Abstract: The shears have a lower blade and an upper blade. The upper blade is reciprocated with respect to the lower blade through a transmission. The transmission includes a first eccentric which is continuously rotated to continuously reciprocate the upper blade over a vertical stroke equal to the throw of the first eccentric. This throw is transmitted to the upper blade through a second eccentric surrounding the first. The second eccentric is quickly rotatable, between two positions. In the first position, the upper blade is always clear of a billet on the lower blade. In the second position, the upper blade cuts the billet during the reciprocation. To ensure that the upper blade only penetrates approximately half the thickness of the billet, the position of the lower blade is vertically adjustable.

Abstract: Flying cropping shears for hot strip for two horizontally spaced pairs of cutters. The cutters are driven by parallel crank drives through connecting members which maintain parallelism of the cutters. Means are provided for selectively bringing the pairs of cutters into and out of the cutting position. In this way only one pair of cutters is operative during rotation of the crank drives so as to crop either the front or the rear end of the hot strip.

Abstract: Apparatus is provided for measuring the roll gap in roll stands with automatic gap control. The apparatus comprises two relatively movable components which may interfit telescopically. The two components have respective measuring surfaces at one of which is located a pulsed ultrasonic signal transmitter. A sound receiver is located either on the same measuring surface or on the other measuring surface. Measuring means are provided for measuring the time taken for the sound pulses to travel between the measuring surfaces.

Abstract: Apparatus for cutting rolled steel sections with a web and one or more flanges angled in respect to the web as profiled cutters movable relative to each other on a common axis and kept parallel to each other at the time of cut. The cutter edges for cutting the web of the section extend in an inclined manner at an acute angle with respect to a plane at right-angles to the axis of travel of the cutters. These cutter edges which extend to follow the shape of the flanges at least as far as these extensions are located inside the projection of the section on the normal plane.