IMPROVEMENTS IN ROLLING MILLS EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON AND STEEL."
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Peter Kirk, of Workington, in the County of Cumberland,
Iron Manufacturer, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROLLING MILLS
EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON AND STEEL."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Peter Kirk at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 15th February 1881.
PETER KIRK, of Workington, in the County of Cumberland, Iron Manufacturer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN ROLLING MILLS EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON
AND STEEL."
My Invention relates to rolling mills adapted more particularly to be employed
in the production of iron and steel rails and of heavy bars, but is or may also be
useful in the construction of mills for rolling other descriptions of iron and steel.
In the carrying into effect of a former Invention for which I obtained Her
Majesty's Letters Patent bearing date the Fifth day of February, of the year One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-six, and numbered 470, I employed five rolls,
that is to say, I combined a set of "three high rolls" with an ordinary two roll
mill, the intention being to obtain two reductions by passing the ingot or bloom
between the lower rolls, and then to obtain a further reduction with the same heat
by lifting the ingot or bloom to the upper rolls in the "three high" set. The
object of my present Invention is to still further increase the duty of the mill,
principally in order to be able to complete rails and heavy bars by rolling down
from the ingot or bloom with one heat. To this end I combine a set of three rolls
with two sets of two rolls in such a manner as that I can obtain two reductions by
passing between the lower rolls, and then two reductions by passing between the
upper rolls, or vice versa, according to the arrangements.
In the arrangement which I have adopted when carrying my Invention into
effect, I form the housings in standards, each of which is principally composed of
two suitably strong castings firmly bolted and secured together at the top and
bottom. The set of three rolls is housed in a space between the two castings, each

page_text: casting containing a pair of rolls, so that there is a vertical set of three rolls in the
centre, and a set of two rolls on each side. In the case of one of the outside sets the
upper roll is about in line with the upper roll of the set of three, and in the case
of the other set the upper roll is about in line with the middle roll of the set of three.
To drive the mill I couple the centre roll of the middle set to the main shaft
and gear up the lower roll of one outer set and the upper roll of the other outer
set with the same shaft, or with a shaft coupled therewith, and I gear together
the rolls which run together at the same surface speed in the ordinary manner.
I prefer to enter the bloom between the rolls of the lower outer set and return
it between the upper rolls of the outer set, the rolls of the centre set in such a
case running faster than the rolls in the outer sets. I employ a revolving roller
below the upper outer rolls to carry out the bloom or bar, and an upper revolving
taking in roller in front of the upper outer set. When the bloom or bar is lifted
to be returned it comes into contact with the said taking in roller which helps
to run the bloom or bar in.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Peter Kirk in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 15th August
1881..
PETER KIRK, of Workington, in the County of Cumberland, Iron Manufacturer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN ROLLING MILLS EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON
AND STEEL."
My Invention relates to rolling mills adapted more particularly to be employed
in the production of iron and steel rails and of heavy bars, but is or may also be
useful in the construction of mills for rolling other descriptions of iron and steel.
In the carrying into effect of a former Invention for which I obtained Her
Majesty's Letters Patent bearing date the Fifth day of February, of the year One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-six, and numbered 470, I employed five
rolls, that is to say, I combined a set of "three high rolls" with an ordinary two
roll mill, the intention being to obtain two reductions by passing the ingot or
bloom between the lower rolls, and then to obtain a further reduction by lifting the
ingot or bloom to the upper rolls in the "three high "set. The object of my.
present Invention is to still further increase the duty of the mill, principally in
order to be able to complete rails and heavy bars by rolling down from the ingot
or bloom with one heat; to this end I combine a set of three rolls with two sets of
two rolls in such a manner as that I can obtain two reductions by passing between
the lower rolls and then two reductions by passing between the upper rolls, or vice
versa, according to the arrangements.
In order that my Invention may be fully understood I have attached hereunto a
Sheet of Drawings made to a scale of about three eighths of an inch to the foot
and marked with letters of reference, to which Drawings I will refer in this place.
Fig. 4 represents a longitudinal elevation of the improved mill; Fig. 1 representing
a vertical section on the line A in Fig. 4; Figs. 2 and 3 are diagrams illustrative
of the manner in which I gear together the rolls in the mill. In Figs. 1 and 4,
a, a, are the standards in which the rolls are housed. Each standard is principally
composed of two strong castings firmly bolted and secured together at the top and
bottom. In the space between the two castings are housed three centre rolls b, c,
and d, and each casting is also fitted with housings for two outside rolls e, f, and g, h.
The standards are each formed in two principal parts for convenience, but I do not
confine myself to this formation. It will be seen that the upper roll e of one of
the outside sets is about in line with the middle roll of the centre set, and that the
upper roll g of the other side set is about in line with the upper roll of the centre
set. The rolls in each set are geared together by means of spur wheels i which are
fixed upon short shafts which are housed in the standards ko, k, and are connected
with the rolls by means of the couplings , ; Fig. 3 represents the pitch circles of
the connecting wheels i. The axle of the centre roll c of the entire series is
connected by the couplings and m, and the intermediate shaft which is housed in
the standards k, l, with the main shaft n, which in practice is the crank shaft of
the driving engines. Upon this shaft is fixed a spur-wheel o which gears with a
wheel p which is fixed on a shaft which is coupled with the roll g. Upon a shaft
8 is fixed a spur wheelt which also gears with the wheel p, and the said shaft s is
coupled with the roll f. The pitch circles of these three wheels are represented in
Fig. 2, wherein it will be seen that the gearing is so proportioned as that the three
rolls in the centre set will revolve more quickly than the rolls in the two outer sets.
A roller u is housed below the roll h, and is driven from the central axle or from
any suitable part of the mill by means of a pitch chain or of gearing not represented
in the Drawing. The said roller sustains and carries out the bloom or bar as it is

page_text: passed between the rolls c, d. Two carrying-in rollers and ware also mounted
to revolve in brackets which are secured to the standards, and the said rollers are
suitably driven to cause them to carry in the bloom or bar towards the rolls. The
bloom or ingot is entered in the first instance between the rolls e, f, and passing
between the rolls c, d, is carried out by the assistance of the roller ụ. The bloom
or bar is then lifted to pass between the rolls g, h, and b, c, the roller w assisting
to carry in the said bloom or bar. It will be seen that four reductions are obtained
by passing the work through the mill from one side and returning it from the
other side. We prefer the arrangement for driving whereby the metal is passed
through the mill and returned in the manner set forth, but if preferred for any
reason, the outer rolls may be driven at a greater speed than the central set, and
the metal be entered in the first instance between the rolls c, d, or b, c, and pass
thence to one or the other of the outer sets of rolls, but it will be seen that such
an arrangement would increase the strain upon the central or main shaft.
Having now fully set forth and indicated the nature of my said Invention and
the manner in which I carry the same into practical effect, I would have it to. be
understood in conclusion that I claim,-
First. The combination and arrangement of parts forming a seven roll mill,
substantially as and for the purpose or purposes set forth and indicated herein before,
and in and by the accompanying Drawings.
-
And, Secondly. The combination of two outer sets of two rolls with a central set
of three rolls, so that the metal is reduced four times by being passed through once
and returned once, substantially as set forth and indicated.
In witness whereof, I, the said Peter Kirk, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Twelfth day of August, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and eighty one.