Reduced flow bearing

A journal bearing for internal combustion engines and the like wherein a rotatable journal is received within a cylindrical opening defined jointly by a pair of detachably secured members, said bearing comprising:

• a semicircular bearing shell adapted to be opposedly received within said opening to define a generally semi-cylindrical, inwardly facing bearing surface adapted to surround a portion of said journal in close fitting bearing relationship with clearance for formation therebetween of a load carrying lubricating oil film;
• said inwardly facing bearing surface having an arcuate cross section which is centered on an axis eccentric from the central axis of said bearing, said clearance between the journal and said bearing surface progressively increasing from the center of said shell to its outer ends said inwardly facing bearing surface further comprising an eccentric lubricant supply groove, extending circumferentially a predetermined angular dimension, which tapers from a maximum depth at the center of said bearing shell to terminate at a location intermediate of said center of bearing shell and said ends of said bearing shell to form lubricant metering orifices of the ends of said groove;
• and
• a lubricant supply opening extending through said bearing shell to intersect said supply groove for supplying lubricant from an external source to said bearing;
• wherein the volume of lubricant passing through said lubricant metering orifices, and said bearing shell, is a predetermined value dependent upon the eccentricities of said inwardly facing bearing surface and said lubricant supply groove.

A journal bearing for internal combustion engines and the like wherein a rotatable journal is received within a cylindrical opening defined jointly by a pair of detachably secured members, said bearing comprising:

• a semi-cylindrical bearing shell adapted to be opposedly received within said opening to define a generally semi-cylindrical, inwardly facing bearing surface adapted to surround a portion of said journal in close fitting bearing relationship with clearance for formation therebetween of a load carrying lubricating oil film;
• said inwardly facing bearing surface having a non-round cross-section configured to provide greater clearance between the journal and said bearing surface at the outer ends of said shell than at the center of said shell;
• an eccentric lubricant supply groove extending circumferentially a predetermined angular dimension and tapering from a maximum depth at a point between the groove ends to terminate at a location intermediate of said center of said bearing shell and said ends of said bearing shell to form lubricant metering orifices at said ends of said groove;
• and
• a lubricant supply opening extending through said bearing shell to intersect said supply groove for supplying lubricant from an external source to said bearing;
• wherein the volume of lubricant passing through said lubricant metering orifices, and said bearing shell, is a predetermined value dependent upon the clearance between the journal and said bearing surface at the end of said lubricant supply groove.