Abstract: A rolling mill, a gap-removing apparatus for roll bearing boxes, a rolling method, a modifying method for a rolling mill, and hot finish tandem rolling equipment are provided with roll bearing boxes for rotatably supporting work rolls in a housing, a first pushing device for applying a vertical balancing force or bender force to the work rolls through the roll bearing boxes, and a second pushing device for applying a pushing force in a direction orthogonal to the work roll axis in a horizontal plane to the roll bearing boxes. The first pushing device and the second pushing device are disposed to be offset from each other in the work roll axis direction. In certain arrangements, the second pushing device is disposed between a plurality of the first pushing devices in the work roll axis direction. Gaps at the roll bearing boxes in the rolling mill can be removed without enlarging the equipment in size.

Abstract: A wafer sensor includes a wafer holder, a liquid distribution system, and a pressure sensor. The wafer holder has a hole and is configured so that a wafer being held by the wafer holder restricts the flow of liquid from the liquid distribution system through the hole. The pressure sensor has a predetermined threshold and is configured to sense the pressure of the fluid at the hole. When no wafer is present in the wafer holder, the fluid flows essentially unrestricted through the hole in the wafer holder, resulting in a relatively low pressure of the liquid in the hole. When the wafer holder holds a wafer, the restricted flow through the hole causes an increase in pressure of the liquid in the hole. This increased pressure triggers the pressure sensor, thereby indicating the presence of the wafer in the wafer holder.

Abstract: An apparatus (10) and method for conveying abrasive web (16), such as photographic media, has a pair of closely spaced rollers (12, 14) through which the abrasive web (16) is conveyed while in contact with a coated media bearing surface (80, 90). The media bearing surface (80, 90) comprising a composite coating or a thin inorganic coating.