IMPROVEMENTS IN ROLLING MILLS FOR WIRE
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Friedrich Carl Glaser, of Bertin, in the Kingdom of
Prussia and Empire of Germany, Engineer and Patent Solicitor, for an
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROLLING MILLS FOR WIRE." A commu-
nication by Wilhelm Boecker, of Schalke, Westphalia, in the Gerinan Empire.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Friedrich Carl Glaser at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 22nd July 1880.
C
FRIEDRICH CARL GLASER, of Berlin, in the Kingdom of Prussia and Empire of
Germany, Engineer and Patent Solicitor. IMPROVEMENTS IN ROLLING MILLS
FOR WIRE." [A communication by Willelm Boecker, of Schalke, Westphalia, in
the German Empire.]
The object of these improvements is to produce wire by rolling in large
quantities and very rapidly, at a considerable reduction of cost of labor, and to
render possible the manufacture of both very heavy and very light or thin wire at
a high heat, and consequently without detriment to its quality.
The improved construction of rolling mills for this purpose, consisting of two sets
of rolls the one behind the other, is shewn on the accompanying Drawings, in which
Fig. A shews a general plan, Fig. B a front elevation, and Fig. C a cross section.
The rolls are driven from the main shaft a by the spur wheels b. Each set of
rolls has several sets of gearing, partly in order to regulate the proportionate speed
of the rolls, and partly to distribute the strain over several points. The proportions
of the diameters of these wheels corresponds to the proportionate speed of the rolls,
which increases in about the same proportion as the diameter of the wire decreases.
The small toothed wheels c, c, fixed on the trunnions of the rolls effect the rotation
of the upper and lower rolls from the middle rolls. The course of the wire while
being rolled is indicated by dotted lines in Fig. A. Its passage from the one set of
rolls into the other set is effected automatically by means of funnel shaped guides
composed of several parts which are arranged between the sets of rolls at each of the
calibers, so that they can readily be moved. These guides are fixed on the slotted
roll tables in a horizontal position, partly above and partly below the driving
shaft a, according to the positions of the respective rolls. This arrangement of the
rolling mill differs from those heretofore employed in the following particulars:-
Firstly. In the combination of two complete sets of rolls, which feed the wire

page_text: automatically into each other, there being several groups of rolls to each set, all
of which run horizontally.
Secondly. In the peculiar mode of driving both sets of rolls by means of one
driving shaft lying between them, and by means of toothed gearing so proportioned
as to impart the necessary increasing speed to each pair of rolls.
Thirdly. In the absence of vertical rolls, conical gearing, or curved or twisted
guides, such as are used in rolling mills of present construction.
Furthermore the important arrangement is adopted that while the section of the
wire is regularly and alternately converted from a rectangular to an oval shape, and
vice versa, as it passes from the one set of rolls to the other, whereby the extension
and thinning of the wire is effectually produced, the wire passing through all the
guides is only of rectangular section. The advantages hereof are, first, that wire
of rectangular section is more easily guided and is better seized by the next group
of rolls than oval wire; second, by this means it is possible to dispense with the
vertical rolls with conical gearing and curved or twisted guides, which arrange-
ments have heretofore been necessary in order to apply pressure alternately on
opposite sides of the wire; third, the general arrangement of the rolling mill is
rendered most simple, and conveniently served, resulting in increased production.
The wire has an oval section at all those portions which move over the floor of
the mill outside the rolls, as indicated by the curved dotted lines, so that the wire
of oval section is taken hold of by the workmen's tongs, and introduced into the
rectangular calibers of the next rolls.
The rolling mill shewn by way of example on the Drawing has seven groups
of rolls, suitable for drawing very fine wire. For thicker wire only a certain
proportion of these are used, varying according to the thickness of wire to be
produced; thus, for example, for wire of from 0.2 to 0.22 inch diameter only 5 groups
would be used, requiring three workmen to insert the wire five times, whereas in
ordinary rolling mills there would be required for the same purpose six workmen,
who would have to insert the wire eight times.
The advantages of this Invention are therefore a saving of about 50 per cent. in
wages and about 40 per cent. in time, which latter is of the greatest importance, as
it allows not only of a very large production, but also enables the greatest lengths
of wire to be completed when at a high heat, so that the quality is not deteriorated
by cooling, as in the case with the ordinary wire rolling process.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Friedrich Carl Glaser in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 2nd
December 1880.
FRIEDRICH CARL GLASER, of Berlin, in the Kingdom of Prussia and Empire of
Germany, Engineer and Patent Solicitor. "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROLLING MILLS
FOR WIRE." A communication by Wilhelm Boecker, of Schalke, Westphalia, in
the German Empire.
The object of these improvements is to produce wire by rolling in large
quantities and very rapidly, at a considerable reduction of cost of labor, and to
render possible the manufacture of both very heavy and very light or thin wire at
a high heat, and consequently without detriment to its quality.
The improved construction of rolling mills for this purpose, consisting of two
trains of rolls the one behind the other, is shewn on the accompanying Drawings, in
each of which Fig. A shews a general plan, Fig. B a front elevation, and Fig. C a
cross section.
In the arrangement shewn on Sheet I. the rolls are driven from the mainshaft a
by the spur wheels b, b, b. Each train of rolls has several sets of gearing, partly in
order to regulate the proportionate speed of the rolls, and partly to distribute the
strain over several points. The proportions of the diameters of these wheels
correspond to the proportionate speeds of the rolls, which increase in about the same
proportion as the diameter of the wire decreases.
The small toothed wheels c, c, fixed on the trunnions of the rolls effect the
rotation of the upper and lower rolls from the middle rolls.
The course of the wire while being rolled is indicated by lines in Fig. A. Its
passage from the one train of rolls into the other set is effected automatically by
means of funnelshaped guides composed of several parts, which are arranged
between the two trains of rolls at each of the calibers, so that they can be readily
moved. These guides are placed in horizontal positions, partly above and partly
below the driving shaft a, according to the position of the respective rolls. This
arrangement of rolling mill differs from those heretofore employed in the following
particulars :-
Firstly. In the combination of two complete trains of rolls, which feed the wire
automatically into each other, there being several groups of rolls to each set, all of
which run horizontally.
Secondly. In the peculiar mode of driving both trains of rolls by means of one
driving shaft lying between them, and by means of toothed gearing so proportioned
as to impart the necessary increasing speed to each successive pair of rolls.
Thirdly. In the absence of vertical rolls, conical gearing, or curved or twisted
guides, such as are used in rolling mills of present construction that have automatic
feed.
Furthermore the important arrangement is adopted that while the section of the
wire is by the considerable pressure of the rolls regularly and alternately converted
from a rectangular to an oval shape, and vice versa, as it passes from the one set of
rolls to the other, whereby the extension and thinning of the wire is effectually. pro-
duced, the wire passing through all the guides is only of rectangular section. The
advantages hereof are, first, that wire of rectangular section is more easily guided
and is better seized by the next group of rolls than oval wire; second, by this
means it has been possible to dispense entirely with the vertical rolls with conical
gearing and curved or twisted guides, which complicated arrangements have hereto-
fore been necessary with rolling mills with automatic feed, in order to apply pressure
alternately on opposite sides of the wire; third, the general arrangement of the
rolling mill is rendered most simple, and affords great convenience for serving the
nill, which contributes considerably to the attainment of an increased production.

page_text: The wire has an oval section at all those portions which move over the floor of
the mill outside the rolls, where indicated by the curved lines, so that the wire of
oval section is taken hold of by the workmen's tongs and introduced into the
rectangular calibers of the next rolls.
The rolling mill shewn on Sheet I. of the Drawings has seven groups of rolls
suitable for drawing very fine wire, for which purpose only six insertions are
required, this being effected by four workmen. For thicker wire only a certain
proportion of these are used, varying according to the thickness of wire to be
produced; thus, for example, for wire of from 0-2 to 0.22 inch diameter only 5
groups would be used, requiring three workmen to insert the wire five times,
whereas in ordinary rolling mills there would be required for the same purpose six
workmen, who would have to insert the wire eight times.
The advantages of this Invention are therefore a saving of about 50 per cent. in
wages and about 40 per cent. in time, which latter is of the greatest importance, as
it allows not only of a very large production, but also enables the greatest lengths
of wire to be finished while at a high heat, so that the quality is not deteriorated
by cooling during the rolling process, as is the case with the ordinary process. The
arrangement may be simplified without departing from the essential feature of
the Invention by omitting the main driving shaft, in which case the necessary
speed can be imparted to the several sets of rolls in two different ways. In the
arrangement shewn on Sheet II. this is effected by making the spur wheels in front
of the head stocks to each set of such proportionate diameters as to give the
required speed for the respective rolls, the power being transmitted from the one
set of rolls to the other through the rolls themselves.
In the arrangement shewn on Sheet III. the power is also transmitted through the
rolls to the last set, the varying surface speed of the rolls being however in this
case obtained by making the rolls requiring increased surface speed of correspondingly
increased diameters, instead of making them all of uniform diameter as in the
previous arrangements, the speed of rotation being of course the same: The other
features described with reference to Sheet I. of the Drawings, namely, the automatic
feed, the use of alternate rectangular calibers, and the absence of all vertical rolls
and conical wheels, are also understood to be applied to the last two arrangements.
Having thus described the nature of this Invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, as communicated to me by my correspondent, I claim,--
The construction of rolling mills for rolling wire, consisting of two trains with
horizontal rolls and automatic feed from the one train to the other, combined and
operating substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying
Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Friedrich Carl Glaser, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty.
F. C. GLASER. (L.S.)