Process and Mechanism (Rolling Mill) for the Production of Boiler Pipes, Tubings, Fighting Masts for War Ships, Flame Tubes and the like, in One Piece without Seam, also Flat Plates.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 21st July. 1899-Accepted, 9th Dec., 1899
IDEIN SPECIFICATION.
Process and Mechanism (Rolling Mill) for the Production of Boiler
Pipes, Tubings, Fighting Masts for War Ships, Flame Tubes and
the like, in One Piece without Seam, also Flat Plates. .
I, OTTO KLATTE, Mine Director, of 36, Göthestr, Düsseldorf, Germany, 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:-
A number of different processes are already in use for the production of seamless
tubes for steam boilers, seamless pipes, and similar articles.
These methods of production however have serious disadvantages since in
connection therewith many unnecessary movements of material occur, no uniform
working takes place, the necessary compactness of the material is not secured
and an almost unattainable exercise of pressure is necessary.
The rolling process which forms the object of the present invention is intended
to obviate the above mentioned disadvantages and to enable seamless tubings,
cylinders, flame pipes etc. to be produced. In doing so, attention is given to the
securing of the necessary density of the material in the finished article.
In ordinary boiler pipes, a 15 to 20 fold thickness of material that is reduction
of cross section is taken. The specific weight (gravity) varies (alters) from 7 to
786. In order to give an example, for the purpose of obtaining a side thickness
of the finished article of 15 millimeters, a side thickness of 225 millimeters would
be required in the metal body to be worked. However in order to give sufficient
pressure in the right manner on large surfaces the cylinders (rollers) must have
a correspondingly large diameter. The internal diameter of blank must naturally
be greater in any case than that of the diameter of the rollers.
Assume for example, the roller diameter of the lower movable mandrel roller
to equal 400 millimetres the hollow body through which this roller must be
pushed, must have an internal diameter of about 450 millimetres.
The dimensions of the hollow body would then be somewhat like 225 milli-
metres thickness of wall or side + 450 millimetres internal diameter +225 milli-
metres side 'thickness, it would thus have a total diameter of 900 millimetres.
This hollow body when cut open and rolled out would produce a sheet or plate
of 2120 millimetres in breadth or as a hollow body measured correspondingly
n the middle of the side thickness a mean or middle circumference of 2120 milli-
netres, which, again corresponds to a diameter of 675 millimetres. This diameter
Fould be that of a middle (or medium) flame tube for Cornish boilers which
evertheless would possess not the normal side thickness but a side thickness of
25 millimetres. If, now this hollow body of 225 millimetres side thickness is to
e brought to a normal side thickness, for example, 15 millimetres it must be
xtended 15 times whereupon a circumference of 15 x 2120 millimetres
illimetres results, which circumference would correspond to a diameter of
31800
0135 millimetres. If the original hollow body of 225 millimetres thickness were
lled down to a thickness of 30 millimetres, a mean circumference would he
tained of 7× 2120 millimetres
diameter of about 5 metres, the diameter of a tube.
15900 millimetres, which corresponds to
D
1
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page_text: The new process. is chiefly characterised by the fact that firstly the elongating
or rolling out of the metal to be worked and pushed on to a mandrel guided
through the pass is effected with simultaneous and greater or less extent propor-
tionate with the increase of diameter or the elongating is effected alone, with a
natural and unintended but very small degree of diameter increase. After the
elongation (in the length and in a given case in the breadth also) has been
effected to the desired extent with the employment of the auxiliary means
explained hereafter, the finishing, that is to say, the-further elongation for articles
of small diameter is effected with the same rolling mechanism which however,
in this case, is furnished with gauges and mandrel rings exactly fitting to the
finished form, or for articles of larger diameter, the increase of diameter is carried
out in a so called plate-rolling-mill.
"
"
This may be a two-high-mill or a three-high-mill; the former however is the
more suitable and therefore in the following the employment of such is described.
In the new rolling mill process, regard is had to the quickest and most suitable
working, the upper surface of the piece of work, produced in any preferred
manner, being undulated, and the inner surface cylindrical or both outer and
inner surface undulated. Hereby, according to the position of the undulations
in relation to the axis of the piece of work, a considerably more rapid elongation
and diameter increase will be rendered possible and a greater degree of density
in the material ensured after the elongation and diameter increase have been
completed. The undulations of the piece of material to be worked may run
spirally or perpendicularly to the axis of the same.
According to the twisting of the spiral courses, a more or less decided increase
of diameter is effected in the rolling out. The more nearly the position of the
undulations, in relation to the axis of the material approaches the perpendicular
the less will be the increase of diameter. With the undulations placed perpen-
dicularly to the axis, the material undergoes almost entirely only an elongation
or lengthening action.
Further, in the rolling-mill mechanism employed for carrying out the new
process, special arrangements are introduced for the purpose of rendering it
possible to put in and take out the material easily, and to ensure suitable
pressure on the roller cylinders.
In the accompanying drawings, the rolling mill mechanism for carrying out
the new process is illustrated.
Figure 1 is a middle vertical longitudinal section of the so called universal
rolling mill employed for elongating or lengthening.
Figures 2 and 3 show the undulated form of the metal body to be worked.
Figure 4 is an end view of the universal rolling mill without the bearing blocks
at both sides for the mandrel guided centrally through the gauges.
Figures 5 and 6 illustrating these bearing blocks alone.
Figure is a plan of the so-called universal rolling mill.
Figure 8 is a middle vertical longitudinal section of the plate rolling mill
employed for increase of diameter, and
Figure 9 a cross section of the same.
The flat or undulated prepared body may be produced either by casting on a
contracting or fixed core or by means of any punching, pressing, or rolling mill
process.
In order that it may be possible to effect the elongation in the universal rolling
mill at various degrees of rapidity, the hollow bodies to be worked are either
made flat at the sides or spiral or undulated vertically to their axis..
The elongating is least in the flat form in the spiral form arrangement, the
rapidity at which the elongation is effected is determined by the height of the
spiral course, and in the case of undulations running lengthwise to the axis of the
hollow body, particularly when these run right through the whole side of the
hollow body, the elongation is the most rapidly effected. By the employment of
piral undulations for the material, no matter whether the same be on the outer

page_text: surface only or right through, there occurs simultaneously with the elongation or
lengthening a more or less increase of diameter of the hollow body according to
the twist of the undulations, whilst in the smooth and "square" undulated form
of the material the simultaneous increase of diameter is but trifling; however,
5 with each of the undulated arrangements, the condensation of the material is
accelerated and therefore more effectual in comparison with the flat form of the
hollow body. The undulated form of the material above referred to will be seen
from Figures 2 and 3.
The so called universal rolling mill illustrated in Figures 1 to 7 consists of the
horizontal cylinders 1, 1, and the vertical cylinders 2, 2. As a matter of course,
if necessary, a whole series of such pairs of cylinders can be employed. The
horizontal as well as the vertical cylinders consist of shafts 3, 3, 3, 3, on to which
the bronze rings 1, 1, and 2, 2, which can be easily removed, are pushed.
The surfaces of these rings are hollowed out more or less according to the size of
the piece of work to be placed between them, so that the "pass" or gauge formed
by the four cylinders is limited by surfaces which come into contact and are more
or less of the pointed arch form.
1
For rolling out large pieces of work with large diameters as large boiler pieces
tubings, etc. the gauge as already indicated is best made in the pointed arch
form, whilst for the elongation of pieces of work with small diameters, for
instance, the finishing of cylinders, fighting masts, flame pipes, etc.: the gauge
should be as circular as possible.
The finishing may even be effected on a
four-cylinder-frame," in which four
cylinders form one pass or gauge and lie in one plane.
Through the middle of the gauge formed by the four cylinders a
mandrel
rod" is passed. This rod consists of three parts, the middle one of which corre
sponds approximately to the distance between the planes formed by the axes of the
horizontal and of the vertical cylinders.
Between the middle and the two outer parts, removable rings 5 made of
suitable material are inserted, which by the pushing of the mandrel rod 4, can
be adjusted exactly through the axes of the horizontal and of the vertical cylinders.
The several parts of the mandrel rod are joined together by means of pins engaging.
in suitable borings or grooves, and after the rings 5 have been inserted, the
parts are drawn together by means of wedges or blocks driven into slots in the
pins and the drilled out ends (Figure 2). The outer ends of the mandrel rod 4
are seated in bearing blocks 6 and 7, in which the screw spindles 8, for precisely
adjusting the rings 5 between the horizontal and vertical cylinders, are arranged.
The bearing block 6 is fixed and the pin of the mandrel rod 4 is held by a
bolt inserted in a circular groove in the pin.
Adjoining the bearing block 6, a tooth wheel 9 is mounted on the mandrel
rod 4 and serves for rotating the latter as desired, through the medium of a tooth
rod 10. The bearing block is formed by a vertically guided bearing which
is borne by the rod 11 of a hydraulic or steam piston. This bearing supports.
the mandrel rod only as regards its lower half the upper half lies free, so
that after the lowering of the movable bearing, the metal body in consequence
of the great width of the upper part of the bearing, can be pushed through the
bearing over the mandrel rod 4, held during this time in the proper position' by
means of a ring 12.
The ring 12 consists, as a matter of course, of two parts linked together, which
after being laid around the mandrel rod, are held together by means of a catch
or the like.
The vertical cylinders 2, 2, are driven in the usual manner by means of a
shaft 13, and the bevel wheels 14. The bearing boxes 15 of these vertical
cylinders slide to and fro on supports 16. The bearings for the horizontal
cylinders 1, 1, are movable in a perpendicular direction in guides belonging to
the housing pillars or standards.
The pressing screws 17 for the adjustment of the horizontal cylinders 1, 1, are

page_text: actuated by a tooth rod 18 with hydraulic power. This rod engages with tooth
wheels 19 which by means of tooth wheels 20 and 21 set the upper pressing
screws 17 in motion. The lower pressing screws 17 are driven from one of the
tooth wheels 19 through the medium of the shaft 22 and tooth wheels 23, 24, 25.
The adjustment of the vertical cylinders can likewise be effected by the rod 18
or through the medium of suitable wheel gear, in the example illustrated how-
ever, this is effected by a hand wheel 26, from the shaft of which the rotary
motion is transmitted by means of tooth wheels 27, 28, 29, 30, to the particular
pressing screws. In this manner, the pair of cylinders can be adjusted indepen-
dently of each other.
The elongation of the metal body can also be effected in a two-high rolling mill
with either two horizontal cylinders or two vertical cylinders and a mandrel rod
capable of being firmly and accurately adjusted, instead of in an universal rolling
mill. In this case, the cylinders are either only sufficiently hollowed out or
turned out for one gauge, or they are furnished with several diminishing gauges,
placed adjoining one another.
In the first case, the mandrel remains firm with its bearing blocks; in the
latter case, on the contrary, the mandrel is either movable sideways with its
blocks, that is to say, displaceable in the longitudinal direction of the cylinders
and arranged adjustably to the gauges or the mandrel remains fixed with
its blocks and the cylinders are movable in the longitudinal direction and
arranged exactly adjustable to the mandrel. In all cases, where a displacement
occurs, the cylinders are previously removed apart from one another and after
adjustment has been effected placed together again.
The displacement of the cylinders or of the mandrel could be effected during
the rolling, whilst the piece to be rolled is on the mandrel before the rolling.
Moreover, in each of the gauges placed in a row and diminishing in size a
suitable mandrel can be arranged in the manner described; in this case the
piece of work must be placed on the mandrel rod "from fall to fall" and again
drawn off the same.
This method of rolling is intended to enable cylinders of varying dimensions
and small cross section to be produced, and to effect the finishing for obtaining
precise measurements on a second rolling mill.
The cast, pressed, stamped, or wrought piece of undulated or flat material must
have a clear measurement that will allow of its being easily pushed on to the
mandrel rod 4..
The diameter of the mandrel rod need not be regulated by the internal diameter
of the hollow body but according to the mandrel rings to be inserted, it may
thus be variable. The mandrel rings must nevertheless correspond. in their
external dimensions with the internal width of the finished product to be produced,
regard being paid to the shrinkage. The calibration, that is to say, the hollowing
out of the rollers is regulated according to the form of the hollow body to be
produced and according, so the surrounding surface (circumference) of the hollow
body may be alternately worked in varying diameters.
The plate rolling mill illustrated in Figures 8 and 9 consists of the lower
cylinder 31 and the upper cylinder 32. The bearings for the same are movable in
guides in the frame, allowing of a large stroke for the upper cylinder. The
pressure applied on the latter is here effected by means of two hydraulic cylin
ders 33 with the pistons thereto belonging engaging in the bearings. The
hydraulic pressure can if required be increased at will by a "steam-hydraulic-
multiplicator" 34 connected with the cylinders 33.
The raising of the upper cylinder is likewise effected by hydraulic pressure
through the medium of the two pressure cylinders 35, each with a piston fixed
in the bearings of the upper rolling, cylinder.
The lower rolling cylinder consists of a shaft 36 with movable bronze rings 31,
arranged on its front thinner part. This shaft is seated, in two bearings 37 of a
slide or carriage 38 movable in the direction of the axis of the shaft. The dis-

page_text: placement is effected by the piston 39 of a hydraulic or steam cylinder 40, the head
of which 41 takes hold of the gudgeon 42 of the shaft 36 and carries this along
by means of screws 43 engaging in a circular groove of the same. Between the
two bearings 37, the shaft 36 is fitted with a tie 44 in which holes are formed
5 for the insertion of a rod for rotating the shaft as may be desired. The front
end of the shaft 36 is formed by a prismatic four edged pin 45 which becomes
thinner in the fore part, and exactly fits into a bush 46 firmly seated in one of the
housing pillars or standards.
In the middle between the two housing pillars or standards and below the lower
O rolling cylinder, a steam or hydraulic cylinder 47 is arranged, the piston of which
bears the ends of bars carrying rollers 49 which bars are held by links 48 and
arranged vertically to the axes of the rolling cylinders, the ends of the bars
carrying the rollers 49 being linked to the piston rod. The rollers 49 serve for
guiding the piece of work during the rolling and their bars are supported by
wooden catch-pins 50.
Near the circumference of the lower rolling cylinder and below the same,
moreover, circular guiding rods 51 are put through the housing pillars or
standards. These rods serve to prevent any laying over or doubling of the
material to be rolled at this spot.
The operation of the rolling mechanism described corresponding with the new
process is as follows:-
After the mandrel rod 4 of the universal rolling mill illustrated in Figures 1
to has been placed in the ring 12 and the bearing 7 sufficiently lowered, the
previously heated piece of work is pushed on to the mandrel, when the bearing 7
is again raised into its original position. Hereupon, the mandrel rod is accurately
adjusted by the screw-spindle 8 of the bearing block 7, and guides the piece of
work between the rolling cylinders with claws or cheeks the reversing machine for
driving the rolling mechanism being set in action. As soon as, by means of the
above described apparatus, the rolling cylinders exercise on the piece of work
the amount of pressure desired and capable of being regulated, the piece of
work is drawn through the rolling cylinders in each rolling position and turned
to the extent of 45 degrees each time between the two passages, so that it is
rolled out by the vertical rolling cylinders and the horizontal rolling cylinders
alternately by means of pressures acting at a right angle to one another.
After each passage, the reversing machine is reversed, whereupon, after the
backward movement, the grouping of the roller cylinders for the next passages
begins. If the piece of work be loosely seated on the mandrel rod 4, it will
be turned to the extent of 45 degrees by means of claws or checks after each
passage; but if it be firmly jammed on to the mandrel rod by the rolling cylinders,
the rctation is effected through the tooth rod 10 and the tooth wheel 9. The
nsertion of the piece of work between the rolling cylinders can also be effected
by means of roller courses arranged on both sides of the cylinder rollers, instead
f with claws or cheeks.
When the piece of work is sufficiently rolled out, it is removed from the mandrel
od in the inverse order to that in which it was placed therein and can be cut
n the desired manner at the ends by roller-shears or in certain cases be
ut through.
After this has been effected, the piece of work is at once further worked or
eated afresh in order to undergo further working either in a so called universal
ill with gauges and mandrels or mandrel rings exactly fitting to the finished
rm, or in the plate-rolling-mill as illustrated in Figures 8 and 9.
For effecting the increase of diameter in the plate-rolling mill, the shaft 36
ter the upper rolling cylinder has been raised by the piston of the pressure
linder 35, is drawn back with its slide 38 by the piston 39 of the cylinder 40,
that the piece of work can be rolled under the upper cylinder 32 on the bars
th the rollers 49, previously lowered sufficiently by the piston of the cylinder 47.
hen this is effected, the bars with the rollers 49 are raised to such an extent

page_text: that the middle line of the piece of work coincides approximately with the
extended axis of the shaft 36, and the latter is pushed forward, whereby its
pin 45 again slips into the bush 46, the lower cylinder thus being again firmly
seated. The right placing of the pin 45 in regard to the bush 46 can be easily
effected by the rotating of the shaft 36 by means of a rod inserted in one of the
holes formed in its tie 44
The rolling mechanism is driven by a reversing or an ordinary roller tension
machine and the necessary pressure given on the upper cylinder 2 by the piston
of the cylinder 33 until the desired rolling out is effected. The pressure can be
increased as may be desired by the "steam-hydraulic-multiplicator" 34.
By letting off the pressure water from the cylinder 33 and introducing the same
into the cylinder 35 the upper rolling cylinder 32 is relieved and simultaneously
raised. Hereupon, the finished piece of rolled work is removed from the rolling
mechanism in the inverted order of that in which it was inserted, and made exactly
circular in a plate-rolling mill.
If it be desired to produce flat plates the finished tubes can be cut open and
straightened.
If grooves or the like be provided in the rolling cylinders or in the mandrel
rings, the metal cylinders can be produced with inner or outer strengthening
ribs or other depressions or elevations.
If the flanges are to be produced at the two ends or only on one of the hollow
body, or the finished rolled hollow body is not to be further cut at the ends,
suitable recesses or grooves for the forming of the flanges can be made in the
rollers or for the exact limiting of the edges sliding rollers moving upwards and
downwards can be connected with the upper roller these sliding rollers being
seated square (transversely) to the actual upper and lower roller, at the end of
the former so that the axes of the rollers are constantly covered during the
rolling by the side thickness of the hollow body.
If the rolling cylinders are conical, the finished article takes a corresponding
conical or funnel like form.
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. A process for the production of seamless cylindrical or conical rings, boiler
pipes, tubings, fighting masts for men-of-war, and the like, with or without inner
or outer strengthening ribs, grooves, flanges, etc; the distinguishing feature of
which is that an approximately hollow cylindrical piece of work is first placed
around a mandrel in a so-called universal rolling mill, and if so desired simul-
taneously increased in diameter or, if only elongated, thereupon increased in
diameter in a plate-rolling mill, whereupon it can be rolled exactly circular, for
the production of sheet metal especially pieces of great length and width, but
may also be cut through and straightened.
2. A process according to Claim 1, the distinguishing feature of which is that
the elongation of the metal body to be worked, instead of being carried out in an
universal rolling mill with firmly seated mandrel rod, is effected in a two-high
mill either with one or more gauges and fixed mandrel rods, or with several
diminishing gauges arranged adjoining one another on the two rolling cylinders
and mandrel rod movable in the longitudinal direction of the rolling cylinlers or
movable rolling cylinders.
8. In the process according to Claim 1, the employment of pieces of material
undulated in spiral form or square to the axis, the undulations being on the
outside only or passing right through, for the purpose of accelerating the
elongation and the diameter increase and the condensing of the material as may
be desired.
4. For carrying out the process according to Claim 1, an universal rolling
mill, in which a mandrel rod 4 is carried centrally through the gauge formed.

page_text: by the pairs of horizontal and vertical rolling cylinders, or by four rolling
cylinders lying in one plane, and the surfaces of the removable cylinder rings 1, 1,
and 2, 2, are hollowed out more or less corresponding to the piece of material to
be worked, or exactly to the finished form.
5. An universal rolling mill according to Claim 4, characterised by a mandrel
rod 4 composed of several parts, between which several parts, removable roller
pressing rings 5 of suitable material are inserted, the said rod being adjustable
in the longitudinal direction, so that the roller pressing rings can be adjusted
exactly in the middle of the pairs of rolling cylinders.
6. A rolling mill according to Claim 4, the distinguishing feature of which is
that the one bearing 7 of the mandrel rod 4 only supports the latter in its lower
half but in its upper part is very large and can be raised or lowered as may
be desired, so that, after it has been lowered sufficiently, the piece of work can
bo pushed through this bearing on to the mandrel rod 4 held during this time
in the proper position by a suitable apparatus 12, and be drawn off the same.
7. For carrying out the process according to Claim 1, a two-high mill, the
lower rolling cylinder 31 of which is seated on the one side in two bearings of a
slide or carriage 38 and on the other side engages, with a four-edged pin " 45
in a suitably nitched bush 46 fixed in the housing pillars or standards but
rotably seated and coupled with the driving machine, for the purpose of drawing
back the lower rolling cylinder and after the piece of work has been placed on a
suitable supporting apparatus, to be enabled to push through the said piece of
work.
8. A plate-rolling mill according to Claim, the distinguishing feature of
which is that bars carrying rollers 49, are suspended on links 48, below the
lower rolling cylinder 31, the ends of which bars are pivotted to the piston
rod of a steam or hydraulic cylinder 47 for the purpose of raising or lowering
the said bars.
9. A two-high mill according to Claim 7, the distinguishing feature of which
is that the hydraulic pressure serving for loading or weighting the upper rolling
cylinder can be increased as may be desired, at any time, by means of a" steam-
hydraulic-multiplicator 34 connected with the respective pressure cylinders 33,
Dated this 21st day of July 1899.
H. GARDNER,
Patent Agent, 166, Fleet Street, London.
Agent for the said Otto Klatte.