Improved Apparatus for Manipulating Heavy Masses of Metal during the Process of Rolling and Forging.
Year: 1899

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Apparatus for Manipulating Heavy Masses of Metal during
the Process of Rolling and Forging.
I, CHARLES DAVY, of 6, Severn Road, Sheffield, in the County of York,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to the manipulation of heavy masses of steel or other
metal, more particularly flat-shaped masses such as armour-plates, during the
process of rolling and it has for its object to facilitate the turning over of such
masses in the intervals between their being passed through the rolls so that
what was originally the lower side of the mass may be brought to the top as
expeditiously as possible for purposes of examination and freeing the plate from
scale.
The invention consists essentially in slinging the mass or plate in the bights
of a pair of chains hanging in parallel loops extending from side to side in
front of the rolling mill, the opposite ends of the chains being connected to
independent hoisting or hauling mechanism so that by hauling on the chains at
the one side the plate will be turned up on edge after which by slacking out
the chains on the other side, the plate will be turned completely over.
The hoisting gear may be of any known type but would preferably consist of
a pair of hydraulic cylinders and rams to whose cross-heads the ends of the
chains are attached, the cylinders being carried by a movable gantry whereby
the position of the sling chains may be adjusted to suit the length of the plate
to be dealt with, the cylinders and chains being brought nearer to the rolls in
the case of a short plate, or moved farther away from the rolls in the case of
a long plate, the object being to ensure the plate being so balanced when slung
in the bight of the chains as to avoid any risk of tipping endwise. To further
ensure this result the distance apart of the two chains should be made suffi-
cient to afford a stable support for the plate in the longitudinal direction and
'such distance may if desired be made adjustable by suitable means so as to
accommodate plates of different lengths. The bottom part of the chain loops
when not in action lie in grooves formed in the mill floor, or between the live
rollers if a roller bench is used, so as to allow the plate to travel to and fro. It
is also essential that the dependent side portions of the loops should when out of
action be kept clear sideways of the edges of the plate for which purpose the
chains would hang over pairs of guide pulleys mounted on the gantry at a
lateral distance apart greater than the breadth of the widest plate to be dealt
with. It is preferred however that these pairs of guide pulleys should not be
permanently fixed at such a distance apart but that they should be capable of
being caused to approach one another closely, since when the guide pulleys are
near together the chains will obtain a better grip of the plate which will thus
be turned over much more gently than would otherwise be possible. To facilitate
such lateral adjustment of the guide pulleys each pair of pulleys may be con-

page_text: nected with hydraulic or other gear whereby it may be brought to and held
securely in the desired position.
It will be evident that my invention although primarily applicable to the
handling of armour-plates and the like during the process of rolling, is also
capable of being employed for the manipulation of heavy forgings, particularly 5
those produced by means of the hydraulic forging press.
Dated this 19th day of October 1899.
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
Chartered Patent Agents, 53, Chancery Lane, London,
Improved Apparatus for Manipulating Heavy Masses of Metal during
the Process of Rolling and Forging.
I, CHARLES DAVY, formerly of 6, Severn Road, Sheffield, and at present of
10, Belvedere Road, Scarborough, in the County of York, Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:—
My invention relates to the manipulation of heavy masses of metal more
particularly flat-shaped masses such as armour-plates, at the rolling mill and
it has for its object to provide a simple and comparatively inexpensive means
whereby to enable such masses to be turned over (for purposes of examination
for flaws and freeing the plate from scale) as expeditiously and therefore with
as little loss of heat as possible.
The invention consists essentially of a pair of chains present in parallel loops
or slings in front of the rolling mill, the pair of chains being connected at
opposite ends, to independent hoisting or hauling mechanisms so that by hauling
on the chains the plate may be slung and raised off the floor or roller bench
and by continuing to haul on the chains at the one side and slacking them out
at the other side, the plate will first be raised on edge and then be turned com-
pletely over and may then be again deposited on the floor or roller bench.
The dependent members of the chains must when out of action be kept clear
of the plate so as to allow of the latter being passed freely between them on the
chains and with this object the loops would be wide enough to admit the widest
plate to be dealt with and the overhead guide pulley over which they pass
would preferably be capable of being separated sufficiently to allow the plate
to pass freely through the loops and of being brought close together so as to
enable the chains to obtain better control over the plate in the operation of turning
it over.
The hoisting and chain adjusting gear may be carried by a gantry movable
to enable the position of the sling chains to be adjusted according to the length
of the plate to be dealt with so as to ensure the plate being so nearly balanced
when slung as to avoid tipping endwise, the distance apart of the two chains
being sufficient to afford a stable support for the plate in the longitudinal direc-
tion. When not in action the slack portions of the chain loops lie in grooves
formed in the mill floor, or pass between and below the live rollers if a roller
bench is used, so as not to obstruct the travel of the plate.
It will be evident that my invention although primarily intended for the
manipulation of armour-plates at the rolling mill is also capable of dealing with

page_text: heavy forgings, particularly those produced by means of the hydraulic forging
press.
The invention is illustrated in an elementary manner in perspective view in
the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification.
A A' are the pair of chains attached at opposite ends to independent hoisting
gears of any known type preferably to the cross-heads B B of rams working
in hydraulic cylinders C C mounted on a gantry D, the chains passing over
pairs E E of pulleys, and being pendent there from in the form of loops or
slings passing down between the live rollers G of the roller bench and embracing
the plate H lying thereon. The pairs of pulleys E E¹ are mounted in slide
blocks supported on the gantry D and adjustable thereon by connection with the
rams of hydraulic cylinders I, so that the pairs of pulleys E E¹ may be moved
wider apart or brought closer together than the width of the plate H.
The gantry may either be movable upon rails overhead or at the ground level
or might be fixed. the hoisting and pulley gears being adjustable towards or
away from the rolls the hydraulic pipe connections being flexible or jointed to
allow of this adjustment.
The hydraulic hoisting cylinders are shown horizontal but 'they might be
vertically over the chain pulleys or support the chains directly without guide
pulleys, or they may be at the sides of the gantry if the latter travels on the
floor track.
It is obvious that the pairs of pulleys E É¹ may be mounted permanently
at a given distance apart instead of being adjustable and that instead of using
hydraulic gear the pulleys if adjustable may be adiusted by screw gear and
that instead of hydraulic hoisting gear crane barrels 'driven by electric or other
power in the well known manner might be used.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. Apparatus, for turning over heavy masses of metal, consisting of a pair of
pendent chain slings in combination with independent hydraulic or other hauling
gears whereby the slings may be hauled up at the one side and held fast or
slacked out at the other for the purpose of turning over the plate as described.
2. Apparatus for turning over heavy masses of metal, consisting of a pair of
pendent chain slings passing over pairs of guide pulleys adjustable by hydraulic
or other gear so as to vary the width of the slings, and in combination with
independent hydraulic or other hauling gears whereby the slings may be hauled
up at the one side and held fast or slacked out at the other for the purpose of
turning over the plate as described.
Dated this 13th day of July 1000.
A. M. & WM. CLARK.
Chartered Patent Agents, 53, Chancery Lane, London,