GB578318A - Improvements in or relating to bearings - Google Patents

Abstract

578,318. Bearings. GODFREY & PARTNERS, Ltd., Sir G., MILES AIRCRAFT, Ltd., and BURGER, F. E. Jan. 3, 1944, No. 43. [Class 12 (i)] A bearing or guide such as a guide for the sliding telescopic shaft of an aircraft shockabsorber, a bearing for a machine tool spindle, a simple journal bearing or a thrust bearing comprises a number greater than three of separate stiff bearing-surface elements assembled close together in or on a supporting body of resilient material which supports and spaces the elements from each other so that they can yield and so conform to changes of shape of the part which bears on them. Fig. 6 shows an arrangement in which phosphor-bronze bearing-surface elements 43 of diamond-shaped area are bedded in spaced relationship in synthetic rubber 44 bonded to a carrier ring 40. Such a bearing is made by cutting intersecting helical grooves in a sleeve of phosphor-bronze, bonding to the rubber 44 and then machining away the internal surface of the sleeve to expose the rubber extending into the helical grooves. In Fig. 7 the bearing surface elements 45 are shown formed from bars bonded to the rubber 46 with.subsequent machining the bearing to the required bore; heat-conducting wires 47 connect the strips 45 to the carrier ring 40. As shown in Fig. 8 the elements 51 may be of wedge-form in transverse section whereby the thin ends 53 are more deflected on load by reason of the greater backing of rubber at these points and thus an effective wedge-shaped oil-film lubrication is provided for the correct direction of rotation of the journal as shown by arrow 54. The thrust bearing shown in Fig 9 has similar elements. Figs. 14 and 15 shown in longitudinal and transverse section the arrangement for a machine tool spindle 107 in which the bearing- surface elements: 105 are of conical strip form and are bedded in rubber 104 bonded to a carrier 102 having a corresponding conical bore. The spindle is located in -the bearing by shoulder rings 109, 113 and it will be seen that on tightening the nut 116 (and locknut 117) the bearing- surface strips 105 will be moved axially into the conical bore and therefore tightened against the spindle to take up any looseness. In Fig. 13 (not shown) the bearing-surface elements are provided on the exterior of a carrier ring and such arrangement can be fitted to a piston member working in a cylinder. Circumferentially aligned - channels may be cut in the bearing-surface elements which may then serve as a ball race Fig. 4 (not shown) or serve to receive a packing ring Fig. 3 (not shown). The bearing-surface elements may be moulded plastics, porous bodies containing lubricant, lignum vitae, jewels, anodised metal. The carrier ring may be so thin as to accommodate itself to changes of shape of the member on which it is mounted. Metallic wires may be incorporated in the rubber to act as heat conductors.