Abstract: A piston-cylinder assembly for displacing a load through a long stroke consists of a rod, a piston slidable on the rod and by fluid pressure the piston is clamped to the rod, and a cylinder in which the piston is contained. By clamping the piston to the rod and introducing fluid into the cylinder, relative movement is caused between the piston and cylinder and the rod. When one assembly is used, the movement is intermittent but, by mounting two pistons on the rod, each piston being in a separate cylinder, and by controlling the flow of fluid, the movement is continuous.

Abstract: A rolling mill has a transducer for measuring the separation of a movable part of the mill from the fixed part of the mill. The transducer comprises a magnetostrictive element secured to one end of the fixed part, a transmitter for transmitting magnetostrictive signals into the element, a receiver for receiving signals reflected back along the element and a magnet secured to the other part which produces a magnetic field which serves to reflect the signals along the element. A timer measures the time interval between transmitting the energy and receiving the echo and this is representative of the distance between the two parts of the rolling mill.

Abstract: A cutting or shaping mechanism is described in which the cutting or pressing force is applied to a moving blade or shaping assembly over a limited part of the length of that assembly, including where the assembly is in engagement with the work. The application of the cutting or pressing force is moved progressively along the assembly to cause the assembly to roll on the work and progressively cut or apply pressure to the work. The invention is particularly applicable to a rolling cut shear having a single moving blade assembly or a pair of oppositely curved moving blade assemblies.

Abstract: An installation for handling a workpiece, particularly a workpiece to be forged includes a manipulator and an overhead crane, the controls of the manipulator and the crane form part of an integrated system so that movement of the crane and the manipulator are controlled together when they are handling a workpiece. Apparatus is disclosed for ensuring that the crane and the manipulator remain in step.

Abstract: A rolling mill roll having adjustable axial compliance is formed by a sleeve in the bore of which is located a stiffening arbor. The arbor is an interference fit with the bore of the sleeve over a limited central part of the roll but on each side of that central part is stepped in diameter to form, at each side, a divergent stepped space between arbor and sleeve. That space is occupied by a number of annular wedges which normally do not give support to the sleeve. At each end of the roll there is a hydraulic actuator which applies axial force to the wedges at that side and expand the wedges progressively against the sleeve. By varying the force applied by each actuator the number of wedges supporting the sleeve can be adjusted, thereby to vary the length of the sleeve supported by the arbor.

Abstract: A composite roll for a rolling mill is constituted by a sleeve and an axially adjustable arbor therewithin. The ends of the sleeve are closed by end members, one of which has an axial passage with a diameter smaller than the bore diameter of the sleeve. An adjustment rod is secured to the arbor and passes through the passage of the end member. By operation of the adjustment rod, the position of the arbor within the sleeve and hence the axial compliance of the roll can be adjusted.

Abstract: A rolling mill has a pair of work rolls (12, 13), between which the work (14) is rolled and which are supported by respective back-up rolls (16, 15). Between one work roll (12) and its back-up roll (16) there are a pair of intermediate rolls (17, 18) which are axially adjustable relative to the other rolls.

Abstract: For performing interstand cooling in a tandem rolling mill, at least one of the stands (12, 13) has delivery guides (17, 18) which incorporate equipment for delivering coherent, non-turbulent, curtains of coolant on to the faces of the strip rolled by that stand. The equipment for each guide (17, 18) consists of a coolant manifold (25, 32) formed within the guide structure and a communicating curtain-discharging nozzle (30, 36) which is recessed in the guide plate (21, 22) and which extends over almost the entire length of the guide. The manifold (25, 32) is supplied with coolant through pipes (26).

Abstract: An uncoiler for metallic strip material may suffer from rotational effects of a coil supported on the mandrel if the coil is eccentrically mounted on the mandrel. The uncoiler has means for detecting these rotational effects and, if the effects are greater than a predetermined level, a signal is prepared which is used either to prevent further increase in rotational speed of the mandrel or to reduce the speed of the mandrel.

Abstract: A multi-stand rolling mill is operated so that strip of suitable shape and metallurgical properties is produced at a faster speed than possible heretofore by threading the mill at a relatively slow speed and adjusting the rolling loads on the stands to give the required output gauge and rolling temperature at the last stand, thereafter the mill is accelerated and curtains of liquid coolant are applied to the workpiece at one or more interstand locations to ensure that the rolling loads remain substantially the same as when threading and the rolling temperature of the last stand remains substantially constant.

Abstract: A transporter car for carrying a metal coil comprises a wheeled trolley with first and second supports for engaging the periphery of a coil to provide supports for the coil. The supports are arranged in side-by-side relation in the direction of movement of the trolley and one of the supports is retractable so that it can be used in combination with the other support for long coils and the other support is used on its own for short coils.

Abstract: Rolling plant for hot rolling metal workpieces comprises a reversing roughing mill, a continuous finishing mill spaced from the roughing mill and an intermediate coiler which can be retracted to an inoperative position clear of the pass-line. In the penultimate forward pass of the roughing mill, the coiler is in its inoperative position and the workpiece is rolled to a length greater than the coiler--roughing mill spacing but less than the finishing mill--roughing mill spacing, the leading end of the workpiece passing under the coiler. In the final forward pass, the coiler is in its operative position on the pass-line and effects coiling of the workpiece. Subsequently, the coil is uncoiled and led out to the finishing mill.

Abstract: It is desirable for a pair of horizontal roll assemblies of a rolling mill to be withdrawn from the mill simultaneously with the longitudinal axes of the rolls parallel and substantially horizontal. If material is present in the mill there can be no connection between the bearing chocks on the drive side of the mill. When the roll assemblies have been withdrawn from the mill, a support vehicle is positioned relative to the roll assemblies so that the rolls can be supported on upper and lower support surfaces provided on the vehicle. The vehicle is the displaced away from the withdrawal position of the rolls so that replacement rolls carried on a similar support vehicle can be moved to a position from which they can be inserted into the mill.

Abstract: A sieving device comprises a sieve with an electrical linear device mounted in spaced apart relation from the mesh of the sieve. Particles supplied to the side of the mesh away from the thrust device are caused by the thrust device to move across the mesh and those which are smaller than the mesh pass through the mesh and towards the thrust device. Conveniently a plate is disposed between the mesh and the plate. Particles passing through the mesh then come into contact with the plate and move along it under the influence of the thrust device.

Abstract: A combined feed tube and continuous casting mould comprises a copper mould having a refractory feed tube projecting into the inlet end of the mould passage. The feed tube is in abutting relation with the wall of the mould passage and the material from which the feed tube is formed is one which has a low coefficient of friction such as graphite. The portion of the feed tube in the mould provides the surface on which the initial freezing of the molten metal occurs and this surface is cooled by its contact with the mould.

Abstract: In the manufacture of metal powder by the water atomization of liquid metal, a batch of powder and water together constituting a slurry is pumped into a settling tank having a separate receptacle constituting the bottom of the tank. A filter bed is provided in the receptacle and the powder settles on to the filter bed. Excess water is drawn off from the receptacle which is then removed from the upper part of the tank and a cover is fitted. A differential pressure is then applied between the powder and the underside of the filter bed to suck out more of the water leaving the powder with a low water content on the filter bed.

Abstract: An apparatus for producing a continuous curtain of cooling liquid to cool a hot metal workpiece issuing from a rolling mill. A header tank with an elongated slot formed lengthwise along its underside is provided. An elongated nozzle, located in the header has an outlet extending from the slot. Both the inlet and outlet of the nozzle are generally rectangular in form but differ considerably in cross-section. An insert divides the nozzle into several passageways.

Abstract: An articulated spindle as used for example in a rolling mill drive has a shank the ends of which are connected to sleeves through gear-type couplings. Liquid is continually passed through each gear-type coupling for cooling and lubrication. The liquid is supplied under pressure through the shank to the couplings, passes through the couplings, and is withdrawn under suction through return conduits which rotate with the shank. The liquid is supplied by a delivery pump through a rotating joint to the shank and is withdrawn from the return conduits through the rotating joint by a suction pump.

Abstract: A compact in the form of a strip is manufactured from metal powder by introducing the powder into the gap between a pair of rotatable rolls. The compact so formed has unwanted longitudinally extending edge portions and these portions are removed by reducing them to powder to substantially the same particle size as that of the powder from which the compact is formed. The portions are conveniently reduced to powder by engaging them with rotary members in the form of cutters which impact the compact and break off individual particles. The powder may be recycled into the roll gap either directly or after further treatment which does not include comminution of the powder.

Abstract: A rolling mill includes an assembly which can be withdrawn from the two housings. The assembly has two rolls with each roll having a pair of bearing chocks on the roll necks and a pair of further chocks positioned outwardly of the bearing chocks one on each of a pair of extensions of the roll necks. Fluid operable means positioned between the corresponding further chocks permit bending forces in one direction to be applied to the rolls and bending forces in the opposite direction are applied to the rolls by fluid operable means acting between the further chocks of one roll and a reaction member fixed relative to the further chocks of the other roll.