SELF PUMPING OIL FILM BEARING

摘要

A system is disclosed for use in a rolling mill oil film bearing (10) to remove a laminar flow of oil exiting tangentially from between a rotating sleeve (12) and a fixed bushing (18) surrounding the sleeve (12). The system comprises confinement surfaces cooperating with the sleeve (12) and the bushing (18) to define an annular chamber (40a) arranged to receive the exiting laminar flow of oil. Impellers (42) project into the chamber (40a) and are rotatable with and at the velocity of the sleeve (12) to thereby propel the oil around the annular chamber (40a). An outlet (44) communicates tangentially with the annular chamber (40a) for removing oil being propelled around the chamber (40a) by the rotation of the impellers (42). The size of the outlet (44) in relation to the volume of oil received in the annular chamber (40a) is such that the chamber (40a) remains filled with oil during steady state operation of the bearing (10).