Sink roll assembly with forced hydrodynamic film lubricated bearings and self-aligning holding arms

A rotatable self-lubricating apparatus for supporting a rotatable shaft or trunnion in a bath of a molten metal, comprising:

• an arm structure;
• a roll assembly including a trunnion;
• bearing means mounted on the arm structure for supporting the trunnion for rotation about an axis, when the trunnion is submerged in a bath of a molten metal, the bearing means including:
• a first bearing member;
• a second bearing member movable with respect to the first bearing member as the trunnion is being rotated, the first bearing member and the second bearing member each being formed of a metal that is metallurgically resistant to solution in the molten metal;
• and
• a pumping member also resistant to solution in the molten metal and operative to deliver a lubricating hydrodynamic film of the molten metal between the first bearing member and the second bearing member as the trunnion is being rotated.

A method for lubricating a bearing apparatus supporting a rotatable roll having a shaft or trunnion in a bath of a molten metal, comprising:

• providing an arm structure;
• providing a trunnion;
• mounting bearing means on the arm structure for supporting the trunnion for rotation about an axis when submerged in a bath of a molten metal, the bearing means including:
• a first bearing member;
• a second bearing member movable with respect to the first bearing member as the trunnion is being rotated, the first bearing member and the second bearing member each being formed of a metal that is metallurgically resistant to solubility in the molten metal;
• pumping the same molten metal of the bath in which the bearing means is disposed to form a lubricating hydrodynamic film of the molten metal between the first bearing member and the second bearing member as the trunnion is being rotated.

A self-lubricating apparatus for supporting a rotatable roll in a bath of a molten metal, comprising:

• an arm structure;
• a trunnion attached to said arm structure;
• a strip-engaging roll;
• bearing means mounted on the arm's trunnion for supporting the roll for rotation about an axis when the trunnion is submerged in a bath of a molten metal, the bearing means including:
• a first stationary bearing member, and a second bearing member movable with respect to the first bearing member as the roll is being rotated by a moving strip, the first bearing member and the second bearing member each being formed of a metal that is resistant to solution in the molten metal;
• a pumping member suited for disposal in the molten metal and connected to the roll for a pumping motion as the roll is being rotated;
• and
• a pump housing enclosing the pumping member in a pumping chamber, the pump housing having an inlet opening for receiving molten metal into the pumping chamber as the pumping member is moving in said pumping motion, the pump housing having an outlet opening means for delivering molten metal at a pressure sufficient to form a separating and lubricating film of the molten metal between the first bearing member and the second bearing member as the roll is being rotated.

A method for lubricating a bearing apparatus supporting a rotatable shaft or trunnion in a bath of a molten metal, comprising:

• providing an arm structure;
• attaching a trunnion on the arm structure;
• providing a roll that is rotated by a strip of metal engaging a cylindrical surface on the roll;
• mounting bearing means on the roll for supporting the roll for rotation on the trunnion about an axis when submerged in a bath of a molten metal, the bearing means including:
• a first bearing member;
• a second bearing member movable with respect to the first bearing member as the roll is being rotated, the first bearing member and the second bearing member each being formed of a metal that is metallurgically resistant to solubility in the molten metal;
• and
• pumping the same molten metal of the bath in which the bearing is disposed to form a lubricating hydrodynamic film of the molten metal between the first bearing member and the second bearing member as the roll is being rotated.

A self-lubricating rotatable apparatus for supporting a roll in a bath of molten metal, comprising:

• an elongated stationary holding arm for supporting a roll rotated by a moving metal strip about a first axis such that the strip defines a resultant force in a direction generally parallel to the arm;
• a trunnion member having external cylindrical bearing surface;
• a bearing sleeve member disposed on the trunnion, the bearing sleeve having an internal bearing surface facing the trunnion bearing surface;
• a clearance between the bearing surface of the trunnion member and the bearing surface of the sleeve member;
• one of said members being connected to the holding arm;
• the other of said members being connected to the roll;
• and
• means for delivering a molten metal into said clearance to form a hydrodynamic film cushion between the trunnion member bearing surface and the sleeve member bearing surface opposing said resultant force.

A pumping apparatus for moving a liquid in a bath of the liquid, comprising:

• an arm structure;
• a roll assembly comprising a roll and a trunnion suited for rotation by a moving strip of material partially wrapped around the roll;
• a pumping member suited for disposal in a liquid and connected to the roll's trunnion to be driven in a pumping motion of the liquid as the roll is being rotated;
• and
• a pump housing enclosing the pumping member in a pumping chamber, the pump housing having an inlet opening for receiving the liquid into the pumping chamber as the pumping member is moving in said pumping motion.

A method for lubricating a bearing apparatus supporting a rotatable shaft or trunnion in a bath of a molten metal, comprising:

• providing an arm structure;
• attaching a trunnion on the arm structure;
• providing a roll that is rotated by a strip of metal engaging a cylindrical surface on the roll;
• mounting bearing means on the roll for supporting the roll for rotation on the trunnion about an axis when submerged in a bath of a molten metal, the bearing means including:
• providing a first bearing member;
• providing a second bearing member movable with respect to the first bearing member as the roll is being rotated, forming the first bearing member and the second bearing member of a metal that is metallurgically resistant to solubility in the molten metal;
• and
• pumping the same molten metal of the bath in which the bearing is disposed with a sufficient fluid pressure to separate the first bearing member and the second bearing member.

Apparatus useful for moving molten metal in a bath of the metal, comprising:

• a roll assembly having a strip-engaging roll and a trunnion;
• an arm structure;
• bearing means mounted on the arm structure for supporting the trunnion for rotation about an axis when the trunnion is submerged in a bath of a molten metal, the bearing means including:
• a stationary first bearing member, and a second bearing member movable with respect to the first bearing member as the roll's trunnion is being rotated, the first bearing member and the second bearing member each being formed of a metal that is resistant to solution in the molten metal;
• and
• a pumping member suited for disposal in the molten metal and connected to the roll's trunnion for a pumping motion of the molten metal as the roll is being rotated.