Title of Invention

SLEEVE FOR ROLLING MILL OIL FILM BEARING

Abstract

A sleeve for use in an oil film bearing or the type employed to rotatably support a roll neck in a rolling mill, said sleeve having a cylindrical outer surface surrounding an internally tapered section, said cylindrical outer surface being adapted to be rotatably supported on a film of oil at a load zone of the bearing and said internally tapered section extending axially across said load zone and being adapted to be seated on an externally tapered section of the roll neck said cylindrical outer surface having a diameter D of at least 500mm, and said internally tapered section having a taper angle greater than three degrees and a minimum thickness of between about 10 mm and 0.024D + 14.5.

Full Text

FORM 2 THE PATENTS ACT 1970 [39 OF 1970] PROVISIONAL/COMPLETE SPECIFICATION [See Section 10] 'SLEEVE FOR ROLLING MILL OIL FILM BEARING" MORGAN CONSTRUCTION COMPANY, of 15 Belmont Street, Worcester, Massachusetts 01605, U.S.A. The following specification particularly describes the nature of the invention and the manner in which it is to be performed :- 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to a sleeve for use in oil film bearings of the type employed to rotatably support the necks of rolls in rolling mills. 2. Background Discussion A rolling mill oil film bearing typically comprises a sleeve axially received on and rotatably fixed to a roll neck. The sleeve is surrounded by a bushing contained in a chock mounted in a roll housing. In service, the sleeve is rotatably supported on a thin film of oil hybrodynamically maintained at the bearing load zone between the sleeve and the bushing. The sleeves may be either internally cylindrical for use on cylindrical or "straight" roll necks, or they may be internally tapered for use on tapered roll necks. Moreover, the sleeves 'may be "self locking" or "non-locking". Self locking sleeves are frictionally fixed to the roll necks by interference fits, whereas non-locking sleeves require keys or the like to effect a mechanical xnterengagement with the roll necks. The present invention is concerned with an improvement to internally tapered sleeves having relatively large journal diameters of at least 500 mm and non-locking taper angles of at least three degrees. With reference to Figure 1, one such sleeve is shown at 10 as a component part of a rolling mill oil film bearing 12. The sleeve 10 is removably received on a tapered section 16 of the roll neck and is rotatably fixed to the roll neck by keys 14 or the like. The sleeve is surrounded by a bushing IS and fixed in a bearing chock 20. In service, as previously noted, -2 the sleeve is rotatably supported on a thin film of oil (not shown) hydrodynamically maintained at the bearing load zone between the sleeve and the bushing. With reference to Figure 2, it will be seen that the sleeve 10 has an internally tapered section 21 with a length L, an end section 22 extending axially beyond the outboard end of the internally tapered section, and a cylindrical outer surface 23 surrounding the internally tapered section. The cylindrical outer surface has a diameter D (also commonly referred to as the "journal" diameter). The internally tapered section has a taper angle a, a minimum thickness t at its inboard end, and a maximum thickness t' at its outboard end adjacent to the end section 22. Keyways 15 coact in mechanical interengagement with the keys 14, with both the keys and lp the keyways being located outside of the internally tapered section 21 and exclusively within the end section 22. The journal diameter D and length L of the internally tapered section 21 govern the size and load bearing capacity of the bearing. The taper angle a will dictate whether the sleeve is self locking or non-locking. l|5 When this type of oil film bearing was first introduced to rolling mills in the 1930's, those skilled in the art deemed it essential that the sleeve wall at the load zone have a minimum , thickness t sufficient to withstand elastic deformation of the sleeve under load conditions, and also to accommodate a maximum thickness t' sufficient to resist damage at the keyways due to torque induced stresses. Thus, as depicted by the plot line 24 in Figure 5, for sleeves having 2)0 journal diameters ranging from 500-2100 mm, minimum thicknesses t typically ranged from 30 to 70 mm, with the average being t= 0.024 D+ 22.6 as represented by the broken plot line. This design criteria remained virtually unchanged until the mid 1970' s, when, as disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 4,093,321, those skilled in the art identified the interruption of the internally tapered section by the keyways as a cause of dimensional irregularities in the products being rolled. In order to correct this problem, the keys and keyways were moved out > of the internally tapered section 21 to their present positions located exclusively in the end section 22, as shown in Figures 1 and 2. Although this obviated any necessity to maintain an increased thickness \ at the outboard end of the internally tapered section, sleeve thicknesses remained unchanged due to the continuing belief on the part of those skilled in the art that load induced elastic sleeve deformation was detrimental and to be avoided at all costs. 10 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It has now been discovered, however, that contrary to conventional wisdom, a certain 1.) amount of elastic sleeve deformation is not only tolerable, but desirable in that it results in an increase in the surface area of the sleeve supported on the oil film at the bearing load zone. -This in turn increases the load bearing capacity of the bearing. Thus, for a given journal diameter D and taper angle a, a beneficial magnitude of elastic deformation can be introduced by reducing the minimum thickness t, which for a given length L and taper angle a, results in 2) a reduction in thickness of the sleeve throughout the length of the internally tapered section. Preferably, the reduction in thickness t is achieved by increasing the bore size of the sleeve while maintaining the journal diameter D constant. This enables the sleeve to accommodate a larger roll neck, thereby further strengthening the overall assembly. Accordingly, there is provided a sleeve for use in an oil film bearing or the type employed to rotatably support a roll neck in a rolling mill, said sleeve having a cylindrical outer surface surrounding an internally tapered section, said cylindrical outer surface being adapted to be rotatably supported on a film of oil at a load zone of the bearing and said internally tapered section extending axially across said load zone and being adapted to be seated on an externally tapered section of the roll neck said cylindrical outer surface having a diameter D of at least 500mm, and said internally tapered section having a taper angle greater than three degrees and-a minimum thickness of between about 10 mm and 0.024D + 14.5. A principal objective of the present invention is to increase the load bearing capacity of relatively large oil film bearings having internally tapered non-locking sleeves by at least 10%, and preferably by as much as 20% or more through appropriate reductions in the minimum sleeve thicknesses t. A companion objective of the present invention is to reduce the size and weight of the metal forgings or castings from which the sleeves are machined, thereby beneficially reducing raw material costs. These and other objectives, advantages and features of the present invention will now be described in greater detail with continued reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a schematic illustration of an oil film bearing assembly of the type employed in rolling mills to rotatably support the necks of rolls; Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view on an enlarged scale of the internally tapered s non-locking sleeve shown in Figure 1; Figure 3A diagrammatically illustrates the width of the load zone when a conventional internally tapered non-locking sleeve is rotating under load; ~D 1112 Figure 3B is a view similar to Figure 3A diagrammatically illustrating the increase in the width of the load zone resulting from a decrease in sleeve thickness t, all other conditions being equal; Figure 4 is a graph comparing the sleeve centerline circumferential stresses of the sleeves shown in Figures 3A and 3B; and Figure 5 is a graph depicting the t/D relationships for conventional sleeves and sleeves modified in accordance with the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In Figure 3A, where dimensions have been exaggerated for purposes of illustrations, a sleeve 10a with a journal diameter D and a thickness ta is shown rotating in a clockwise direction under load within a bushing 18. The resulting centerline circumferential stress on sleeve 10a at the internally tapered section 21 is depicted by curve Sa in Figure 4. Maximum deviation from mean stress begins at 01 and rises to a maximum before dropping back to a minimum at 02. The circumferential distance wa between 0X and 02 is representative of the width of the load zone, where the sleeve is supported on the hydrodynamically maintained film of oil. In Figure 3B, a sleeve 10b with the same journal diameter D but with a reduced thickness tb is shown operating under the same load conditions. The reduced thickness tb 7 allows the sleeve more freedom to elastically deform under load, with a resulting centerline circumferential stress depicted by curve Sb in Figure 4. It will be seen that maximum deviation from mean stress for curve Sb again begins at 61, and after rising to a maximum, drops back to a minimum at 03, The circumferential | distance wb exceeds wa by wA, with wA being the result of increased elastic sleeve deformation due to the decrease in sleeve thickness from to to tb. Since the length L of the internally tapered section 21 is the same for both sleeves, the percentage increase in load zone area may be calculated as wa/wa X 100. In accordance with the present invention, and with reference to Figure 5, it has now lp been determined that as compared to bearings incorporating conventionally dimensioned sleeves with average minimum thicknesses t of 0.024D + 22.6, increases in load bearing capacity of about 10% to 20% and higher can be achieved by reducing the minimum thicknesses t to a range of between about 10 mm to 0.024D + 14.5, and preferably to between about 19 mm to 0.024D + 7.4. 1(5 Minimum thicknesses t of 10 mm and preferably 19 mm insure that the sleeves have sufficient structural rigidity to resist deformation by the relatively modest forces exerted during the machining processes employed to convert forged or cast shells into the finished products. However, once the sleeves are mounted on the roll necks, deformation under higher rolling loads beneficially increases the area of the sleeves supported at the load zone. WE CLAIM: 1. A sleeve for use in an oil film bearing or the type employed to rotatably support a roll neck in a rolling mill, said sleeve having a cylindrical outer surface surrounding an internally tapered section, said cylindrical outer surface being adapted to be rotatably supported on a film of oil at a load zone of the bearing and said internally tapered section extending axially across said load zone and being adapted to be seated on an externally tapered section of the roll neck said cylindrical outer surface having a diameter D of at least 500mm, and said internally tapered section having a taper angle greater than three degrees and a minimum thickness of between about 10 mm and 0.024D + 14.5. 2. The sleeve as claimed in claim 1, wherein said minimum thickness is at least 19 mm. 3. The sleeve as claimed in claim 2, wherein said minimum thickness is not greater than 0.024D+7.4. 4. A sleeve for use in an oil film bearing of the type employed to rotatably support a roll neck in a rolling mill, said sleeve having a first internally tapered section at one end, and a second internally tapered section extending from said first internally tapered section to an opposite end section aligned axially with said first and second internally tapered sections, and a cylindrical outer surface surrounding said second internally tapered section, said cylindrical outer surface being adapted to be rotatably journalled in a bushing component of the bearing and having a diameter D of at least 500 mm, said second internally -9- tapered section being adapted to be seated on an externally tapered section of the roll neck and having a taper angle greater than three degrees and a minimum thickness of between about 10 mm and 0.024D+14.5, and mechanically engageable means located outside of said second internally tapered section and exclusively in the said opposite end section for rotatably fixing said sleeve to the roll neck. 5. A sleeve for use in an oil film bearing of the type employed to rotatably support a roll neck in a rolling mill, said sleeve having a cylindrical outer surface surrounding an internally tapered section, said internally tapered section being bordered at one end by an axially aligned end section incorporating mechanically engageable means for rotatably fixing said sleeve to the roll neck, said cylindrical outer surface being adapted to be rotatably journalled in a bushing component of the bearing and having a diameter D of at least 500 mm, and said internally tapered section being adapted to be seated on an externally tapered section of the roll neck and having a taper angle greater than three degrees and a minimum thickness of between about 10 mm and 0.024D+14.5. 6. A sleeve for use in an oil film bearing substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Dated this 28th day of November, 2001. (JIYANTA PAL) OF REMJPHY 8s SAGAR ATTORNEY FOR THE-6PPLICANT[S] -10-

Documents:

1139-mum-2001-claims.doc

1139-mum-2001-claims.pdf

1139-mum-2001-correspondence(ipo).pdf

1139-mum-2001-correspondence.pdf

1139-mum-2001-description(granted).doc

1139-mum-2001-description(granted).pdf

1139-mum-2001-drawing(cancelled)-28-nov-2001.pdf

1139-mum-2001-drawing.pdf

1139-mum-2001-ep document.pdf

1139-mum-2001-europian search report.pdf

1139-mum-2001-form 1(convention).pdf

1139-mum-2001-form 1.pdf

1139-MUM-2001-FORM 16(16-11-2011).pdf

1139-mum-2001-form 19.pdf

1139-mum-2001-form 2(granted).doc

1139-mum-2001-form 2(granted).pdf

1139-mum-2001-form 2(title page).pdf

1139-mum-2001-form 3-31-mar-2005.pdf

1139-mum-2001-form 3-7-jun-2002.pdf

1139-mum-2001-form 3.pdf

1139-mum-2001-form 5.pdf

1139-mum-2001-power of authority(haryana).pdf

1139-mum-2001-power of authority.pdf

1139-mum-2001-us amendment.pdf

1139-mum-2001-us application.pdf

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