Abstract: A thrust bearing tilting pad has face with a border region including an engagement surface and defining a pocket with generally longitudinal sidebars and a bottom. The pad has leading and trailing portions, with the face extending generally longitudinally therebetween. The leading and trailing portions can be positioned upstream and downstream, respectively, relative to a direction of movement of a runner. The pad is pivotally supported by (e.g., mechanical and/or hydrostatic) pivot and can cooperate with one or more other pads and fluid within a housing to hydrodynamically and mechanically support the runner in an axial position. In another embodiment, the pad tilts free of mechanical engagement with other pads. The leading portion can define an entrance to the pocket and the sidebars can converge along the direction of motion of the runner.

Abstract: A thrust bearing tilting pad has face with a border region including an engagement surface and defining a pocket with generally longitudinal sidebars and a bottom. The pad has leading and trailing portions, with the face extending generally longitudinally therebetween. The leading and trailing portions can be positioned upstream and downstream, respectively, relative to a direction of movement of a runner. The pad is pivotally supported by (e.g., mechanical and/or hydrostatic) pivot and can cooperate with one or more other pads and fluid within a housing to hydrodynamically and mechanically support the runner in an axial position. In another embodiment, the pad tilts free of mechanical engagement with other pads. The leading portion can define an entrance to the pocket and the sidebars can converge along the direction of motion of the runner.

Abstract: True-tilting pad of journal bearing has face with border region including engagement surface and defining pocket with generally longitudinal sidebars and a bottom. The pad has leading and trailing portions, with the face extending generally longitudinally therebetween. The leading and trailing portions can be positioned upstream and downstream, respectively, relative to rotation direction of rotatable shaft having convex surface. The pad is pivotally supported by (e.g., mechanical and/or hydrostatic) pivot and can cooperate with one or more other pads and fluid within housing to hydrodynamically and mechanically support the shaft. The pad tilts free of mechanical engagement with other pads. The leading portion can define an entrance to the pocket and the sidebars can converge along the rotation direction.

Abstract: True-tilting pad of journal bearing has face with border region including engagement surface and defining pocket with longitudinal sidebars, bottom, and abrupt step. The pad has leading and trailing portions, with the face extending longitudinally therebetween. The portions can be positioned upstream and downstream, respectively, relative to rotation direction of rotatable shaft having convex surface. The pad is pivotally supported by pivot and can cooperate with one or more other pads and fluid within housing to hydrodynamically and mechanically support the shaft. The pad tilts free of mechanical engagement with other pads. The leading portion can define an entrance to the pocket and the sidebars can converge along the rotation direction. The pocket hydrodynamically increases pressure on the convex surface of the shaft during rotation, and generates pressure effecting on the face counteraction force about the pivot and upstream relative to the rotation direction in order to counteract spragging force.