Bearing life extender for conveyor type rollers

Rollers used on conveyors and inside the zinc-pot of a steel-sheet galvanizing line are usually driven by friction between the roller and the belt or sheet. Such rollers operating in high temperature furnaces or in a hot zinc pot of a steel galvanizing line often have limited or no lubrication The invention herein utilizes bearings which are smaller in diameter and longer than conventional bearing system used in rollers, without an increase in shaft bending moment. This is made possible by changing from a rotating cantilevered shaft to a stationary shaft strengthened to be substantially non-deflecting on either side of the bearings. Such a stationary shaft can be smaller in diameter to reduce bearing friction torque. In addition such a shaft can have increased bearing contact area and assure bearing alignment, all of which contribute to increased bearing life. A device is provided for increasing the buoyancy of a submerged roller.