Abstract: A method of rolling an elongated workpiece in the form of a sheet or strip and of reducing edge drop during rolling comprising passing the workpiece through at least one pair of opposed work rolls which comprise an arbor and a hollow sleeve shrink-fitted over the arbor and having end portions defining, between the arbor and sleeve, a cavity providing a self-compensating flexible roll end portion which is placed over and extends beyond a longitudinal edge of the workpiece during rolling. Preferably, the shrink-fitted portion is provided with maximum radial stress at the middle thereof and decreasing toward the ends of the shrink-fitted zone. The work rolls may be backed up with self-compensating backup rolls to further improve uniformity of the rolled workpiece by reducing crown variation thereof. Positioning of the rolls is accomplished by axial shifting.

Abstract: One or more spray bars having a plurality of spray nozzles for cooling a rolling mill roll are provided with an apparatus to cause at least one spray bar to undergo a translational, rotational, and/or pivotal movement sufficient to change the spray-angle and/or spray-distance affected by nozzles thereon to thereby control the cooling rate effected by the nozzles so moved. The spray bar can be automatically controlled by providing a means for monitoring the roll condition and/or workpiece condition and means responsive thereto for moving the spray bar as necessary to change and adjust individual cooling rates effected by the nozzles and correct for any undesired result so monitored. A unique spray bar has nozzles arranged in a curved alignment so that each effects a different spray-angle and/or spray-distance. Like apparatus and comparable methods can be utilized to cool a hot rolled product.

Abstract: A chockless work roll support and positioning apparatus and method comprises a pair of brackets for each end of each work roll and having a pair of work roll support rollers rotatably mounted on each bracket. Each bracket is connected to at least one actuator means, such as a hydraulic piston/cylinder assembly, preferably one actuator means for each support roller. The actuator means are actuated through a servovalve, by position or pressure signals to position the support rollers at desired positions and to exert a desired pressure between the respective support rollers and the corresponding work rolls. By such signal control, the work rolls may be balanced, bent in the upstream or downstream horizontal direction, upwardly or downwardly, or may be placed in offset or cross-rolling position.

Abstract: A composite table roll for use in roll tables in metal rolling mills, particularly for handling hot metal workpieces, having a sleeve portion which is tightly secured to an underlying arbor only at the axial mid-portion so that the end-portions of the sleeve are not in contact with the arbor sufficient to cause any significant heat conductivity thereacross and the end-portions are free to thermally expand with reference to the arbor to thereby greatly minimize any thermal distortion of the arbor in the event a hot metal workpiece becomes stalled on the roll table.

Abstract: A sleeved roll generally has a bendable arbor. The sleeve is shrunk-fit on the arbor such that the dimensional difference between the arbor diameter and the sleeve inner diameter varies along the arbor axis. Thus the radial stresses induced by the shrunk-fit vary along the axis of the arbor.The sleeved bendable roll may be employed as a work roll or as a backup roll in a rolling mill.The roll is assembled by providing a bendable arbor having an axial surface and a hollow sleeve, axially contouring at least a portion of the arbor surface or the sleeve inner surface, positioning the hollow sleeve having an inner surface adjacent the arbor, and then shrink-fitting the sleeve inner surface on the axially convexly contoured surface of the arbor.

Abstract: A sizing press has a pair of opposed rotatably supported pressing tools for reducing the width of a flat metal slab. Piston cylinder assemblies rotatably oscillate the pressing tools relative to each other. Each pressing tool has first and second slab-contacting surfaces which extend in different planes. The invented method of this invention includes the steps of moving the pressing tools toward each other against the sides of a metal workpiece and reducing the width of an initial workpiece length. Thereafter, rotating the pressing tools to further reduce the width of only a portion of the initial workpiece length and to reduce the width of an adjacent workpiece length.

Abstract: The distribution of tension in flat products is measured by a bendable roll engaged by segmented rolls. The bendable roll has a peripheral surface which engages the width of workpiece and is elastically bendable along its axis under the tension in the workpiece. The elastic deformation of the solid roll exerts loads on the segmented rolls and one or more sensors detect the transmitted loads.

Abstract: The edge to edge width of a moving workpiece is measured as the workpiece is transferred over horizontal table rolls between a pair of spaced apart generally horizontal sideguards extending perpendicularly of the axes of the table rolls. A pair of opposed arms have generally vertical central portions with the upper ends of the arms rotatably mounted to the sideguards about horizontal axes which extend in lengthwise vertical planes along the sideguards. The arms rotate in transverse vertical planes extending between the table rolls and transverse to the direction in which the workpiece moves. Contact rollers adapted to contact the opposed edges of the workpiece are supported at the lower ends of the rotatably mounted arms such that each contact roller contacts a workpiece edge in a transverse vertical plane within about 25.degree. of a lengthwise vertical plane when the center of gravity of the arm and contact roller structure is within about 20.degree. of the lengthwise vertical plane.

Abstract: A pre-set fluid actuator for setting the roll gap of a rolling mill having a transducer for detecting actuator movement and an electrohydraulic servovalve for controlling its position, a control system for compensating for the compressibility of the actuator fluid caused by the rolling force in a manner that requires no operation of the servovalve by creating a pre-set anticipating compression compensation signal and reducing the output of this signal by the output of a signal representing the actual fluid compression caused by the actual rolling force.

Abstract: The invention relates to a rolling mill of the 4 Hi Mae West type having cylinders for axially shifting the work rolls for a schedule free rolling operation, work roll balance cylinders are mounted in the Mae West blocks and as a result assume a varying off set axially relation with the work roll bearings, a control for the balance cylinders to compensate for the effect the offset conditions would otherwise have on the forces of the balance cylinders to maintain the forces at a predetermined value.

Abstract: A rolling mill for rolling strip in which one of its rolls serves both as a mill roll and as a gauge and/or profile measuring roll. The one roll has an outer sleeve for deflection under the rolling force and an internal stationary member for carrying a number of axially supported sensors for measuring the deflection of the sleeve and the rolling force to which the sleeve is subject, and control means for receiving signals from the sensors to produce a signal representative of the gauge and/or profile of the strip as it is being rolled in the roll bite of the mill.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for rolling a taper in or out of a strip during reduction by a rolling mill, rolling a first portion of the strip by employment of a gaugemeter roll gap control system using a first value for the mill stretch above the natural mill stretch value for the mill and which value during the rolling of the first portion will be a fixed value, thereafter rolling a second portion of the strip in the same rolling operation by using a value for the mill stretch in the gaugemeter roll gap control system which will vary to effect a change in the roll gap and hence a change in reduction of the strip in which the second value may be a linear function.

Abstract: A pair of self-compensating backup rolls for use in a rolling mill. The backup rolls are sleeved and have relief means along oppositely arranged end portions to absorb dynamically generated roll bending forces.

Abstract: A method for hot rolling a continuously cast thin slab to form strip comprising the steps of: (a) subjecting a segment of predetermined length of the slab to a reduction pass in a first direction between a pair of work rolls; (b) retracting the segment in a direction opposite the first direction to the entrance side of the work rolls while accommodating the additional length of the segment produced by the reduction operation; (c) repeating steps (a) and (b) in sequence as necessary to finish the segment; and (d) consecutively subjecting the next contiguous portion of the slab to steps (a), (b) and (c) until the slab is finished along its entire length. Apparatus for practicing the method also is disclosed.

Abstract: An arrangement for winding material onto a coiler drum along a passline of a hot reversing mill comprising an apparatus having two pivotal arms mounted on a common shaft and movable in a different arcuate path toward and away from the coiler drum. Rollers at the end of the arms tightly enwrap the material around the drum when the arms are positioned against the drum as the material is being underwound onto the drum. The roller of one of the arms may act as a deflector roller when positioned away from the drum as the material is being overwound onto the drum. The other arm consists of two wrapper rollers on a pivotal mounting for their proper orientation around the drum and for flat passes of the material through the mill. This other arm is positioned away from the drum below the passline to allow a retractable table roll assembly consisting of a plurality of table rolls to be positioned in the passline for supporting the material.

Abstract: A control for a press for controlling the flow of fluid to two hydraulic actuators which applies a desired working force to or which positions the press platen in a desired position including a sub-control for introducing first and second super-imposed oscillations on the fluid of the actuators of equal amplitude and opposite phase to reduce internal friction in the actuators without disturbing the desired applied force or position of the platen.

Abstract: A hot or cold leveler is provided having conventional high loaded driven work rolls backed up longitudinally across their face by a plurality of short backing rolls. A series of lower work and backing rolls are cassette mounted on the lower main frame of the leveler. The upper backing rolls are mounted on an intermediate support frame designed for limited flexure and which in turn is supported across its length by a plurality of hydraulic piston-cylinder assemblies fixed in the top main frame of the leveler for contouring of the leveling action. Each cylinder is controlled by a servo valve which can be operator-adjusted to work the sheet material across its width dependent on sheet flatness. Buckling at the center, quarter, or edges of the sheet can be removed by a corrective positioning of the piston-cylinder in the location of the buckle. Entry and delivery rollers are similarly servo-controlled. The entry roll is backed off to permit the sheet product to enter the machine and it acts as an anvil roll.