Hot rolling mill lubrication apparatus and process

Claim 1

Apparatus for applying a hot rolling mill lubricant of water and a difficultly dispersible oil to a roll stand during the presence of a workpiece in the stand, said apparatus comprising spray header means at the roll stand from which the lubricant is discharged onto the roll stand during the presence of a workpiece, a common line connected to said spray header means, a pressurized water supply connected to said common line to provide water thereto at a given pressure range, means for injecting oil into the common line to mix with the water and form a lubricant dispersion, said injection means including an oil injection line connected to the common line, a pump having a suction port and a discharge port, an oil supply connected to the suction port, an oil recirculating line connected on one side to said supply, a discharge line connected from the pump discharge port to the other side of the oil recirculating line and to the oil injection line, and valve means between the discharge line and the oil injection line for selectively opening and closing communication between the discharge line and the oil injection line to cause injection of oil into the water and form the lubricant.