four or more together; and it is found that the faces which come against one
another of two adjacent sheets in the pack, and particularly or more especially the
faces of two middle sheets of a pack of six or more sheets, are liable to adhere so
completely that the two sheets cannot be separated from one another without tearing
them, or are otherwise liable to be so injured as to interfere with the marketable
value of the sheets. Moreover, owing to the comparative hardness of the metal
combined with its thinness and the consequent rapidity with which it cools, the
sheets are specially liable to be rolled out wavy or buckled in shape, and the heavy
strain upon the machinery causes frequent breakages thereof. The inconvenience
arising from rapid cooling might be overcome to some extent at least if thicker
packs were used; but to increase the number of sheets in a pack increases the
tendency of the sheets to stick together.
Now, the above inconveniences are overcome or very greatly reduced according
to this invention, and the sheets rolled with fewer passes than usual through the
rolls, by rolling iron and steel sheets together in the same pack, whereby the
advantage is obtained of having in the pack a layer or layers of a softer and more
yielding material than steel making the pack of a softer character taken as a whole
than if made up of steel sheets only. Notwithstanding the greater softness of the
iron, the iron and steel sheets are equally, or (if of different thickness >
proportionately, reduced in the process of rolling, as the heavy pressure between
the faces in contact prevents any one sheet from spreading in relation to any other
in the pack. It is not necessary that the steel sheets shall be each separated from
one another by an iron sheet; and the arrangement and number of the sheets in a
pack may be varied very considerably. For instance, there may be four thickness
of steel sheets together, with an outside sheet of iron top and bottom; or there may
be two iron sheets together or a single sheet of iron with two steel sheets together
at the top and two at the bottom; or there may be six sheets altogether of iron
and steel alternately; or there may be seven sheets of iron and steel alternately,
and the two outer sheets of either iron or steel; and so on for a great variety of
combinatious.
According to a convenient practical application of the invention, a pair of steel
bars, pieces or slabs to be rolled down to say 26 B.W.G. are first rolled down, or
as it is technically termed "moulded out," in the usual way until they are reduced
to the usual first stage thickness; and a pair of iron bars, pieces or slabs are rolled
down to the first stage thickness in the same manner. The two partially rolled
steel sheets are then laid upon one of the partially rolled iron sheets, making a
pack of three sheets in thickness with the iron sheet at the bottom, and these sheets
put together in a pack are then re-heated and rolled, by a process known as
running over," into the usual second stage thickness. The three sheets are then
separated from one another and the top and bottom sheets interchanged in position,
the iron sheet being thus placed on the top. The pack of three sheets is theu
66

page_text: doubled over to form a pack of six sheets in thickness of which four are steel and
two iron, the two thicknesses of iron being in the middle with two thicknesses of
steel above and below them. The pack is then re-heated again and rolled to the
required finished thickness. The other iron sheet which has been rolled down to its
first stage thickness is used to form a pack with two other steel sheets, and such pack
is treated just as the pack in which the first described of the pair of iron sheets is used.
Instead of doubling the sheets after they have been "run over" and then rolling
them again, they may be rolled according to the method known as "priling" the
sheets.
In addition to its other advantages, the use of the above described invention
makes it possible to roll out longer thin steel sheets than would otherwise be the
case.
not
This invention does not apply to the rolling of very small steel sheets, say under
three feet long by twenty inches wide, such as the "black plates" used in the
manufacture of tin plates, as the inconveniences above described are
experienced, or are experienced to a very slight extent only, in rolling steel sheets
of such small area.
Dated thin 50th day of December 1802
STEPHEN WATKINS,
Wolverhampton, Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with the Rolling of Thin Steel
Sheets.
1. WILLIAM ROYSE LYSAGHT, of The Swan Garden Works, Wolverhampton,
in the County of Stafford, Ironmaster, 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 :-
This invention relates to the rolling of thin steel sheets, such as those of
No. 24 B.W.G. and thinner, and which are not of very small area. Such sheets
have heretofore been rolled out to their finished thickness in packs of four or more
together; and it is found that the faces which come against one another of two
adjacent sheets in the pack, and more especially the faces of two middle sheets of
a pack of six or more sheets, are liable to adhere so completely that the two sheets
cannot be separated from one another without tearing them, or are otherwise liable
to be so injured as to interfere with the marketable value of the sheets. Moreover,
owing to the comparative hardness of the metal combined with its thinness and the
consequent rapidity with which it cools, the sheets are specially liable to be rolled
out wavy or buckled in shape, and the heavy strain upon the machinery causes
frequent breakages thereof. The inconvenience arising from rapid cooling might
be overcome, to some extent at least, if thicker packs were used; but to increase
the number of sheets in a pack increases the tendency of the sheets to stick
together.
Now, the above inconveniences are overcome or very greatly reduced according
to this invention, and the sheets rolled with fewer passes than usual through the
rolls, by rolling iron and steel sheets together in the same pack, or a single iron
sheet with steel sheets, or a single steel sheet with iron sheets, whereby the
advantage is obtained of having in the pack a layer or layers of a softer and more
yielding material than steel, making the pack of a softer character taken as a whole
than if made up of steel sheets only. Notwithstanding the greater softness of the
iron, the iron and steel sheets are equally, or (if of different thickness) pro-
portionately, reduced in the process of rolling, as the heavy pressure between the
faces in contact prevents any one sheet from spreading in relation to any other in
the pack. It is not necessary that the steel sheets shall be each separated from

page_text: one another by an iron sheet; and the arrangement and number of the sheets in a
pack may be varied very considerably. For instance, there may be four thicknesses
of steel sheets together, with an outside sheet of iron top and bottom; or there may
be two iron sheets together or a single sheet of iron with two steel sheets together
at the top and two at the bottom; or there may be six sheets altogether of iron
and steel alternately; or there may be seven sheets of iron and steel alternately,
and the two outer sheets of either iron or steel; and so on for a great variety of
combinations.
According to a convenient practical application of the invention, a pair of steel
bars, pieces or slabs which are intended to be rolled down to say 26 B.W.G., are
first rolled down, or as it is technically termed "moulded out," in the usual way
until they are reduced to the usual first stage thickness; and a pair of iron bars,.
pieces or slabs, which are intended to be rolled down to the same gauge, or to a
gauge somewhat lighter or heavier, are rolled down to the first stage thickness in
the same manner. The two partially rolled steel sheets are then laid upon one of
the partially rolled iron sheets, making a pack of three sheets in thickness with the
iron sheet at the bottom, this process being usually technically described as
"priling"; and this pack of sheets is then re-heated and rolled into the usual
second stage thickness. The three sheets are then separated from one another and
the top and bottom sheets interchanged in position, the iron sheet being thus placed
on the top. The pack of three sheets is then doubled over to form a pack of six
sheets in thickness of which four are steel and two iron, the two thicknesses of iron
being in the middle with two thicknesses of steel above and below them. The
pack is then re-heated again and rolled to the required finished thickness. The
other iron sheet which has been rolled down to its first stage thickness is used to.
form a pack with two other steel sheets, and such pack is treated just as the pack
in which the first described of the pair of iron sheets is used.
Instead of doubling the sheets after they have been rolled down to the second
stage thickness as described and then rolling them again, they may be rolled
according to the method known as "priling," that is to say, they may be simply
re-heated and rolled again without doubling, and the thickness of the pack may be
increased by the addition of another pack or other sheets which has or have been
already rolled to the same stage.
The second rolling process above described both in the case of the method in
which doubling is resorted to and in the method in which the sheets are not
doubled, may be dispensed with by rolling the sheets thinner in the first rolling
and completing them therefrom by a second rolling, the sheets being doubled or not
as desired prior to the second rolling.
In addition to its other advantages, the use of the above described invention
makes it possible to roll out longer thin steel sheets than would otherwise be
the case.
As steel is now produced in so many different qualities, and indeed by different
processes, I think it necessary to explain that I use the term in this Specification
as referring to the metal known as steel (or ingot iron) which is an alloy or com-
pound of iron, carbon, and other elements, and which has been produced whilst the
metal was in a fluid state, and which has been cast while in such condition into a
malleable ingot. I except, however, from such definition metal which though
originally steel according to such definition has been formed up into pieces of
considerable bulk by welding together a number of small pieces such as sheet and
plate steel scrap from tinplate works, and has thereby become converted substan-
tially into iron and has the soft character of iron. I use the term "iron"
including the metal specially exempted from the above definition of steel, and
generally as a compound of iron and carbon and other elements made by the process
known as puddling, or any heterogeneous alloy or compound of iron, carbon and
other elements, which has undergone the process of heating, welding and rolling.
This invention does not apply to the rolling of very small steel sheets, say under
three feet long by twenty inches wide, such as the "black plates" used in the
as

page_text: manufacture of tin plates, as the inconveniences above described are not experienced,
or are experienced to a very slight extent only, in rolling steel sheets of such
small area.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, declare that what I
claim is :-
Rolling thin steel sheets together in a pack with an iron sheet or sheets, or a
thin steel sheet in a pack with iron sheets, substantially as described.
Dated this 22nd day of February 1801
STEPHEN
WATKINS,
Wolverhampton, Agent for the Applicant.