Improvements in Sheet Metal Rolling Mills.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Aug., 1898-Accepted, 24th June, 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Sheet Metal Rolling Mills.
I, JOHN GEORGE HODGSON, of Maywood, in the County of Cook, and State.of
Illinois, United States of America, Machinist, 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;-
My invention relates to sheet metal rolling mills.
The object of my invention is to provide a sheet metal rolling mill of a simple,
efficient and durable construction, by means of which bars, sheets or packs of
sheets may be passed rapidly and successively back and forth between the rolls
for a predetermined number of passes and the rolls set closer and closer together
by a continually diminshing increment after each successive pass, and the rolls
or their feed screws returned to position for repeating the operation on another
set or series of bars or sheets after the predetermined number of passes have been
made upon the first set or series of bars or sheets.
With this object in view my invention consists in the novel construction of
parts and devices and in the novel combinations of parts and devices herein shown
and described and specified in the claims.
In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification Fig. 1 is
a side elevation of a machine or rolling mill embodying my invention; Fig. 2
is a plan view; Fig. 3 is a vertical section on line 3-8 of Fig. 1 showing the
mill in end elevation; Fig. 3* is a detail view of the clutch mechanism; Fig. 4
is an enlarged detail side clevation of the gearing for operating the roller feed
table; Fig. 5 is a section on line 5--5 of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a vertical section
through the housing of one of the feed screws by which the rollers are set
together; Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail cross section of the movable guides for
the roller feed table, showing in elevation the mechanism for operating the
same; Fig. 8 is a detail plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 7; Fig. 9 is a
detail side elevation of the jack or mechanism for reversing the motion of the
mill; Fig. 10 is an end view of the same; Fig. 11 is a detail view of the gauge
plates for use in setting or adjusting the feed screws for rolling bars or sheets to
any required limit or gauge.
In the drawing like letters of reference indicate like parts in all the figures.
In said drawing A is the frame of the machine or mill. B B are the rolls,
the lower one, B, being the driven one. CC are roller feed tables, one on each
side of the rolls B B. The direction of rotation of the rolls CC of the roller
feed tables is adapted to be changed or reversed with the reversal of the direction
of rotation of the rolls B B. And for this purpose the feed table rolls Care
preferably connected by suitable gearing directly with the lower or driven one
of the rolls B B¹.
The feed screws D, one at each end of the upper roll B¹, turn in suitable
housings D on the frame, and press at their lower ends against the bearing B
of the shaft 13 of the upper roll B¹.
The feed screws D D are geared together as to both revolve in the same

page_text: direction by gears D3 D through an intermediate gear D. Each of the gears D³
are connected to its feed screw D through the medium of a worm gear D which
fits on the squared end 15 of the screw D, and which worm gear engages a
worm De journaled in brackets on the gear 12, so that by turning the worm De
by hand, the screw 1) may be independently turned or adjusted in respect to the
other screw, as may be required from time to time to compensate for wear or to
bring the rolls B B truly parallel to each other, or to set the mill for rolling
different gauges of metal.
One of
is a power driven pulley or shaft from which motion is communicated to the
feed screws at intervals, or after each pass, for the purpose of turning the feed
screws down to set the rolls B B closer together after each pass by a diminish-
ing increment through the connecting clutch F F, and the involute gears H H
and the mechanism for operating the clutch at each reversal of the motion of
the rolls B B. The clutch FF may be of any suitable construction adapted
to cause or permit an interval of connection between the shaft F and the pulley F,
aird then disconnect the two, one part F¹ of the clutch being attached to or made
integral with the pulley F, and the other part 2 being connected to the shaft 1
through which motion is communicated to one of the inter-geared feed
Screws D D. One of the members of the clutch FF has a sliding bolt or pin f
Fig. 3 actuated by a spring f¹ and adapted to be engaged by a wedge or trip f
on the clutch rod y' and thus withdraw from the notch or recess in the opposing
member of the clutch after the shaft F3 makes, say a half revolution.
the two involute gears, H, is secured to or made integral with the gear D² on
one of the feed screws, and the other involute gear, H¹, is secured to an upright
shaft F, which has a bevel gear F that meshes with a bevel gear F
on the clutch shaft, which connects through the clutch FI F2
with the driving pulley F before mentioned. The bevel gears F
are preferably so proportioned to each other that the shaft F4 will make one
revolution to say every five revolutions of the shaft 1. This will give ten
successive passes of the bars or sheets between the rolls at each heat, as the
shaft is arranged to make a half revolution at each reversal of the mill.
And owing to the involute form of the connecting gears H H, the feed
screws 1) ]) will be turned or set down a continuously or successively diminishing
increment or extent at each successive pass. And by simply removing the in-
volute gears H H¹ from the mill and substituting other involute gears of different
relations to each other, the extent of each successive reduction of the metal at
each successive pass may be regulated as required.
To operate the trip clutch or its releasing wedge fat each reversal of the
motion of the mill, the shaft of the driven roll 13 is provided with an oscillating
or friction arm or cam G; the same being frictionally secured to the shaft of the
roll, so that the roll may continue to revolve after the cam or arm G has been
oscillated to one side and its further motion arrested by striking against one or the
other of the stops GG¹ attached to the frame. The clutch operating friction arm G
will thus be oscillated at the very beginning of each reversal of the motion of the
mill, so that the feed screws D D will be turned and the rolls set for the next
pass before the feed table enters the sheets or bars into the bite of the rolls B B.
The mechanisms employed for communicating motion from the friction cam or
arm G to the clutch operating wedge f, consists, preferably, of a reciprocating
slide g, having a pin or roller g engaging the friction cam G, and which is pro-
vided at its upper end with a pawl or dog g, that is adapted to engage a collar
or projection on the clutch operating rod g. A spring g holds the pawl
normally in position to engage said collar. A stationary cam g engaging the free
end of the pawl or dog g², causes it to disengage said collar on the clutch operating
rod after having first operated the clutch rod so that the spring g' on the clutch
rod may return it to position to again disengage the clutch after the shaft F3
has made one revolution. To cause the shaft F3 to be disconnected from its
driving pulley F after a half revolution, I duplicate the clutch operating

page_text: wedge fat the diametrically opposite point of the clutch and connect this second
wedge with the clutch operating rod g by a connecting lever g and link g".
After the mill has made its predetermineu number or series of passes upon the
bars or sheets to be reduced, the feed screws D D are run back or returned to
position for repeating the operation upon another set of bars or sheets by means
of a bevel gear D which is attached to or made integral with the gear D on one
of the feed screws, and which bevel gear D7 meshes with the bevel gear K on
the shaft K', which is connected by a clutch K K³ with the driving pulley K
from which motion is derived for the purpose of turning the feed screws back.
The clutch K K is similar to the clutch FF, and its operating wedge k and
clutch rod is operated after the rolling is thus completed by a cam K on the
gear D engaging a lever K, from which through suitable connections K7, K³, K⁹,
motion is communicated to said clutch rod .
The movable gauges or guides CC at the opposite edges of each of the roller
feed tables are operated to approach either after each pass of the bars or sheets
between the rolls, and thus by grasping the bars or sheets at their
side edges to true or square up and centre all the bars or sheets on the
feed table preparatory to their being again passed between the rolls, so that
they will all enter the rolls smoothly and centrally with the rolls. After the
bars and sheets are thus adjusted properly in position on the feed table the
gauges or guides again open or separate and thus permit the bars or sheets to
be fed forward by the roller feed table into the rolls without friction contact
with the gauges. The gauges or guides C2C are thus operated after each pass
by an arm C, frictionally secured to the shaft B* of the driven rolls B, similarly
to the friction cam G, and which is adapted to vibrate from one of the stops C* C*
to the other at each reversal of the rolls, and which is connected to the slides C³ C
carrying the opening and closing gauges C2C preferably by means of a link C
pivotted to the friction cam or arm and to a lever or arm C7 which is con-
nected by a link C8 with a rack that meshes with a gear C10 on a rock shaft Cu
that is provided with a pair of lever arms connected by liuks C13 C14
and intermediate levers with the gauge carrying slides C³ ³, so that at each
movement of the friction cam or arm C the two gauges CC³ are first made to
momentarily close or approach each other to centre and square the bars or sheets
on the feed table and then at once to open or separate to permit the bars or sheets
to be fed forward into the bite of the rolls without again touching the gauges
which might otherwise tend to disarrange the bars or sheets on the table before
entering the rolls.
The rollers C¹ comprising each of the roller feed tables are provided each with
a gear c, and all the gears c of each section of the feed table are geared together
so as to rotate all in the same direction by means of the intermediate gears c¹.
Motion is communicated to one or more of the gears in each section of the feed:
table from the driven roll B by means of a bevel gear on the shaft of said
roll which meshes with a gear on a shaft having a gear e meshing with a
gear on the counter shaft c', which communicates motion through the
sprockets and by a chain c* to the shaft clo, which has gears el meshing with
gears 2 on the shafts c³, which are provided with gears 4 that mesh with gears c.
By this means the feed rollers C₁ are geared directly to the roll B, so that the
motion of the feed tables is reversed at each reversal of the rolls B B.
To enable the mill to be run any desired number of passes without turning
the feed screws D D or setting the rolls B B¹ closer together the cam or arm G
may be fixed in its side position by inserting a pin through the cam G, in the
holes g g
To provide the mill with means for readily setting or adjusting the feed
screws to any required thickness of metal, or to any required distance of the
rolls B B apart when the feed screw involute driving gears are turned com-
pletely to the end of their stroke two gauge plates or discs P P¹ are provided
to fit between the end of the feed screw and the bearing of the upper roll, one of

page_text: which is less in thickness than the other by the thickness of metal to which the
bars, sheets or packs are designed to be finished. So that in setting or adjusting
the mill the thicker gauge plate P may be inserted and the rolls then set down
directly together, the screws being at this time turned down ready for returning,
after which the thicker gauge plate is removed and the thinner one, P¹, inserted
in its place. This makes an easy and expeditious means for setting or adjusting
the mill to any required thickness designed to be rolled. These gauge plates,
in connection with the feed screws, also serve as a ready means for re-adjusting
or resetting the mill to compensate for wear.
S is the shaft of the engine from which the shaft * of the roll B is driven
through a loose or wabble coupling or shaft T and a connecting shaft T. To
enable the motion of the mill to readily be reversed, the engine shaft S is pro-
vided with two gears S1 and S2, both fast to the shaft, the latter meshing with
a gear S3 on a counter shaft S, and the connecting shaft T is provided, with two
gears T2 T3 both loose thereon but either adapted to be clutched thereto by
the friction clutch T T T. The gear S¹ on the engine shaft meshes with the
gear T and drives the mill in one direction when said gear T is clutched to the
shaft T and the gear S3 meshes with the gear T3 and drives the mill in the
opposite direction when said gear T³ is clutched to said shaft T, as the gear S
on the counter shaft S of course revolves in the opposite direction from the
gear S2 on the engine shaft. The clutch member T4 slides on and is splined to
the shaft T so that it may be brought into engagement with either of the clutch
members T5 T6 which are secured to or made integral with the gears T² T³
respectively. This makes a convenient and ready means of reversing the mill.
The clutch TT5 T³ is preferably a friction clutch, but it may be of any suit-
able construction.
By simply increasing or diminishing the number of the clutch trips or
wedges, the number of passes required to turn the involute feed screw turning
gears H H to the end of their stroke, may be diminished or increased, according
to the number of passes or reductions desired to be made at each heat.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is;-
1. In a sheet metal rolling mill, the combination with the rolls, feed tables
and feed screws for setting the rolls closer together, of a pair of involute gears
for turning the feed screws by diminishing increments after each reduction or
pass of the metal between the rolls to set them for the next pass, substantially
as specified.
2. In a sheet metal rolling mill, the combination with the rolls, feed tables
and feed screws for setting the rolls closer together, of a pair of involute gears
for turning the feed screws by diminishing increments after each reduction or
pass of the metal between the rolls to set them for the next pass, and means for
turning the shaft of one of said intermeshing involute gears after each succes-
sive pass, substantially as specified.
3. In a sheet metal rolling mill, the conbination with the rolls, of a pair of
feed screws, one at each end of the rolls, geared together for setting the rolls
together, and involute gears for turning the feed screws by diminishing incre-
ments after successive passes, substantially as specified.
4. The combination with the rolls, feed screws and feed tables, of a driving
pulley or shaft for the feed screws, a clutch and connecting gearing for com-
municating motion to said feed screws, mechanism for operating said clutch at
each reversal of the mill, said connecting gearing having a pair of involute gears
to cause the feed screws to be turned a less and less extent at each successive
turn, substantially as specified.
5. The combination with the rolls, feed screws and feed tables, of a driving
pulley or shaft for the feed screws, a clutch and connecting gearing for communi-

page_text: cating motion to said feed screws, mechanism for operating said clutch at each
reversal of the mill, said connecting gearing having a pair of involute gears to
cause the feed screws to be turned a less and less extent at each successive turn,
and mechanism for running back the feed screws after a predetermined number
of passes have been made, substantially as specified.
6. The combination with the rolls and feed screws for setting the rolls closer
together, a driving pulley or shaft for the feed screws, gearing connecting said
driving pulley or shaft with the feed screws, a clutch for connecting and discon-
necting said gearing with said driving pulley, a friction cam or arm on the shaft
of one of the rolls, and connecting mechanism between said cam or arm and the
clutch for operating the clutch at each reversal of the motion of the rolls, said
connecting gearing between the feed screws and their driving pulley or shaft
having a pair of involute gears to cause the feed screws to be turned a diminish-
ing amount, substantially as specified.
7. The combination with the rolls and feed screws for setting the rolls closer
together, a driving pulley or shaft for the feed screws, gearing connecting said
driving pulley or shaft with the feed screws, a clutch for connecting and dis-
connecting said gearing with said driving pulley, a friction cam or arm on the
shaft of one of the rolls, and connecting mechanism between said cam or arm
and the clutch for operating the clutch at each reversal of the motion of the
rolls, said connecting gearing between the feed screws and their driving pulley
or shaft having a pair of involute gears to cause the feed screws to be turned
diminishing amount, and mechanism for running back or returning the feed
screws to position after a predetermined number of passes have been made, sub-
stantially as specified.
B
8. In a sheet metal rolling mill, the combination with the feed table and rolls,
of movable gauges at the opposite edges of the feed table for truing and centring
the bars or sheets on the feed table, and mechanism for opening and closing the
gauges at each reversal of the motion of the mill, comprising a rack and gear,
connecting links and levers, and a friction arm on the shaft of one of the rolls,
substantially as specified.
9. In a sheet metal rolling mill, the combination with the feed table and rolls,
of movable gauges at the opposite edges of the feed table for truing and centring
the bars or sheets on the feed table, and mechanism for opening and closing the
gauges at each reversal of the motion of the mill, said mechanism consisting in
a friction cam or arm and connections connecting said friction cam or arm with
said movable gauges, substantially as specified.
10. The combination with the rolls and the engine shaft of a jack or mechanism
for reversing the direction of rotation of the rolls comprising two gears fixed to
the engine shaft one of which meshes directly with a loose gear on the roll shaft,
the other meshing with a gear on a counter shaft which meshes with a second
loose gear on the roll shaft and a clutch upon the roll shaft to engage either of
the loose gears on that shaft at the will of the workman in charge, the feed screws,
and mechanism for turning the feed screws at each reversal of the direction of
rotation of the rolls to set or adjust the rolls for the next succeeding pass, sub-
stantially as specified.
11. The combination with the rolls and feed screws, each having a squared
end, of a worm gear fitting on the squared end of the feed screw, a gear loose
on the hub of the worm for communicating motion to the feed screw, and a worm
journaled on said gear and engaging said worm gear, substantially as specified.
Dated this 8th day of July 1898.
Dated this 8th day of July 1898.
JOHN GEORGE HODGSON,
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.