Improvements in the Method of and Means for Rolling Metallic Bars and Plates having Taper and other Non-parallel Longitudinal Sections.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Jan., 1891
Complete Specification Le't, 7th Oct., 1891-Accepted, 7th Nov., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Method of and Means for Rolling Metallic Bars
and Plates having Taper and other Non-parallel Longitudinal
Sections.
I, TREVELYAN SHARP of 163 Guide Lane Hooley Hill near Manchester in the
County of Lancaster, Iron Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to the method of and means for rolling metallic bars and
plates having taper and other non-parallel longitudinal sections.
According to my present improvements the bars or plates are rolled between a
pair of rolls arranged in a vertical plane, the lower roll preferably being driven and
the upper roll adjustable to suit varying thicknesses of plates or bars.
The driven roll is operated by a reciprocating rack or (and preferably) by a
parallel pair of reciprocating racks engaging with pinions fixed upon opposite ends
of the axis of the roll. The reciprocation of the racks may be effected by means
of a ram operated by hydraulic pressure or by gearing or by other suitable means,
and I arrange that during the reciprocation of the racks the driven roll is lifted
or lowered so as to gradually approach to or recede from the adjustable roll as may
be required by the longitudinal section of the bar or plate to be rolled. Thus, in
a taper section the driven roll would be caused to approach the adjustable roll
during the whole stroke of the racks, and for a section thickest at the mid length
of the bar or plate, the driven roll would at first be lowered and afterwards be
lifted, and so for other sections.
The raising and lowering of the roll as may be required, may be effected by
means of templates or packing pieces arranged upon the rack carriers. I prefer
to arrange alongside the rack and movable therewith, a rail or similar surface upon
which the neck of the roll bears and rolls; thus, by altering the inclination or by
varying the linear contour of the rail or similar surface I may produce the
necessary lifting or lowering motion of the roll during its rotation by the
rack, and consequently also produce the required longitudinal section in the bar or
plate.
It is preferred to arrange the racks in such a manner that their teeth have their
pitch lines parallel with the surfaces upon which the necks of the roll turn, so that
the rack teeth may always be equally in gear with the teeth of the roll pinions.
Dated this 6th day of January A.D. 1891.
WILLIAM E. HEYS,
Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Method of and Means for Rolling Metallic Bars
and Plates having Taper and other Non-parallel Longitudinal
Sections.
I, TREVELYAN SHARP of 163 Guide Lane Hooley near Manchester in the
County of Lancaster, Iron Manufacturer, 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:-
This invention relates to the method of and means for rolling metallic bars and
plates having taper and other non-parallel longitudinal sections.
According to my present improvements, the bars and plates are rolled between

page_text: a pair of rolls arranged in a vertical plane, the lower roll preferably being driven
and the upper roll adjustable to suit various thicknesses of plates and bars.
The driven roll is operated by means of a reciprocating rack or preferably by a
pair of parallel reciprocating racks engaging with a pinion fixed upon one end of
the driven roll, or with pinions fixed upon the opposite ends of the roll. The
reciprocation of the rack or racks may be effected by means of a ram operated by
hydraulic pressure, or by toothed gearing or other suitable means, and I arrange
that during the reciprocation of the rack or racks the driven roll is lifted and
lowered so as to gradually approach to or recede from the adjustable roll as may be
required by the longitudinal section of the bar or plate to be rolled.
Thus, in a taper section, the driven roll would be caused to approach the
adjustable roll during the whole stroke of the rack or racks, and for a section
thickest at the middle of its length, the driven roll would at first be lowered and
afterwards be lifted, and the position of the driven roll relatively to the adjustable
roll would be suitably varied in a corresponding manner for other sections.
The raising and lowering of the driven roll as may be required, may be
effected by means of templates or packing pieces which will hereinafter be called
templates, arranged upon the rack carriers. I prefer to arrange the templates
below the racks, and between the racks and the rack carriers in the case of
straight tapers which are the more frequently used, so that the pitch line of the
rack is inclined. The teeth of the rack and pinion are in this case constructed
to "bottom" each other so that during the stroke of the rack the roll driven
thereby is gradually raised or lowered according to the direction of the stroke.
For other sections, and in all cases, I may use a template fixed alongside each
rack and moving therewith. This template is arranged under the neck of the roll
so that the roll may be lifted and lowered thereby. Thus by altering the
inclination of the template, or by varying its linear contour, any desired lifting
and lowering of the driven roll may be produced which may be necessary for rolling
the desired section.
In the accompanying drawings which illustrate in what manner my said
invention may be carried into practical effect, and to which reference will herein-
after be made,
Figure 1 is a front view of a pair of rolls arranged and constructed according
to and for the purpose of these improvements;
Figure 2 is a side view of the same pair of rolls together with one arrangement
of the driving mechanism;
Figure 3 is a plan of Figure 2;
Figure 4 represents in side view, and
Figure 5 in plan a pair of rolls with a modification of the driving mechanism.
In each of the figures similar letters are employed to indicate similar parts or
details.
A is the adjustable roll; B are the adjusting screws; C the driven roll; D the
pinions on the driven roll necks; E the racks gearing with the pinions D;
F pinious gearing the two rolls together; G the rack carrier; H the template
hereinbefore referred to and which is represented as arranged for taper bars; and
I the bearings upon which the rack carrier slides.
It will be obvious that a large number of arrangements might be alternatively
adopted for driving the racks to and fro, and that it would be impracticable to
describe them all, but for most purposes the two arrangements represented in the
figures will suffice, or if they are unsuitable, they will suggest other known arrange-
ments for securing reciprocating motions of a similar kind.
The rolls illustrated by Figures 1, 2, and 3 are driven through the racks and
pinions and the connecting rod J from the crank pin K which is adjustable at a
greater or less distance from the centre of the wheel L so that a longer or shorter
stroke may be given to the racks as may be desired. The wheel Lon which the
crank pin is adjustably secured, is driven by means of a belt passing around the
fast and loose pulleys M through the pinion N gearing with the wheel L. () is a

page_text: fly wheel which may or may not be used. The distance of the crank pin from the
centre of the wheel L is equal to one half the length of the required stroke of
the racks, so that for every revolution of the wheel the racks make a complete
backward and forward stroke. It may in some cases be advisable to lower the
driving mechanism below the ground level, when a modification of the arrangement
represented by Figures 4 and 5 may be employed. In this arrangement one
driving and two loose pulleys M are employed in a similar manner to the driving
arrangement of a planing machine. Two belts, one crossed and one open, are used,
and are alternatively moved upon the driving pulley so that the pulley is alter-
nately driven in opposite directions. Upon the driving pulley shaft there is
mounted a pinion P gearing with the wheel Q fixed on the cross shaft R on
which there are also fixed the two pinions S gearing into the teeth of two racks T
formed or secured on the under side of the rack carrier. An arrangement similar
to that used on a planing machine may be employed to reverse the motion at the
end of each stroke by sliding the driving belts.
The rack carriers may be operated by any suitable mechanism or by an hydraulic
ram or by other means the nature of which may be determined in each case.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is :-
1. The hereinbefore described method of rolling metallic bars and plates having
tapered or non-parallel longitudinal sections and which consists in raising and
lowering one of the rolls during the rolling process to the extent necessary for
producing the required section, substantially as set forth.
2. An apparatus for rolling tapered and other metallic bars and plates having
tapered and other non-parallel longitudinal sections, constructed arranged and
operating substantially as hereinbefore described and as illustrated by the accom-
panying drawings.
3. In an apparatus for rolling tapered and other metallic bars having non-parallel
longitudinal sections, the combination and arrangement of an adjustable roll, a roll
driven through a pinion or pinions by a reciprocating rack or racks, and a template
or templates, substantially as hereinbefore described and as illustrated by the
accompanying drawings.
Dated this 6th day of October A.D. 1891.
WILLIAM E. HEYS,
Agent for the Applicant.