Improvements in and relating to Rolling Mills.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Feb., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 4th Nov., 1889-Accepted, 7th Dec., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Rolling Mills.
WE, JOHN JARDINE, Engineer, and JOHN THOMAS BRASSINGTON, Roll Mill Foreman,
both of Windmillhill Street, Motherwell, Lanarkshire, do hereby declare the nature
of our Invention to be as follows:-
This Invention has reference to and comprises a new or improved construction, or
arrangement and combination, of hydraulic mechanism, in contradistinction to the
screw mochanism heretofore used, for regulating the distance of the moving rolls
from the fixed rolls, and sustaining the strain on these whether they are horizontal
or vertical rolls, of iron and steel rolling mills; and also the vertical rolls which roll
the edges of the blocks or plates, of hot metal, and specially applicable to and useful
for sustaining the great strain on these rolls, as well as regulating their distance from
the fixed roll or from the block or article to be rolled in the mills for the rolling of
hot metal ingots, slabs, billets, blocks, plates, sheets or bars, especially in their rough
unfinished form, approximately to their thickness and width.
In applying these improvements to an ordinary horizontal cogging or rolling mill,
we by one arrangement mount a hollow stoel or iron hydraulic cylinder inserted with
its bearing flanges up through the central eye in the top of the side frames or housings
of the mill, preferably with a close domed end on top, and with the ram working
down through its open end below over the top bush bearing of the journals of the
upper roll, so as to act on this block and sustain the whole strain upon the upper roll,
while rolling in the same position as the ordinary screw is used for this purpose. Or
a separate loose bushed sliding block might be mounted in the housings for the lower
end of this ram working on, leaving the journals and roll free to be lifted out of the
carrying bush bearing blocks, under the journals of this top rollor. These under
carrying journal blocks in this case would be carried and raised on side bars, passed
down through the housings, with a crosshead for each end, and an hydraulic cylinder
and ram under same, or it might be the ordinary powerful weighted levers. Each
upper cylinder would have a supply branch and water pressure pipe with closing valve
preferably near the top leading from an ordinary water pressure accumulator, or a
cistern placed above the cyclinders in a convenient adjacent part of the work. And
either with or without a separate small branch with a closing pressure valve or screw
plug, for letting out any desired quantity of water from the cylinder, to allow the
ram to rise to any height desired by the raising of the roll bushes and lower hydraulic
or other mechanism before mentioned. Each lower cylinder when used, would also
have a supply pipe leading from the water pressure accumulator, and with or without
an escape branch with hand closing valve and pipe. The upper open ends of the
cylinders would be fitted with the usual tightening cup leathers round the rams to
prevent the escape of the pressure water inside when raising the rams. The action of
the arrangement would be as follows :-
The escape valves of the upper cylinders leading to their supply chamber would be
opened by hand, and those of the lower cylinders closed, and the taps opened leading
from the accumulator to the lower cylinders, so as to raise the lower rams and upper
roll by its bush sliding blocks to the desired distance to pass the hot block or slab
through above the under roll, and in doing so, also raise the rams within the upper
cylinders to this height, pressing out the superfluous water through the escape valves
at the top; when the attendant would then shut these escape screw plugs or valves of
these upper cylinders, just before the hot metal ingot, slab or billet is passed through
between the rolls, so that the enclosed water within the cylinders not being able to
escape would sustain the whole pressure on the rams and journals of the upper roll
while the hot block or plate was passing through between the rolls. Then for a further

page_text: reduction of the block or slab the lower rams would be slightly lowered, by allowing
in regulated escape of water from their cylinders back into the accumulator or other
wise, and lower the upper roll and upper rams, while their pressure valves were opened
to refill the upper cylinders, and which when closed would enable the cylinders to
sustain the pressure of their rams in each next succeeding reduced rolling of the slab.
All in a simpler, quicker and more efficient manner than is at present effected by the
pressure serowa worked by gearing or hand. The arrangement is also equally
applicable to the vertical side or eige guiding and reducing rolls, by setting the
prossure sustaining cylinders horizontally, instead of vertically as described in reference
to the top cylinders of the horizontal rolls. In this case a vertical crosshead would be
formed on each horizontal ram, mounted between each pair of vertical rolls, and carry
the bearing blocks at its apper and lower end, mounted on the end journals of the
rolls. In this case the rams on either side of the housing would be pressed out of
their cylinders to the desired distance the rolls required to be separated to suit the
width of the hot block to be rolled, and this being done, the escape valves of the
cylinders would be shut by hand, and the rams would then sustain the pressure put
on the vertical rolls in passing the block through between them. These horizontal
rams could be pressed into their cylinders again when required to widen the distance
between the rolls, by weighted levers mounted on the sides of the housing, the escape
of the water from the cylinders regulating the position of the rams in the cylinders,
and the distance of the rolls from each other. Ur by another arrangement the rains
might be made in the form u. plungers, with cup pistons inside the cylinders at their
inner end; and a narrow annular acting pushing in space lett between this inner cup
leather piston and the outer emp leathers in the end covers of the cylinders; and
pressure water being admitted from the accumulator to this outer aminlar space by
regulating taps in front of the plunger, would press these into their cylin fers and
Beparate the vertical rolls on opposite sides from each other, as described, without the
use of powerful weighted levers. And the inner ends of the plungers might have cup
leathers in addition to the cup leathers at the onter open ends of the cylinders to
ensure greater certainty of fluid-pressure tightness. And the outer end of the plunger,
would preferably have an index pointer secared on it, passing up a divided plate near
the side of the housing, or other equivalent, to indicate the position of the plunger,
and the height of the compressing roller above the fixed roller. Or otherwise where
there was not room for this index pointer on the outer end of the plunger, a spindle
might be attached to the inner end of the plunger and passed out through a cup
leather stuffing box in the outer close end of of the cylinder, to which a pointer might
be attached.
Dated the Soul Bala 100
W. R. M. THOMSON & Co.,
A monte
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Rolling Mills.
We, JonN JARDINE. Engineer, and JOHN THOMAS BRASSINGTON, Roll Mill Foreman,
both of Windmillhill Street, Motherwell, in the County of Lanark do hereby declare
the nature of this invention and in what manner the samo is to be performed, to he
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement. :—
This invention has reference to and comprises a new or improved construction or
arrangement and combination of hydraulic meclmanism in contradistinction to the
scrow mechanism heretofore used for regulating the distance of the moving rolls from
the fixed rolls and sustaining the strain on these whether they are horizontal or
vertical rolls of iron and steul rolling mills. Our invention is also applicable to the
vertical rolls which roll the edges of the blocks or platos of hot metal, and it is
specially useful for sustaining the great strain of these rolls, as well as regulating their
distance from the fixed roll or from the block or article to he rolled.
The mills for rolling hot motal ingots, slabs, billets, blocks, plates, sheets, or bars,

page_text: especially in their rough unfinished form approximately to their thickness and width
can all be worked by the aid of our invention.
In applying these improvements to an ordinary horizontal cogging or rolling mill,
we by one arrangement mount a hollow steel or iron hydraulic cylinder above the
roll bearings and inserted with its bearing flanges or projections through the central
eye in the top of the side frames or housings of the mill.
We preferably close the end of this cylinder with a close domed cover on the top,
and arrange the ram to work down through its open end over the top bush bearing
of the journals of the upper roll, so as to act on this block and sustain the whole strain
upon the upper roll while rolling. The position is the same as the screw ordinarily
used for this purpose. Or a separate loose bushed sliding block might be mounted in
the housings for the lower end of this ram to work upon leaving the journals and rolls
free to be lifted out of the carrying bush bearing blocks, under the journals of this
top roller. These under carrying journal blocks in this case would be carried and
raised on side bars, passed down through the housings, with a crosshead for each end,
and an hydraulic cylinder and ram under each, or we may use the ordinary powerful
weighted levers. Each upper cylinder would have a supply branch and water pressure
pipe with closing valve preferably near the top, leading from an ordinary water
pressure accumulator, or a cistern placed above the cylinders in a convenient adjacent
part of the work. And either with or without a separate small branch with a closing
pressure valve or screw plug, for letting out any desired quantity of water from the
cylinder, to allow the rain to rise to any height desired by the raising of the roll
busbes and lower hydraulic or other mechanism before mentioned. Each lower
cylinder when used, would also have a supply pipe leading from the water pressure
accumulator, with or without an escape branch with hand closing valve and pipe.
The upper open ends of the cylinders would be fitted with the usual tightening cup
leathers round the rams to prevent the escape of the pressure water inside when
raising the rams. The action of the arrangement would be as follows:-
The escape valves of the upper cylinders leading to their supply chamber would be
opened by hand, and those of the lower cylinders closed, and the taps opened leading
from the accumulator to the lower cylinders, so as to raise the lower rams and upper
roll by its bush sliding blocks to the desired distance to pass the hot block or slab
between the upper and the under roll, and in doing so, the rams within the upper
cylinders are also raised the same distance. The superfluous water in the upper
cylinders is passed through the escape valves at the top. The attendant then shuts
the oscape screw plugs or valves of the upper cylinders, just before the hot metal
ingot, slab or billet is passed through between the rolls, so that the enclosed water
within the cylinders not being able to escape sustains the whole pressure on the rams
and journals of the upper roll while the hot block or plate is passing through the
mill.
For a further reduction of the block or slab the lower rams are slightly lowered by
allowing a regulated escape of water from their cylinders back into the accumulator
or otherwise, and the upper roll and upper rams are lowered while the upper pressure
valves are opened to refill the upper cylinders. When the upper valves are closed!
again the cylinders are enabled to sustain the pressure on their rams in each next
succeeding reduced rolling of the slab. Thus the necessary operations are accomplished
in a simpler, quicker, and more efficient manner than is at present effected by the
pressure screws worked by gearing or hand. The arrangement is equally applicable
to the vertical side or edge guiding and reducing rolls, by setting the pressure
sustaining cylinders horizontally instead of vertically as described in reference to the
top cylinders of the horizontal rolls. In this case a vertical crosshead is formed on
each horizontal ram, mounted between each pair of vertical rolls, and carrying the
bearing block at its upper and lower end, mounted on the end journals of the rolls.
The ramis on either side of the housing would be pressed out of their cylinders to the
desired distance to which the rolls required to be separated to suit the width of the
bot block to be rolled, and this being done, the escape valves of the cylinders are shut

page_text: by hand and the rams thon sustain the prossure put on the vertical rolls in passing the
blook through between them.
These horizontal rams could be prossed into their cylinders again when required to
widen the distance bet woon the rolls, by weighted levers mounted on the sides of the
housing the escape of the water from the cylinders regulating the position of the
rams in the cylinders, and the distance of the rolls from each other. Or by another
arrangement the rams might be made in the form of plungers with cup pistons inside
the cylinders at their inner end; and a narrow annular pushing-in space left between
this innor cup leather piston and the outer cup leathers in the end covers of the
cylinders and pressure water is admitted from the accumulator to this outer annular
space by regulating taps in front of the plunger and presses these into their cylinders
and separate the vertical rolls on opposite sides from each other, as described, without
the use of powerful weighted levers. And the inner ends of the plunger might have
cup leathers in addition to the cup leathers at the outer open ends of the cylinders to
ensure greater certainty of fluid-pressure tightness. And the outer end of the plunger
would preferably have an index pointer secured on it passing up a divided plate near
the side of the housing, or other equivalent, to indicate the position of the plunger,
and the height of the compressing roller above the fixed roller. Or otherwise where
there was not room for this index pointer on the outer end of the plunger, a spindla
might be attached to the inner end of the plunger and passed out through a cup
leather stuffing box in the outer close ond of the cylinder, to which a pointer miglit
be attached.
In order that our invention and the manner of performing the same way be fully
understood and readily carried into effect we hereunto append a sheet of explanatory
drawings to be hereinafter referred to.
Figure 1 is a transverse vertical section showing the application of our invention
to any ordinary horizontal cogging or rolling mill.
Figure 2 is a section of the hydraulic cylinder as applicable when the head of the
housing is cast specially so as to be large enough to contain the bydraulic cylinder.
It will be readily understood that the drawing shows only one side of the rolling
mill and that all the arrangements there seen oxist in duplicate on the other housing.
Referring to Figure 1. A is the hydraulic cylinder firmly attached to the steel or
iron piece B by screw as shown upon the drawing or by other convenient mans.
The piece B is let into the space usually reserved for the adjusting screw and has
turned upon it one or more shoulders which bear upon a corresponding shoukler or
shoulders bored in the top of the housing. The three way cock or valve C places the
cylinder A in communication with a source of pressure water such as au accumulator
in one position and in another position communication with pressure water is shut off
and the cylinder A is opened to a discharge or exhaust passage or pipe.
In an intermediate position the cock or valve closes the cylinder entirely so that
water cannot be admitted nor can it escape. The piston or rum 1 works in the
hydraulic cylinder and is made water-pressure tight in any usual and well known
manner as by cup or U leathers and it communicates with the upper sliding block F
by the rod . Provision is made to allow escape of air from beneath the piston D as
woll as to drain away any slight leakage which might pass the leathers.
The upper roller journals & may be held between the sliding blocks F and H in any
usual manner,
that is the lower sliding block H carrying a part of the bearing surface
may be held up to its work by the usual type of powerful weighted levers but wo
prefer to control the lower block in the same way as the upper, riz.-by hydraulic
pressure and to this end we sometimes pass two side rods I, J, through the lower part
of the housing and connect them to a crosshead K carried by an hydraulic plunger L
constantly exposed to the full water pressure from the accumulator or other source of
water under pressure.
The rods J carry the lower sliding block H and the area of the plungers or
rams L are so proportioned that the available pressure is sufficient to support the
whole weight of the blocks H, F, the upper roll, and also the ram Dand its connections

page_text: as well as to overcome the friction of the various parts so that when no other resistance
is offered the roller may he raised to any desired extent.
The pointer M is intended to indicate upon the divided arc N the position of the
upper roll so that its distance from the lower roll may be at once visible on inspection.
The handle O is conveniently placed so as to be within easy control of the attendant
and the position of the cock or valve C is changed by its means.
A spring loaded safety valve is shown at P which is intended to relieve the excessive
pressure caused by accidentally putting in too cold an ingot or slab or excessive
pressure between the rolls, or caused in any other manner. The cock or screw at Q
is intended to test for and discharge any air which may have obtained admission to
the hydraulic cylinder A as it is essential to the proper working of the apparatus that
air should be absent.
The action is as follows:-Suppose the top roll to he at its lowest point after
finishing a slab and it is necessary to raise it in readiness for the next ingot.
The land lover is moved to such position that the cock or valve C is opened to
the exhaust or discharge pipe or passage and then as the pressure upon the lower
rams N is no longer counteracted by the water pressure upon the larger area of the
upper surface of the piston D and the water in the cylinder A is free to escape, the
roll is raised with its various connections and it continues rising until the valve or
cock C is again closed or when it comes to the extreme of its stroke. When the
desired height has been reached as indicated by the pointer M, then the cock () is
closed and the water is retained in the cylinders A and takes the thrust upwards from
the upper roll keeping it quite stationary so far as upward movement is concerned.
That is during the passage of the ingot or slab the entire upward thrust is sustained
hy the body of water retained in A as the supply and outlet ports are both closed.
To lower the roll for the next pass, the cock or valve C is reversed and pressure
water is admitted to A from the accumulator when the ram or pistons D are moved
downward the areas being greater than the areas of the rams L which resist them.
On reaching the required draft the valve is again shut and tho slab passed through
the rolls and so on until the oporation is complete.
Although in this description we have described the operation as if only one cock C
were moved and only one set of hydraulic gear is shown, it is to be distinctly
remembered that a similar set controls the bearing and sliding blocks at the other
extremity of the upper roll. The two cocks controlling the cylinders at each end of
the roll may be connected by a spindle or linked together in such a way that both
cylinders are supplied simultaneously by one movement of the lever O or one valve
or cock may be so connected by pipes to both cylinders as to control both by its
movement. In this case however it is desirable to provide separate means of adjusting
the two upper rams so that the roll may he brought to a truly horizontal position and
this we sometimes accomplish by varying the resistance to the discharge of water
from beneath either plunger or ram L back to the accumulator by means of a valve.
The movement of this valve interposes resistance to the passage of water to or from
one or other of the lower plunger or ram cylinders. By moving this valve the ascent
or descent of the upper roll may be accomplished keeping it in a perfectly horizontal
position.
In order to see that both ends of the roll are rising or falling at the same rate while
the attendant remains at one side of the mill we sometimes make the spindle R upon
which the pointer M is pivotted, hollow or tubular and we pass through it a spindle
connected at the other end to the sliding block or chock F, we then place a second
pointer upon this spindle and so adjust it that it travels over the same as N above the
pointer M. when the two ends of the roller are at the same level. Should the level
differ from any cause then the pointers separate and the attendant restores the
horizontal position by a movement of the lever controlling the communication of the
bottom rams or plungers with the accumulator as source of pressure.
In this way the whole control of the rise and fall is in the immediate power of one
man.

page_text: The construction of hydraulic cylinder shown at Figure 2 is preferred when the
tops of the housings are large enough or where a new mill is to be made. The
cylinder A is covered by any convenient cover S or the end may he cast on.
In order to simplify the arrangement still further we sometimes disponse with the
lower plungers or rams Land use the annular space between the piston or plunger
rod E and the cylinder A under the piston 1) to lift the upper roller as well as to
depress it and on this we considerably increase the diameter of E so as to leave the
annular space just large enough for its work and avoid loss of water.
suspend the lower sliding blocks H to the upper blocks F by bolts held up by strong
spiral or other springs so that the two halves F and I are hold together with the
necessary pressure.
We then
The end of the rod or plunger E is then modified to lift F as well as to press
against it. The rolling mill we have described is intended as an example of the
application of our invention to that type of mill but the details of construction neces-
sary to give abundant strength under various circumstances may be varied considerably
without departing from the essential features of our invention.
The application of our invention to rolling mills having vertical as well as horizontal
rolls is identical with its application to horizontal rolls the slight changes necessary in
departing from the vertical position of hydraulic cylinder and other parts are well
known to engineers having experience in such work.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
wo claim is:-
1. In rolling mills the use of hydraulic cylinders such as A to depress the upper
roll and resist its upward movement while passing metil as determined by the position
of valves or cocks, or valve or cock such as together with any ordinary and woll
known means of holding up and lifting the lower sliding blocks or chocks carrying
the lower larings, substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
11. In rolling mills the use of hydraulic cylinders such as A to depress the upper
roll and resist its upward movement while passing metal as determined by the position
of valves or cocks or valve or cock such as together with lower hydraulic rams such
as for holding up and lifting lower sliding blocks or chocks, substantially as
described herein before, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
1. In rolling mills the use of hydraulic differential pistons such as D with water
pressure above and below, controlled by a cork or cocks such as ('so as to depress,
resist or lower an upper roll operating on the water communication above and below
by a cock or cocks such as ( substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore
described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
IV. The combination of parts forming our improved hydraulic adjustment for rolling
mills as shown in the accompanying drawings whether applied to horizontal or vertical
rolls substantially as an for the purposes hereinbefore described and illustrated in
the accompanying drawings.
Datud this 2nd day
CLERK & MARKS.
18, Templo Street, Birmingham, Agents for Applicants.