To provide a driving device for rolling mills with which an advance and delay in the angular velocity of upper and lower work rolls are synchronized and, moreover, a cross pin type universal joints for connecting each work roll to each intermediate shaft are made into the composite of the same parts and the possessing number of spare parts are reduced in the driving device for rolling mills the upper and lower work rolls of which are arranged crossing each other and are respectively connected to upper and lower driving shafts through the upper and lower intermediate shafts arranged with the cross pin type universal joints at both ends.

The universal joints 41a, 41a, 42b and 42b at both ends of the upper and lower intermediate shafts 2a and 2b are mounted shifting the phases of upper and lower sides by 90° and, as for cupplings 411a and 411b of the universal joints 41a and 41b which are joined to the work rolls 1a and 1b, each one pair of yokes Ya1 and Ya2 and Yb1 and Yb2 are formed in positions where are shifted by 45° in the same direction to oval-shaped holes Ha and Hb into which the shaft end parts Sa and Sb of the work rolls 1a and 1b are inserted.