Rolling mill laying head

Abstract

A rolling mill laying head comprises a quill rotatable about a central axis. A guide pipe carried by the quill and is configured and arranged to form a longitudinally moving product into a continuous series of rings. Axially spaced bearings support the quill on a stationary support structure for rotation about its axis. At least one of the bearings comprises a hydrostatic oil film bearing.

1 . A rolling mill laying head comprising:
 a quill rotatable about a central axis;   a guide pipe carried by said quill and configured and arranged to form a longitudinally moving product into a continuous series of rings;   a stationary support structure; and   axially spaced bearings supporting said quill for rotation about said axis, at least one of said bearings comprising a hydrostatic oil film bearing.   
     
     
         2 . The laying head of  claim 1  wherein said hydrostatic oil film bearing comprises a bushing surrounding a journal surface of said quill, a plurality of angularly separated recesses in said bushing, and means for supplying an oil under pressure to said recesses to thereby create discrete pressure fields acting on said journal surface to urge said quill into concentric alignment with said bushing. 
     
     
         3 . The laying head of  claim 2  wherein at least three of said recesses and associated pressure fields are provided in said bushing. 
     
     
         4 . The laying head of  claim 3  wherein said recesses are equally spaced around the circumference of said bushing.