VENTURI DRAIN FOR SELF-PUMPING BEARING ROLLING MILLS

摘要

A system is disclosed for use in a rolling mill oil film bearing to remove oil exiting from between a rotating sleeve and a fixed bushing surrounding the sleeve. The system comprises an annular chamber arranged to receive the exiting flow of oil. The chamber is isolated from a drainage sump by confinement surfaces including a seal interface defined by a flexible seal in contact with an adjacent rigid component of the bearing. Impellers project into the chamber and are rotable with and at the velocity of the sleeve to rotatively propel oil around the chamber. A discharge conduit communicates tangentially with the chamber and is arranged to receive a pressurized flow of the oil being rotatively propelled around the chamber. A venturi is located in the discharge conduit. A suction conduit connects the venturi to the drainage sump. Oil escaping from the annular chamber past the seal interface into the drainage sump is aspirated by the venturi for removal via the conduit.