GB608441A - Improvements in bearings - Google Patents

Abstract

608,441. Bearings. WILLIS CO.,.E. J. Feb. 23, 1946, No. 5708. Convention date, May 30, 1945. [Class 12 (i)] A journal is fitted with a sleeve, e.g. of soft rubber, having on its outer periphery grooves of length not greatly less than that of the sleeve and closed at the ends, or the journal itself is so grooved, such journal and sleeve being supported for rotation in a fixed bearing bush of different material, e.g. bronze or synthetic resin and having a plurality of openings in its working surface in the region where it is free of load to allow communication with the exterior of the bearing. Thus in a stern-tube bearing or an outboard bearing of a boat, water passes to the interior of the bearing and the rotating shaft effects circulation thereof to wash out sand and to provide liquid-film lubrication of substantial pressure at the loaded region by the closed ends of the groove preventing escape of the centri. fugally-acting water held trapped therein at this region. Fig. 1 shows a stern tube bearing and Fig. 2 a cross-section. A propeller shaft 31 has shrunk thereon a sleeve 32 over which is secured by axial screws 35 a sleeve 33 having bonded to its exterior a soft rubber coating 34 provided around its periphery with closedended axial grooves 36, Fig. 3. The fixed bushing 24 of bronze is held in the stern tube 20 by an end flange 25 and spaced from the interior of the tube by rings 22. Where the stern tube 20 projects beyond the ship's hull 21, it is provided with openings 40 so that water can enter the space around the fixed bearing bush 24 and pass by exterior axial grooves 28 and openings 29 situated at the upper unloaded region of the bearing to the crescent-shaped clearance space 41 between the sleeved journal and the fixed bearing bush. The bearing bush 24 may be of a plastic material and in such case the propeller-shaft is provided simply with a bronze sleeve 33.