Downhole motor and bearing assembly

A bearing assembly for assembly on a downhole motor comprising a tubular housing having an inlet and an outlet for flow of fluid therethrough, a stator supported in a fixed position in said housing, a rotor supported for rotary movement in said stator, said assembly comprising

• a bearing housing adapted to be removably secured on said motor housing,
• a shaft for supporting a drill bit and adapted to be connected to said rotor and supported for rotary movement in said bearing housing,
• a bearing assembly comprising a first plurality of bearing members supported in said bearing housing in fixed spaced relation therein,
• a second plurality of bearing member cooperable one with each of said first plurality of bearing members and operatively suported on said shaft in fixed spaced relation for rotation therewith, said second bearing members being normally rotatable with said shaft, but being capable of movement relative to said shaft,
• a first plurality of sleeve members positioned in said bearing housing in spaced relation and operatively supporting said first plurality of bearing members in said fixed spaced relation,
• a second plurality of sleeve members positioned on said shaft in spaced relation and operatively supporting said second plurality of bearing members in said fixed spaced relation, and said sleeve members being interchangeably positioned in said bearing housing and on said shaft to position said bearing members in selected interchangeable relation according to the need for bearings to support a load in a forward or reverse direction.

A downhole motor and bearing assembly comprising:

• a tubular housing;
• a rotatable shaft in said housing;
• a bearing assembly comprising a first plurality of bearing members supported along said housing in a first fixed axially spaced relation therein;
• a second plurality of bearing members cooperable one with each of said first plurality of bearing members and supported along said shaft in a second fixed axially spaced relation, said second bearing members being normally rotatable with said shaft, but capable of movement relative to said shaft;
• a first plurality of sleeve member positioned along said housing in spaced relation and supporting said first plurality of bearing members in said first fixed axially spaced relation;
• a second plurality of sleeve members positioned along said shaft in spaced relation and operatively supporting said second plurality of bearing members in said second fixed axially spaced relation;
• and
• said sleeve members being interchangeably positionable along said housing and along said shaft to position said bearing members in selected interchangeable relationships according to the need for bearings to support a load in first of second opposed axial directions.

A bearing assembly for the rotary shaft of a downhole motor, said assembly comprising:

• a bearing housing;
• a bearing assembly comprising a first plurality of bearing members supported in said bearing housing in a first fixed axially spaced relation therein;
• a second plurality of bearing members cooperable one with each of said first plurality of bearing members and supported along said shaft in fixed spaced relation, said second bearing members being normally rotatable with said shaft, but capable of movement relative to said shaft;
• a first plurality of sleeve members positioned in said bearing housing in spaced axial relation and supporting said first plurality of bearing members in said first fixed axial spaced relation;
• a second plurality of sleeve members positioned along said shaft in spaced relation and supporting said second plurality of bearing members in said second fixed axial spaced relation;
• and
• said sleeve members being interchangeably positionable in said bearing housing and along said shaft to position said bearing members in selected interchangeable relation according to the need for bearings to support a load in first and second opposed axial direction.