Slew bearing, method for using a slew bearing, hoisting crane and vessel

A slew bearing comprising:

• a stationary bearing ring to be fixed to a base;
• a moveable bearing ring to be fixed to a moveable object and which moveable bearing ring is concentric with the stationary bearing ring,
• wherein the stationary bearing ring and the moveable bearing ring are configured to enable rotation of the moveable bearing ring relative to the stationary bearing ring about a rotation axis,
• wherein the slew bearing further comprises an upper main axial bearing having a row of axial load rollers, which rollers are arranged between a top roller raceway and a bottom roller raceway, said top roller raceway being connected to the moveable bearing ring and said bottom roller raceway being connected to the stationary bearing ring, and said rollers configured to transfer axial loads parallel to the rotation axis between the moveable bearing ring and the stationary bearing ring,
• wherein the slew bearing further comprises an upper auxiliary axial bearing having upper low-friction pads arranged on the moveable bearing ring and corresponding lower low-friction pads arranged on the stationary bearing ring to engage with the upper low-friction pads, wherein the upper low-friction pads are arranged parallel to the top roller raceway, and the lower low-friction pads are arranged parallel to the bottom roller raceway in order to transfer axial loads parallel to the rotation axis between the moveable bearing ring and the stationary bearing ring when the upper and lower low-friction pads engage with each other,
• wherein the moveable bearing ring comprises one or more main portions forming at least a part of the top roller raceway of the upper main axial bearing, and one or more corresponding auxiliary portions, each auxiliary portion forming at least a part of the upper low-friction pads,
• wherein the one or more main portions are moveable relative to the corresponding one or more auxiliary portions between an operational position, in which the at least part of the top roller raceway engages with the axial load rollers to transfer axial loads between the moveable bearing ring and the stationary ring, and a maintenance position, in which the at least part of the top roller raceway is disengaged from the axial load rollers, and
• wherein the one or more auxiliary portions are configured such that the at least part of the upper low-friction pads are engageable with the lower low-friction pads when the corresponding one or more main portions are in the maintenance position to transfer axial loads between the moveable bearing ring and the stationary ring.