IMPROVEMENTS IN ROLLING Mills for ROLLING IRON OR OTHER METALS
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Jean François Auguste Gillon and Pierre Joseph
Dujardin, both resident at Liège, in the Kingdom of Belgium, Civil
Engineers, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROLLING Mills for
ROLLING IRON OR OTHER METALS."
Sealed the 2nd September 1873, and dated the 19th March 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Jean François Auguste
Gillon and Pierre Joseph Dujardin at the Office of the Commissioners
of Patents, with their Petition, on the 19th March 1873.
We, JEAN FRANÇOIS AUGUSTE GILLON and PIERRE JOSEPH DUJARDIN,
both resident at Liège, in the Kingdom of Belgium, Civil Engineers,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
ROLLING MILLS FOR ROLLING IRON OR OTHER METALS," to be as follows:-
The object of the present Invention is to facilitate the operation of
rolling metals, so as to effect an economy of fuel and labour in this
operation

page_text: In our improved arrangements of rolling mills there are three rollers.
The lowermost roller is mounted in fixed bearings; the uppermost one
turns in adjustable bearings which are capable of being raised or lowered
by means of strong screws at each end, actuated by bevil gearing and a
hand wheel. The middle roller is mounted in moveable bearings which
are capable of being raised or lowered in guides in the side standards.
This roller and also the uppermost roller are counterbalanced by weighted
levers, so that either of them may be raised or lowered with facility.
There is a feeding table on one side of the machine, and an elevating
apparatus on the opposite side. These parts are also capable of being
lifted when required, and are counterbalanced by levers and weights.
The machine is operated in the following manner:-A pile or bloom
is placed on the feeding table, and is pushed therefrom between the
bottom and middle rollers, and is received on the other side of the
machine on the clevator. The middle roller is then lowered so as to
rest on and be supported by the bottom one. The upper roller is also
lowered by means of the hand wheel and screws to the proper gauge,
and then the partially rolled mass is lifted up by the clevator and passed
between the middle and top rollers. These operations are continued
until the metal is rolled down to the proper size. For the purpose of
preventing the metal from spreading out laterally a pair of vertical
rollers are adapted to the bite of the horizontal rollers on each side of
the machine. These rollers are also capable of adjustment laterally by
means of screws at either end.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, 25
:
filed by the said Jean Francois Auguste Gillon and Pierre Joseph
Dujardin in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 19th September
1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JEAN
FRANCOIS AUGUSTE GILLON and PIERRE JOSEPH DUJARDIN, both 30
resident at Liege, in the Kingdom of Belgium, Civil Engineers, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of March, in the.

page_text: year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the
thirty-sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto us, the said Jean Francois Auguste Gillon and
Pierre Joseph Dujardin, Her special licence that we, the said Jean
Francois Auguste Gillon and Pierre Joseph Dujardin, our executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said Jean Francois
Auguste Gillon and Pierre Joseph Dujardin, their executors, administrators,
and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to
time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should
and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle
of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROLLING MILLS FOR ROLLING
IRON OR OTHER METALS," upon the condition (amongst others) that we,
the said Jean Francois Auguste Gillon and Pierre Joseph Dujardin, their
3 executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under our, or
their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal
Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the
date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Jean Francois Auguste Gillon
and Pierre Joseph Dujardin, do hereby declare the nature of our said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be par-
ticularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement,
reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
The object of the present Invention is to facilitate the operation of
rolling metals, so as to effect an economy of fuel and labour in this
operation.
In our improved arrangements of rolling mills there are three rollers.
The lowermost roller is mounted in fixed bearings; the uppermost ono
turns in adjustable bearings which are capable of being raised or lowered
by means of strong screws at each end actuated by bevil gearing and a
hand wheel. The middle roller is mounted in moveable bearings which
are capable of being raised or lowered in guides in the side standards.
This roller and also the uppermost roller are counterbalanced by weighted

page_text: levers, so that either of them may be raised or lowered with facility.
There is a feeding table on one side of the machine, and an elevating
apparatus on the opposite side. These parts are also capable of being
lifted when required, and are counterbalanced by levers and weights, and
as they are connected with the middle roller or its bearings they are made
to rise and fall therewith when required.
The machine is operated in the following manner :-A pile or bloom
is placed on the feeding table, and is pushed therefrom between the
bottom and middle rollers, and is received on the other side of the
machine on the elevator. The middle roller is then lowered so as to
rest on and be supported by the bottom one. The upper roller is also
lowered by means of the hand wheel and screws to the proper gauge,
and the partially rolled mass is lifted up by the elevator and passed
between the middle and top rollers. These operations are continued
until the metal is rolled down to the proper size. For the purpose of
preventing the metal from spreading out laterally a pair of vertical
rollers are adapted to the bite of the horizontal rollers on each side of
the machine. These rollers are also capable of adjustment laterally by
means of screws at either end.
In the accompanying Drawings Figures I., II., III., IV., and V.
represent the Invention applied to a vertical arrangement of rollers
adapted for rolling large masses.
The upper roller A (Figures IV. and V.) is supported by the vertical
rods t, t, and the counterweights p, p, or in any other convenient
manner, and receives pressure from the screws v, v, as in the ordinary
machines for rolling sheet iron. The middle cylinder B is supported by
the rods t¹, t¹, and the levers 7, l, which with their counterweights are
arranged at right angles to the face of the rollers. The bearings of the
lower cylinder C are fixed. The three cylinders or rollers A, B, and C
are mounted in the same framing, and are provided with toothed pinions,
and the motive power may be adapted to any one of the axles.
In the position shewn in the Drawings the counterweights p¹, p¹, act
on the middle cylinder B, which is brought against the upper cylinder A,
and the pile or bloom may be drawn down or rolled between the two
lower cylinders. It is not necessary that the two upper cylinders should
be in contact; it will be sufficient if their axle boxes bear against each

page_text: other, either directly or indirectly. When the pile has passed between
the rollers or cylinders, the tightening screws are screwed up by turning
the wheel R. The pile must then be lifted up and the middle cylinder B
lowered by a very simple operation. To this end we connect the lifting
table M with the levers 7, 1, and the counterweights p³, p¹, by means of
the connecting chains N, and immediately that the lifter is operated
(either by steam power or otherwise) the connecting chains N lift the
counterweights. The cylinder B is lowered and opens the upper space,
the pile is presented at the proper height, and is pushed forward on the
guides g, g, and passes to the other side. Such is the arrangement of
parts we use for rolling piles, armour plates, &c.; but the difficulty was
not confined merely to arranging the apparatus to admit of lifting the
pile or plate a height of five, ten, or fifteen inches or more, it was
necessary also to arrange a system of guides so as to ensure a regular
and continuous operation of the parts.
Our Invention so far as relates to this important point consists in the
following arrangement of parts:-The guides g, g, at the side of the
entering opening are carried partly by the round bar adjusted horizon-
tally upon the standards of the framing, and upon which they are move-
able, and they rest partly upon a cross piece which is fixed or attached
to the bearings of the cylinder B. On the exit side the guides g¹, g¹,
may turn upon the bar 6¹ and rest upon the cylinder B. By this
arrangement the guides are always in the proper position, whatever may
be the position of the middle cylinder B. The width or space between
the guides is regulated by the width of the piece that is to be rolled.
The Drawing represents the Invention applied to the manufacture of
broad or wide plates. For this purpose, we arrange two vertical
cylinders D, D, in the front part of the machine, and two cylinders E, E,
at the back part at heights convenient for rolling laterally when the
pile passes through. The motions of these four cylinders are rendered
uniform, and are combined, that is, they act in concert by means of the
bevelled pinions m, m, m³, m³, which are actuated by the pinions n, N,
n¹, n¹, by means of the toothed wheels R³, R", one of which may
actuated by the gearing F, which is driven directly by the upper pinion
of the set.

page_text: The distance between the vertical cylinders is regulated by adjusting
screws in the ordinary manner, and there is no reason why the position
of the two pairs of these vertical cylinders should not be regulated by a
single motion.
In the front of the train the feeding table may receive a similar
motion to that of the lifter, and by analogous means.
Lastly, the system is applicable to the manufacture with grooved
rollers of all description of bar iron, whatever may be its section,
provided the latter comes within the limits of distance apart within
which the rollers or cylinders may be worked.
Having now described our Invention of "Improvements in Rolling
Mills for Rolling Iron or other Metals," and having explained the manner
of carrying the same into effect, we would observe that we are aware that
three cylinders having heretofore been used for rolling metals, we do not
therefore make any claim thereto, except when they are arranged and
used in the manner herein set forth, but that which we consider to be
new and as constituting the essential features of our Invention are the
following:-
First. Arranging or mounting the middle roller in such a manner as
to admit of its rising or falling to the distance required, as and for the
purpose herein set forth.
Second. Effecting this alternating or reciprocating movement by the
action of a counterweight, as herein set forth.
Third. The arrangement of the system of guides (inclined or horizontal),
substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.
Fourth. So arranging and combining the lifter with the middle
cylinder that they may be made to act in concert, so that the machine
will be rendered automatic without complicating the parts or their
operation.
Fifth. The application of the system above set forth not only to the
manufacture of sheet iron, but also to machines for rolling iron of all
kinds by arranging a pair of vertical cylinders in front and another pair
behind the working cylinders or rollers.

page_text: Lastly. Arranging the gearing as herein set forth so that all the
working parts may be set in motion by a single set of toothed wheels.
In witness whereof, we, the said Jean Francois Auguste Gillon and
Pierre Joseph Dujardin, have hereunto set our hands and seals,
this Eighteenth day of September, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.