Importance

Loading Importance Indicators...

Abstract

A thrust bearing particularly suitable for use with a vertical shaft machine has a rotating ring mounted to the shaft for rotation with the shaft and having a downwardly directed bearing surface. A base ring is positioned around the shaft and fixedly mounted to a machine foundation. A plurality of segmented bearing shoes extend around the shaft and have upwardly directed bearing surfaces for bearing engagement with the bearing surface of the rotating ring. Each shoe is supported from the base ring by a plurality of hydraulic elements which in one form are cylinders fixed to the base ring with pistons extending axially therefrom to engage the respective bearing shoe. Each cylinder is connected to a manifold to provide to each cylinder a hydraulic fluid under pressure. Because the source is common, each cylinder has hydraulic fluid at the same pressure. The hydraulic elements (cylinders and pistons) for each shoe, are distributed or arranged in a pattern which provides a substantially planar surface to each bearing shoe under load.

Loading the Abstract Image...

First Claim