Abstract: A circular seal assembly is provided for a roll in a rolling mill. The roll has a neck with a tapered section leading from a roll end face to a reduced diameter section rotatably supported in a non-rotating bearing chock. The chock is spaced axially from the roll end face to define a circular gap therebetween, and the seal assembly is adapted to span the gap. The seal assembly comprises a rigid circular seal end plate adapted to be fixed to the chock at a location cooperating with associated resilient seal components to subdivide the gap into an inboard chamber adjacent the roll end face and an outboard chamber adjacent the chock. A vent connection is provided in an upper quadrant of the seal end plate between the inboard and outboard chambers.

Abstract: For use in a seal assembly having a nonrotatable component surrounding and spaced radially from a tapered section of a roll neck in a rolling mill, a seal comprising a flexible circular seal body with at least first and second resilient outer circular flanges. The seal body is configured and dimensioned to be mounted on the roll neck for rotation therewith. The first flange has a peripheral lip projecting at an angle therefrom in the direction of the second flange, with a contact surface on the first flange positioned to contact the nonrotatable component. The second flange projects in the same direction at an angle with respect to the first flange and is spaced from the nonrotatable component. The first flange is bendable to an extent sufficient to contact the second flange at a static interface, resulting in the space therebetween being reduced in size and enclosed with respect to the surrounding atmosphere.

Abstract: In an oil film bearing assembly for a roll in a rolling mill, where a flexible seal is mounted on a tapered section of the roll neck at a location adjacent to a sleeve fixed to the roll neck and defining the journal surface, the improvement comprising an end portion of the sleeve being configured to overlap and radially confine an end portion of the seal to thereby resist centrifugal distortion of the seal during high speed rotation of the roll neck.

Abstract: A coolant guard for a rolling mill bearing assembly has a base flange and an angularly disposed sealing flange, both molded integrally of an elastomeric material. The base flange is reinforced by an embedded metallic hoop.

Abstract: An oil film bearing for rotatably supporting the journal surface of a rolling mill roll neck on a hydrodynamically maintained oil film. The bearing includes a bushing having outlets adapted to axially interrupt the load carrying continuity of the oil film by draining oil from the load zone at locations intermediate to the ends of the bushing, thereby subdividing the load zone into at least two axially separated pressure zones. Position sensors are located between the pressure zones to monitor the spatial relationship or oil film thickness between the bushing and the journal surface. The journal surface is defined by at least two sleeve segments received on and fixed relative to the roll neck. Adjacent ends of the sleeve segments are aligned radially or in a coplanar relationship with the axial separation between the pressure zones. Temperature sensors monitor the temperature of the oil being drained through the aforesaid outlets.

Abstract: An oil film bearing for rotatably supporting the journal surface of a rolling mill roll neck on a hydrodynamically maintained oil film. The bearing includes a bushing adapted to interrupt the load carrying continuity of the oil film and to subdivide the load zone into compound pressure zones.

Abstract: A seal for use on the tapered section of a roll neck in a rolling mill. The seal has a flexible circular body with a circular lip and a circular flange at one end thereof. The lip extends axially from the body and the flange extends radially from the body and normal or perpendicular with respect to the body axis when the seal is in an unstressed condition. The seal is adapted to be axially received on and to be radially stressed by the tapered roll neck section with an accompanying radial expansion of the lip which produces a circumferential bending moment tending to angularly distort the flange from its perpendicular orientation to the seal axis. An internal circular shoulder on the seal body, coacts with the tapered roll neck section to counteract the bending moment and thereby prevent distortion of the flange.

Abstract: A water guard for use in a rolling mill wherein the neck of a roll is rotatably supported in an oil film bearing contained in a bearing chock, with a seal assembly located between the roll end face and the bearing chock to retain oil in the bearing and to exclude contaminants such as cooling water, mill scale, etc. from the bearing. The seal assembly includes a circular seal end plate fixed relative to the bearing chock at a location surrounding a flexible seal mounted on the roll neck for rotation therewith. The water guard is circular and it has a radially extending mounting flange integrally joined at its inner edge to an angularly outwardly extending sealing flange. The mounting flange is adapted to be surrounded by and to be secured to the seal end plate, and to provide the sole means for supporting and maintaining the sealing flange in frictional contact with the roll end face.