Journal bearing with leading edge groove vent
AssigneeWestinghouse Electric Corp.
InventorsLouis F. Hackstie, Peter J. Clayton
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A journal bearing is disclosed with shoe segments. Each shoe segment has a supply groove for even distribution of oil across the shoe surface during shaft rotation. The supply grooves have bleed vents that relieve pressure build-up in the supply groove by bleeding oil out of the supply groove in a substantially circumferential direction. Directing oil in this way prevents the pressurized oil from impinging on any nearby seals and provides enhanced temperature profile characteristics.
Claims18
A shoe segment for a journal bearing comprising:
- a leading edge;
- a bearing surface for supporting a rotating shaft;
- a supply groove recessed into the bearing surface;
- and,
- at least one bleed vent extending from said supply groove to the leading edge of the shoe segment such that oil entering the supply groove can bleed through the leading edge in a circumferential path substantially perpendicular to the leading edge and perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the rotating shaft.
A journal bearing comprising:
- at least one shoe segment having a leading edge and a trailing edge, said at least one shoe segment further having a bearing surface for supporting a rotating shaft;
- a supply groove recessed into said bearing surface;
- and,
- at least one bleed vent extending from said supply groove to the leading edge of said shoe segment such that oil entering the supply groove can bleed through said leading edge in a path substantially perpendicular to said leading edge and substantially perpendicular to the axis of the rotating shaft.
A journal bearing comprising:
- at least two shoe segments each having a leading edge and a trailing edge, said at least two shoe segments further having a bearing surface for supporting a rotating shaft;
- a supply groove recessed into said bearing surface;
- and,
- means for bleeding oil from said supply groove in a path substantially perpendicular to said leading edge such that oil from one of said at least two shoe segments mixes with oil exiting the trailing edge of an other one of said at least two shoe segments.
A journal bearing comprising:
- at least two shoe segments each having a leading edge and a trailing edge, said at least two shoe segments each further having a bearing surface for supporting a rotating shaft;
- a groove recessed into said beating surface of each of said shoe segments;
- and
- means for bleeding oil from said groove in a path substantially perpendicular to said leading edge.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.