Apparatus for Rolling and Shaping Tubular and Solid Bodies by means of Rolls having a Planet-like Motion.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Mar., 1892-Accepted, 4th Mar.,
1893
COATELEM STEEL RUALIUN
Process and Apparatus for Rolling and Shaping Tubular and Solid
Bodies by means of Rolls having a Planet-like Motion.
I, REINHARD MANNESMANN of Remscheid, Bliedinghausen in the Empire of
Germany, Engineer, 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 has for its object to operate in such manner upon hollow or
solid metal bodies sheet metal or wire by rolling, that they are rolled progressively
from the one end to the other in a finished condition while at the same time the
cross section can be successively varied, this being effected stepwise, successively on
short lengths of the object, from the one end to the other by a planet-like motion
of the rolls, which are made to travel over the object.
The axes of the rolls are led in circular arcs so that they describe cylinders,
cones or paraboloids, the peripheries of the rolls being made to come in contact
with the metal object only during a small portion of their revolution. In consequence
of the circular motion of the roll axes, the action of the rolls on the metal object is
repeated at short intervals, while at the same time the object is pushed forward, so
that the work thereon proceeds continuously or periodically from the one end to the
other.
Thus the rolls perform a circular motion round a central axis while at the same
time they revolve round their own axes; the metal object on the other hand
performs mainly a longitudinal motion to which in most cases is added a rotary or
a reciprocating motion round its axis.
The rolling motion of the rolls upon the object can take place either in the same
direction as or in the contrary direction to that of the object, so that the rolls can
either begin to act at the thicker (unworked) portion of the object and be made to
extend it towards the thinner (already worked) portion, or the rolls can begin to
work at the thinner portion of the object and proceed towards the thicker part.
The working rolls, in revolving with their axes round the central axis (the axis
of the driving body, which is generally the recipient of the driving power) are
made to rotate in such manner round their own axis that certain parts of the roll
grooves are caused to come in contact with certain parts of the object. This
rotation of the rolls round their axes is best effected by toothed rings or wheels
thereon gearing with an internally toothed wheel which is concentric with the axis
of the driving body.
Figs.
to 13 of the accompanying drawings serve to illustrate the above described
mode of operating and the arrangements for effecting the rolling of solid or hollow
bodies with planet-like motion of the working rolls.
Fig. 1 shews the rolling mill in cross section on line A B Fig. 2 which shews a
longitudinal section; Fig. 3 shews a cross section on line C D Fig. 2.
a are the driving bodies, the working rolls, e their axes, d the toothed wheels of
the working rolls of the lower driving body, e the internal toothed ring of the lower
driving body, fixed by means of flanges e and screws to the framing, with which
gear the toothed wheels d of the working rolls, so as to be rotated thereby as they
are carried round by the body a, the toothed ring & being consequently concentric
with the axis of the driving body a.
Instead of fixing the toothed ring e to the framing of the rolling mill, it may also
be carried by the driving body a, in which case it is prevented from rotating with a
by any suitable means. With this arrangement the rolls could be raised and
lowered while maintaining the concentric position of the toothed ring e. g are the
toothed wheels of the rolls of the upper driving body, the corresponding fixed
internal toothed ring.

page_text: In Fig. 3 is a hollow work piece, carried by a mandril m. These are pushed
somewhat forward after each attack of the working rolls, and are at the same time
turned, preferably through an angle of 90 degrees.
The forward motion of the work piece can be equal to or different from the
forward motion of the mandril; in the latter case the work piece is either drawn
from or pushed on to the mandril.
The motion of the driving bodies can take place in the direction of the arrows n
Fig. 3, in which case the working rolls revolve in the direction of the arrows n'.
The working rolls during such motion come in contact with the work piece first
on the unworked part thereof and then roll on to the part that has already been
worked.
If the movements both of the driving body and of the working rolls are effected
in the contrary direction, the working rolls come in contact with the work piece
first on the part that has already been worked, and then roll on to the unworked end.
The movement of the workpiece and mandril is generally effected during the
intervals between the attacks of the working rolls.
If the axes of the working rolls b are placed in oblique positions relatively to the
axes of the driving body a, as at Fig. 4, the working rolls, when rolling, have the
tendency to rotate the workpiece during the rolling.
In this case the turning of the workpiece during the intervals is no longer
necessary.
Such oblique axes of the working rolls describe paraboloids in revolving round
the axis of the driving.body.
If the axes of the working rolls are placed neither parallel nor obliquely to the
middle axis, but are made to intersect the latter at some point, the said axes
.describe cones in revolving round the central axis.
It is not necessary to bring all the axes of the working rolls into the same
position relatively to the axis of the driving body; thus the one such axis may for
example be made to intersect the central axis in the one direction and the opposite
one be made to intersect the same in the opposite direction.
One of the driving bodies, for example, the lower one, may be replaced by a
fixed anvil or support for the workpiece, having a groove corresponding to
the configuration which the work piece is made to assume during the rolling
operation.
At Figs. 3, 5 and two working rolls are made to attack the workpiece on
diametrically opposite sides so that each one constitutes the abutment for the other.
The position of the axes of the driving bodies relatively to the horizontal line is
quite optional. In most cases they are placed horizontally.
Fig. 5 shews a driving body with three working rolls, Fig. 6 shews one with four
such rolls.
Thus the number of working rolls in a driving body can be 1, 2, 3, 4 or any
other number.
In most cases two such rolls are made to operate simultaneously on diametrically
opposite sides of the workpiece, but three or, as shewn in Figs. 7 and 8, four or
any other number of driving bodies may be so arranged that the working rolls
carried thereby act on the workpiece simultaneously on 3, 4, or any other number
of points at one and the same part thereof.
Instead of causing the rolls in Figs. 7 and 8, to operate simultaneously on four
.sides thereof, one pair of rolls can first operate respectively above and below the
workpiece, and the other pair of rolls can then operate at each side thereof.
With a suitable formation of the grooves of the rolls no rotation of the work-
piece may in that case be required for acting on the workpiece on its entire
surface.
In all the arrangements shewn, the working rolls have preferably no concentric
grooves, but these are made eccentric or increasing and decreasing or tapering in
size, as at Fig. 3. The section of the groove can be circular, oval, or otherwise
shaped, for bringing the workpiece into the desired form.

page_text: As the working rolls have mostly tapering or eccentric grooves, they must always
operate upon the workpiece with one and the same part of the groove if it is
desired to produce a cylindrical or prismatic body. For this purpose, the toothed
wheels of the working rolls are made with such a number of teeth in proportion to
the toothed ring with which they gear, that they always assume the same relative
positions in completing a rotation.
This bringing of the rolls always into one and the same position on coming in
contact with the workpiece may however be effected by other means, such as by
springs that draw the rolls back into their original position when they come out of
contact with the workpiece.
At the moment of contact of the working rolls with the workpiece, the former
will be caused to rotate in consequence of their frictional contact with the latter,
on which they will consequently roll. After leaving the work piece the working
rolls are brought back by the springs against the stop, Figs. 9 10 and 11.
If the working rolls are made heavier on one side than the other, the spring can
be replaced by centrifugal action or by weights. In place of the above described
means for bringing the rolls back into their original positions, other mechanical
means may be employed, such as cam grooves or guide rods, more particularly
when there is only one working roll for each driving body.
If the working rolls are so made that in being carried round by the driving body
they do not always present the same part of their tapering grooves to the work-
piece, conical, conoidal or stepped workpieces may be produced. This is effected
in the simplest manner either by arranging the fixed toothed rings e and h
Figs. 1 and 2 so that they can rotate and by imparting to them, by mechanical
means such as worm and worm wheel, a definite rotary motion, whereby the rolls
will come in contact with the work pieces periodically at a different portion of the
tapering groove; or the same effect may be attained by so proportioning the
number of teeth of the toothed rings and the toothed wheels of the rolls that gear
therewith that the former do not possess a certain multiple of the number of teeth
of the wheels of the working rolls.
Work pieces that have a conical, conoidal or stepped external configuration may
also be produced by moving the driving bodies with their concentric toothed rings
either constantly or periodically away from or towards the working centre during
the rotation.
If it is desired to form the inside of a hollow workpiece with a conical, conoidal
or stepped configuration a conical, conoidal or stepped mandril is employed to
which is imparted a varying position relatively to the driving body during the
rolling of the workpiece by advancing or withdrawing the mandril periodically or
constantly during the working. The portion of the mandril, which, for the time
being, is situated between the rolls, will then determine the internal dimension of
the corresponding part of the work piece.
If conical or stepped longitudinally adjustable mandrils are employed, together
with the above described two methods of operating for producing a conical
external configuration, tubes may be produced of varying internal and outer
diameter.
The advance and rotation of the workpiece or of the mandril between the rolls
can be effected in the simplest manner by hand, but mechanical appliances, such as
screws, may also be employed. If the work piece be moved differently from the
mandril, it may be drawn or pushed off the mandril during the rolling, such drawing
or pushing off taking place either constantly or periodically, and either during the
attack of the working rolls on the work piece or in the interval or after the
termination of the whole rolling process in a suitable press or draw bench.
Fig. 7 shows an arrangement for rotating the working rolls during the rotation
of the driving bodies by means of toothed wheels on the roll axes and revolving
toothed wheel with external teeth on the driving body axis in contradistinction to
the fixed toothed ring of Figs. 1 and 2, which is formed with internal teeth. In
Figs. 7 and 8 the toothed wheel is driven in the same direction as the driving

page_text: body axis but at a greater speed in order to cause the working rolls to roll upon
the work piece at the desired speed.
Figs. 9, 10, and 11 show working rolls which are rotatable and in which springs
effect the bringing back thereof to the original position on the rotation of the
driving body; the working rolls come in contact with the work piece, and by the
frictional contact therewith they roll upon the same and impart a tension to
the spring F Fig. 11. Fig. 10 shows such a rolling mill in longitudinal section,
Fig. 9 a cross section through the working rolls on line A B, Fig. 11 a section on
line CD through the springs that actuate the working rolls.
In Figs. 12 and 13 the spring arrangement is replaced by the weighted levers K
which, when acted upon by centrifugal force, cause the working rolls to be applied
to projections M of the driving bodies until the working rolls are caused to revolve
together with the levers when coming in contact with the work piece. After
coming out of contact with the work piece the lever again turns the roll back until
it comes in contact with the stop M. With rolls that do not run at a high speed
the levers may be made to act by a weight only instead of by centrifugal action,
for which purpose they are placed in a suitable position.
In the arrangement shown at Figs. 9 to 13 the working rolls, which are mainly
intended for very small dimensions, only oscillate to and fro during the rotation of
the driving body and do not make complete revolutions. For many cases, as shown
in Figs. 12 and 13 the centrifugal action of the working roll itself will be sufficient
to cause it to resume its original position after acting on the work piece.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed 1 declare that what
I claim is:
1. A process for rolling, shaping, or finishing hollow and solid bodies, sheet metal
or wire, by means of rolls the axes of which revolve round a second axis so as to
describe cylinders cones or paraboloids round the same, such rolls having eccentric
or tapering grooves and being made, while revolving or reciprocating on their own
axes to act repeatedly upon a portion of the object to be rolled while this is made
to advance either continuously or periodically, so as to be acted upon by the rolls
in successive sections along its entire length, substantially as described.
2. For carrying out the process referred to in the preceding claim, a rolling
mill wherein one or more revolving driving bodies are combined with one or more
working rolls having tapering grooves mounted on axes eccentric to the axis of the
driving body and receiving rotary or reciprocating motion round their axes,
substantially as described.
3. In the construction of rolling mill referred to in the preceding claim, effecting
the rotation of the rolls round their axes by means of toothed wheels fixed thereto,
which gear with a fixed or rotating toothed wheel or toothed ring arranged con-
centrically to the axis of the driving body and which effect the rotation of the rolls
as their toothed wheels roll thereon, substantially as described.
4. In the construction of rolling mill referred to in the second claim, effecting the
rotation of the rolls upon their axes, while revolving with the driving body by
means of the frictional contact with the workpiece, the rolls being brought back
to their original positions by suitable mechanical means, such as toothed rings,
springs, weights, or centrifugal action on one sided rolls, substantially as described.
5. In rolling mills such as are referred to in the second claim, effecting the
motion of the rolls relative to the axis of the driving body by means of cam grooves,
guide rods, or other like mechanical micans, substantially as described.
6. The combination with the rolling mill referred to in the second claim, of a
mandril for effecting the rolling of hollow bodies substantially as described.
7. In rolling mills constructed as described in the second claim, the use of an
anvil or fixed support as the abutment for the workpiece when operated upon by
one or more rolls, substantially as described.
8. In rolling mills such as are referred to in the second claim, the use of two,

page_text: three, or four or more driving bodies with their working rolls which latter act
either simultaneously, consecutively or in pairs on different sides of the workpiece,
substantially as described.
9. In the process of rolling referred to in the first claim, the production of
hollow workpieces with external or internal or both external and internal conical
conoidal or stepped surfaces, by causing the toothed wheels of the working rolls,
when revolving with the driving body to gear in such manner with the toothed
wheels or rings that effect their rotation, as to either continuously or periodically
bring a different part of the tapering or excentric groove of the rolls in contact
with the workpiece, substantially as described.
10. Effecting the conical conoidal or stepped rolling referred to in the ninth
claim by gradually or periodically bringing the axes of the driving bodies with
their concentric toothed rings nearer to or farther from each other substantially as
described.
11. Effecting the conical conoidal or stepped rolling referred to in the ninth
claim by causing a conical conoidal or stepped mandril to alter its position
relatively to the rolls during the motion of the driving bodies, substantially as
described.
12. Effecting the conical conoidal or stepped rolling referred to in the ninth
claim, by combining the method of operating referred to therein or the method of
operating referred to in the tenth claim, with the method of operating referred to
in the eleventh claim, substantially as described.
13. In the method of rolling referred to in the first claim, the separation of a
mandril from the interior of a hollow workpiece during the rolling operation, by
imparting to the mandril a motion different from that of the workpiece either
during the working of the latter by the rolls or during the intervals between such
working, or at the end of such working, substantially as described.
Dated this 8th day of March 1892.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.