Hydrostatic bearing

An improved hydrostatic bearing for a rotatable shaft of the type in which lubricating fluid is fed from a manifold exteriorly of the bearing through a plurality of orifices in the bearing, to a plurality of recesses on an inner bearing surface, and finally to a land on said inner surface, said recesses providing pockets of lubricating fluid to allow the build-up of more effective hydrostatic pressure, wherein the improvement comprises:

• groove means in said land for directing lubricating fluid back toward said recesses, for interrupting the flow of lubricating fluid transverse to an inner circumference of the bearing to reduce any leakage flow from the bearing, and to interrupt circumferential flow of lubricating fluid, thereby stabilizing the shaft;
• and
• a plurality of spaced elevations in said groove means, wherein said elevations roughen the surface of said land, further interrupt circumferential flow of lubricating fluid and further interrupt flow of lubricating fluid transverse to the circumference of the bearing, thereby further stabilizing the shaft and reducing any leakage flow from the bearing.

An improved method of stabilizing a rotatable shaft, of the type in which lubricating fluid is fed from a manifold exteriorly of a bearing through a plurality of orifices in the bearing, to a plurality of recesses on an inner surface of the bearing and finally to a land on said inner surface, said recesses providing pockets of lubricating fluid to allow the build-up of more effective hydrostatic pressure, wherein the improvement comprises:

• directing lubricating fluid back toward said recesses and interrupting the flow of lubricating fluid transverse to an inner circumference of the bearing by means of grooves in said land, thereby reducing the leakage flow rate from the bearing, said groove means also stabilizing the shaft by interrupting circumferential flow of lubricating fluid.

An improved method of stabilizing a rotatable shaft, of the type in which lubricating fluid is fed from a manifold exteriorly of a bearing through a plurality of orifices in the bearing, to a plurality of recesses on an inner surface and finally to a land on said inner surface, said recesses providing pockets of lubricating fluid to allow the build-up of more effective hydrostatic pressure, wherein the improvement comprises:

• directing lubricating fluid back toward said recesses and interrupting the flow of lubricating fluid transverse to the circumference of the bearing by means of grooves in said land, thereby reducing the leakage flow rate from the bearing, said groove means also stabilizing the shaft by interrupting circumferential flow of lubricating fluid;
• and
• further interrupting circumferential flow of lubricating fluid and further interrupting flow of lubricating fluid transverse to the circumference of the bearing by means of a plurality of spaced elevations on said grooves thereby further stabilizing the shaft and further reducing the leakage flow rate from the bearing.