Abstract: A flexible seal and seal assembly is disclosed for use in rolling mills where roll necks are journalled for rotation in oil film bearings.The flexible seal has a circular seal body adapted to be mounted in sealing engagement on a tapered section of the roll neck for rotation therewith, and a pair of circular flexible flanges integral with and extending radially outwardly from the seal body with at least one of the flexible flanges being provided at its outer edge with an angularly extending flexible annular lip.The seal assembly includes the aforesaid flexible seal surrounded by a circular non-rotatable rigid seal end plate having a radially inwardly extending rigid flange separating oppositely extending rigid shoulders. The rigid flange is located between the flexible flanges of the seal, with its inner edge spaced radially from the seal body.

Abstract: An oil film bearing for a roll neck in a rolling mill, wherein a sleeve with a tapered bore in mounted on a tapered section of the roll neck for rotation therewith, the sleeve being journalled in a non-rotatable bushing contained in a bearing chock. During rolling, a film of high pressure oil is maintained hydrodynamically between the sleeve and bushing at the bearing load zone. In order to provide lubrication at the roll neck/sleeve interface, a portion of the hydrodynamic oil is bled from the sleeve/bushing interface via holes extending radially through the sleeve into a plurality of longitudinal primary grooves in the sleeve bore. This conventional arrangement is improved by the addition of a plurality of secondary grooves in the sleeve bore. Oil is forced from the primary grooves into the second grooves via connecting grooves in the sleeve bore. The connecting grooves create a pressure differential which opposes reverse flow of oil from the secondary grooves into the primary grooves.

Abstract: A horizontal or vertical roll stand for a rod or bar rolling mill comprising a pair of work rolls having a plurality of grooves spaced axially along the surfaces thereof, each work roll being journalled between bearings contained in bearing chocks, with the bearings being adapted to accommodate axial adjustment of the work rolls in relation to the bearing chocks. The bearing chocks are supported in a housing with the work rolls in parallel relationship and with the grooves defining a plurality of roll passes. An axial roll adjustment means is associated with each work roll. Both of the axial adjustment means are driven by a common axial adjustment drive. A clutch is connected between one axial adjustment means and the axial adjustment drive. When engaged, the clutch permits the axial adjustment drive to operate through both axial adjustment means, thus axially adjusting both work rolls simultaneously.

Abstract: In a rolling mill having a plurality of roll stands aligned along the mill pass line, each roll stand having parallel roll shafts carrying cooperating pairs of work rolls, with the roll shafts of at least some of the roll stands being offset 90.degree.

Abstract: An apparatus for handling and storing elongated articles comprises a plurality of parallel article support members or skids arranged in a horizontal plane to define a storage area having a receiving side from which the skids extend laterally. A plurality of transfer cars are located between the skids beneath the aforesaid horizontal plane. The transfer cars are aligned in a direction perpendicular to the skids and are moved in unison towards or away from the receiving side of the storage area by a common drive. Each transfer car carries a set of article elevating members with each set being adjustable individually between a lowered inoperative position beneath the plane of the skids and a raised operative position protruding thereabove.

Abstract: An apparatus for connecting a cover to a chock in a rolling mill comprising spaced supports on the chock, an arm extending laterally from the cover into the space between the supports, and a pin extending through communicating openings in the supports and the arm. Certain of the openings are dimensioned in relation to the pin to accommodate axial shifting of the cover between a closed position against the chock and an intermediate position from which the cover is free to pivot about the pin to an open position exposing the bearing end. A disengageable retainer is provided for holding the cover in the closed position.

Abstract: An apparatus for applying a liquid, for example cooling water, to the surface of an axially moving elongated element, for example a hot rolled rod in a rolling mill. The apparatus includes a housing having an interior chamber through which extends a guide assembly. The guide assembly in turn defines a longitudinally extending passageway which is suitably adapted and dimensioned to accommodate movement therethrough of the elongated element. Liquid is admitted into the chamber through an inlet in the housing and is thereafter fed into the passageway through an orifice in the guide assembly. Vanes in the chamber prevent the liquid entering the orifice from swirling about the longitudinal axis of the passageway.

Abstract: A seal is disclosed for use on the neck of a rotatable roll in a rolling mill. The seal includes a flexible circular inner body segment adapted to be mounted in sealing engagement on the roll neck for rotation therewith, and a flexible circular outer body segment adapted to be mounted on the exterior surface of the inner body segment. The outer body segment has axially spaced resilient flanges extending radially outwardly therefrom. The inner and outer body segments, which may if desired be manufactured of different materials, are connected together in a manner which prevents rotation of one segment relative to the other segment, and which also preferably permits the outer body segment to be readily separated from the inner body segment. A reinforcing element may be associated with the outer body segment for the purpose of resisting centrifugal forces acting on the seal during rotation of the roll neck.

Abstract: An apparatus for laterally separating a group of elongated magnetic elements, for example steel bars which are moving longitudinally along a conveyor. A rotatable fanning roll extends transversally across the path of the bars. The fanning roll has a magnet associated therewith. The magnet attracts the bars towards the fanning roll while simultaneously creating repulsion forces tending to laterally separate the bars. A deflecting roll located in advance of the fanning roll is employed to deflect the bars out of their normal path of travel in relation to the surface of the fanning roll to thereby produce a momentary separation between the front ends of the bars and the fanning roll. During this momentary separation, the magnetically induced repulsion forces are not impeded by frictional resistance between the bars and the surface of the fanning roll, and this in turn improves the resulting lateral bar separation.

Abstract: An apparatus for observing the relative alignment of two pairs of guide rollers on a rolling mill roller guide. The roller guide is positioned with its guide roller pairs spaced along an axis extending between two light sources. A dichroic mirror is arranged between each pair of guide rollers and its adjacent light source. One dichroic mirror reflects blue light while transmitting red light, and the other dichroic mirror reflects red light while transmitting blue light. The light reflected from both dichroic mirrors is recombined by a third dichroic mirror and is then projected onto a screen as red and blue images which may be compared visually with a reference outline on the screen, the said outline being representative of proper guide roller alignment. When the roller pairs are properly aligned, the red and blue images coincide on the screen to produce a white image aligned with the reference outline.

Abstract: In a rolling mill, a rotatable laying pipe having at least one curved tubular pipe section with entry and exit ends. Replaceable tubular liner members are arranged in end-to-end relationship in each pipe section. Retainers are provided at the entry and exit ends of the pipe sections for retaining the liners in place during operation of the laying head.

Abstract: A flexible seal element with a reinforced drain labyrinth is disclosed for use on the outer seal ring of a seal assembly located between a roll end face and a bearing chock in a rolling mill, particularly the bearing chocks of the upper backup roll and the work rolls in a four-high mill. The seal element has a circular body portion adapted to tightly surround the outer seal ring. A first circular lip extends outwardly away from the body portion at an angle relative to the axis thereof to frictionally contact the roll end face. The seal body has a drain opening which is arranged to be aligned radially with a drainage port in the outer seal ring. The drain opening is protected by a second lip which extends outwardly from the seal body in a direction opposite to that of the first mentioned lip. A relatively stiff baffle member is attached to the seal body at a location spaced radially inwardly from the second lip.

Abstract: A process for forming a ferrous billet into a finished product is disclosed comprising the following steps, in sequence: heating the billet to an appropriate elevated bulk temperature in preparation for rolling; hot rolling the heated billet to produce a semifinished product having an intermediate bulk temperature which is lower than said elevated bulk temperature; cooling the semifinished product to reduce the surface temperature thereof to a level below that of a desired finish rolling bulk temperature; allowing the temperatures of the surface and center portions of the semifinished product to equalize substantially to the level of the desired finish rolling bulk temperature; rolling the semifinished product to a finished product; and, cooling the finished product to an ambient bulk temperature.

Abstract: An apparatus and system is disclosed for receiving upstanding cylindrical product coils from a coil forming station at the delivery end of a rolling mill, and for transporting the coils along a path along which additional processing operations are performed on the coils at different locations. The apparatus includes a plurality of separately driven and independently operable roller table modules which are aligned to form longitudinally extending roller conveyor avenues. Transfer carriages are provided to laterally shift certain or these roller table modules from one to another of the longitudinally extending roller conveyor avenues. The drives for the roller table modules and the transfer carriages are all located beneath the transport level defined by the table rollers, the latter being located approximtely at the floor level of the coil handling area. Smaller coils may be carried directly on the rollers of the roller table modules, while larger coils are preferably carried on specially designed pallets.

Abstract: Apparatus for conveying an elongated hot-rolled steel rod in off-set form on a conveyor through a series of cooling chambers. Each chamber comprises a stationary lower section and a removable cover section, the interior walls of each being heat reflective. Each chamber is also provided with tubes supported adjacent the interior walls and controlled in temperature by gas passing through said tubes, said gas being cold or hot, the hot gas being supplied from a plurality of separately controlled burners. The tubes differentially control the rate of heat radiation from the rod rings to compensate for the different rates of radiational heat loss emanating from the top and sides of the rod rings so as to cause the rod to cool uniformly. The side walls of the chamber are provided with adjustable apertures for the escape of radiant energy from the sides of the rod rings.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for use in a rolling mill to support the bearing chocks of a work roll in a roll housing. The apparatus includes specially designed components interposed between the bearing chocks and the restraining devices employed to oppose the axial and transverse forces developed during a rolling operation. The aforesaid components offer minimum resistance to movement of the bearing chocks through minute distances in the direction of rolling. The apparatus of the present invention makes it possible to measure tension in the product being rolled by employing sensing devices acting on the bearing chocks.

Abstract: For use in combination with a work roll mounted on the end section of a shaft by means of a sleeve member axially inserted in a wedged operative position therebetween, a fluid actuated tool assembly removably engageable with the shaft and sleeve member for axially moving the sleeve member into and out of its operative position. The tool assembly preferably comprises a piston contained in a cylinder which during use is movable axially relative to the piston. At a first end of the tool assembly, the piston is removably attachable to the shaft and the cylinder is arranged to abut the sleeve. At an opposite second end of the tool assembly, the cylinder is removably attachable to the sleeve, and the piston is arranged to abut the shaft. The piston and cylinder have cooperating internal surfaces arranged to define a chamber adapted to receive fluid under pressure, the said fluid pressure being operative to move the cylinder relative to the piston.

Abstract: A neck seal is disclosed for use on a roll neck in a rolling mill. The neck seal has a flexible circular body with a pair of axially spaced resilient flanges extending radially therefrom. At least one and preferably both of the resilient flanges has a first annular section extending radially outwardly from the seal body to an intermediate peripheral shoulder, and a second annular section extending inwardly from the peripheral shoulder back towards the seal body.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for use in a rolling mill to invert upstanding cylindrical product coils in order to facilitate trimming and inspection of both ends of the coils. The apparatus includes a cradle into which a coil is laterally received. The coil is inverted by rotating the cradle about an axis transverse to the coil axis. Suitable holding devices on the cradle operate to prevent coil distortion during its inversion.

Abstract: Means for mounting a work roll on a shaft. A cylindrical collet having at least one tapered surface, either exterior or interior, is pushed into an annular space between the roll shaft and work roll, one or both of these latter components having a reversely tapered surface which cooperates with the tapered surface or surfaces on the collet to provide a self-locking frictional connection. The collet is inserted and withdrawn from the annular space by mechanical or pneumatically operated mechanisms which coact with the collet and the shaft end or work roll.