Abstract: A modular rolling mill has a mill pass line along which products roll. The rolling mill comprises first gear units arranged along a first line parallel to the mill pass line. Each first gear unit is driven individually by a motor and has a pair of mechanically interconnected first shafts. Second gear units are arranged along a second line between and parallel to the first line and the mill pass line. Each second gear unit has a pair of mechanically interconnected second shafts. Rolling units are arranged along the mill pass line, which are driven by an input shaft and has a pair of roll shafts carrying work rolls. First couplings connect the first shafts of each first gear unit to second shafts of two successive gear units, and second couplings releasably connect the second shafts of the second gear units to the input shafts of two successive rolling units.

Abstract: In a rolling mill in which hot rolled product is formed into rings by a laying head and the rings are transported in an overlapping pattern to a reforming station where the rings are gathered into coils, a method of increasing the time gap between billet lengths of product delivered to the reforming station by advancing the rings of a front end of one billet along said conveyor at a one speed while advancing the rings of a tail end of a preceding billet at another speed greater than said one speed.

Abstract: An apparatus for slitting a hot rolled process section having parallel bars connected to together along at least one of their lengthwise edges, while the process section is moving longitudinally along a rolling line. The apparatus comprises first and second pairs of upper and lower rotatably driven slitting rollers positioned sequentially along the rolling line, with the slitting rollers of each pair being and arranged to engage opposite sides of the process section. The slitting rollers of the first pair have profiles configured to break the connection between at least some of the bars of the process section while allowing the connections between other bars of the process section to remain intact, and the slitting rollers of the second pair have profiles configured to break the remaining intact connections between the other bars of the process section.

Abstract: In a rolling mill in which hot rolled product is formed into rings by a laying head and the rings are transported in an overlapping pattern to a reforming station where the rings are gathered into coils, a method of increasing the time gap between billet lengths of product delivered to the reforming station by advancing the rings of a front end of one billet along said conveyor at a one speed while advancing the rings of a tail end of a preceding billet at another speed greater than said one speed.

Abstract: An apparatus for bundling bars comprises an accumulator rotatable about a horizontal axis. The accumulator has a plurality of notches spaced angularly around its axis. A drive rotates the accumulator about its axis to sequentially locate the notches at a first station at which long bars are received in the notches and accumulated into batches; a second station at which the batches are tied into bundles; and a third station at which the bundles are delivered from the notches to a bundle collector.

Abstract: A modular rolling mill has a mill pass line along which products roll. The rolling mill comprises first gear units arranged along a first line parallel to the mill pass line. Each first gear unit is driven individually by a motor and has a pair of mechanically interconnected first shafts. Second gear units are arranged along a second line between and parallel to the first line and the mill pass line. Each second gear unit has a pair of mechanically interconnected second shafts. Rolling units are arranged along the mill pass line, which are driven by an input shaft and has a pair of roll shafts carrying work rolls. First couplings connect the first shafts of each first gear unit to second shafts of two successive gear units, and second couplings releasable connect the second shafts of the second gear units to the input shafts of two successive rolling units.

Abstract: A method for operating an apparatus for decelerating and temporarily accumulating a hot rolled long product. The product is deposited on a rotating drum in the form of a helix, and is simultaneously unwound from the drum to a receiving guide movable incrementally along a path parallel to the rotational axis of the drum. Immediately upon entry of the product front end into the receiving guide, the incremental movement of the receiving guide is preceded by an initial rapid shifting through a distance adequate to prevent subsequent product convolutions of the helix from buckling and overlapping.

Abstract: A feed product is rolled into different sized finished products in a rolling mill finishing section which comprises a plurality of modular rolling units arranged along the mill pass line. Each rolling unit includes two roll stands with work rolls configured to define successive oval and round roll passes. The roll stands are designed to effect specific area reductions on products rolled through their respective oval and round roll passes. Feed products having the same entry size are rolled into finished products having different reduced sizes by providing altered rolling sequences in which a selected rolling unit is replaced along the pass line with rolling units having roll stands designed to effect area reductions that differ from those of the roll stands of the replaced rolling unit. Rolling units downstream from the replaced rolling unit are removed from the pass line. The roll stands of rolling units upstream from the replaced rolling unit remain unchanged.

Abstract: A method for operating an apparatus for decelerating and temporarily accumulating a hot rolled long product. The product is deposited on a rotating drum in the form of a helix, and is simultaneously unwound from the drum to a receiving guide movable incrementally along a path parallel to the rotational axis of the drum. Immediately upon entry of the product front end into the receiving guide, the incremental movement of the receiving guide is preceded by an initial rapid shifting through a distance adequate to prevent subsequent product convolutions of the helix from budding and overlapping.

Abstract: A modular rolling mill has a mill pass line along which products are rolled in a rolling direction. The rolling mill comprises first gear units arranged along a first line parallel to the mill pass mill line. Each first gear unit is driven individually by a motor and has a pair of mechanically interconnected output shafts. Second gear units are arranged along a second line between and parallel to both the first line and the mill pass line. Each second gear unit has a pair of mechanically interconnected input shafts driving a pair of output shafts. Rolling units are arranged in succession along the mill pass line. Each rolling unit is driven by an input shaft and has a pair of mechanically interconnected roll shafts carrying work rolls. First couplings connect the output shafts of each first gear unit to input shafts of two successive gear units, and second couplings releasably connect the output shafts of the second gear units to the input shafts of two successive rolling units.

Abstract: A pouring reel for forming a long product moving at an incoming velocity into an annular coil comprises a central mast lying on a vertical axis. A cylindrical tub surrounds and cooperates with the mast to form an annular chamber, the bottom of which is closed by a coil plate. An entry pipe is arranged to deliver the product downwardly for accumulation in the chamber as a series of superimposed rings forming the annular coil. A first drive mechanism rotates the tub about the vertical axis, and a second drive mechanism rotates the mast about the same axis. The first and second drive mechanisms are operable independently of each other to thereby permit the tub and the mast to be rotated at surface velocities substantially matching the incoming velocity of the product.

Abstract: A modular rolling mill has a mill pass line along which products are rolled in a rolling direction. The rolling mill comprises first gear units arranged along a first line parallel to the mill pass mill line. Each first gear unit is driven individually by a motor and has a pair of mechanically interconnected output shafts. Second gear units are arranged along a second line between and parallel to both the first line and the mill pass line. Each second gear unit has a pair of mechanically interconnected input shafts driving a pair of output shafts. Rolling units are arranged in succession along the mill pass line. Each rolling unit is driven by an input shaft and has a pair of mechanically interconnected roll shafts carrying work rolls. First couplings connect the output shafts of each first gear unit to input shafts of two successive gear units, and second couplings releasably connect the output shafts of the second gear units to the input shafts of two successive rolling units.

Abstract: Apparatus for bundling bars comprising an accumulator rotatable about a horizontal axis. The accumulator has a plurality of notches spaced angularly around its axis. A drive rotates the accumulator about its axis to sequentially locate the notches at: a) a first station at which long products are received in the notches and accumulated into batches; b) a second station at which the batches are tied into bundles; and c) a third station at which the bundles are delivered from the notches to a bundle collector.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for decelerating and temporarily accumulating a hot rolled product moving longitudinally along a first axis at a first velocity V1. The apparatus comprises a curved guide with an entry end aligned with the first axis to receive the product, and with an exit end spaced radially from the first axis and orientated to deliver the product in an exit direction transverse to the first axis. The curved guide is rotatable about the first axis in a direction opposite to the exit direction of the product and at a speed at which its exit end has a second velocity V2 lower than V1 and such that the product is delivered from the exit end as a helical formation of rings and at a third velocity V3 equal to V1?V2. A cylindrical drum is arranged to axially receive the helical formation of rings and to rotate about the first axis in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the curved guide and at a speed such that the product is unwound from the drum at the third velocity V3.

Abstract: A side looper comprises an entry guide for directing a longitudinally moving long product into an arcuate path, an exit guide for receiving the product exiting from the arcuate path, and inner and outer guide walls arranged between the entry and exit guides. The guide walls are adjustable between mutually spaced closed positions fixing the curvature of the arcuate path, and open positions allowing the curvature of the arcuate path to either increase or decrease.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for controlling the speed of a curved rotatably driven laying pipe through which a longitudinally moving product is directed to exit from the delivery end of the pipe as a helical formation of rings. The method comprises determining the maximum and minimum internal radii Rmax, Rmin of the pipe at the location of the maximum radius R of the pipe as measured from its rotational axis; continuously measuring the velocity Vp of the product entering the laying pipe; and, controlling the rotational speed of the laying pipe such that the rotational velocities Vmax, Vmin of the pipe at said maximum and minimum internal radii bracket a range containing the velocity Vp of the product.

Abstract: A feed product is rolled into different sized finished products in a rolling mill finishing section which comprises a plurality of modular rolling units arranged along the mill pass line. Each rolling unit includes two roll stands with work rolls configured to define successive oval and round roll passes. The roll stands are designed to effect specific area reductions on products rolled through their respective oval and round roll passes. Feed products having the same entry size are rolled into finished products having different reduced sizes by providing altered rolling sequences in which a selected rolling unit is replaced along the pass line with rolling units having roll stands designed to effect area reductions that differ from those of the roll stands of the replaced rolling unit. Rolling units downstream from the replaced rolling unit are removed from the pass line. The roll stands of rolling units upstream from the replaced rolling unit remain unchanged.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for receiving successive bars moving longitudinally along an entry path and for laterally transferring the bars from the entry path to a braking path. The apparatus comprises a run in table having a plurality of rollers arranged to convey the bars along the entry path. A braking surface is arranged between the run in table and the braking path. The braking surface and the rollers of the run in table lie in a reference plane sloping downwardly from the entry path to the braking path. A dividing wall is arranged between the run in table and the braking surface. The dividing wall is adjustable between a raised position projecting above the reference plane to block lateral downward movement of bars from the entry path across the braking surface to the braking path, and a lowered position accommodating such downward movement. A switch is positioned in advance of the dividing wall. The switch has a plurality of guide channels arranged around a common axis.

Abstract: A method of processing different sized long products delivered from a rolling mill, comprising forming products within a first range of sizes into helical formations of rings having a first diameter, and alternatively forming products within a second range of sizes larger than the largest product size within said first range into helical formations of rings having a second diameter larger than said first diameter. The helical formations of rings are deposited on a conveyor for transport to a reforming station where they are gathered into coils.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for temporarily interrupting the passage of a long product between upstream and downstream paths in a rolling mill. Product passing along the upstream path is delivered onto a cylindrical drum. The drum is rotated in one direction to accumulate the product thereon in a series of windings. The direction of drum rotation is then reversed to unwind and deliver the accumulated product to the downstream path.