Crane radial support bearing

A method for receiving and delivering into a base the radial loads imposed on a crane, wherein the crane has a center post operably connected to the base, the center post has a generally cylindrical outer bearing surface, and the crane rotates in at least a partial circle around a rotational axis of the center post, the method comprising:

• providing a plurality of rollers in a linked sequence along the outer bearing surface of the center post, each roller having an axis of rotation that is generally parallel to the rotational axis of the center post;
• providing anchors for anchoring a first roller at one end of the linked sequence and anchoring a second roller at the other end of the linked sequence;
• providing each roller between the first and the second rollers with a link to its adjacent rollers to form a flexible chain of said rollers;
• and
• tensioning the linked sequence to draw each roller into rolling contact with the outer bearing surface.

A bearing system comprising:

• a bearing surface forming at least a partial arc about a first axis;
• and
• a roller chain encompassing at least a segment of the bearing surface and comprising:
• a first roller, a second roller, and a third roller, each roller including a rotational axis generally parallel to the first axis and a roller surface in rolling contact with the bearing surface, wherein the rollers are radially offset from each other along the bearing surface;
• a first member interlinking the first and second rollers and maintaining an offset distance between the first and second rollers;
• and
• a second member interlinking the second and third rollers and maintaining an offset distance between the second and third rollers.

A method of delivering radial loads from a first structure into a bearing surface of a second structure, wherein the bearing surface forms at least a partial arc about a first axis and the first structure is rotationally displaceable about the first axis, the method comprising:

• routing a roller chain along at least a portion of the bearing surface, said roller chain including a first end, a second end, and a plurality of flexibly interlinked rollers between the first and second ends, each roller including an axis of rotation that is generally parallel to the first axis;
• operably connecting the first end of the roller chain to a first anchor point on the first structure;
• operably connecting the second end of the roller chain to a second anchor point on the first structure;
• and
• causing each roller to rollably contact the bearing surface.