Controlled deflection roll drive

Claim 2

A driven roll construction comprising in combination, a roll shell, support bearing means positioning the roll for rotation, an annular ring driving gear on one end of the roll shell for driving the shell in rotation, a drive pinion radially of the ring gear in driving mesh therewith, said pinion and said ring gear having drive aligning teeth therebetween holding the pinion in alignment with the ring gear, a drive shaft, and a flexible drive connected directly between the shaft and the pinion.

Claim 3

A driven roll construction in accordance with claim 1 wherein said flexible drive includes a flexible spline connection between the drive shaft and pinion.

Claim 4

A driven roll construction in accordance with claim 1 wherein said pinion is positioned radially outwardly of said ring gear.

Claim 5

A driven roll construction in accordance with claim 1 wherein said flexible drive includes the drive member mounted for rotation on a fixed axis and extending through the pinion and a flexible connection between the drive member and the pinion.

Claim 6

A driven roll construction constructed in accordance with claim 1 and including a stationary shaft extending through said roll shell with a fluid force transmitting means between the roll shell and the shaft applying a uniform force to the roll shell in a nip loading direction, and includes a support with the shaft mounted thereon and a drive member mounted on said support.

Claim 7

A driven roll construction in accordance with claim 1 wherein said pinion gear is mounted radially outwardly of the ring gear and a housing is provided annularly surrounding the ring gear and enclosing the pinion with a seal between the housing and roll shell for containing lubricant for the gears.

Claim 8

A driven roll construction in accordance with claim 1 and including a stationary shaft extending through the roll shell with a deflection control fluid force transmitting means between the shell and shaft opposite a loading location on the roll shell for applying a uniform force to the roll shell along its length.

Claim 9

A driven roll construction in accordance with claim 7 wherein the deflection control includes a sliding shoe within the roll shell supported pivotally on a piston and cylinder means on the shaft.

Claim 10

A driven roll construction in accordance with claim 1 wherein said pinion is movably mounted in a housing and the flexible drive includes the shaft having a fixed Axial position within said housing and a yieldable connection between the shaft and pinion.

Claim 11

A driven roll construction comprising in combination, a rotatable roll shell, a stationary shaft extending through the roll shell, support bearing means between the end of the roll shell and the shaft positioning the roll shell for rotation, fluid force transmitting means between the roll shell and shaft at one side of the shaft for transmitting a load on the shell to the shaft, an annular ring driving gear mounted on an annular extension ring on one end of the roll shell, a drive pinion gear radially outwardly of the ring gear in driving mesh therewith, said pinion and said ring gear having herringbone teeth therebetween holding the pinion in alignment with the ring gear, a housing for the pinion mounted on the stationary shaft, a drive shaft supported in the housing for driving the pinion, and a flexible spline coupling between the pinion and the drive shaft accommodating axial misalignment between said pinion and said drive shaft.

Claim 12

A driven roll construction comprising in combination, a rotatable roll shell, a stationary shaft extending through the roll shell, support bearing means between the end of the roll shell and the shaft positioning the roll shell for rotation, fluid force transmitting means between the roll shell and shaft at one side of the shaft for transmitting a load on the shell to the shaft, an annular ring driving gear mounted on an annular extension ring on one end of the roll shell, a drive pinion gear radially outwardly of the ring gear in driving mesh therewith, said pinion and said ring gear having herringbone teeth therebetween holding the pinion in alignment with the ring gear, a housing for the pinion mounted on the stationary shaft, a drive shaft supported in the housing for driving the pinion, and a flexible spline coupling between the pinion and the drive shaft accommodating axial misalignment between said pinion and said drive shaft.

Claim 13

A driven roll construction comprising in combination, a roll shell adapted to sustain a vertical load thereon, a stationary shaft extending through the roll shell, fluid force transferring means between the roll shell and shaft positioned on the top side of the shaft for transmitting the load against the roll shell to the shaft uniformly along the shell, whereby changing fluid pressure in the force transferring means will change the force transmitted between the roll shell and the shaft, an annular ring driving gear at one end of the roll shell for driving the shell in rotation, a drive pinion gear radially of the ring gear in driving mesh therewith positioned substantially horizontally of the axis of the roll shaft, and a flexible drive means for driving said pinion with the pinion axis remaining in alignment with the ring gear axis as the roll shell bends, and means on said shaft fixing the radial position of the pinion so that as the roll shell bends relative to the shaft the distance between the axes of the roll shaft and pinion remain substantially constant, and support bearing means between the roll shell and roll shaft positioning the roll for rotation positioned axially offset from said gears so that the vertical distance between the shaft and roll shell changes at the location of the gears with change in fluid pressure between the shell and shaft.

Claim 14

A driven roll construction comprising in combination, a roll shell adapted to sustain a vertical load thereon, a stationary shaft extending through the roll shell, fluid force transferring means between the roll shell and shaft positioned on the top side of the shaft for transmitting the load against the roll shell to the shaft uniformly along the shell, whereby changing fluid pressure in the force transferring means will change the force transmitted between the roll shell and the shaft, an annular ring driving gear at one end of the roll shell for driving the shell in rotation, a drive pinion gear radially of the ring gear in driving mesh therewith positioned substantially horizontally of the axis of the roll shaft, and a flexible drive means for driving said pinion with the pinion axis remaining in alignment with the ring gear axis as the roll shell bends, and means on said shaft fixing the radial position of the pinion so that as the roll shell bends relative to the shaft the distance between the axes of the roll shaft and pinion remain substantially constant, and support bearing means between the roll shell and roll shaft positioning the roll for rotation positioned axially offset from said gears so that the vertical distance between the shaft and roll shell changes at the location of the gears with change in fluid pressure between the shell and shaft.