Abstract: A shear is disclosed for subdividing an elongated product moving longitudinally in a horizontal plane. The shear includes upper and lower continuously rotating blades respectively coacting in a radially overlapping relationship at first and second laterally disposed cutting zones. An upstream switch operates to divert the product laterally across the cutting zones to separate a leading end from an intermediate section in the first cutting zone, and to separate a trailing end from the intermediate section in the second cutting zone.

Abstract: A bushing has a cylindrical wall with an inner bearing surface configured and dimensioned to surround the journal surface of a roll neck in a rolling mill. The bearing surface has a primary recess into which oil is admitted to serve as a lubricant between the journal and bearing surfaces. The primary recess has a width measured between circumferentially spaced edges, and a length spaced from the ends of the bearing surface by land segments of the bearing surface. Secondary recesses in the land segments have widths that are narrower than the width of the primary recess.

Abstract: An apparatus for retaining a bearing assembly on the neck of a roll in a rolling mill. The apparatus includes an adaptor element having outwardly projecting first lugs circumferentially separated by first flutes. Fasteners detachably secure the adaptor element to a distal end of the roll neck. A locking element, which comprises an integral component of the bearing assembly, has inwardly projecting second lugs circumferentially separated by second flutes. The locking element is rotatable between an unlocked position at which its second lugs are aligned with the first flutes of the adaptor element to accommodate axial shifting of the bearing assembly onto and off of the roll neck, and a locked position at which its second lugs are aligned with the first lugs of the adaptor element to axially retain the bearing assembly on the roll neck.

Abstract: In a single strand hot rolling mill finishing section a plurality of multi-stand prefinishing rolling units are arranged along and are selectively shiftable onto and off of a first pass line segment. A multi-stand finishing rolling unit and a multi-stand post finishing rolling unit are arranged sequentially along a second pass line segment. A switch and associated delivery guides are selectively operable to direct products from the first pass line segment to the second pass line segment either at a location upstream of said finishing rolling unit, or alternatively, at a location between the finishing rolling unit and the post finishing rolling unit. With this arrangement, final rolling in the post finishing rolling unit may be preceded with or without rolling in the finishing rolling unit and with or without rolling in one or more of the prefinishing rolling units.

Abstract: A multi-stand block for a rolling mill comprises a plurality of roll stands alternately arranged on opposite sides of a pass line along which a product is rolled in a downstream direction from an entry end to an exit end of the block. Drive shafts are provided on opposite sides of the pass line. The drive shafts comprise coaxial segments interconnected by couplings, with each roll stand being connected to a respective one of the line shaft segments. A block drive is connected to the line shafts at the upstream end of the block, and the couplings are selectively disconnectable to mechanically isolate any downstream line shaft segments and the roll stands connected thereto from the block drive.

Abstract: A method of continuously rolling a ferrous workpiece into a finished round, comprising rolling the workpiece in successive first and second roll passes at an elevated temperature of between about 650 to 1000° C., the first and second roll passes each being defined by two work rolls and being dimensioned to effect a combined reduction in the cross sectional area of the workpiece of at least about 20-55%, with an accompanying effective strain pattern dominated by a concentration of maximum effective strain at a central region of the cross sectional area; and while the effective strain pattern remains dominated by a concentration of maximum effective strain at a central region of the cross section, continuing to roll the workpiece in at least third and fourth consecutive roll passes, each of the third and fourth roll passes being defined by at least three rolls and being sized to effect a combined reduction in the cross sectional area of the workpiece of not more than about 4-25 %.

Abstract: A sleeve is disclosed for use in an oil film bearing of the type employed to rotatably support a roll neck in a rolling mill. The sleeve has an internally tapered section, an end section aligned axially with the internally tapered section, and a cylindrical outer surface surrounding the internally tapered section. The cylindrical outer surface is adapted to be rotatably journalled in a bushing component of the bearing and has a diameter D of at least 500 mm. The internally tapered section is adapted to be seated on an externally tapered section of the roll neck and has a taper angle greater than three degrees and a minimum thickness of between about 10 mm and 0.024D+14.5. Keyways located outside of the internally tapered section and exclusively in the end section serve to rotatably fix the sleeve to the roll neck.

Abstract: A tool is disclosed for axially urging a bearing assembly into and out of a seated position on the neck of a roll in a rolling mill. The tool includes a piston surrounded by a cylinder. The piston is removably fixed to the roll neck and is configured to internally subdivide the cylinder into first and second chambers. Fluid conduits are arranged to alternatively pressurize the first and second chambers to alternatively shift the cylinder with respect to the thus fixed piston in opposite first and second directions. Movement of the cylinder in the first direction urges the bearing assembly into its seated position, and movement of the cylinder in the opposite second direction dislodges the bearing assembly from its seated position.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for receiving a helical formation of rings of hot rolled steel rod emerging from a laying head, and for depositing the rings on a conveyor for continued transport away from the laying head. The apparatus operates to engage and propel lower portions of the rings towards the conveyor at a first rate of travel, while engaging and propelling upper portions of the rings towards the conveyor at a second rate of travel. The first and second rates of travel are different and selected to cause the rings to topple onto the conveyor in an overlapping offset pattern.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for applying a fluid coolant to the surface of rotating work roll in a rolling mill. The apparatus includes a housing having a generally concave inner edge configured and dimensioned to partially surround the surface of the work roll. The housing is subdivided into mating half sections having abutting interior surfaces. First grooves in the abutting interior surfaces are arranged in a confronting relationship to define a manifold conduit and second grooves in the same interior surfaces are arranged in a confronting relationship to define nozzle conduits leading from the manifold conduit to the concave inner edge of the housing. An inlet is provided in the housing through which a fluid coolant may be fed to the manifold conduit for application via the nozzle conduits to the surface of the work roll.

Abstract: A system for cooling a hot rolled steel product at a retarded cooling rate comprises a laying head for forming the product into a continuous series of rings. A conveyor receives the rings from the laying head at a receiving station and transports the rings in a non-concentric overlapping pattern through a cooling zone to a reforming station at which the rings are delivered from the conveyor and gathered into upstanding coils. The rings are covered with a granular insulation material while being transported through the cooling zone.

Abstract: In a rolling mill, a mini block (MBM) is installed between a block mill (BM) and a sizing mill (SM) as a reducer for intermediate rolling. The block mill (BM) is so constructed that it is possible to use both a front group (BM1) and a rear group (BM2) of the rollers, or only the front group by by-passing the rear group with a dummy pass, or to by-pass both the front and the rear groups. The mini block mill (MBM) is shuntable from the pass line. The sizing mill is so constructed with two sets of rollers (SM1, SM2) that either both the sets may be used, or only one of the sets (SM1) may be used and the other (SM2), by-passed. By choosing combinations of use and non-use of the rollers it is possible to produce wires of various diameters from a round rod material of one diameter.

Abstract: Round bars are successively rolled through first and second roll passes. Each roll pass is defined by a pair of work rolls having cylindrical rolling surfaces with notches therein extending transversely and obliquely with respect to the rolling line, and with the roll axes defining the second roll pass being offset at 90 with respect to the roll axes defining the first roll pass. The first pair of work rolls is arranged to configure the round bar into an intermediate process section having flat parallel first sides with first ribs protruding therefrom, and the second pair of work rolls is arranged to reconfigure the process section into a finished concrete reinforcing element having flat parallel sides which are perpendicular to the first parallel sides and which have second ribs protruding therefrom.

Abstract: Apparatus for rotatably supporting the neck of a roll in a rolling mill, including a bearing assembly configured and dimensioned to surround the roll neck, a chock containing the bearing assembly, and a support for the chock, with the chock and the support being in contact with each other at an interface having a radius of curvature arranged to accommodate relative movement between the chock and the support in response to bending loads applied to the roll. A lubricant is introduced under pressure at the interface between the chock and the support to thereby reduce frictional resistance to relative movement therebetween.

Abstract: An apparatus for receiving a continuous series of rings of a hot rolled product includes: a) a portable container having: i) a vertically disposed cylindrical side wall open at its upper and lower ends; ii) a base at the lower end of the side wall configured to removably locate the container at a coil forming station; iii) a horizontal shelf projecting inwardly from the interior of the side wall; and iv) a central core supported by the shelf, the core being spaced inwardly from the interior of the side wall to define an annular chamber therebetween, the shelf having access openings therein communicating with the chamber; b) an elevator platform at the coil forming station having support members configured and arranged to pass through the access openings in the shelf; and c) a mechanism for vertically adjusting the elevator platform to move its support members through the access openings in the shelf between raised operative positions at which the support members project into the annular chamber to supp

Abstract: A rolling mill has roughing, intermediate and finishing roll stands on a first side of a billet reheating furnace, and a breakdown mill on an opposite second side of the furnace. Billets are heated to an elevated rolling temperature in the furnace and are then ejected to the second side of the furnace for rolling in the breakdown mill before being directed back through the furnace for continued rolling into finished products at the first side of the furnace in the roughing, intermediate and finishing roll stands.

Abstract: A roller guide assembly is disclosed for guiding a workpiece into a roll pass of a rolling mill.

Abstract: A roll stand for a rolling mill, comprising: a support structure adapted to be fixed at a selected location along a mill center line. First and second work rolls are configured and arranged to roll products directed therebetween. The first work roll has roll necks journalled for rotation in bearings contained in first chocks, and the second work roll likewise has roll necks journalled for rotation in bearings contained in second chocks, with the first and second chocks of the work rolls being arranged in pairs located on opposite sides of the mill center line. The first and second chocks of each pair are connected to the support structure for pivotal movement respectively about parallel first and second connecting axes which extend in parallel relationship with respect to the axes of the rolls and orthogonally with respect to the mill center line.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for finish rolling long products such as bars, rods and the like, comprising: in a first operational mode, rolling the products through a finishing block and a reducing sizing mill arranged on a primary pass line; and in a second operational mode, diverting the products from the primary pass line to a secondary pass line bypassing the finishing block and then back to the primary pass line for rolling in the reducing sizing mill. Optionally and preferably, a cooling unit is shifted between the primary and secondary pass lines to cool products being rolled in each operational mode.

Abstract: A system for controlling front and tail end gauge of a continuous hot rolled product in a rolling mill includes first and second individually driven roll stands arranged successively along said pass line in advance of a group of roll stands. A controller adjusts the operating speed relationship between the first and second individually driven roll stands to achieve an increased level of tension in the front and tail end segments of the product passing between the first and second individually driven roll stands. The increased level of tension results in the decrease in product cross sectional area sufficient to compensate for the lack of cross sectional area reduction resulting from the absence of interstand tension experienced by said front and tail end segments while being rolled in the group of roll stands.