Bearing burnishing method and apparatus

A burnishing apparatus for the burnishing of an annular thrust surface and wick slot oil ramps of a thrust bearing which has wick slots in the thrust surface, said apparatus comprising:

• bearing holder means having means for immovably holding and orienting the thrust bearing, the thrust bearing having a first axis perpendicular to the annular thrust surface and positioned at the geometric center of the annular thrust surface;
• a rotatable spindle which has a central axis and a tool assembly end and a qear assembly end;
• first positioning means, on said bearing holder means, for positioning the thrust bearing so that the central axis is coaxial with the first axis;
• a burnishing tool including an elongated bar which has a transverse convexly shaped burnishing surface and a tool mounting end, the tool mounting end being mounted to the tool assembly end of said spindle so that the burnishing surface rotates about the central axis;
• second positioning means for positioning said burnishing tool with respect to said orienting means so that the burnishing surface and the wick slots of the thrust surface are in an initial alignment;
• pressure means connected to said bearing holder means for maintaining the burnishing surface and the thrust surface in pressured contact;
• rotating means connected to said spindle for rotating said spindle, said rotating means further including means for causing said spindle to rotate in a first direction about the central axis and then in a second opposite direction about the central axis;
• first stopping means for stopping the rotation of said spindle at the end of movement in the first direction, said first stopping means being adjusted so that the burnishing surface and the wick slots of the thrust surface are in alignment at each such stopping;
• and
• second stopping means for stopping the rotation of said spindle at the end of movement in the second direction, said second stopping means being adjusted so that the burnishing surface and the wick slots of the thrust surface are in alignment at each such stopping.

A process for burnishing an annular thrust surface and wick slot oil ramps of a thrust bearing which has wick slots in the thrust surface, comprising the steps of:

• (1) providing a thrust having an annular thrust surface and wick slots in the thrust surface and wick slot oil ramps and having an axis perpendicular to said annular thrust surface;
• (2) providing a rotatable spindle having a central axis and a tool assembly end;
• (3) providing a burnishing tool, including an elongated bar having a transverse convexly shaped burnishing surface, attached to said tool assembly end such that the burnishing surface rotates about the central axis;
• (4) orienting said thrust bearing such that the axis of rotation of the burnishing tool is coaxial with the axis of the thrust bearing;
• (5) supporting the burnishing tool and the thrust bearing for relative rotation;
• (6) orienting the burnishing surface in an initial alignment with the wick slots of the thrust bearing;
• (7) placing and maintaining the burnishing surface in pressured contact with the thrust bearing;
• and
• (8) rotating said spindle to produce relative rotational movement between the burnishing tool and the thrust bearing in a first direction, then in a second direction opposite to the first direction, the rotational movement starting and stopping only when the burnishing tool is aligned with the wick slots.