IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR ROLLING WIRE RODS."
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Morris of Oakengates in the County of Salop,
Works and Mill Manager for The Snedshill Iron C° for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR ROLLING WIRE RODS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Morris at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 5th September 1882.
WILLIAM MORRIS of Oakengates in the County of Salop, Works and Mill
Manager for the Snedshill Iron Cor "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR ROLLING
WIRE RODS
"
My invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for rolling wire rods
which enables me to manufacture such rods from the "billets" with greater speed,
with less waste and less manual labour and with less expenditure of fuel than has
hitherto been possible-The quality of the rods is also superior to those made by
the old process of manufacture.
The billets for wire rods are usually run through sets of three rolls, high.
The billets passing through the first hole in say the lower row of holes runs out in a
straight line and the back end of this straight rod is then entered into say the
upper holes and so run back again and so on being reversed each time until it is
sufficiently extended and reduced in cross section to allow its end to be bent or
turned up by the attendant roller into the next row of holes after which the rolling
is of course continuous in one direction from hole to hole. Various attempts have
been made to roll billets continuously as for instance by several sets of rolls
placed one after the other the rod passing forward in practically a straight line.
Then again a bent tube has been used in combination with four rolls-a lower and
upper pair-the tube turning the rod around as it passes through and into the
second set. But in this case the rolls have to be turned and adjusted very nicely
to take up the slack-indeed much trouble has been experienced in attempts to
take up the slack in continuous rolloing.
Now by my apparatus the above difficulties are overcome without either a fourth
roll to the set or extra sets of rolls, all that is necessary being the attachment of my

page_text: apparatus to the ordinary wire rod mill rolls. This I accomplish in the following
manner Taking the billet to have entered at one of the lower row of holes i.e
between the bottom and middle row of holes i. e between the bottom and
middle roll it immediately enters a tube which is telescoped into a bent
tube this bent tube turns round the rod and points it into a hole in the upper
row że between the middle and top roll. The bent tube is connected with
friction wheels or slides in such a manner that is perfectly free to move
backwards or forwards indeed it is quite free to reciprocate so as to perfectly
accommodate itself to varying length of rod outside the rolls at any time. This
may of course be effected by various mechanical contrivances such as passing chains
over pulleys with counter weights or springs may be used. It is of course necessary
that the tube should offer sufficient resistance to bend the rod round rather than
be pushed back by the forward motion of the rod. The tube may be loosely
suspended by a chain or rod so as to leave great liberty of motion and to swing
out of the way.
Coiled or rubber springs may be used for resistance and to return
the tube back to its place but generally balance weights under the level of the
ground would be found most convenient. Friction rollers may be used when
necessary at the back end of the tube which would induce the rod to bend more
easily around the curve.
It will be evident that any number of these little apparatuses may be attached
to a wire rod roll mill so that the heat of a billet is utilized to the utmost degree
and the rod drawn all in one direction with simplicity and freedom. Thus
buckling and breaking is practically avoided and great economy obtained. One
other important advantage is that I am enabled to work larger and heavier billets
than by the old method of working.
In some cases by making the bent tube bell mouthed the short piece of tube
telescoping into the bent tube may be laid aside.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Morris in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 5th March
1883.
WILLIAM MORRIS of Oakengates in the County of Salop, Works and Mill
Manager for the Snedshill Iron C° "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR ROLLING
WIRE RODS
"
My invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for rolling wire rods
which enables me to manufacture such rods from the "billets" with greater speed,
and less waste, and less manual labour and with less expenditure of fuel than has
hitherto been possible The quality of the rods is also superior to those made by
the old process of manufacture.
The billets for wire rods are usually run through sets of three rolls the billet
passing through the first hole in say the lower row of holes runs out in a straight
line and the back end of this straight rod is then entered into say the upper holes
and so run back again and so on being reversed each time until it is sufficiently
extended and reduced in cross section to allow its end to be bent or turned up by
the attendant roller into the next row of holes after which the rolling is con-
tinuous in one direction from hole to hole. Various attempts have been made to
roll billets continuously as for instance by several sets of rolls placed one after
the other the rod passing forward in practically a straight line. Then again a bent
tube has been used in combination with four rolls-a lower and upper pair-the
tube turning the red around as it passes through and into the second set. But in
this case the rolls have to be turned and adjusted very nicely to take up the
slack-Indeed much trouble has been experienced in attempts to take up the slack
in continuous rolling.
Now by my apparatus the above difficulties are overcome without either a
fourth roll to the set or extra sets of rolls all that is necessary being the attachment
of the apparatus to the ordinary wire rod mills. This I accomplish in the following
manner: Taking the billet to have entered at one of the lower row of holes i.e
between the bottom and middle roll it immediately enters a tube which is
telescoped into a bent tube this bent tube turns the rod and points it into a
bent tube in the upper row i.e between the middle and the top roll. The bent
tube is connected with friction wheels or slides in such a manner that it is
perfectly free to move backwards or forwards, indeed, it is quite free to reciprocate
so as to perfectly accommodate itself to varying lengths of rod outside the rolls at
any time. This may of course be effected by various mechanical contrivances such
as passing chains over pulleys with counterweights hydraulic Fusee or steam,
+prings or other device may be used. It is of course necessary that the tube
should offer sufficient resistance to bend the rod round rather than be pushed
back by its forward motion. The weights or springs are necessary to bring the
tube back to its proper place, but generally balance weights under the level
of the ground would be found most convenient. Friction rollers may be used when
necessary, various positions towards or at the backend of the tube which would
induce the rod to bend more easily round the curve.
In order that my invention may be more clearly understood and better, carried
into practice I have appended hereunto a sheet of drawings showing the application
of my invention in part to an existing train of three high rolls:-
Figure 1 is a front elevation of the "Bolting Rolls "A and of what is called the
first three high rolls B of a left handed train of Wire rod rolls.
Figure 2 is a plan of the same rolls and Figure 3 is an end elevation of the
The guide tubes C, D and E are shown as applied to one side of the rolls
ame.

page_text: only which is sufficient when the action is understood to enable any person
acquainted with the trade to apply them indefinately to the other side and to
other trains of of similar rolls I have not in any case shown the grooves in the
rolls because that is unnecessary for the purpose of explanation.
I will explain the apparatus in its order while following out the rolling of
billet O Figure 4. The billet O is taken by hand and entered at 1 in the Bolting
Rolls through which it passes and is returned by the attendant through the bottom
rolls at 2 when it passes round the pipe C and returns through the upper rolls at 3
when it is again entered below at 4 pass ng through and around the pipe D through
the top at 5 and back through the bottom at 6 and around the pipe E and through
the top at 7 then into the bottom rolls at 9 when it then leaves the Bolting Rolls
passing round the bent pipe G it enters the telescopic pipe H passing round in the
direction of the arrows it enters the next three high rolls at 9 which are commonly
called the "first three high rolls it is then turned either by hand or tube round
and through 10. It then passes along another telescopic tube similar to H. and
into the first pair of two high rolls at 11 and so on through several sets of of two
high rolls until it is completed. In order that some idea may be formed of the
reduction in the original shape I have shown in Figures 5 the shape of the rod as it
would come out of hole 11 in the first two high rolls It would then pass through
hole 12 which would be in the next second high rolls when its section would be
approximately that shown by Figure 6.
"
The action of the pipes is somewhat as follows: When the rod enters at 2 and
passes around the pipe C and into the hole 3 immediately the reduction begins the
rod at 3 the rod passing around the inside of pipe C is extended and carries the
pipe C back upon its slides J lifting its balance weight K as it runs outwards.
The same action goes on with the pipe D and E. But immediately the rod leaves
the pipe or pipes the carriages or slides and pipes are returned back to their former
position by the balance weight K, or other equivalent device may be used for the
purpose. When the rod passes around G and around H into hole 9 it is again
reduced in section and the back end becomes lengthened in the tube H which also
slides back upon a suitable carriage and slides thus allowing the rod to extend itself
sufficiently and yet be protected over a cousiderable portion of its length.
The pipes C, D and E may be telescoped into a bottom piece or a bottom and
top piece so as to still cover the hot rod when the pipes are run out upon their
carriages or they may be used as shown without telescoping. The pipe C would
require a heavier weight K or spring or other equivalent resistance than would be
needful to the pipes further down the train which is only natural because as the
billet became reduced in section into the rod less power would be required to turn
the end of the rod round the various pipes. The resistance of the pipes by weights
or springs would therefor be proportionate to the size of the billet and the section
and strength of the rod at each particular pipe which is easily managed especially in
the case of weights as several may be used to make up the weight K. for instance.
It will be at once evident that these controlling sliding tubes may be attached to
a wire rod mill to a considerable extent so that the heat of a billed may be utilized
to the utmost degree and the rod rolled with much less reversal of the grain of the
metal i.e entirely or almost entirely in one direction with simplicity and freedom
thus buckling and breaking is in a greater measure avoided and the fibre of the
iron is not impaired and greater uniformity and economy is obtained. Besides
larger and heavier billets may be rolled than with the old method, thus producing
longer rods which is very desirable and less skilled labour is required and less time
will be lost and the rods will thus be hotter and softer and sounder besides the
saving in avoiding a considerable amount of waste.
I do not of course confine the use of these controlling sliding guide tubes to wire
rod rolling as they may be used for the manufacture of hoops, small flats, rounds,
squares and wire rods and other sections from pudelled billets-Neither do I confine
myself to any particular kinds of metals to be rolled as steel, iron or other metal
may be rolled according to my invention with similar advantages to those

page_text: enumerated above for wire rod rolling. I would also here remark that though my
sliding tubes are only shown as applied to three high rolls that considerab'e
advantages are to be obtained by sliding tubes when applied to four high rolls
though I consider that generally this is unecessary and therefore waste of capital.
The fact is that they will either wholly take up the slack or they will partly do so
in conjunction with rolls of different diameter.
Having therefore now described my said Invention of improvements in apparatus
for rolling wire rods and shown how the same may be carried into practical effect I
would have it clearly understood that I do not confine myself to the particular mode
shown of controlling the slides or to the manner in which the train of rolls
may be
made up as such details may be greatly varied without departing from the spirit
of my invention but what I do claim is :-
The use of compensating or controlling sliding guide tubes substantially as and
for the purpose herein set forth.
In witness whereof I the said William Morris have hereunto set my hand and
seal this twenty seventh day of February in the year of our Lord one
thousand eight hundred and eighty three.
WILLIAM MORRIS (L.S.)