IMPROVEMENTS IN ROLLING MILLS
Year: 1884

page_text: "
I, GEORGE LEGGE 27 Priestley Street Warrington, Lancashire, Roll Turner, do
hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN ROLLING MILLS
to be as follows:-
It consists of an arrangement of Rolling Mill, in which a single train of rolls,
or single trains of rolls are employed in combination with automatic tubes, guides,
or channels, for conveying the metal operated upon, (at certain times during its
being rolled,) from one set of rolls to the succeeding set.
The train or trains of rolls may or may not be in one line, but may be in
different sections, according to the variation of speeds required. Where variation
of speed is required, I employ gearing, a part of which, or the whole of which, may
be used at will, as the case may be.
The operation of the mill is as follows:-I pass the bar, billet, or pile, from the
furnace to the cogging, or breaking-down rolls, which reduce it to the required size
for the second pair of rolls. An inclined tube or channel, is provided to convey it
from the cogging, to the second pair of rolls.
Again, when it leaves the second pair of rolls, a tube, channel, or guide, is so
placed as to convey it to a third pair, through which, it passes. It is then caught
by the attendant, and, again passed through the second pair of rolls, in a similar
manner as before, and, again conveyed to the third pair by means of a similar tube
or guide as previously. When it finally leaves the third pair of rolls, it is then
passed into a fourth pair, and similarly treated as in the second and third pairs,
and so through as many pairs of rolls as the nature and size of the bar or rod may
require.
In rolling certain sections of metals, the method generally adopted is to reverse
the direction of rotation in the mill. In my invention, however, this reversing of
motion is unnecessary; inasmuch as each successive pair of rolls, rotate in opposite
directions, so that the piece being rolled, is simply passed from one pair to the next.
Thus I accomplish in a single train, or single trains, by this arrangement, that
which has hitherto been done in double trains, or, where it has been necessary to
adopt reversing motion, thereby effecting less cost in machinery, less wear, less
labour, and a larger quantity of work produced.
Dated this 14th day of January 1884.

page_text: I, GEORGE LEGGE of 27 Priestley Street Warrington, in the County of
Lancaster, Roll Turner, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN ROLLING MILLS FOR WIRE, RODS, HOOPS, AND OTHER SECTIONS.
OF METALS, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention consists in improved arrangements of single trains of Rolls, which
may either be of one continuous line, or divided into sections, each section forming
in itself a single train, in combination with an improved arrangement of tubes,
guides, or channels which convey the bar or rod from the delievery side of one pair
of rolls to the receiving side of the succeeding pair of rolls; these single trains, and
tubes, guides or channels being further combined with an improved suitable
arrangement of gearing, by which variable speeds may be obtained, as the nature
and size of the bar or rod may require.
With these arrangements I accomplish with a single train of Rolls, or single
trains of Rolls that which has generally hitherto been done by double trains of
Rolls, and also enables une to vary the speed at will of the finishing section or train'
of rolls; these improvements effecting less wear and tear of Machinery, and a larger
quantity of work produced than has hitherto been done. On the accompanying
sheet of Drawing, Fig 1 is a plan of one of my improved arrangements of Rolling
Mills adapted for rolling wire.
Figs 2, 3 & 4 are longitudinal elevations of the respective trains of Rolls
detached.
Fig 5 is an enlarged elevation of two pairs of rolls, shewing adjusted tubes,
guides, or channels, for conveying the wire or rods, from one pair of rolls to the
other pair of rolls.
:
Fig 6 is a plan of these tubes, guides, or channels.
Fig 7 is an end elevation of the sections of the trains of the rolls.
Fig 8. is a section of one form of tube, guide or channel of a somewhat
rectangular or square shape.
Fig 9 is a section of another form of tube, guide, or channel of a circular shape.
The driving power is communicated to the respective trains, A, B, C, Figs 1, 2,
3, & 4, through the shafts a, b, c, by means of pulleys as shewn at d, e, or by means
of gear wheels. The speeds of these shafts being quite independent of each other.
In some cases it is important that the speed of the finishing part of the rolling
process, or train C, Fig 1, should be capable of easily being made to travel faster,
or, slower, as the nature and size of the work to be produced may require. In
order to accomplish this, I employ a shaft f. Fig 1, capable of a sliding motion
axially. Upon this shaft are fixed two gear wheels, g & h, of suitable diameters,
which correspond to and fit into wheels i & j, upon shafts c & k when required.
By sliding the shaft fin the direction of arrows l, the wheels would disengage each
other, and then, by sliding into contact the clutch or crab at m, the train of rolls C,
would be driven direct from the shaft c, and consequently at a faster speed.
In some instances I carry two pairs of rolls side by side of different diameters
between one pair of bolsters or housings, as shewn at n, n, o, o, p, p, & qq Fig 1 & 2,
the number of which instances vary according to the section of metal being rolled.
The tubes, guides, or channels for receiving the metal from the rolls, and for
leading it to the succeeding rolls, are composed of part open and tubular parts, and
curved and adjusted in such a manner as to form a communication from one pair of
rolls to the succeding pair of rolls in the same line or train of rolls, as shewn
at r&s. Figs 5 & 6.

page_text: Where more than one tube or guide is required to be attached to the same pair
of rolls, they are so made as to clear each other as shewn in Figs 5 & 6.
The cross section of these tubes, or guides will be modified to suit sections of
metals to be rolled. Figs 8 & 9 being suitable for rolling wire.
In Fig 1 the dotted line from D to E shews the course of the metal during its
being rolled from the bar or billet until it has been reduced and shaped to the
required form and dimensions. After passing through a sufficient number of
grooves in the cogging or breaking down rolls u, it is impelled by the delievering
force down an inclined channel or guide V, Fig 7, into the rolls w, thence by means
of the curved tube or guide 8, Figs 1, 5, & 6, it is carried into the rolls x,
Figs 1, 3, & 5. It is then returned by hand into the rolls w, and thence again
carried as before to the rolls x; from whence it is again taken by hand, and
delievered to the rolls y, Figs 1 & 3. A suitable channel is here provided to carry
the metal forward to the extreme side of the single train C, where it is received by
hand, and delievered to the rolls n, Upon the delievery side of the rolls m, n, a
tube or guide is placed which carries it to the rolls o, o, from whence it is taken by
hand and again delievered to the rolls p, p, where it is similarly treated as before,
and so on through the rolls q, q, and finishing rolls z.
Although the dotted line as described and explained upon the drawing shews the
course adopted for the metal in this case, it is to be understood that this course may
be varied inasmuch as the number of grooves in each, or any pair of rolls, may be
more or less, and so requiring more or less pairs of rolls accordingly, the grooves in
all cases being of proportionate form and size for the work required.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:
1st. The improved arrangement and combination of single trains of rolls, as
shewn and described, or any mere modification thereof, the purpose of which is to
enable me to use rolls of varied diameters in single trains, with greater efficiency
than has hitherto been done.
2nd. The adjustable curved pipes or troughs, as shewn upon drawings, or any
inere modification of them, for the purpose of conveying the metal being rolled,
from the smaller rolls to the larger rolls in the same train, such rolls being varied
and adjusted in their diameters, so that the larger rolls will take up and draw out
what has been delievered by the smaller rolls, thus, in such cases the rod or other
section of metal is reduced twice each time it is delievered into the rolls by hand.
3rd. The combination of different diameters in one set of rolls as shewn at
Figs 1 & 2 at n, o.