Bearing assembly
AssigneeReliance Electric Company
InventorsHooshang Heshmat, Paul T. Gorski
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An improved modular bearing assembly capable of operation for radical and thrust loads under starved and flooded lubricant conditions with low power losses. A journal bearing alone may be employed or journal and thrust bearings. Thrust bearings per se are also disclosed and claimed. Particular bearing characteristics are disclosed for preferred journal liner and thrust bearings.
Claims14
An improved bearing assembly comprising:
- (a) a housing, said housing defining a shaft receiving opening therethrough;
- (b) a liner received within said housing and defining a shaft receiving bore opening therethrough, said liner further defining an enlarged annulus at opposite ends of said bore opening, said liner further defining at least one lubricant delivery grove in communication with said bore opening and extending axially therealong, said at least one lubricant delivery groove having flow restrictor means at opposite ends of same;
- (c) a thrust bearing secured to opposite sides of said liner, said thrust bearings defining a bore opening therethrough and having a plurality of thrust pads equidististantly spaced about said bore opening with a lubricant groove therebetween with an oil bleeder at out ends of same, said thrust pads having a planar land surface and a tapered surface;
- and
- (d) a thrust runner located adjacent each thrust bearing.
An improved thrust bearing comprising a base, said base defining a bore opening therethrough and an annular oil groove therearound, said base further defining a thrust surface thereon, said thrust surface defining a plurality of thrust pads therearound, a radial oil groove located between adjacent thrust pads and an oil bleeder located at an outer end of each oil groove and in communication therewith, said thrust pads comprising a flat land portion and a tapered portion, whereby said thrust bearing when used in conjunction with a thrust runner is capable of operation under both starved and flooded lubricant conditions with low power losses.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.