Apparatus for cooling the rolls of rolling mills

In a rolling mill for reducing metal, having upper and lower work rolls between which the metal is passed and at least one back-up roll for the upper work roll, the combination of means for applying coolant to the surface of the upper work roll only on the outgoing side of the mill, casing structure enclosing the locality of coolant application and so arranged that a narrow gap is defined between the upper work roll and a transverse wall of the casing below the coolant-applying means, and means for creating a rapid flow of air along the upper work roll surface adjacent the gap in a direction to prevent exit of coolant through the gap from the casing structure while withdrawing air from the casing structure. The air-flow creating means may include means for maintaining the interior of the casing structure at subatmospheric pressure. A method of cooling the upper work roll in such a mill comprises applying coolant to the surface thereof only at a locality on the outgoing side of the mill while maintaining an enclosure in surrounding relation to the coolant-applying locality with a narrow gap defined between the enclosure and the upper work roll surface at a level below that locality, and directing a rapid flow of air along the latter roll surface adjacent the gap to prevent exit of coolant through the gap. The back-up roll, which is in contact with the upper work roll, cooperates with the foregoing structures and steps to prevent carryover of excessive coolant onto the upper work roll surface on the ingoing side of the mill.