Adjustable bottom step bearing

A method of compensating for misalignment between the end of a shaft which is rotatably suspended and a bearing in which the shaft is journaled, the method comprising the steps of:

• mounting a bearing sleeve on the shaft lower end so that said bearing sleeve is rotatable with the shaft;
• slidably positioning said bearing sleeve within a replacement bushing;
• surrounding said bushing with an intermediate member;
• providing said intermediate member with an arcuate outer surface;
• surrounding said intermediate member with an inner eccentric ring;
• providing said inner eccentric ring with an arcuate inner surface shaped to correspond to said intermediate member outer surface;
• positioning said intermediate member within said inner eccentric ring in a manner which permits said intermediate member to move with respect to said inner eccentric ring so that tilting of the shaft with respect to a vertical orientation is compensated for by movement of said intermediate member within said inner ring;
• surrounding said inner eccentric ring with an outer eccentric ring;
• and
• positioning said inner eccentric ring within said outer eccentric ring in a manner which permits said eccentric rings to be moved with respect to each other about the shaft so that displacement of the shaft with respect to a longitudinal centerline of the bearing is permitted.

A method of compensating for angular misalignment of the lower end of an elongate shaft which is rotatably suspended from its upper end from the upper portion of an elongate vessel in which the shaft is mounted, and of compensating for off-center misalignment of the lower end of the shaft with respect to the centerline of the vessel, comprising the steps of:

• (a) Positioning a bearing sleeve between the lower end of the shaft and a replaceable bushing so that the bearing sleeve is rotatable within the shaft within the replaceable bushing;
• (b) Positioning an intermediate member between the replaceable bushing and the inner one of a pair of inner and outer eccentric rings;
• (c) Providing the inner surface of said intermediate member with a bushing-receptive socket and the outer surface with a spherical contour;
• (d) Providing a socket in the inner surface of the inner eccentric ring shaped for reception of the spherical contour of said intermediate member;
• (e) Dividing said inner ring into two parts along a diameter thereof for enabling each part to be mounted onto the spherical outer surface of the intermediate member;
• (f) Introducing said two parts of the inner eccentric ring, while in place on the intermediate member, into the interior of the outer eccentric ring for maintaining said parts in embracing relationship and movable with respect to the outer surface of the intermediate member to accommodate tilting of the shaft with respect to a vertical orientation thereof;
• and
• (g) adjusting said eccentric rings about the shaft and with respect to each other to compensate for off-center misalignment of the end of the shaft with respect to the centerline of the vessel.

A bearing for the lower end of an elongate shaft which is rotatably suspended from its upper end, the bearing having a longitudinal centerline and comprising:

• a bearing sleeve concentrically connected to the shaft lower end to be rotatable therewith;
• a replaceable bushing receiving said bearing sleeve;
• an intermediate member having a bushing receiving means defined therein which receives said bushing therein so that the inner surface of said intermediate member is concentric with said bushing, said intermediate member having an arcuate outer surface;
• a first ring surrounding said intermediate member and having an arcuate inner surface shaped to correspond to and to receive said intermediate member outer surface in a manner which permits said intermediate member to move with respect to said inner ring for compensating for tilting of the shaft with respect to a vertical orientation thereof;
• and
• shaft displacement compensating means in the bearing which compensates for misalignment of the shaft with respect to the bearing longitudinal centerline.

A bearing for the lower end of an elongate shaft which is rotatably suspended from its upper end, the bearing having a longitudinal centerline and comprising:

• a bearing sleeve concentrically connected to the shaft lower end to be rotatable therewith;
• a replaceable bushing slidably receiving said bearing sleeve;
• an intermediate member having a bushing receptive socket defined therein so that said bushing is received within said intermediate member in a manner such that the inner surface of said intermediate member is concentric with said bushing, said intermediate member having an arcuate outer surface;
• a first ring surrounding said intermediate member and having an arcuate inner surface shaped to correspond to said intermediate member outer surface, said intermediate member outer surface slidably engaging said first ring inner surface and said first ring inner surface having an angular extent in excess of the angular extent of said intermediate member outer surface so that said intermediate member can move with respect to said first ring to compensate for tilting of an elongate shaft with respect to a vertical orientation of such elongate shaft;
• and
• shaft displacement compensating means in the bearing which compensates for misalignment of the shaft with respect to the bearing longitudinal centerline.