Abstract: A hydrodynamic bearing and methods of manufacturing the same. The bearing includes a bearing pad structure that may change shape and move in any direction (six degrees of freedom) to form a converging wedge for hydrodynamic operation, and to adjust for any shaft misalignment. The pad is separated from the support member by one or more beam-like members the beams extend substantially parallel to the plane of the face of the pad. The beams allow deflection of the pad by either deflecting or twisting in a torsional mode. The bearings may be made of a wide variety of materials including, plastics, ceramics, powdered metals, composites and metals. The bearings may be manufactured by injection molding, casting, powdered metal die casting, extrusion, electric discharge or laser cutting.

Abstract: A hydrodynamic thrust, journal or combined radial and thrust bearing and methods of manufacturing the same. The bearing includes a continuous bearing surface and support structure which supports the surface such that the surface may change shape and move in any direction (six degrees of freedom) to optimize formation of a converging wedge for hydrodynamic operation, equalization of load across the bearing surface in thrust bearings and to adjust for any shaft misalignment. The support structure can include a repeating series of support structure portions each including a fully rigid portion a partially rigid portion and connecting portions connecting the spaced portions. Alternatively, the support structure can include a spaced series of deflectable ears which are arranged such that the continuous surface deforms when the ear portions are deflected. The bearing may also include an additional support portion which includes one or more beam-like or membrane members.

Abstract: A hydrodynamic thrust, journal or combined radial and thrust bearing and methods of manufacturing the same. The bearing includes a continuous bearing surface and support structure which supports the surface such that the surface may change shape and move in any direction (six degrees of freedom) to optimize formation of a converging wedge for hydrodynamic operation, equalization of load across the bearing surface in thrust bearings and to adjust for any shaft misalignment. The support structure can include a repeating series of support structure portions each including a fully rigid portion a partially rigid portion and connecting portions connecting the spaced portions. Alternatively, the support structure can include a spaced series of deflectable ears which are arranged such that the continuous surface deforms when the ear portions are deflected. The bearing may also include an additional support portion which includes one or more beam-like or membrane members.

Abstract: A hydrodynamic thrust, journal or combined radial and thrust bearing which may be mounted within a sealed housing assembly which can be, for example, be used to replace rolling element bearings. The bearing can be designed for mounting to either the shaft or housing. If mounted for rotation with the shaft, the bearing pads move relative to a smooth support surface. The bearing includes a bearing pad structure that may change shape and move in any direction (six degrees of freedom) to optimize formation of a converging wedge for hydrodynamic operation, equalization of load on the bearing pads in thrust bearings and to adjust for any shaft misalignment. The bearing pad may be formed so as to contact the shaft in the installed state and to deflect under fluid film pressure. The pad is separated from the support member by a support structure which includes one or more beam-like members. The support structure preferably includes a primary support portion, a secondary support portion and a tertiary support portion.

Abstract: A hydrodynamic bearing constructed entirely of non-newtonian fluidic materials such as rubber, plastic and the like. The bearing is extrudable and includes a bearing pad support structure and a plurality of bearing pads formed with bearing pad support structure. The bearing pads may be formed of a material which is softer than the support structure. The bearing may also include a number of deflection control members fused to the bearing pads and/or the bearing pad support structure.The method of making the bearing inlcudes the steps of extruding one or more materials to form an uncured tubular extrusion, curing the tubular extrusion, cutting the tubular extrusion into bearing segments and sizing the bearing segments by machining the individual segments to the desired inner and outer diameters.

Abstract: A fluid bearing assembly for a shaft comprising a plurality of rigid shells circumferentially spaced around the shaft. Each shell is provided with a profiled portion adjacent said shaft which in operation acts to provide an air cushion upon which the shaft rotates and a profiled end portion which prevents the shells moving radially inward beyond a predetermined point whilst allowing said shells to move radially outwardly.

Abstract: The hydrodynamic bearing assembly may be either a journal bearing or a thrust bearing. Bearing pads are located adjacent a shaft when a journal bearing or adjacent a collar on a shaft when a thrust bearing. The bearing pads are located on equalizing pads, two bearing pads for each equalizing pad. An elastomeric layer is disposed between the bearing pads and the equalizing pads.

Abstract: The spindle has a sleeve about a fixed shaft. Swing-type bearing pads are attached to the fixed shaft. The bearing pads are lubricated by flowing a lubricant through primary and secondary lubricating holes located in the fixed shaft.

Abstract: In a press roll having a stationary support member and a roll shell rotatable about the stationary support member and movable in a predeterminate support or pressing direction throughout the entire width of the press roll, the provision of guide devices for the rotatable roll shell enable accomplishing an axial and radial guiding of the rotatable roll shell with minimum friction and without using roller bearings. These guide devices comprise hydrostatic support or pressure elements which can be adjusted in the predeterminate support or pressing direction. Bearing surfaces of the hydrostatic support elements and running or travel surfaces at the roll shell are spherically designed, for instance provided in mirror-image relationship to one another at both ends of the press roll, or at only one end thereof, or at the central or intermediate region of the press roll.

Abstract: The bearing described comprises a bearing housing (1); a cylindrical outer race (2) for pivoting segments; pivoting segments inserted into said outer race and distributed around its circumference; and a lubricant feed system (4). The pivoting segments (3) have, on the shaft side, a sliding surface (5) with a transverse groove (6) for the lubricant supply on the stage of its sliding surface (5) which is opposed to the direction of movement of the shaft and one the other side a rocking surface (8), the radial cross-section of which corresponds to the sector of the circle having a radius which is smaller than the radius of the cylindrical outer race of the pivoting segments. Furthermore, the pivoting segments form, on both sides of the rocking surface (8) a gap (10, 11) in relation to the cylindrical outer race (2), the gap (10, 11) tapering off in a manner which matches that of the rocking surface (8).

Abstract: An aerodynamic slide bearing which uses air as a lubricant. A shaft is supported on substructures distributed about its circumference, which exhibit predetermined elasticity and dampening behavior. A dampening chamber is located between each substructure and an outer casing to give the aerodynamic slide bearing requisite dampening characteristics. Because of the modular design, the aerodynamic slide bearing is relatively insensitive to shifting of the shaft.

Abstract: A hydrodynamic bearing is disclosed in which there are a plurality of bearing pads that each have a face member and a support member, the pad being separated from the support member by at least one leg-like ligament. Each leg-like ligament is arranged at an angle to the pad face to permit the pad to rock for shaft alignment and may be provided with a dog leg portion to permit movement of the pad in the direction of the load to compensate for unequal loads.

Abstract: Unwanted vibrations in rotating machinery are controlled from an "active" point of view, meaning, that certain parameters, and thereby vibrations, can be controlled while the machine is operating. This is accomplished from the theoretical knowledge known about rotor dynamics, mechanical vibrations, automatic controls, fluid dynamics, and bearing design theory to produce an active remedy to fundamental vibration problems. From the known information about the critical speeds of a machine and while the speed transients are occuring, active controls cause these critical speeds to be made variable and always away from the actual running speed. By this means, the machine does not have to "run through" the critical speeds but rather, the critical speeds are jumped over by control of certain parameters. This approach is novel but may be accomplished by several different techniques, of which a variety are presented herein.

Abstract: In a plain bearing, at least one adapter segment is used which includes a bearing body cooperating with an adapter piston to define a pressure chamber therebetween. The pressure chamber is connected with the lubricant gap extending between the plain surface of the bearing body and the shaft to be supported so that the pressure as exerted by the shaft and prevailing in the lubricant gap is deviated to the pressure chamber so that oscillations of the shaft can be automatically controlled.

Abstract: A hydro-dynamic fluid-bearing assembly constituted by bearing members disposed around a rotary shaft with the interposition of a film of pressure fluid. At least one of the bearing members is subject when the shaft is stopped to the action of a resilient member generating a limited pre-loading strictly necessary for maintaining the assembly in its correct interrelationship, the said resilient means being subject during operation of the shaft to the action of pressure fluid bled from the film of fluid under pressure lying beneath the bearing member and such that the load on the bearing member increases with the pressure of the fluid film.

Abstract: A pad type journal bearing device includes a plurality of bearing pads disposed in circumferentially spaced relationship to one another within a casing and swingable about axes parallel to an axis of a rotating shaft. In addition, a resilient return member is provided within the casing for biasing the bearing pads in a manner to maintain a constant clearance between the rotating shaft and the bearing pads.

Abstract: A hybrid bearing for a horizontal rotatable shaft includes an upper portion which is essentially a half section of a fixed arc journal bearing. The lower portion of the bearing is essentially the lower portion of a tilting pad bearing. Appropriate modifications are made to the oil film and drain lines and other peripheral elements to accommodate the hybrid nature of the bearing. The resultant bearing has the low power loss characteristics of the journal bearing, and additionally, the stability characteristics of a tilting pad bearing.

Abstract: In a hydrostatic support member a piston which is axially movable in a pressurized fluid medium-supplied cylinder carries at the end thereof which is remote from the cylinder at least two bearing shoes which are axially movable independently of each other and which can be inclined relative to each other. There is achieved an automatic adaptation of the bearing or running surface of the support member to a counter surface changing in distance, shape and curvature even throughout a wide tolerance range. Such a support member is particularly suited for supporting the working rolls in a rolling mill, the diameter of which decreases during the operating or service life thereof, or for the support of back-up or supporting rolls backing-up the working rolls.

Abstract: A fluid bearing is disclosed which consists essentially of a number of bearing pads, each having a face member and a support member that are separated and bonded together by an elastomeric material. The face member will have a load engaging surface, and its back surface will have at least one arcuate portion to provide a point of inflection which opposes an identical arcuate surface providing another point of inflection located on the support member. In operation the pad which operates in a fluid that serves as a lubricant will develop friction and pressure forces, which move the pad in such a way as to provide a wedge for hydrodynamic lubrication.

Abstract: An oil lubricated, double tilting, three pad journal bearing includes three pads asymmetrically located with respect to each other and with respect to the horizontal and vertical centerline of a horizontally disposed steam turbine shaft. Each pad has associated therewith an oil feed dam. Apparatus for lubricating supplies oil to a channel, formed by the feed dam and its corresponding pad, and the rotating shaft draws the oil from the reservoir as a film into the interstice defined by the shaft surface and the pad face.

Abstract: A pad-type sliding surface bearing is disclosed, in which the bearing surface is segmented into a plurality of pads that rockingly displace themselves to form a wedge shape converging in the direction of motion with a relatively moving part. The pads are each supported in a bearing housing or a support portion by a plurality of webs which indeed are integral with the pad and the housing or support portion, which allow the pad to rock by deflection of the webs. The opposing part that moves relative to the pads creates a viscous friction force in the direction to form a converging web shape between the moving part and the bearing pad, which rocks to a position until the bearing surface stabilizes where the moments of the fluid pressure and the load are in balance.

Abstract: A machine tool bearing system is disclosed for grinding machines and the like, wherein a housing has a spindle bore in which is carried a plurality of bearing sets of the rocking shoe segment type. A spindle is rotatably journalled in the bearing sets, and a lower pressure operating fluid is supplied to wet the spindle bearing surfaces. A hydrostatic pressure area is defined on the lowermost of the rocking shoe segments, and fluid at a higher operating pressure is supplied through a check valve system to the hydrostatic pressure area to provide a lifting force to the spindle during start-up conditions. When the spindle reaches its operating rpm., a hydrodynamic pressure is generated in the shoe segments, and serves to provide a stiff support system to the spindle and also serves to shut off the flow from the check valve system.

Abstract: A roll for pressure treatment of paper webs has a stationary shaft which is spacedly surrounded by the concave cylindrical internal surface of a rotary sleeve. The shaft carries a row of pressure shoes which define therewith plenum chambers for a hydraulic fluid serving to urge the convex cylindrical external surfaces of the shoes toward the internal surface of the sleeve. Each external surface has a centrally located primary hydrostatic bearing pocket which communicates with the respective plenum chamber and a set of four auxiliary hydrostatic bearing pockets which surround the respective primary pocket and receive only that hydraulic fluid which overflows the lands between the primary pocket and the auxiliary pockets. The pockets in each external surface are surrounded by a marginal portion of such surface and the primary pocket has arms which extend to the marginal portion and each of which is flanked by a pair of auxiliary pockets.

Abstract: A driving motor of the type employing pneumatic bearings is improved by reducing a weight moment of an upper pad by cutting away a portion thereof, to make the gaps of the bearing pads of the motor more nearly uniform.

Abstract: A bearing segment for a tiltable and rotatable sliding shoe comprises a base on which is supported a bearing pin having a radial ball and socket joint coupling the pin to the shoe. The ball and socket joint has an inner ring supported on the pin and an outer ring fixed to the shoe. The rings have confronting arcuate surfaces which permit limited relative spherical movement of the rings.

Abstract: A low axial stiffnesss thrust bearing is disclosed. The thrust bearing includes a housing having a generally cylindrical space formed therein and a generally cylindrical thrust collar located coaxially within the space. The axial length of the cylindrical space is sufficiently greater than the axial length of the thrust collar to permit the thrust collar to move axially within the cylindrical space over a predetermined distance and to insure that first and second fluid chambers are formed on opposite sides of the thrust collar when the thrust collar is located centrally within the cylindrical space. A fluid circuit supplies fluid under pressure to the first and second chambers in such a manner that the fluid attempts to maintain the thrust collar at a predetermined axial location within the space even when external thrust forces are placed on the thrust collar.

Abstract: A rotary type electrostatic spray painting device comprising a rotary shaft and a spray head fixed onto the front end of the rotary shaft. Paint is fed onto the cup shaped inner wall of the spray head. The rotary shaft is supported by a single thrust magnetic bearing and a pair of radial air bearings. An electrode, continuously contacting the rear end of the rotary shaft, is provided. A negative high voltage is applied to the housing of the paint device. In addition, the negative high voltage is also applied to the spray head via the electrode and the rotary shaft.

Abstract: A rotary type electrostatic spray painting device comprising a rotary shaft and a spray head fixed onto the front end of the rotary shaft. Paint is fed onto the cup shaped inner wall of the spray head. The rotary shaft is supported by a single thrust air bearing and a pair of tilting pad radial air bearings. The pads of the radial air bearings are electrically connected to the housing of the painting device via leads. An electrode, continuously contacting the rear end of the rotary shaft, is provided. A negative high voltage is applied to the housing of the paint device. In addition, the negative high voltage is also applied to the spray head via the electrode and the rotary shaft.