Abstract: Upper and lower reducing rolls are mounted within a mill housing for rotation about their axes and for parallel movement. Actuating cylinders force the upper reducing roll downward toward the lower reducing roll to effect a separation force on a workpiece that is placed therebetween. Four direct drive motors, one directly coupled to each end of the upper and lower reducing rolls, counter-rotate the reducing rolls to drive the workpiece therebetween. The motors are synchronized within a close tolerance of a set speed to prevent torsion of one end of the reducing rolls relative to the opposite end. Preferably, the rolling mill includes closely enclosed backing rolls engaging the reducing rolls to prevent deflection of the reducing rolls under load. This allows the rolling mill to produce a flat workpiece over a wide range of separation forces by means of cylindrical reducing rolls.

Abstract: A welding head is mounted for movement relative to a fixed base about a plurality of axes. A laser beam, is transmitted from a laser generator to the welding head by an axially flexible but torsionally rigid transmission tube including one or more optically transmitting fibers. The transmission tube is rotatably mounted on the welding head for free rotation about the axis of the emitted laser beam. A lens or other focusing means is provided to focus the laser beam relative to the workpiece, and moving means is provided to move the welding head relative to the laser generating means and the fixed base. A mini-computer or other control means allows control of the moving means to direct the laser beam along the workpiece in a predetermined path. An apertured hood provides protection for the focusing means, and an optional removable probe member provides assistance in programming the apparatus.

Abstract: A method for assembling a large massive steel shell is disclosed for housing a nuclear reactor while having sufficient strength to contain an explosion of such nuclear reactor. The shell is formed of large heavy gauge metal plates which are welded to each other to form a large sphere. Locating and supporting rings are mounted concentrically on a base. The rings increase in height from the center of the sphere to support and locate correspondingly higher annular segments of the sphere. The rings are erected and positioned with precisely adjustable tie rods so that the annular upper edge of the rings have a correspondingly accurately known position with respect to the annular sphere segments to be supported by the rings. The large heavy plate segments are then mounted on the rings and welded together to form a lower spherical portion whose spherical shape closely conforms to that desired for the sphere.