Combination spherical and laminated bearing

A method of operating a bearing comprising a laminated bearing portion and a spherical bearing portion, the spherical bearing portion being disposed within the laminated bearing portion or the laminated bearing portion being disposed within the spherical bearing portion, the spherical bearing portion comprising a generally annular outer race having a concave inner circumferential surface, the inner surface being partially spherical and defining a central opening, and a ball disposed within the outer race central opening and having a convex, partially spherical, outer surface in contact with the inner surface of the outer race portion, the ball and outer race being configured such that the ball is locked in the outer race and such that a given break-out force is required to move the ball relative to the outer race, the method comprising:

• repeatedly applying first forces to the bearing to deform the laminated bearing portion without exceeding the given break-out force of the spherical bearing.

A bearing comprising:

• an inner bore,
• an outer housing, and
• means between the inner bore and outer housing for repeatedly elastically accommodating relative movement between the inner bore and the outer housing of up to a first magnitude and for repeatedly slidably accommodating relative movement between the inner bore and the outer housing of a second magnitude greater than the first magnitude.