Abstract: An apparatus for selectively drivingly connecting two drive spindles to roll necks of a rolling mill includes a base frame, a movable frame slidable on said base frame, two pairs of sliding posts vertically secured on a transverse member of the movable frame, at least two pairs of holding means slidable on the pairs of sliding posts and actuated by a hydraulic actuating means respectively so as to hold yokes of the drive spindles in a position in alignment with the roll necks of the roll mill, and another hydraulic actuating means actuating the movable frame toward studs of a pinion stand or the roll necks of the roll mill.

Abstract: Two drive assemblies disposed one above the other and each including a telescopic spindle, a universal joint and a coupling member are released from and connected to similarly disposed driven shafts respectively by an apparatus comprising a frame slidable toward or away from the driven shafts in parallel to the extensions of the axes of the driven shafts and upper and lower holding means vertically slidably supported by posts on the front end of the frame and each adapted to hold the opposite sides of the coupling member to support the coupling member in its horizontal position in alignment with the corresponding driven shaft when the coupling is to be released from or connected to the driven shaft. For the replacement of the driven shafts, the upper and lower coupling members as supported in their horizontal position by the holding means are vertically moved in a given ratio relative to each other and thereby brought into alignment with new driven shafts.