Improvements in Machinery for Rolling Metal.
Year: 1892

page_text: Complete Specification Left, 15th Dec., 1892-Accepted, 1st Apr., 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery for Rolling Metal.
We SOCIÉTÉ ANONYME DES ACIÈRIES DE LONGWY, Mont St. Martin, (Meurthe
et. Moselle) in the Republic of France, 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 improvements in the arrangement and construction of
machinery for rolling metal sheets and plates as hereinafter described.
And in order that our said invention may be fully understood we shall now proceed
more particularly to describe the same and for that purpose shall refer to the several
figures on the annexed sheets of drawings the same letters of reference indicating
corresponding parts in all the figures.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings illustrates in longitudinal vertical section
a three high train of rolls arranged according to this invention for rolling metal
sheets and Figure 2 is a corresponding plan partly in horizontal section.
Figure 3 represents in longitudinal vertical section a three high train of rolls for
rolling plates combined with vertical cylinders or rolls for rolling on edge and
Figure 4 is a corresponding plan partly in horizontal section.
Figures 5, 6 and 7 illustrate in longitudinal elevation (partly in section) plan
and transverse section respectively the arrangement of driving gear employed for
reversing the vertical rolls with a view to rolling the metal on edge in both
directions.
This improved rolling system or machinery is provided with three horizontal
cylinders or rolls A B C of the same diameter. The upper cylinder and the lower
cylinder alone are driven by gearing the middle cylinder being rotated by the action
of the others.
SUSPENSION OF THE UPPER CYLINDER OR ROLL.
The upper cylinders A in place of being balanced by counter weighted levers or
hydraulic pistons are suspended by their bearings F on pressure screws E the latter
being also capable of a rotary movement which determines the distances between
the several cylinders. With this object a transverse support D is supported upon
a shoulder at the upper part of the pressure screw E. At each extremity of this
support there is a strong suspending bolt a acting as a slide or guide being fixed by
keys to the bearing F of the upper cylinder in such a manner as to allow the latter
to be moved towards the axis of the cylinder in order to compensate for the wear
of the bearings. A spring 6 is placed between the nuts of the suspending bolts
and the transverse support D for the purpose of obviating excessive pressure and
excess of friction on the shoulder of the pressure screw and at the same time
preventing any play between the bearing and the screw which would otherwise
produce a jerk at each pass.

page_text: each under one of the side frames or housings.
MOVABLE GUARD OR GUIDE CARRIERS.
In order that the extremity of the sheet or plate being rolled may not strike
against the front of the elevating apron on emerging from between the upper
cylinder and the middle cylinder we have attached to the bearings of the middle
cylinders tables or brackets c which follow exactly the vertical movement of
the cylinder. Upon these tables are placed guides or guards which guide the
metal on to the apron or carrier.
ELEVATING APRONS OR CARRIERS WITH DRIVEN ROLLERS.
The two elevating aprons or carriers are each composed of two iron girders H H
and H'H' upon which rollers K corresponding to the width of the carrier are
supported in bearings. These rollers are positively driven and impart to the
article to be rolled the movements for bringing it to the cylinders and for carrying
it away.
The aprons or carriers are supported by levers L fixed upon horizontal shafts
working in bearings on the two longitudinal cast iron frames M and M. One of
these shafts is provided at its extremity with a lever which by the intervention of a
steam or hydraulic apparatus receives the power required to produce the ascending
or descending movement of the carrier. Moreover the weight of the carrier is
balanced by counterweights N placed at the side.
The apron H arranged behind the train partakes of an ascending movement
describing a curve which brings it near to the cylinders and by this means is caused
to carry the articles to be rolled quite up to the entrance to the cylinders; as
indicated by the dotted lines on the left hand in Fig. 1. the other apron H³ receives
a vertical ascending motion only.
The rotary movement of the rollers K in either direction is produced by a small
reversible motor not shewn in the drawings. The driving shaft O of each gang of
rollers K is supported in bearings formed in the longitudinal frames M and M'.
The said driving shaft carries a wheel P which gears with an intermediate wheel Q.
The shafts of the two gear wheels are connected by two links d which maintain the
correct distance between the centres. This intermediate wheel also gears with a
pinion R the shaft of which is connected to the carrier and which consequently
follows the ascending movement of the latter. The wheel Q and the pinion R are
likewise connected by two links e which maintain the distance between their centres
so that in all the positions which the carrier may assume whether in its oblique
ascent or in its vertical ascent the distances between the centres of these gear wheels
remain the same. On the extremity of the shaft of the driving pinion of the carrier
is placed a cone or bevel pinion S which transmits movement to a longitudinal
shaft T which in turn transmits the movement through cone or bevel pinions f to
shafts n placed underneath the rollers of the carrier. These shafts carry small spur
wheels which drive wheels on the said rollers.
TRAIN FOR ROLLING PLATES (FIGURES 3 TO 7).
The train for rolling plates such as armour plates and the like comprises four
vertical cylinders U V X Y Figure 4 the rotary movement of which is derived
from the driving train. The lower horizontal cylinders C are supported directly
in the columns or housings their axis always remaining in the same horizontal line

page_text: as the axis of the fly wheel shaft. This train is provided with the four vertical
cylinders for the purpose of rolling the metal on edge when desired either at the
feed or at the delivery and either in the lower pass or in the upper pass. The
movement of the vertical cylinders is derived from the driving gear of the horizontal
cylinders by means of an intermediate wheel i Figures 5 and 7 which gears on the
one hand with a toothed wheel k placed on the axis of the pinion Z driving
the roller A and on the other hand with a pinion 1, Figure 7 keyed upon a hori-
zontal transmission shaft P. This shaft drives a similar shaft 13 by means of two
gear wheels m and m² placed outside the housings. In consequence of this arrange-
ment the bevel gear wheels driving the vertical cylinders impart to the latter a
rotary motion in the direction corresponding either with the entrance to or delivery
from the horizontal cylinders and the vertical cylinders can be arranged to roll the
metal either before or after the pass as required; the intermediate wheel i having
its axis outside the column or housing and admitting of being placed either on the
right hand as represented by thick dots in Fig. 7 or on the left as indicated by thin
dots in the same figure so that the cylinders can be caused to rotate in either
direction as required by deriving the motion from the wheel in the position indicated
at i or in the position indicated at 1.
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
we claim is :-
:-
1. The suspension of the upper cylinder on the pressure screw.
2. The arrangement enabling guards or guides to be provided for the middle
cylinder having a definite position relatively to that of the cylinder.
3. The employment and arrangement of the elevating aprons or carriers provided
with rollers driven by a motor and capable of being actuated at any point or position
in the movement of the said aprons.
4. The general arrangement of the three high universal train for rolling armour
plates wide plates and the like being an arrangement with three horizontal cylinders
and four vertical cylinders coupled together which enables the metal to be rolled
on edge in the forward pass and in the return pass.
Dated this 15th day of December 1802