Retainer for spherical adapter

Claim 1

In a self-aligning externally pressurized fluid film bearing, the combination comprising, a multipiece support having a longitudinal axis and a circumferential surface parallel to its longitudinal axis, an annular recess in said support opening into said circumferential surface, said recess having a circumferential wall and spaced radial walls, said recess being formed by at least two pieces with said radial walls being on separate pieces and said circumferential wall extending over at least two pieces, a passage in said support opening into the circumferential wall of said recess, said passage having an axis perpendicular to said longitudinal axis and intersecting it at an imaginary point, an elastomeric O-ring mounted on said circumferential wall on each side of said passage and mounted on separate pieces of said support, an adapter having a second longitudinal axis and having a cylindrical surface of revolution about its longitudinal axis, said cylindrical surface being of different diameter than said circumferential surface of said support, an annular boss on said adapter protruding from said cylindrical surface and extending into said recess, said boss having radial walls spaced apart in the axial direction less than the axial spacing between the radial walls of said recess, a partispherical surface on said boss sealingly engaging said elastomeric O-rings, a radial passage in said adapter opening into said partispherical surface and having an axis intersecting a second imaginary point on said second longitudinal axis, said partispherical surface being generated from said second imaginary point, and the difference in diameter between said cylindrical surface and said circumferential surface and the difference in axial dimension between the radial walls of said recess and the radial walls of said boss being such that said cylindrical surface engages said circumferential surface substantially simultaneously with the engagement of said radial walls of said recess by the radial walls of said boss when said adapter is tilted with respect to said support whereby substantial coincidence between said first and said second imaginary points is provided by tilting said adapter into abutment with said support whereby an adequate fluid passage is provided between said support and said adapter under all conditions of selfalignment.