Bearing assembly

Claim 2

A shaft bearing assembly comprising: a plurality of first leveler means, a plurality of second leveler means, said leveler means being arranged to transfer loads from the first leveler means to the second leveler means, a plurality of bearing pads supported at least partly on said leveler means, said bearing pads having bearing surfaces, and means for eliminating one or more bearing pads from the assembly including an independently supportable member which may be substituted for one of said leveler means, said member being spaced entirely below said surfaces.

Claim 3

A shaft bearing assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein said bearing pads are arcuate thrust bearing pads having axial bearing surfaces, a bearing frame member, means retaining said bearing pads in said bearing frame member end permitting limited pivotal movement of the thrust bearing pads.

Claim 4

A shaft bearing assembly as defined in claim 2, including radially extending lubricating grooves in each of sAid bearing surfaces, and means for supplying lubricating fluid to said lubricating grooves.

Claim 5

A shaft bearing assembly as defined in claim 1 including bearing frame means, the first of said leveler means being retained relative to said frame means, the second of said leveler means being freely supported on the first of said leveler means and being disposed in alternated relation therewith, said bearing pads being supported on said second leveler means, said means for eliminating the necessity for one or more bearing pads including a member adapted to be substituted for one of said second leveler means.

Claim 6

A shaft bearing assembly as defined in claim 4 wherein said member is supported in said bearing frame means for movement about a generally radial axis, said member engaging the adjacent first leveler means on each side thereof.

Claim 7

A thrust bearing assembly for varying load service, comprising: bearing frame means, a generally annular groove in said bearing frame means, a plurality of lower levelers in annular array and retained in said annular groove, a plurality of upper levelers alternately spaced with respect to and supported in the adjacent lower levelers, a plurality of thrust bearing pads supported for limited pivotal movement on said upper levelers, said thrust bearing pad having bearing surfaces, means for reducing the number of bearing pads required including a substitute upper leveler, said substitute upper leveler extending entirely below the bearing surfaces, and means supporting said substitute upper leveler in said bearing frame means.

Claim 8

A thrust bearing assembly for varying load service, comprising: bearing frame means, a generally annular groove in said bearing frame means, a plurality of lower levelers in annular array and retained in said annular groove, a plurality of upper levelers alternately spaced with respect to and supported in the adjacent lower levelers, a plurality of thrust bearing pads supported for limited pivotal movement on said upper levelers, said thrust bearing pad having bearing surfaces, means for reducing the number of bearing pads required including a substitute upper leveler, said substitute upper leveler extending entirely below the bearing surfaces, and means supporting said substitute upper leveler in said bearing frame means.

Claim 9

A thrust bearing assembly as defined in claim 6 wherein said means for supporting the substitute upper leveler includes means pivotally mounting said substitute leveler for pivoting movement about a generally radial axis.

Claim 10

A thrust bearing assembly as defined in claim 6, wherein said lower levelers are stepped pie-shaped segments, said upper levelers being stepped pie-shaped segments and supported wholly on the stepped portions of the lower levelers, and pin means axially extending from said groove and loosely received in each of said lower levelers for retaining the levelers in position.

Claim 11

A thrust bearing assembly as defined in claim 8 including a generally radially extending lubrication groove in each of said bearing pads, and means for feeding fluid to said lubrication grooves including a hollow ferrule projecting axially from said bearing frame means into each of said bearing pads.