Top drive systems for wellbore and drilling operations

A system, comprising:

• a gear system comprising a gear housing and a lower planetary carrier disposed in said gear housing, said lower planetary carrier being adapted to rotate relative to said gear housing;
• a top drive system operatively coupled to said gear system, said top drive system comprising a top drive shaft that is adapted to be driven by said gear system;
• a single bearing positioned between said gear housing and said lower planetary carrier, said single bearing being adapted to facilitate a rotation of said lower planetary carrier relative to said gear housing;
• a motor apparatus operatively coupled to said gear system, said motor apparatus being adapted to drive said gear system by rotating said lower planetary carrier relative to said gear housing, wherein a rotational axis of said single bearing is adapted to move in a lateral translational direction with respect to said gear housing while said motor apparatus is rotating said lower planetary carrier and while said gear system is driving said top drive shaft.

A system, comprising:

• a gear system comprising a gear housing and a lower planetary carrier disposed in said gear housing, said lower planetary carrier being adapted to rotate relative to said gear housing;
• a single bearing positioned between said gear housing and said lower planetary carrier, said single bearing being adapted to facilitate a rotation of said lower planetary carrier relative to said gear housing;
• a bearing cartridge that is adapted to maintain said single bearing in said position between said gear housing and said lower planetary carrier, said bearing cartridge comprising an outer part that is releasably secured to said gear housing and a radially movable inner part encompassed by said outer part, said single bearing abutting said radially movable inner part;
• and
• a motor operatively coupled to said gear system, said motor being adapted to rotate said lower planetary carrier relative to said gear housing, wherein a rotational axis of said single bearing and a centerline axis of said radially movable inner part are adapted to move in respective lateral translational directions during said rotation of said lower planetary carrier relative to said gear housing.