Thrust bearing and method for equalizing load
AssigneePioneer Motor Bearing Co.
InventorLyle Arthur Branagan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A multi-pad, fluid film thrust bearing has the pads suspended from the carrier ring on hydrostatic oil pressure regions. The oil is pressurized hydrodynamically by relative rotation between a load surface and the bearing surface of each pad; and the oil is passed through each pad to a rear cavity where the hydrostatic pressure region is established. A manifold interconnects all of the hydrostatic pressure regions for the individual pads in order to average the hydrostatic pressures and provide for static and dynamic load equalization.
Claims24
A thrust bearing comprising:
- (a) a carrier having at least one pad recess, an oil inlet manifold within the carrier, and a pressure equalization manifold within the carrier;
- and
- (b) a plurality of thrust pads disposed in the pad recess, each thrust pad having a bearing face, a rear face having a rear pad recess therein, an oil inlet bore, and a pad passage, the oil inlet bore and the pad passage defining two separate fluid communication paths between the bearing face and the rear face of each pad;
- (c) wherein the oil inlet manifold in the carrier is in fluid communication with each of the oil inlet bores of the thrust pads to define a first plurality of oil supply paths for supplying oil to the bearing faces, the pad passages provide a second plurality of oil supply paths for supplying oil from the bearing faces to the rear pad recesses of the thrust pads, and wherein the pressure equalization manifold in the carrier is in fluid communication with each of the rear pad recesses, thereby providing automatic pressure equalization between the rear pad recesses.
A load-equalizing thrust bearing comprising:
- (a) a carrier ring having a thrust pad recess;
- (b) a plurality of thrust pads loosely captured in the thrust pad recess, each thrust pad having a bearing face, and each thrust pad having a rear face and a rear pad recess therein, wherein the rear pad recess is positioned between the pad and thrust pad recess;
- (c) means for supplying oil to the bearing faces of the thrust pads;
- (d) means for permitting oil to pass from the faces of the thrust pads to the rear pad recesses;
- and
- (e) a pressure equalization conduit within the carrier ring, the pressure equalization conduit being in fluid communication with each of the rear pad recesses such that the rear pad recesses are in fluid communication with each other.
A thrust bearing for supporting a rotating face of a rotating apparatus, the thrust bearing comprising a plurality of tiltable thrust pads disposed in a pad recess in a carrier ring, each pad having a bearing face, a rear face, and being supported on a volume of oil positioned between the pad and the pad recess, and a pressure equalization conduit positioned within the carrier ring that fluidly connects each of the volumes of oil supporting the thrust pads, wherein the pressure equalization conduit causes the pressure of each volume of oil to automatically be regulated at substantially equal pressures without pumps, valves, external oil conduits, or other intervening mechanical devices.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.