Dynamically stable gas spin bearing

Claim 1

A DYNAMICALLY STABLE GAS SPIN BEARING, COMPRISING: A FIRST JOURNAL MEMBER HAVING A FIRST AXIALLY EXTENDED CYLINDRICAL SURFACE AND A SECOND BEARING MEMBER HAVING A SECOND AXIALLY EXTENDED CYLINDRICAL SURFACE SAID SECOND SURFACE BEING POSITIONED IN REGISTRY WITH SAID FIRST SURFACE TO FORM AN APERTURE BETWEEN SAID FIRST AND SECOND SURFACES, ONE OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND MEMBERS BEING ROTATABLE WITH RESPECT TO THE OTHER; A GAS PERVADING THE APERTURE BETWEEN SAID FIRST AND SECOND SURFACES; MEANS RESPONSIVE TO RELATIVE ROTATION OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND MEMBERS FOR SUPPORTING SAID FIRST AND SECOND MEMBERS APART ON A PRESSURIZED LAYER OF SAID GAS, SAID MEANS INCLUDING APPARATUS RESPONSIVE TO THE RELATIVE ROTATION FOR DEVELOPING AN AXIALLY INCREASING PRESSURE OF SAID GAS FROM A PREDETERMINED FIRST REGION OF SAID APERTURE TO AN AXIALLY REMOTE SECOND REGION OF SAID APERTURE, SAID APPARATUS COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF SPIRAL GROOVES ESTABLISHED IN ONE OF SAID CYLINDRICAL SURFACES AND GENERALLY EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID FIRST AND SECOND REGIONS AND RESPONSIVE TO THE RELATIVE ROTATION FOR PRESSURIZING SAID GAS TOWARD SAID SECOND REGION, SAID APPARATUS FURTHER INCLUDING MEANS FOR SUBSTANTIALLY PREVENTING OUTFLOW, FROM SAID SECOND REGION OF SAID APERTURE, OF GAS PRESSURIZED TOWARD SAID SECOND REGION BY SAID SPIRAL GROOVES.