Machine tool for the production of tubular components

An apparatus for rolling the wall of a tubular workpiece to reduce its wall thickness, comprising:

• base means extending radially of an axis and defining a plane perpendicular thereto, said base means including a frame structure;
• a workpiece holder for supporting a workpiece so that it is centered on said axis;
• an internal roll carrier, means attached to said frame structure supporting said internal roll carrier inside said workpiece holder in radial symmetry with respect to said axis;
• a pair of internal rolls, roll support means on said internal roll carrier supporting said internal rolls in diametric opposition on said internal roll carrier;
• an external roll carrier, means attached to said frame structure supporting said external roll carrier around said workpiece, a pair of external rolls, roll support means on said external roll carrier supporting said external rolls in diametric opposition on said external roll carrier such that the internal and external rolls face one another and form wall-rolling pairs each of which defines a rolling nip for reducing the thickness of the wall of the workpiece;
• said means which supports said internal and external roll carriers from said frame structure providing axial movement for each of the roll carriers relative to said frame structure;
• means supporting said workpiece holder from said frame structure so that relative axial feed motion and relative rotation about said axis may take place between said workpiece and said pairs of rolls;
• and
• drive means for producing said relative axial motion and said relative rotation between said rolls and said workpiece.