Device for radially supporting a rotary shaft in a stationary part

Claim 1

IN COMBINATION WITH A BODY MOUNTED ON A ROTARY SHAFT FOR ROTATION ABOUT THE AXIS OF SAID SHAFT AND A BALANCER MEMBER COAXIAL WITH SAID SHAFT, AND CONTAINING A PLURALITY OF BALANCING ELEMENTS DISPLACEABLE IN SAID MEMBER AND DIVIDING IT INTO ARCUATE CHAMBERS, A MECHANICAL BEARING STRUCTURE AXIALLY SPACED FROM SAID BALANCER MEMBER AND SUPPORTING THE ROTARY SHAFT, A DETECTING MEMBER POSITIONED BETWEEN SAID BALANCER MEMBER AND SAID BEARING STRUCTURE AND INCLUDING MEANS FOR DETECTING ANY UNBALANCE IN SAID BODY COMPRISING A CYLINDRICAL INNER SURFACE SURROUNDING A LENGTH PORTION OF SAID SHAFT WITH A CLEARANCE SPACE THEREBETWEEN, AN ANNULAR CHAMBER IN SAID DETECTING MEMBER, AN ANNULAR CHANNEL EXTENDING RADIALLY AND CIRCUMFERENTIALLY BETWEEN SAID ANNULAR CHAMBER AND SAID CLEARANCE SPACE, A PLURALITY OF SEPARATE DUCTS IN SAID SHAFT FOR ESTABLISHING A COMMUNICATION BETWEEN SAID CLEARANCE SPACE AND EACH OF SAID ARCUATE CHAMBERS, SAID DUCTS OPENING INTO SAID CLEARANCE SPACE AT EQUI-ANGULARLY SPACED POINTS, AND MEANS FOR CONDUCTING FLUID UNDER PRESSURE TO SAID ANNULAR CHAMBER TO PRODUCE PRESSURE DIFFERENTIALS IN SAID CLEARANCE SPACE PROPORTIONAL TO ANY UNBALANCE OF SAID BODY, SO AS TO INDUCE A COMPENSATORY SHIFT IN THE RELATIVE POSITION OF SAID BALANCING ELEMENTS IN ACCORDANCE WITH SAID PRESSURE DIFFERENTIALS.