GB642891A - Improvements in fluid supports - Google Patents

Abstract

642,891. Bearings. GERARD, P. L. J. July 25, 1946, Nos. 22193, 22194 and 22195. Convention dates, Jan. 19, 1945, Oct. 4, 1945, and Oct. 17, 1945. [Class 12 (i)] A fluid support bearing supporting or guiding a movable member comprises at least two recessed portions in the bearing surface supplied with fluid under pressure and longitudinal grooves between said recessed portions to discharge the pressure fluid therefrom. (The movable member is automatically centralised in the bearing by the variation of the throttling effect on the fluid flowing to the discharge grooves through the narrow clearance spaces between the bearing surfaces.) As shown, a shaft bushing 2 in a fixed housing 3 has a succession of grooves b<SP>1</SP>-b<SP>7</SP> interspacing a succession of chambers a<SP>1</SP> - a<SP>7</SP> and extending longitudinally on its inner surface. Annular grooves g<SP>1</SP>-g<SP>6</SP> are formed on the outer periphery of the bushing. Groove g<SP>1</SP> conveys pressure fluid from an inlet 6 to chambers a<SP>1</SP>-a<SP>3</SP> via radial passages c<SP>1</SP>. Groove g<SP>6</SP> exhausts pressure fluid from grooves b<SP>4</SP>-b<SP>6</SP> to an outlet 5 via radial passages c<SP>6</SP>, Grooves b<SP>7</SP>, b<SP>1</SP>, b<SP>2</SP>, b<SP>3</SP> respectively communicate with diametrically opposite chambers a<SP>4</SP>-a<SP>7</SP> via passages c<SP>5</SP>, c<SP>4</SP>, c<SP>3</SP>, c<SP>2</SP> and grooves g<SP>5</SP>, g', g3 and g<SP>2</SP>. Thus any tendency of a shaft 1 to contact the bushing 2 in the region of a chamber a<SP>6</SP> due to the pressure in chambers a<SP>1</SP>-a<SP>3</SP>, will increase the pressure in chamber a<SP>6</SP> since the groove b2 which feeds said chamber will have wider communication with chambers a<SP>2</SP>-a<SP>3</SP>. Simultaneously, the evacuation from chamber a<SP>6</SP> will tend to cease owing to the closing of grooves b<SP>4</SP> and b<SP>5</SP>. Similar action applies for chambers a', a<SP>5</SP> and a7. Other constructions are described wherein the chambers and grooves are formed on the outer surface of a fixed inner body such as a pulley axle having longitudinal bores to conduct and evacuate the pressure fluid. In a further con. struction the chambers may be fed direct with pressure fluid through throttling passages, the interposed grooves serving to evacuate the pressure fluid via annular grooves at the extremities of the body in which they are formed. In constructions where two non- rotatable bodies have a relative sliding motion one within the other, the chambers may be formed on the bearing surface of one body and the grooves on the bearing surface of the other body. The Specification as open to inspection under Sect. 91 comprises also the subject-matter of Specifications 642,940 and 642,941. This subject-matter does not appear in the Specification as accepted.