High reduction method and apparatus for continuously hot rolling products

The method of continuously rolling a product to achieve a maximum reduction in cross-sectional area of said product with a minimum number of roll passes, comprising:

• passing the product through a series of at least three roll passes and effecting in said roll passes progressively larger reductions on the product, with at least two successive roll passes in said series having their roll axes arranged at right angles relative to each other, with at least the first and second of said roll passes being capable of exerting positive available delivery forces on the product when their respective roll gaps are filled, and with the third of said roll passes having a distribution of horizontal force components such that spontaneous entry of the product is prevented in said third roll pass by a momentary maximum opposing force which is greater than the available delivery force of said second roll pass, but less than the sum of the available delivery forces of said first and second roll passes, and momentarily employing a portion of the available delivery force of said first roll pass as an addition to the available delivery force of the second roll pass to overcome said momentary maximum opposing force and thereby achieve forced entry of the product in said third roll pass.

Apparatus for continuously hot rolling a product, comprising:

• a series of at least three roll passes which effect progressively larger reductions on the product, with at least two successive roll passes in said series having their roll axes arranged at right angles relative to each other, the third of said roll passes having an angle of bite such that spontaneous entry of the product therein is prevented by a maximum opposing force which is greater than the available delivery force generated by the rolling action of the second roll pass;
• the available delivery force of the first roll pass being sufficient to exert a momentary additional force on the product in advance of said third roll pass, the said momentary additional force being of sufficient magnitude when combined with the available delivery force of said second roll pass to overcome said maximum opposing force and thus achieve forced entry of the product in said third roll pass.