Abstract: An oil film bearing for a roll neck in a rolling mill, comprising a bearing chock containing a bushing having a lining of babbitt metal. A sleeve is removably received on and rotationally fixed relative to the roll neck. The sleeve is journalled for rotation within and is axially shiftable with respect to the bushing. An abutment protrudes radially from an exposed outboard end of the sleeve for engagement by an outboard end face of the bushing during axial removal of the bearing from the roll neck. The lining of babbitt metal is recessed axially inwardly from the bushing outboard end face by a distance sufficient to prevent it from being damaged by engagement with the radially protruding abutment.

Abstract: A circular seal assembly is provided for a roll in a rolling mill. The roll has a neck with a tapered section leading from a roll end face to a reduced diameter section rotatably supported in a non-rotating bearing chock. The chock is spaced axially from the roll end face to define a circular gap therebetween, and the seal assembly is adapted to span the gap. The seal assembly comprises a rigid circular seal end plate adapted to be fixed to the chock at a location cooperating with associated resilient seal components to subdivide the gap into an inboard chamber adjacent the roll end face and an outboard chamber adjacent the chock. A vent connection is provided in an upper quadrant of the seal end plate between the inboard and outboard chambers.

Abstract: A system is disclosed for applying a liquid lubricant to first and second components enclosed in a housing, with the lubricant applied to the second components being exposed to contamination by a liquid coolant applied to the exterior of the housing, and with the lubricant applied to the first components being substantially isolated from the liquid coolant. The system includes a partition internally subdividing the housing into a first chamber containing the first components and a second chamber containing the second components. Lubricant is delivered from a storage tank to the housing for application to the first and second components. A first conduit network communicates with the first chamber for returning the lubricant applied to the first components to the storage tank, and a second conduit network communicates with the second chamber for returning lubricant applied to the second components to the storage tank.

Abstract: A rolling mill oil film bearing has a sleeve with a tapered interior surface axially received on and rotatably fixed with respect to a tapered section of a roll neck. The sleeve has a cylindrical outer surface journalled for rotation within a bushing contained in a chock, with the chock, bushing and sleeve being axially removable as a unit from the roll neck. The sleeve is machined from a cylindrical forged blank which has a maximum outer diameter equal to the diameter of the sleeve's cylindrical outer surface. At least one element separate from the forged blank is secured to the sleeve. The element has a radially protruding outer portion engageable by the bushing during axial removal of the bearing unit from the roll neck.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for receiving a helical formation of rings free falling from the delivery end of a conveyor and for gathering the rings into an upstanding cylindrical coil, The free falling rings encircle a vertically disposed guide and are supported initially on elevated intercepting elements. The interceptor elements are gradually lowered past a coil plate onto which the accumulated rings are transferred. The coil plate is then lowered to accommodate continued formation of the coil, and the intercepting elements are returned to their elevated position.

Abstract: For use in a seal assembly having a nonrotatable component surrounding and spaced radially from a tapered section of a roll neck in a rolling mill, a seal comprising a flexible circular seal body with at least first and second resilient outer circular flanges. The seal body is configured and dimensioned to be mounted on the roll neck for rotation therewith. The first flange has a peripheral lip projecting at an angle therefrom in the direction of the second flange, with a contact surface on the first flange positioned to contact the nonrotatable component. The second flange projects in the same direction at an angle with respect to the first flange and is spaced from the nonrotatable component. The first flange is bendable to an extent sufficient to contact the second flange at a static interface, resulting in the space therebetween being reduced in size and enclosed with respect to the surrounding atmosphere.

Abstract: In a modular rolling mill gear units are installed between selected rolling units in place of other rolling units which haven removed from the mill pass line to thereby provide a gap in the rolling sequence. Each gear unit is coupled to the drive units previously coupled to the respective removed rolling unit, and is configured to provide a continuation of the mill drive train end to accommodate operation of the next subsequent rolling unit at the speed of the respective removed rolling unit. The gear units carry water boxes or other equivalent cooling devices which serve to lower the temperature of the product between successive roll passes.

Abstract: Disclosed is a rolling unit (10) consisting of two roll stands (12, 14). The roll stands (12, 14) each have pairs of openings (24a) defined through a housing (24) to locate on each side of the pass line (PL), and a pair of eccentric members (26) each having an eccentric opening (26a) are rotatably inserted in these openings (24a), respectively, with a predetermined space being secured axially therebetween. A pair of roll shafts (28), on which rolls (13, 15) are fitted to be rotatable integrally therewith, respectively, are rotatably inserted through these eccentric openings (26a). A pair of adjusting shafts (32) are rotatably disposed in the housing (24). A pair of worms (34), which engage with toothed portions (26b) are fitted on each adjusting shaft (32) to be rotatable integrally therewith. A gear, which is engaged commonly with the adjusting shaft (32). The positions of the rolls (13) can be varied by rotating the adjusting gear via the eccentric members (26).

Abstract: A high speed rod trimming shear includes a pair of eccentrically bored sleeves mounted for rotation about parallel first axes. Carrier shafts are supported in the bores of the eccentric sleeves for rotation about second axes parallel to the first axes and located on opposite sides of the rod path. The carrier shafts have blade holders with attached cutting blades. A primary drive rotates the carrier shafts continuously, and an adjustment mechanism rotatably oscillates the eccentric sleeves to adjust the distance between the carrier shafts between a first setting at which the cutting blades rotate out of contact with the rod, and a second setting at which the cutting blades coact during rotation to sever the product.

Abstract: In a rolling mill where hot rolled steel rod is directed along a delivery path to a laying head which forms the rod into a continuous series of rings, and the rings are deposited in an overlapping pattern on a conveyor for transport along a continuation of the delivery path to a reforming station, the improvement comprising mounting the laying head on an underlying support structure in a manner accommodating a horizontal shifting of the direction of deposit of rings on the conveyor. Clamps releaseably secure the laying head on the support structure at any selected position of adjustment.

Abstract: A housingless roll stand has a pair of work roils supported between bearing chocks for rotation about parallel axes. The bearing chocks are mechanically engaged by nuts which in turn are threadedly engaged by opposite hand screw segments on spindles. The spindles serve both to effect symmetrical roll parting adjustments, and to provide a short stress path loop for absorbing roll separating forces during rolling. The nuts and associated adjusting spindles are separable from the bearing chocks, thus enabling them to remain as permanent on line fixtures when making roll changes.

Abstract: A system and method for optimizing an inventory of rolls used in a rolling mill, the rolling mill having a plurality of rolling equipment each utilizing a predetermined combination of roll stands and roll guides. Each of the roll stands and roll guides utilizes at least one pair of rolls for respectively working and guiding an entry product of a predetermined size into an output product of a selected size. The method and system operates to compile and store data corresponding to individual rolls in the inventory. Operational parameters are defined for the rolling mill to produce the output product. The data corresponding to the individual rolls is iteratively correlated with the operational parameters to create an array of possible roll combinations for each roll stand or roll guide. Optimal family sets of rolls are determined from the array of possible roll combinations for the rolling mill in accordance with the operational parameters.

Abstract: Data representing the axial distance of the center of each groove of a work roll from a first reference location on the work roll is determined and stored in the memory of a data processing system. The work rolls are then mounted in the roll stand and the grooves of a selected "setup" roll pass are brought into alignment with each other. Thereafter, the roll stand is placed on the rolling line, the setup pass is aligned with the mill passline in the case of vertical stands, or with the mill center line in the case of horizontal roll stands, and data representing the relative positions of the work rolls to the roll stand and of the roll stand to another reference location is obtained and stored in the memory of the data processing system. This data is then employed by the system to calculate and automatically effect adjustments to the roll stand and work rolls in order to precisely align other roll passes with the mill passline or center line.

Abstract: A turndown apparatus has first and second guide rollers arranged respectively along the inside and outside of a curved path along which bendable products such as bars, rods and the like move at high speeds. The guide rollers coact in pairs to define gaps spaced along the curved path, and a mechanism is provided for symmetrically adjusting the gaps defined between the guide rollers in order to accommodate different product sizes.

Abstract: A rolling mill assembly includes a support shaft having a tapered section leading from an abutment to an end section. A ring-shaped roll having inboard and outboard flanks and a cylindrical bore is axially mounted on the shaft with its inboard flank seated against the abutment and with its cylindrical bore surrounding the tapered shaft section. A tapered sleeve is interposed between the tapered shaft section of and the cylindrical roll bore. A circular retainer is axially received on and rotatably fixed with respect to the end section of the shaft. A nut is threaded onto the end section of the shaft to operate via the retainer to center the roll on the shaft by tightly inserting the sleeve between the tapered shaft section and the cylindrical roll bore. Screw members are threaded though the retainer into axial engagement with the outboard flank of the roll to urge the inboard flank of the roll against the abutment.

Abstract: Successive roll stands in a rolling mill are driven at selectively different drive speed ratios by a transmission system having a pair of drive shafts and a least one idler shaft journalled for rotation about parallel axes. First and second gear trains each include intermeshed drive gears freely rotatable on the drive shafts, and a pair of idler gears on the idler shaft; each being in meshed engagement with at least one of the drive gears of each drive train. Clutches operated to selectively couple the drive gears of the first and second drive trains with their respective drive shafts.

Abstract: A billet is rolled in a rolling mill into a first process section in a succession of roll stands arranged along a first pass line. The first process section is either delivered as a finished product to a cooling bed or alternatively slit into second and third process sections which are subjected respectively to additional rolling in finishing blocks arranged on second and third pass lines parallel to the first pass line. At least one of the finishing blocks is shiftable onto the first pass line in order to subject the first process section to additional rolling prior to delivering it to the cooling bed.

Abstract: A laying head forms hot rolled steel rod into a continuous series of rings. The rings are received on a conveyor for transport in an overlapping pattern through at least one cooling zone. The ring density of the overlapping pattern is greater along edge regions of the conveyor as compared to the ring density at a central region of the conveyor. A gaseous coolant is directed upwardly through the overlapping ring pattern, and a screen or other like foraminous element retards the upward flow of gaseous coolant at the central region of the conveyor.

Abstract: A rolling mill reforming station has an annular chamber into which rings are dropped to acmmulate in coil form. A curved guide member projects downwardly from a rotating support into the path of ring descent. The guide member is readily removable from in addition to being adjustable in relation to the rotating support.

Abstract: A gaseous flow reversing system is disclosed for use with a regenerative furnace. The reversing system includes a combustion air inlet unit for receiving combustion air, and a valve unit. The valve unit is slidable between first and second positions with respect to the combustion air inlet unit for alternately directing the flow of combustion air from between the combustion air inlet unit and a first regenerator port when the valve unit is in the first position, and from between the combustion air inlet unit and a second regenerator port when the valve unit is in the second position. The valve unit includes valve flow distribution channels for distributing the flow of the combustion air into at least one of the regenerator ports from among a plurality of locations extending along the valve unit.