US1781798A - Roll heater - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 18, 1930. J. D. WILLIAMS ROLL HEATER Filed Oct. 24. 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 18, 1930. J. D. WILLIAMS ROLL HEATER Filed Oct. 24, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Nov. 18, 1930. J. n. WILLIAMS ROLL HEATER Filed Oct. 24. 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Nov. 18, 1930. J; D. WILLIAMS ROLL HEATER Filed Oct. 24, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 .H TTOHNEYS w l TNESS Patented Nov. 18, 1930 PATENT OFFICE JOHN D. WILLIAMS, OF NILES, OHIO ROLL HEATER Application led October 24,1928. Serial No. 314,570.

The present invention relates to heaters intended for heating the rolls of sheet mills preparatory to their beingr utilized for rolling sheets or the like.

For satisfactory rolling of certain kinds of sheets and other articles it is necessary to preliminarily heat the rolls of the sheet mill to a relatively high temperature which, after the mill is placed in operation, is substanti- :llly automatically maintained by the passage of the hot sheets therethrough. Various forms of apparatus intended to effect this preliminary heating have been proposed but all of them, so far as I am aware, are open f to certain disadvantages under practical' conditions of operation among which may be mentioned uneven heating of the rolls, inability to heat the rolls to substantially the same temperature from their surfaces to their centers or cores so that undesirable strains are set up within the rolls, relatively long periods of time required to bring the rolls to the desired temperature and, particularly in the case of those classes of roll heaters utilizing electricity as the heating medium,

relatively high cost of operation.

It is therefore an object of my invention to provide a roll heater not open to the oregoing, disadvantages and which, therefore, is

'.atisfactorily operative to evenly and thoroughly heat the rolls to the desired temperature in a minimum period of time.

Other objects of my invention are to provide a roll heater of convenient form, which may be readily operated by unskilled labor,

ably less than when electricity instead of gas.

is employed and to provide a roll heater of relatively inexpense construction and of such character that it is not liable to be damaged or get out of order under the conditions of operation to which devices of this character are necessarily subjected.

Other objects, advantages and novel features of construction and arrangement comprehended by my invention are hereinafter more specifically mentioned or will be apparent from the following description of certain forms of roll heaters constructed in accordance therewith and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

As will hereinafter more fully appear, my improved heater is designed to simultaneously heat at least one pair of rolls disposed one above the other and continuously rotated during the heating operation, preferably only one of the rolls being driven and the other roll being rotated through frictional engagement with the driven roll, the central portions or barrels of both rolls being enclosed or substantially enclosed in a casing, comprisin complementary sections which are separa le to permit the introduction and removal of the rolls, and into the bottom of which heat is directed to thence pass upwardly about the rotating rolls so as to heat them prior to its exit from the top of the casing, means being preferably provided for adj ustably directing the heat against the roll surfaces so that the heating effect of the hot gases upon the rolls may be controlled and regulated as desired.

With this general reference to the nature ofthe apparatus, reference may now be had to the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a top plan view of one form of roll heater embodying the principles of my invention and showing a pair of rolls operatively disposed therein, and Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the apparatus shown in the preceding figures and Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the two complementary casing sections separated or opened outwardl to the position which they occupy when tiie rolls are being inserted or removed from the heater; in this figure the lowermost roll is shown in operative position and the upper roll being lowv ered into operative position or remov therefrom which operations are conveniently for the housing'containin'g a 4reduction drive accomplished by means of a chain hoist or gear 3 of any suitable form connected other like device not shown. Fig..5 is an end through a silent chain 4 or in anv other suit- View, generally correspondin to Fig. 3, 0f able Way with a motor 5 disposed on the base another form of heater embo ying the prinor on a support 6 adjacent thereto and which ciples of my invention, the casing sections supplies the power for rotating the rolls being shown in operative position in full through the reduction gear. Adjacent one lines and in dotted lines in the positions ocend of the base is disposed a pair of longicupied during the insertion or removal of tudinally spaced, transversely extending the rolls. Fi 6 is a fragmentary end view beams 8, 9 which assist in tying the beams of a heater o the form o f that shown in the or stringere 1, l together and also Serve as first four figures and illustrating QOIIVGII- supports for the lower ends of four uprights ient manner of adjusting or arranging the which are arranged in longitudinally spaced heater for use in heating rolls of sl1ghtlyless\\pairs on 'Opposite sides' of the Center line ef diameter than those for which it iS 110111121115 the machine. The lower -ends of each pair of' intended. The same symbols are used to desuprights are very. rigidly Secured t0 the ignate similar parts in the Several fgUfeS cross beams.V 8, 9 while the up er ends of the Considered generally, both of the forms of pair of uprights 10, 10 are ieg together by a roll heaters shown in the drawingscoinprise thm-Od -11 andthe upper ends of the other a base B upon which is supported all or a airof-u ri hts 12 12 similarl tied toofether portion ofthe'mechanism for driving thev E p g y o y a tie-rod 13. The .uprights thus form an rolls Ra R' which, When in OPelatVe P051' open frame for the reception of the rolls R,

non, efedlspesed one above the other ad* R', and for affording vertical support .to the )acent one end of the-base. Beneath the IOHS former or bottom roll bearing brasses 15, j16 1S dlSPPSed e furnace generally deslgneted 'are disposed on transversely extending sup- .eS Fi 1n Wnlen efe burned the geses fl`0ln porting members 17 mounted on the cross nlen the neet, for neetlng thefells 1S (lebeams 8, 9, the brasses being preferably rlved Wnnenbove and commnnlcal'ln Wltn hollowecl out on their upper faces so as to the fnl'neee 1S arranged e easlngwlne sul" roperly receive the necks N of the lower roll stantially surrounds the rolls and through Each brass is desirably provided at its Whlen the heated geses from the furnace ell" inner end with a flange 18 which lies between enlete by eenveetlen about the r0llS end the adjacent end face of the barrel of the roll nnelly eSeePe from the top' of elle easlngand the inner ends of angle plates 19 which T0 enable the rolls ,te be Placed ln and l`e` are mounted on the supporting members 17 moved from elle eesln the lettera as Prevl'- and prevent the brasses from shifting lateroSly Stated, '1S prefere ly lnede ln two c ol'n' ally. These angle plates are preferably so Plelnenlaly OPPOSltely dlsllesed. Sectlens arranged that they can be adjusted in or out, yvhleh ln the form 0f the lnvenlnon Shown that is, longitudinally of the machine, so as ln lgsl tevla are I`eSPeel31Vely Plvoted neel' to accommodate the latter to rolls having then' l0Wel`-endS on horlzontalpwots when?" barrels of different widths; for this purpose by the secl'lonnmay be swung ouliwa'rdlynn the horizontal portion of each plate may be Opposlte dlrecuons when 1t 1S dennen to 1n' provided with a series of holes 20 and the uptroduce or remove the rolls, while 1n that per Hanges of the Supporting memberswhich fonm of tn e invention shown in Fig' 5 the are desirably in the form of I-beams, with casing sections are mounted on rollers running on horizontally disposed tracks to enable the sections to be separated for a like purpose by moving them outwardly in o posite directions. As the casing is made o relatively light material and simply encloses the rolls without affording any support thereto, means are also provided for rotatably supporting the rolls one above the other as well as means adapted tol effect a suitable driving connection between one of the rolls and the driving mechanism together with other means and instrumentalities hereinafter more particularly described which contribute to and facilitate the satisfactory operation vof the heater as a whole.

Referring first to the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 4, the base B may comprise a pair of laterally spaced longitudinally extending beams 1, 1 upon which is disposed a platform 2 which serves as a support corresponding holes so that by shifting the angle plates in or out any of the holes therein may be aligned with a hole in the adjacent support and a bolt or pin passed through both holesA so as to hold the angle plate in position. This arrangement is a convenient one but any other means adapted to permit the requisite adjustment of the angle plates and to secure them invadjusted position may be employed if desired. It will thus be apparent that when the flanges 18 are engaged with the end faces of the roll barrel and the angle plates in turn adjusted so as to bear against the outer faces of the flanges. the roll is prevented from longitudinal or axial movement.

For preventing the roll from shifting laterally or wobbling during its rotation, bearing blocks 21 are arranged lto bear against the necks of the roll R substantially in the plane of its horizontal diameter. These blocks may be supported between angle plates 22 secured to the opposed inner faces of the uprights 10 and 12 as best shown in Fig. 3 and may be slid longitudinally into place after the roll is lowered onto the brasses 15. 16 and may be either of wood or metal.

Similar bearing blocks 25 are arranged to bear against the necks of the upper roll R', and these blocks are preferably arranged for adjustmentl by means of adjusting screws 26 extended through the flanges of the adjacent uprights so that after the upper roll is lowered into place and rests upon the lower roll its axis may be brought into exact parallelismV with the axis of the lower roll by suitable adjustment of the blocks so that when the rolls are rotating, as hereinafter described, the surfaces thereof will roll truly together Without any relative slipping or dragging of one over the other which would necessarily occur if the axes of the rolls were not in parallelisln.A If desired guide strips 27 may be disposed adjacent the inner faces of the uprights to prevent the bearing block supports from being battered by the necks of the rolls when the latter are being lowered into or removed from the machine as well as to assist in guiding the rolls into position.

In the forms of the invention which I have chosen to illustrate the bottom roll alone is driven and the upper roll is rotated merely through frictional engagement with the lower roll upon which it rests. The drive of the bottom roll under these circumstances is effected from a main shaft 3() to which motion is communicated through the reduction gear 3 and which is secured to a drive shaft 31 upon which is slidably mounted a sleeve 32 terminating in a cylindrical head 33 properly recessed in its outer end to receive the wobbler or cross shaped extremity 34 of the lower roll R. The head 33 is desirably supported on a block 35 having a curved upper face so as to diminish the friction between the sleeve and the drive shaft which in the absence of some supporting means for the overhanging head would be excessive and prevent the sleeve from being readily slid along the shaft` and the sleeve and head are constrained to rotate with the latter by a key 36 or other suitable device. For sliding' the sleeve along the shaft so as to engage or discngage the head from the wobbler of the roll when required, any suitable means are provided, as, for example, a lever 37 pivoted to a bracket on the platform 2 and having a yoke encircling sleeve 32 and carrying pins 38 engaging in a groove in the sleeve so that by throwing the lever one way or the other about its pivot the sleeve may be moved along the shaft in either direction. While the movement of the lever may be effected by hand' I prefer to employ for the purpose fluid operated means comprising a cylinder 39 mounted on the reduction gear casing and enclosing a piston carrying a piston rod extending to the lever so that by admitting fluid to one end of the cylinder or the other the piston may be reciprocated therein to move the lever in the desired direction.

As hitherto stated the rolls while being heated are substantially enclosed within a casing which is ,operative to cause the heated gases admitted to the bottom thereof from the furnace F to circulate about the rolls. In the form of apparatus now being described, this casing comprises two complementary oppositely disposed sections generally designated as C, C respectively pivoted near their lower extremities on horizontal pivots 40 carried in brackets 41 mounted on supporting members 42 extending longitudinally of the base. As the sections are substantially similar, a description of one will suffice for the other. Thus, each section which is preferably made of sheet metal. comprises an outer wall v43 which from its lower end adjacent the pivots 40 extends vertically to a point somewhat above the plane of the axis of the lower roll, is then curved inwardly in substantial conformity with the curvature of the adjacent upper quadrant of the lower roll but on a somewhat greater radius than the latter, is then curved outwardly and again inwardly in substantial conformity with the adjacentsemi-cylindrical surface of the upper roll but similarly on an arc of greater radius than the latter and finally terminates in the Vertical plane passing through the axes of the rolls. all as best shown in Fig. 3. It will therefore be apparent that when the casing section is in closed position as shown in said figure it will generally conform to the adiacent surfaces of both rolls but is spaced therefrom for a relatively considerable distance, thus providing a passage 44 through which the heated gases can pass upwardly. For substantially closing the sides of the passage and preventing the escape laterallv of the heated gases therefrom, end plates 45 and 46 are provided and secured to or formed integral with the outer wall of the section, these plates heilig so formed that their inner edges will hug the adjacent surfaces of the rolls fairly closely when the casing is closed yet with suflicient clearance to prevent engagement of the plates therewith. In practice and as shown in the drawings this clearance may be relatively considerable without permitting the escape of an undue amount of the heated gases because as the latter tend to rise vertically by convection so as to escape from the top of the casing through an outlet 48 provided therein by cutting oppositely disposed openings in the outer walls of the two sections at their upper ends, there is but relatively little tendency for the gases to escape laterally from the casing.

'1`o minimize heat losses by radiation I prefer to provide the casing with an inner wall 43 paralleling but spaced from the outer wall for a short distance and to pack the space between the two walls with suitable lieat insulating material 49: similarly inner end plates might be provided and a packing of like insulating material arranged between them and the outer plates as will be readily apparent, but as the heat losses by radiation through the end plates are substantially negligible the use of such inner end plates and packings may generally be dispensed with.

For holding the casing sections in fully closed position as shown in Fig. 3 or partially opened out position, suitable means are provided which may comprise a plate 50 hinged at its inner end to the outer wall of the casing section as at 50 and extending outwardly therefrom in a generally horizontal direction. This plate is provided with a series of holes 51 adapted for the passage of a removable pin 52 which may be enga ed in any one of a corresponding series o holes in a subjacent plate 53 carried by a bracket 54 extending around the adjacent casing section and secured at its ends to the adjacent uprights 10 or 12 as the case may be as best shown in Fig. 1. The plate 53 also acts as a stop to limit the amount which the casing sections can be rotated outwardly about their pivots to the extent necessary to permit the introduction or withdrawal of the rolls, thus obviating the possibility of the machine being damaged by a careless operator who, in the absence of some means for limiting the outward movement of the sections, might allow them to fall against the floor with consequent injury to the sections themselves or, more particularly, the heat deflecting mechanism now to be described.

As hitherto stated the heated gases from the furnace F are introduced to the bottom of the casing and pass upwardly therein over and about the rolls, and in order to cut down the velocity of the gases and insure their proper impingement against the rolls to secure the maximum heating effect of which they are capable, I provide each casing section with a plurality of transversely extending adjustable vanes 55 which are mounted along their outer edges on horizontally extending pivot rods 56 journaled 1n the end plates 45, 46 in such manner that rotation of the pivot rods will swing the vanes to different positions with respect to the adjacent surfaces of the rolls toward which the free or inner edges of the vanes are directed. The vanes are disposed at intervals, one above the other, in each casing section and the pivot rods are extended through the end plates 45 and each provided exteriorly thereof with an arm 57; these several arms project beyond the outer wall of the casing section and are pivotally connected together by a series of links 58 and one of the arms 57, conveniently the lowest arm, is extended to beyond its point of connection with the adjacent link to form a handle or lever 59 which is provided with a hole 59 adapted to register with any one of a series of holes 60 formed in a verticall disposed uadrant 61 carried by and extending outwar ly from the casing so that by inserting a pin through the hole 60 and any one of the series of holes in the quadrant the lever 59 ma be held in any position of rotational adjustment. It will thus be apparent that by moving either lever 59 all of the vanes 55 controlled thereby may be simultaneously turned about their respective pivots so as to modify to some extent the direction of travel of the currents of heated gas passing through the casing and insure their impingement upon the roll surfaces.

Each casing section is desirably provided with an inspection opening in its outer wall which may be closed by a sliding door 65 and also with a conveniently positioned handle 66 to facilitate movement of the section from open or closed position or vice versa.

The furnace F comprising a hearth, side and end walls, 'is disposed beneath the casing and between the beams 1, 1 and cross beams 8, 9 of the base and is constructed of brick or other refractory material and provided with an arched roof 70 extending over the combustion chamber 71. In this chamber, which is relatively low, are burned the gases, desirably coke oven gas, introduced thereto through a high pressure aspirator 72 or in any other suitable way, the flow of gases to the chamber being controlled through the medium of a thermostati'c valve 7 3 interconnected with a pyrometer 74; the pyrometer in turn may be connected with either or both of a pair of pyrometer tubes 75 extended through the casing section at any convenient point. This arrangement is a convenient one for automatically maintaining a substantially constant temperature within the casing but any other means for effecting a similar result may be utilized if desired.

For admitting the heated gases to the casing sections from the chamber 71 the furnace roof 7() is rovided with suitably disposed ports 77 am? in order to cut down the velocity of the gases after their entrance into the casing and prevent direct impingement of the flames upon the roll surfaces I provide above the ports deilecting screens 7 8 which are preferably though not necessarily supported independently of the casing, for example, by supports 7 9 extending from and carried by the furnace roof.

While it is believed the operation of my improved roll heater will be readily'apparent from the foregoing description of that form thereof shown in Figs. 1 to 4, brief reference will now be made thereto as follows: Preparatory to placing the heater in operation the casing sections are opened out to the position shown in Fig. 4 and the sliding sleeve on shaft 31 moved to the left when viewed as in Fig. 2 so as to retract the head 33. The roll R is then lowered into place between the casing-sections so as to rest on the bearing brasses 15, 16 which, if required, may be adjusted in or out so as to prevent longitudinal movement of the roll and the bearing blocks 21 slid into position. The upper roll R is then lowered into place so as to rest on the lower roll and its bearing blocks also inserted and adjusted if necessary so as to bring its axis into parallelism with the axis of roll R. The casing sections are then closed together about the roll and secured in position and the sliding sleeve moved to the right so as to engage the head 33 with the wobbler of the adjacent roll neck of the lower roll. The apparatus being now in condition for operation, the motor 5 may be started so as to positively drive the bottom roll and cause rotation of the superjacent roll through its frictional engagement therewith, and the gas admitted to the furnace and burned therein with the result that the products of combustion pass upwardly into the casing through the ports 77 and over and about the rotatlng rolls, the velocity of the gases and their direction of movement being controlled if required by suitable adjustment of the vanes 55. Through the action of the pyrometer and thermostatic valve the temperature within the casing is maintained substantially constant, desirably at about 700 to 800 F. which ordinarily requires a temperature of from 1600o to 1800D F. in the furnace, and under these conditions a pair of sheet mill rolls of usual size may be brought to the proper temperature in about eight hours after which the gas is shut olf, the motor stopped and the rolls consecutively removed from the heater after the head 33 has been disconnected from roll R and the casing sections separated to open position. It is ofcourse desirable 1n the interests of economy to shut off the gas and remove the rolls as soon as they have been properly heated, but if through inattention of the operator or the like the heat 1s left on'for a longer time than that actually required for this purpose no harm can result to the rolls as they simply remain substantially at the maximum temperature to which they have been raised and which 1s below the point which would result in 1n]ury.

In that form of the invention to which reference has heretofore been made the casing sections are arranged to rotate about horizontal pivots from open to closed posltion and vice versa. In the form of the invention shown in Fi 5, however, the casing sections are arrange to slide outwardly in opposite directions and for this purpose are provided with small wheels 90, 91 respectively mounted on brackets 92, 93 carried by each casing section adjacent the end plates 45, 46, these wheels being slidable on tracks 94, 95 secured to the uprights and extending horizontally outwardly therefrom in opposite directions. Thus when it is desired to separate the casing sections the latter maybe respectively slid outwardly along the tracks to the posi- \tion shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5 and may thereafter be as readily moved inwardly to closed position as shown in full lines in the said figure. Under certain conditions this arrangement may be preferred but ordinarily the pivotal mounting of the casing sections will be found more convenient and less expensive as well as resulting in reduction of the floor space required by the heater.

Ordinarily the curvature of the inner edges of the end plates of the casing is designed 'to properly accommodate rolls of given diameter so that if turned-down rolls or other rolls of smaller diameter are to be heated the clearance between their surfaces and the end plates of the casing 'may be increased to a point at which an excessive amount of heat would escape therethrough. To obviate this and thereby satisfactorily adapt the heater to the heating of such rolls, I may provide auxiliary end plates 100 which can be temporarily attached to the permanent end plates of the casing in any convenient way as by bolting or screwing them thereto, these auxiliary plates being so shaped that their inner edges will project beyond the corresponding edges of the end plates and thus partially ll up the gap or clearance between them and the surfaces of the smaller sized rolls, as shown in Fig. 6. As these auxiliary end plates are readily attachable and removable, they may thus be utilized when and as desired.

It will be observed that in accordance with my invention the heat is directly applied to the central portions of the rolls only and, consequently, any heating of the necks of the rolls is necessarily due solely to conduction; therefore the roll necks always remain matcrially cooler than the barrels or central portions of the rolls and under ordinary conditions do not attain a temperature materially exceeding 300 when the barrels of the rolls are at a temperature of from 700o to 800. Additionally, the heating of the rolls proceeds inwardly from their surface-s and is substantially uniform from said surfaces clear to the roll cores, tests having shown variations of but a very few degrees between the temperature of the metal at the centers of the rolls and at their surfaces, while, moreover, the temperature of the latter is substantially uniform throughout their extent. The result is that when the rolls are removed from the heater and placed 1n the mill, proper rolling conditions are immedlately obtained so that the first sheets rolled are fully as satisfactory and embody as l1ttle scrap at their ends as the sheetsturned out after the mill has been in operation for several hours.

While the heaters which I have hereln 1llustrated and described are designed to heat but a single pair of rolls at a time, 1t will be readily apparent I may arrange the roll casing and associated parts to accommodate more than two rolls in superposed relatlon, thus enabling several rolls, as, for example, two pairs thereof, to be heated at the same time in each casing, and furthermore that to double the capacity of the heater I may provide a furnace, roll casing and associated parts suitable for heating two or more rolls at each end of the base instead of at onl one end and extend the main driving sha from the reduction gear in opposite directions, as indicated in broken lines in Fig. l.

While I have herein described and illustrated with considerable particularity certain forms of roll heaters embodying the principles of m invention, I do not thereby desire or inten to specifically llmit myself thereto or to any precise details of design, construction and arrangement of the various parts as numerous modifications and changes may be made therein if desired without 1n any way departing form the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I

` claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States:

1. A machine for heating rolls comprising a base, a furnace adjacent the base adapted to supply heat for heating the rolls, a casing supported on the base and adapted to receive a plurality of rolls disposed one above the other, means for conducting the products of combustion from the furnace to the lower part of the casing, means extending from the base for rotatably supporting the rolls within the casing and independently thereof, and means for positively driving at least one of the rolls.

2. A machine for heating rolls comprising a base, a furnace disposed adjacent one end of the base and adapted to supply heat for heating the rolls, a casing carried by the base and comprising two oppositely disposed complementary sections located above the furnace and adapted to receive a plurality of rolls disposed one above the other, means for conducting the products of combustion from the furnace to the lower part of the casing, means for rotatably supporting the bottom roll, means for rotatably holding the superjacent roll in axial alignment with the bottom roll,

and means carried by the base operative to positively drive at least one of sald rolls.

3. A machine for heating rolls comprising a base, a furnace disposed adjacent one end of the base and adapted to supply heat for heating the rolls, a casing carried by the base and comprising two oppositely disposed complementary sections located above the furnace and adapted to receive a plurality of rolls disposed one above the other, each casing section eing relatively movable with respect to the base, means for conducting the products of combustion from the furnace to the lower part of the casing, means for rotatably supporting the bottom roll, means for rotatably holding the su erjacent roll in axial alignment with the bottom roll, means carried by the base operative to ositively drive at least one of said rolls, an means for controlling the course of the products of combustion in their passage through the casing and about each of the rolls therein.

4. In a machine for heating rolls, a supporting base, a casing adapted to receive a plurality of rolls, said casing being formed in oppositely dlsposed complementary sections, means adapted to su port the casing sections on the base and opera le to permit the sections to be opened outwardly in opposite directions to allow the insertion or withdrawal of the rolls, means for rotatably supporting the rolls within the casing and means for supplying heat to the lower part of the casing.

5. In a machine for heating rolls, a supportlng base, means carried by the base for rotatably supporting a plurality of rolls one above the other in horizontal position, means for ali ing the axes of the rolls, a casing adapte to substantially surround the rolls and generally conforming thereto but spaced therefrom, said casing being formed of separable sections respectively supported on the base and each relatively movable outwardly with respect thereto to permit the rolls to be lnserted therein and withdrawn therefrom, means for directing heated gases into the casing below the rolls, and means for positively rotating at least one of the rolls.

6. In a machine for heating rolls, a supporting base, means extending from the base for rotatably supporting a plurality of rolls one above the other in horizontal position, means for aligning the axes of the rolls, a casing adapted to substantially surround the rolls and generally conforming thereto but spaced therefrom, said casing being formed of separable sections respectively supported on the base and each relatively outwardly movable to permit the rolls to be inserted therein and Withdrawn therefrom, means partially housed within the base for directing heated gases into the casing below the rolls, means for positively rotating at least one of the rolls, and means operable to adjustably vary the course of the heated gases through the casing and about the rolls.

7. A machine for heating rolls comprising a base, means carried by the base for rotatably supporting a plurality of rolls one above the other, means for driving at least one of the rolls, a casing adapted to substantially surround the rolls and embodying two complementary oppositely disposed sections respectively supported on the base, each section comprising an outer wall extending parallel to the faces of the rolls but spaced therefrom and end plates extending toward the rolls from the outer wall and having their inner edges in relatively close but spaced relation from the roll surfaces, said sections being respectively r'novable oppositely outwardly to permit insertion or withdrawal of the rolls, means for holding the casing sections in closed position about the rolls, means, partially disposed within the base for directing heated gases into the lower part of the casing, means for permitting said gases to escape from the top of the casing, and means for adj ustably varying the course of the gases through the casing and about each of the rolls.

8. A machine for heating rolls comprising a base, means extending from the base for rotatably supporting a plurality of rolls one above the other in contact with each other, means for driving the bottom roll, a casing adapted to substantially surround the rolls and comprising two outwardly separable complementary sections each having an outer wall extending parallel to the rolls, generally conforming to the adjacent surfaces thereof and spaced therefrom to form a passage between the wall and the rolls and end plates directed inwardly from the sides of said outer walls toward the rolls and havingtheirinner edges disposed closely adjacent but spaced from the roll surfaces, means for independently supporting each of the casing sections on the base and adapted to permit movement of each section toward and away from the rolls, means for maintaining the sections in closed position about the rolls, means artially housed in the base for supplying eated gases to the lower part of the casing. means for permitting the escape of gases from the upper end of the casing, and adjustable means for controlling the course of the gases through said passage.

9. A machine for heating rolls comprislng a base, means extending upwardly from the base for rotatably supporting a plurality of rolls one above the other, means for positively driving at least one of the rolls, a caslng formed of two oppositely disposed complementary sections adapted to substantially surround the rolls, each section comprising an outer wall extending parallel to but spaced from the rolls and end plates directed inwardly from said wall toward the rolls and having their inner edges enerally conforming to the surfaces thereof, removable auxiliary end plates adapted to be secured to the first mentioned end plates to decrease the normal clearance between the inner edges thereof and the rolls, means independently supporting each section of the casing on the base and operative to permit the sections to be moved outwardly in opposite directions to enable the rolls to be inserted in or Withdrawn from the casing, means for holding the sections in closed position about the rolls, and means partially housed within the base for supplying heated gases to the lower part of the casing to circulate therein about the rolls.

10. In a machine for heating rolls, a casing comprising two oppositely dis osed complementary sections adapted to su stantially surround the rolls, each section comprising an outer wall and laterally spaced end plates extending inwardly therefrom toward the rolls, and auxiliary end plates adapted to be secured to the first mentioned end plates to decrease the normal clearance between the inner edges thereof and the rolls.

11. In a machine for heating rolls, a casing formed of two oppositely disposed complementary sections adapted to substantially surround the rolls, each section comprising an outer wall extending parallel to but spaced from the rolls and end plates directed inwardly from said wall toward the rolls and having their inner ed es generally conforming to the surfacestiereof, and removable auxiliary end plates adapted to be secured to the first mentioned end plates to decrease the normal clearance between the inner edges thereof and the rolls.

12. A machine for heating a rolling mill roll, comprising a base, a casin supported on the base and comprising complementary sections adapted to be opened outwardly to permit the roll to be heated to be lowered to heating position, means carried by the base for rotatably supporting the roll when in Said position, means for driving the roll, and heating means beneath the casing and extending into the base operative to supply heat to the interior of the casing for heating the roll.

In witness whereof I have hereunto hand this 20 day of October, 1928.

' JOHN D. WILLIAMS.

set my

Images