Gear pump arrangement with erosion resistant insert

A bimetallic bearing block for use in a gear pump arrangement having a pair of intermeshing gears located between bearing surfaces of bearing blocks and rotatable to pump fluid from an inlet to an outlet, the bearing block comprising a body defining a recess within which an insert is located, the insert and recesses being shaped so as to be of small dimensions at the bearing surface of the bearing block than at a point remove therefrom within the bearing block, wherein the recess and insert are both of stepped generally cylindrical or part-cylindrical form.

A method of manufacture of a bimetallic bearing block having a bearing surface, the method comprising providing a recess in a bearing block body, introducing an insert into the recess of the bearing block body and flame spraying aluminium onto the bearing block body to resist release of the insert from the recess, the insert and recess being shaped so as to be of smaller dimensions at the bearing surface of the bearing block than at a point remote therefrom within the bearing block, wherein the recess and insert are both of stepped generally cylindrical or part-cylindrical form.