Anti-friction roller

An apparatus comprising:

• at least one low friction surface;
• at least one holder;
• the at least one low friction surface being engaged with the at least one holder;
• a clip;
• the clip having a clip end and a support end;
• the support end being attached to the at least one holder;
• and
• the clip end being removably attached to a wicket.

A method of protecting sheet stock from damage during processing, the method comprising:

• (a) connecting one or more low-friction devices to a wicket assembly, each low friction device including:
• at least one roller with a central passage therethrough, an axle extending through the central passage, the axle being retained within the central passage by retainers connected to the axle with the roller captured between the retainers, and
• a clip connected to an axle end;
• (b) attaching the one or more low-friction devices to the wicket assembly with the clips of the one or more low-friction devices clipped to the wicket assembly and the rollers of the one or more low-friction devices extending in the same direction from the wicket assembly;
• and
• (c) supporting, during processing, a sheet of material via the rollers of the one or more low-friction devices contacting the sheet and spacing apart the sheet and the wicket assembly.

A method for handling metal sheets during processing, the method comprising:

• (a) loading a metal sheet onto a first plurality of low-friction devices attached to a horizontal first wicket of a wicket oven, each of the first plurality of low-friction devices including a roller mounted for rotation about a roller axle, the roller extending beyond both sides of the first wicket;
• (b) rotating the first wicket towards a vertical position while moving the first wicket into the wicket oven, the metal sheet rotating with the first wicket to an edgewise position between the first wicket and a vertical second wicket including a second plurality of low-friction devices attached thereto;
• and
• (c) rotating the second wicket to a horizontal position while moving the second wicket out of the wicket oven, the metal sheet being supported by the second plurality of rollers spaced apart from the second wicket while the second wicket rotates to the horizontal position.

A roller assembly configured for mounting to a wicket of as wicket oven, the roller assembly comprising:

• a roller clip including a first and second clip jaws, the first and second clip jaws extending opposite each other;
• a roller axle connected to the roller clip;
• a roller connected for rotation about the roller axle, the roller having circular perimeter;
• and
• wherein the first and second clip jaws receive a rod of a wicket and the roller assembly is positioned on the rod with the roller axle being in the plane of the wicket, the circular perimeter extending beyond both sides of the plane.

A wicket roller system for handling metal sheets for processing in a wicket oven, the system comprising:

• a first wicket and a second wicket, each of the first and second wickets being connected to a wicket conveyor along a wicket edge;
• a first plurality of low-friction devices attached to the first wicket and a second plurality of low-friction devices attached to the second wicket, each low- low-friction device of the first and second plurality of low-friction devices including a roller mounted for rotation about a roller axle, and each roller axle being in the plane of the respective wicket;
• the first plurality of low-friction devices supporting a metal sheet offset from the first wicket at a wicket oven entrance, the first wicket at the entrance being positioned horizontally;
• the first plurality of low-friction devices supporting the metal sheet offset from the first wicket while the first rotates towards a vertical position within the wicket oven;
• the second plurality of low-friction devices supporting the metal sheet offset from the second wicket while the second wicket rotates towards a horizontal position at a wicket oven exit.