Pressure roll for use in calenders or the like

In a machine of the character indicated, particularly in a calender, the combination of first and second pressure rolls defining a nip and having axes normally disposed in a common supporting plane, at least one of said rolls comprising a stationary carrier;

• a hollow rotary cylindrical shell surrounding said carrier and having first and second end portions movable in said plane radially of the other of said rolls;
• groups of supporting elements installed in the interior of said shell and being spaced apart from one another, as considered in the axial direction of said shell, each of said groups including at least two supporting elements spaced apart from one another, as considered in the circumferential direction of said shell, and each of said supporting elements comprising a plurality of pressure transmitting units disposed next to each other, as considered in the circumferential direction of said shell, said shell being subject to the action of said external forces having components acting at least upon the end portions of said shell substantially at right angles to said plane and said pressure transmitting units being operable to react against said carrier and transmit to said shell internal forces having components acting substantially at right angles to said plane;
• first and second bearing units each including an annular inner bearing element surrounded by the respective end portion of said shell, each inner bearing element being radially movably mounted on said carrier and being.arranged to transmit axial stresses from the respective end portion of said shell to said carrier and said shell being rotatable with reference to said inner bearing elements, each of said bearing units further including an outer bearing element provided on and rotating with the respective end portion of said shell, said outer bearing elements being in indirect contact with and being rotatable relative to the respective inner bearing elements so that such inner bearing elements exhibit a tendency to rotate with said shell at least substantially exclusively as a result of indirect contact with the respective outer bearing elements;
• means for holding said inner bearing elements against rotation with said shell and including means for counteracting said tendency of said inner bearing elements, said counteracting means comprising stationary first arresting means and second arresting means cooperating with said first arresting means and provided on said inner bearing elements, said first arresting means comprising projections provided on said carrier and said second arresting means comprising guide faces provided on said inner bearing elements and engageable with said projections when said inner bearing elements exhibit the tendency to rotate with said shell, each of said inner bearing elements having a substantially radially extending groove and said guide faces being provided in the grooves of said inner bearing elements;
• and regulator means for operating said pressure transmitting units so as to effect the generation of internal forces whose components at least substantially neutralize the components of said external forces to thus maintain the axes of the end portions of said shell in said plane.

In a machine of the character indicated, particularly in a calender, the combination of first and second pressure rolls defining a nip and having axes normally disposed in a common supporting plane, at least one of said rolls comprising a stationary carrier;

• a hollow rotary cylindrical shell surrounding said carrier and having first and second end portions movable in said plane radially of the other of said rolls;
• groups of supporting elements installed in the interior of said shell and being spaced apart from one another, as considered in the axial direction of said shell, each of said groups including at least two supporting elements spaced apart from one another, as considered in the circumferential direction of said shell, and each of said supporting elements comprising a plurality of pressure transmitting units disposed next to each other, as considered in the circumferential direction of said shell, said shell being subject to the action of external forces having components acting at least upon the end portions of said shell substantially at right angles to said plane and said pressure transmitting units being operable to react against said carrier and transmit to said shell internal forces having components acting substantially at right angles to said plane;
• first and second bearing units each including an annular inner bearing element surrounded by the respective end portion of said shell, each inner bearing element being radially movably mounted on said carrier and being arranged to transmit axial stresses from the respective end portion of said shell to said carrier and said shell being rotatable with reference to said inner bearing elements, each of said bearing units further including an outer bearing element provided on and rotating with the respective end portion of said shell, said outer bearing elements being in indirect contact with and being rotatable relative to the respective inner bearing elements so that such inner bearing elements exhibit a tendency to rotate with said shell at least substantially exclusively as a result of indirect contact with the respective outer bearing elements;
• means for holding said inner bearing elements against rotation with said shell, including means for counteracting said tendency of said inner bearing elements, said counteracting means comprising stationary first arresting means and second arresting means cooperating with said first arresting means and provided on said inner bearing elements, one of said first and second arresting means having a pair of spaced apart guide faces for each of said bearing units and the other of said first and second arresting means having at least one projection extending with play between the respective pair of guide faces, said projections being nearer to said shell than to said carrier;
• and regulator means for operating said pressure transmitting units so as to effect the generation of internal forces whose components at least substantially neutralize the components of said external forces to thus maintain the axes of the end portions of said shell in said plane.

In a machine of the character indicated, particularly in a calender, the combination of first and second pressure rolls defining a nip and having axes normally disposed in a common supporting plane, at least one of said rolls comprising a stationary carrier;

• a hollow rotary cylindrical shell surrounding said carrier and having first and second end portions movable in said plane radially of the other of said rolls;
• groups of supporting elements installed in the interior of said shell and being spaced apart from one another, as considered in the axial direction of said shell, each of said groups including at least two supporting elements spaced apart from one another, as considered in the circumferential direction of said shell, and each of said supporting elements comprising a plurality of pressure transmitting units disposed next to each other, as considered in the circumferential direction of said shell, said shell being subject to the action of external forces having components acting at least upon the end portions of said shell substantially at right angles to said plane and said pressure transmitting units being operable to react against said carrier and transmit to said shell internal forces having components acting substantially at right angles to said plane;
• first and second bearing units each comprising a spherical joint and each including an annular inner bearing element surrounded by the respective end portion of said shell, each inner bearing element being radially movably mounted on said carrier and being arranged to transmit axial stresses from the respective end portion of said shell to said carrier;
• means for holding said inner bearing elements against rotation with said shell;
• and regulator means for operating said pressure transmitting units so as to effect the generation of internal forces whose components at least substantially neutralize the components of said external forces to thus maintain the axes of the end portions of said shell in said plane.

In a machine of the character indicated, particularly in a calender, the combination of first and second pressure rolls defining a nip and having axes normally disposed in a common supporting plane, at least one of said rolls comprising a stationary carrier;

• a hollow rotary cylindrical shell surrounding said carrier and having first and second end portions movable in said plane radially of the other of said rolls;
• groups of supporting elements installed in the interior of said shell and being spaced apart from one another, as considered in the axial direction of said shell, each of said groups including at least two supporting elements spaced apart from one another, as considered in the circumferential direction of said shell, and each of said supporting elements comprising a plurality of pressure transmitting units disposed next to each other, as considered in the circumferential direction of said shell, said shell being subject to the action of external forces having components acting at least upon the end portions of said shell substantially at right angles to said plane and said pressure transmitting units being operable to react against said carrier and transmit to said shell internal forces having components acting substantially at right angles to said plane;
• first and second bearing units each including an annular inner bearing element surrounded by the respective end portion of said shell, each inner bearing element being radially movably mounted on said carrier and being arranged to transmit axial stresses from the respective end portion of said shell to said carrier, each of said bearing units further comprising an annular outer bearing element provided on the respective end portion of said shell and surrounding the corresponding inner bearing element, the inner and outer bearing elements of each of said bearing units defining hydrostatic lubricating recesses therebetween;
• means for holding said inner bearing elements against rotation with said shell;
• and regulator means for operating said pressure transmitting units so as to effect the generation of internal forces whose components at least substantially neutralize the components of said external forces to thus maintain the axes of the end portions of said shell in said plane.

In a machine of the character indicated, particularly in a calender, the combination of first and second pressure rolls defining a nip and having axes normally disposed in a common supporting plane, at least one of said rolls comprising a stationary carrier;

• a hollow rotary cylindrical shell surrounding said carrier and having first and second end portions movable in said plane radially of the other of said rolls;
• groups of supporting elements installed in the interior of said shell and being spaced apart from one another, as considered in the axial direction of said shell, each of said groups including at least two supporting elements spaced apart from one another, as considered in the circumferential direction of said shell, and each of said supporting elements comprising a plurality of pressure transmitting units disposed next to each other, as considered in the circumferential direction of said shell, said shell being subject to the action of external forces having components acting at least upon the end portions of said shell substantially at right angles to said plane and said pressure transmitting units being operable to react against said carrier and transmit to said shell internal forces having components acting substantially at right angles to said plane;
• first and second bearing units each including an annular inner bearing element surrounded by the respective end portion of said shell, each inner bearing element beaing radially movably mounted on said carrier and being arranged to transmit axial stresses from the respective end portion of said shell to said carrier, each of said bearing units further comprising an annular outer bearing element provided on the respective end portion of said shell, the inner and outer bearing elements of each of said bearing units having cooperating end faces arranged to transmit axial stresses from said shell to said carrier and the cooperating end faces of said inner and outer bearing elements defining hydrostatic lubricating recesses therebetween;
• means for holding said inner bearing elements against rotation with said shell;
• and regulator means for operating said pressure transmitting units so as to effect the generation of internal forces whose components at least substantially neutralize the components of said external forces to thus maintain the axes of the end portions of said shell in said plane.

In a machine of the character indicated, particularly in a calender, the combination of first and second pressure rolls defining a nip and having axes normally disposed in a common supporting plane, at least one of said rolls comprising a stationary carrier;

• a hollow rotary cylindrical shell surrounding said carrier and having first and second end portions movable in said plane radially of the other of said rolls;
• groups of supporting elements installed in the interior of said shell and being spaced apart from one another, as considered in the axial direction of said shell, each of said groups including at least two supporting elements spaced apart from one another, as considered in the circumferential direction of said shell, and each of said supporting elements comprising a plurality of pressure transmitting units disposed next to each other, as considered in the circumferential direction of said shell, said shell being subject to the action of external forces having components acting at least upon the end portions of said shell substantially at right angles to said plane and said pressure transmitting units being operable to react against said carrier and transmit to said shell internal forces having components acting substantially at right angles to said plane;
• first and second bearing units each including an annular inner bearing element surrounded by the respective end portion of said shell, each inner bearing element being radially movably mounted on said carrier and being arranged to transmit axial stresses from the respective end portion of said shell to said carrier, each of said bearing units further comprising an annular outer bearing element provided on the respective end portion of said shell, the outer bearing element of at least one of said bearing units being arranged to transmit axial stresses from said shell to the respective inner bearing element;
• means for holding said inner bearing elements against rotation with said shell;
• means for transmitting axial stresses from the inner bearing element of said one bearing unit to said carrier comprising a first component provided on said carrier and a second component provided on the inner bearing element of said one bearing unit and arranged to move, with a minimum of friction, relative to said first component in response to radial movement of the respective inner bearing element with reference to said carrier, one of said components including at least one rotary element;
• and regulator means for operating said pressure transmitting units so as to effect the generation of internal forces whose components at least substantially neutralize the components of said external forces to thus maintain the axes of the end portions of said shell in said plane.

In a machine of the character indicated, particularly in a calender, the combination of first and second pressure rolls defining a nip and having axes normally disposed in a common supporting plane, at least one of said rolls comprising a stationary carrier;

• a hollow rotary cylindrical shell surrounding said carrier and having first and second end portions movable in said plane radially of the other of said rolls;
• groups of supporting elements installed in the interior of said shell and being spaced apart from one another, as considered in the axial direction of said shell, each of said groups including at least two supporting elements spaced apart from one another, as considered in the circumferential direction of said shell, and each of said supporting elements comprising a plurality of pressure transmitting units disposed next to each other, as considered in the circumferential direction of said shell, said shell being subject to the action of external forces having components acting at least upon the end portions of said shell substantially at right angles to said plane and said pressure transmitting units being operable to react against said carrier and transmit to said shell internal forces having components acting substantially at right angles to said plane;
• first and second bearing units each including an annular inner bearing element surrounded by the respective end portion of said shell, each inner bearing element being radially movably mounted on said carrier and said shell being rotatable with reference to said inner bearing elements, each of said bearing units further including an outer bearing element provided on and rotating with the respective end portion of said shell, said outer bearing elements being in indirect contact with and being rotatable relative to the respective inner bearing elements so that such inner bearing elements exhibit a tendency to rotate with said shell at least substantially exclusively as a result of indirect contact with the respective outer bearing elements;
• means for holding said inner bearing elements against rotation with said shell including means for counteracting said tendency of said inner bearing elements, said counteracting means comprising stationary first arresting means and second arresting means cooperating with said first arresting means and provided on said inner bearing elements, said second arresting means having limited regulation facilitating freedom of angular movement with reference to said first arresting means;
• regulator means for operating said pressure transmitting units so as to effect the generation of internal forces whose components at least substantially neutralize the components of said external forces to thus maintain the axes of the end portions of said shell in said plane;
• signal generating means for monitoring the positions of the end portions of said shell with reference to said carrier;
• and means for influencing said regulator means as a function of signals denoting the monitored positions of said end portions.