Method of setting axial position of loosely carried sleeve in a rolling mill

A method of changing the axial position of a sleeve in a rolling mill having at least one roll on which said sleeve is loosely positioned and contacting the inner surface of the sleeve along a straight line parallel to the roll axis for rotating of the sleeve with the roll, said sleeve further being axially shiftable along the outer circumferential surface of the said one roll, said one roll, during normal operation of said rolling mill, being subjected to a rolling load from one side of the sleeve directed toward the sleeve center and onto the outer circumferential surface of said one roll, and the roll necks of said one roll being subjected to a balancing force for said load through bearing means, said method comprising displacing said sleeve in one direction along said roll axis by exerting on said sleeve transversely thereof a force which produces a force transversely of said sleeve axis for inclining the sleeve axis slightly so that the end toward which it is desired to displace the sleeve is moved in the same direction as the direction in which said sleeve is moving at the line of contact of said one roll with the inner surface of said sleeve.