Knife edge bearing system

A knife-edge bearing system comprising:

• three groups of engaged circular knife edge disk members, each disk member being engaged at an edge along its circumferential edge with another disk member to thereby provide point contact therebetween, the three groups engaging at three corresponding spaced points, and
• means for securing one disk of each group in a first fixed spaced relationship and the remaining disk of each group in a second fixed spaced relationship such that the one disks pivot about the other disks in unison about a common axis passing through said points, vertical parallel lines passing through the centers of two of said other disks defining a given space, the two point contacts corresponding to said two other disks being either both within or both outside said given space.

A system for supporting a movable means for pivotal motion about an axis with little friction and with little tendency for movement along the length of the axis, comprising, in combination:

• support means which is fixed relative to said axis;
• first and second disk shaped elements secured to one of said means, said elements being spaced apart, edge-to-edge and parallel to a plane in which said axis lies, said plane passing through both elements, each element being formed with a circumferential groove along its outer edge, the root of the groove, in one case, being intersected by the axis and in the other, tangent to the axis;
• third, fourth and fifth disk shaped elements secured to the other of said means, said third, fourth and fifth elements being spaced apart, edge-to-edge, and parallel to said plane, said plane passing through the third, fourth and fifth elements, the third, fourth and fifth elements all being formed with a circumferential knife edge, the first element self-seating with its groove mating with and engaging the knife edges of the third and fourth elements and the knife edge of the fifth element mating with and engaging the groove of the second elements, the three points of contact among the five elements lying on said axis.