Apparatus and method for regulating temperature in a flexure-controllable roll

Claim 1

A flexure-controllable roll comprising: a rotatable hollow roll forming a working roll circumference; a stationary crosshead extending lengthwise through the hollow roll; a surrounding clearance space formed between an inner circumference of the hollow roll and the crosshead; a plurality of hydrostatic support elements arranged along the crosshead, each hydrostatic support element having: a contact surface conforming to the inner circumference of the hollow roll; (b) at least one piston/cylinder unit including a piston and cylinder chamber for radially displacing the hydrostatic support element relative to the crosshead, said cylinder chamber containing a first pressurized fluid during operation of the roll for pressing the contact surface against the inner circumference of the hollow roll; (c) at least one bearing pocket formed in said contact surface; (d) a first throttling port in fluid communication with said at least one bearing pocket and said cylinder chamber for supplying the first pressurized fluid to said at least one bearing pocket, said first pressurized fluid in said at least one bearing pocket having a first temperature and a first pressure during operation of the roll; (e) a separate feed line communicating with a second pressurized fluid during operation of the roll, said second pressurized fluid having a second pressure greater than said first pressure and a second temperature different from said first temperature; and (f) a second throttle part in fluid communication with said at least one bearing pocket and said separate feed line to supply a quantity of said second pressurized fluid to said at least one bearing pocket and adjust the temperature therein independently of pressure changes in the hydrostatic support elements.