Axially fed hydrostatic bearing/seal
AssigneeRockwell International Corporation
InventorsMaynard L. Stangeland, Robert F. Beatty
Life of this patent
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Abstract
This invention relates to a hydrostatic bearing having a journal 3 annularly circumscribed by a bearing 2 wherein a high pressure fluid is forced between the bearing and the journal axially. The high pressure fluid flowing axially along the journal in the bearing keeps the journal centered. A roughened or diamond knurled 11 inside surface interrupts the circumferential and axial flow of the fluid for improved rotor stability and less leakage. Other features include a tapered inner bore 9 to increase the bearing stiffness and a sharp edged inlet for greater control of the bearing stiffness and damping. The axially fed hydrostatic bearing combines the seal function and the bearing function for annular fluid flows along a journal.
Claims13
An axially fed hydrostatic bearing and annular seal comprising,
- a journal annularly circumscribed by a hydrostatic bearing,
- the hydrostatic bearing having a high pressure end and a low pressure end,
- a source of high pressure fluid at the high pressure end of the bearing, where the fluid is forced to flow axially along the journal between the journal and the bearing and exiting to the low pressure end of the hydrostatic bearing,
- the fluid flow thereby providing a restoring force to the journal when it deviates from the center of the hydrostatic bearing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.