Bearing assembly and machine using same

Claim 2

A precision bearing assembly comprising, an outer structure having an inside surface defining a bore extending therethrough, an inner structure disposed within said bore and having an outside surface which cooperates with said inside surface to define a controlled substantially annular volume between said surfaces, said structures being relatively axially movable along a common longitudinal axis, at least one annular groove in one of said structures defining an enlargement in said annular volume which adjoins both of said structures, said groove having a base and a pair of sides extending away from said base, and means for supplying a fluid under pressure from an associated supply directly to said enlargement so that upon relatively axially moving said structures fluid from the enlargement is urged toward an adjoining associated portion of said annular volume to perform a wedging action which precisely centers one of said structures relative to said axis and simultaneously enables said one structure to carry a greater load in a direction transverse said longitudinal axis, each of said sides having an angled configuration defined by a substantially abrupt portion adjoining and extending outwardly from an associated end of said base and a gradually feathered end portion extending beyond the terminal end of said abrupt portion, said portions assuring provision of said wedging actiOn in an optimum manner.

Claim 3

A precision bearing assembly comprising, an outer structure having an inside surface defining a bore extending therethrough, an inner structure disposed within said bore and having an outside surface which cooperates with said inside surface to define a controlled substantially annular volume between said surfaces, said structures being relatively axially movable along a common longitudinal axis, one of said structures being axially movable and the other of said structures being supported at a fixed position, at least one annular groove in said other structure defining an enlargement in said annular volume which adjoins both of said structures, said groove having a base and a pair of sides extending away from said base, and means for supplying a fluid under pressure from an associated supply directly to said enlargement so that upon relatively axially moving said structures fluid from the enlargement is urged toward an adjoining associated portion of said annular volume to perform a wedging action which precisely centers one of said structures relative to said axis and simultaneously enables said one structure to carry a greater load in a direction transverse said longitudinal axis, said movable structure having its surface which defines one wall of said annular volume substantially roughened and said roughened surface being comprised of a plurality of projections which serve as pump elements which provide said wedging action with optimum efficiency.

Claim 4

A precision bearing assembly comprising, an outer structure having an inside surface defining a bore extending therethrough, an inner structure disposed within said bore and having an outside surface which cooperates with said inside surface to define a controlled substantially annular volume between said surfaces, said structures being relatively axially movable along a common longitudinal axis, one of said structures being axially movable and the other of said structures being supported at a fixed position, at least one annular groove in said other structure defining an enlargement in said annular volume which adjoins both of said structures, said groove having a base and a pair of sides extending away from said base, and means for supplying a fluid under pressure from an associated supply directly to said enlargement so that upon relatively axially moving said structures fluid from the enlargement is urged toward an adjoining associated portion of said annular volume to perform a wedging action which precisely centers one of said structures relative to said axis and simultaneously enables said one structure to carry a greater load in a direction transverse said longitudinal axis, said movable structure having its surface which defines one wall of said annular volume substantially roughened and said roughened surface being comprised of a plurality of projections which serve as pump elements which provide said wedging action with optimum efficiency.

Claim 5

A precision bearing assembly comprising, an outer structure having an inside surface defining a bore extending therethrough, an inner structure disposed within said bore and having an outside surface which cooperates with said inside surface to define a controlled substantially annular volume between said surfaces, said structures being relatively axially movable along a common longitudinal axis, at least one annular groove in one of said structures defining an enlargement in said annular volume which adjoins both of said structures, said groove having a base and a pair of sides extending away from said base and means for supplying a fluid under pressure from an associated supply directly to said enlargement so that upon relatively axially moving said structures fluid from the enlargement is urged toward an adjoining associated portion of said controlled annular volume to perform a wedging action which precisely centers one of said structures relative to said axis and simultaneously enables said one structure to carry a greater load in a direction transverse said longitudinal axis, said outer structure being supported at a fixed position and having said groove formed therein so that it extends inwardly therein from said inside surface, said inner structure being in the form of a shaft arranged within said bore and being axially movable relative to said fixed outer structure, and each of said sides having a gradually feathered outer end portion which assures provision of said wedging action in an optimum manner.

Claim 6

A precision bearing assembly comprising, an outer structure having an inside surface defining a bore extending therethrough, an inner structure disposed within said bore and having an outside surface which cooperates with said inside surface to define a controlled substantially annular volume between said surfaces, said structures being relatively axially movable along a common longitudinal axis, at least one annular groove in one of said structures defining an enlargement in said annular volume which adjoins both of said structures, said groove having a base and a pair of sides extending away from said base and means for supplying a fluid under pressure from an associated supply directly to said enlargement so that upon relatively axially moving said structures fluid from the enlargement is urged toward an adjoining associated portion of said controlled annular volume to perform a wedging action which precisely centers one of said structures relative to said axis and simultaneously enables said one structure to carry a greater load in a direction transverse said longitudinal axis, said outer structure being supported at a fixed position and having said groove formed therein so that it extends inwardly therein from said inside surface, said inner structure being in the form of a shaft arranged within said bore and being axially movable relative to said fixed outer structure, and each of said sides having a gradually feathered outer end portion which assures provision of said wedging action in an optimum manner.

Claim 7

A bearing assembly as set forth in claim 3 in which said fluid comprises a liquid, said outer structure has an inside surface in the form of a substantially right circular cylindrical surface, and said shaft has said outside surface in the form of a cooperating right circular cylindrical surface.

Claim 8

A bearing assembly as set forth in claim 4 in which said outer structure comprises a bearing block fixed in position as a part thereof and having said right circular cylindrical surface defined therein. 9a length in the order of twenty times its diameter.

Claim 9

A machine comprising; a precision bearing assembly; said bearing assembly having an outer structure having a plurality of axially spaced inside surface portions each defining an associated bore, an inner structure disposed within said bores and having a corresponding plurality of axially spaced outside surface portions with each outside surface portion cooperating with an associated inside surface portion to define a Controlled substantially annular volume between associated inside and outside surface portions, said structures being relatively axially movable along a common longitudinal axis, a plurality of annular grooves in one of said structures with each of said grooves defining an enlargement in an associated annular volume, each groove having a base and a pair of sides extending away from said base a supply of fluid; means for supplying said fluid under pressure from said supply directly to each enlargement; and means for relatively moving said structures to thereby cause the fluid contained in each enlargement to be urged toward an adjoining associated portion of its associated annular volume to perform a wedging action which precisely centers one of said structures about said axis and simultaneously enables said one structure to carry a greater load in a direction transverse said longitudinal axis, each of said sides of each groove having an angled configuration defined by a substantially abrupt portion adjoining and extending outwardly from an end of an associated base and a gradually feathered end portion extending beyond the terminal end of an associated abrupt portion, said portions assuring provision of said wedging action in an optimum manner.

Claim 10

A machine comprising; a precision bearing assembly; said bearing assembly having an outer structure having a plurality of axially spaced inside surface portions each defining an associated bore, an inner structure disposed within said bores and having a corresponding plurality of axially spaced outside surface portions with each outside surface portion cooperating with an associated inside surface portion to define a Controlled substantially annular volume between associated inside and outside surface portions, said structures being relatively axially movable along a common longitudinal axis, a plurality of annular grooves in one of said structures with each of said grooves defining an enlargement in an associated annular volume, each groove having a base and a pair of sides extending away from said base a supply of fluid; means for supplying said fluid under pressure from said supply directly to each enlargement; and means for relatively moving said structures to thereby cause the fluid contained in each enlargement to be urged toward an adjoining associated portion of its associated annular volume to perform a wedging action which precisely centers one of said structures about said axis and simultaneously enables said one structure to carry a greater load in a direction transverse said longitudinal axis, each of said sides of each groove having an angled configuration defined by a substantially abrupt portion adjoining and extending outwardly from an end of an associated base and a gradually feathered end portion extending beyond the terminal end of an associated abrupt portion, said portions assuring provision of said wedging action in an optimum manner.

Claim 11

A machine comprising; a precision bearing assembly; said bearing assembly having an outer structure supported at a fixed position and having a plurality of axially spaced inside surface portions each defining an associated bore, an inner structure disposed within said bores and having a corresponding plurality of axially spaced outside surface portions with each outside surface portion cooperating with an associated inside surface portion to define a controlled substantially annular volume between associated inside and outside surface portions, said inner structure being axially movable relative to said fixed outer structure along a common longitudinal axis, a plurality of annular grooves in said fixed structure with each of said grooves defining an enlargement in an associated annular volume, each groove having a base and a pair of sides extending away from said base; a supply of fluid; means for supplying said fluid under pressure from said supply directly to each enlargement; and means for relatively moving said structures to thereby cause the fluid contained in each enlargement to be urged toward an adjoining associated portion of its associated annular volume to perform a wedging action which precisely centers one of said structures about said axis and simultaneously enables said one structure to carry a greater load in a direction transverse said longitudinal axis, said movable structure having each of its surface portions which defines one wall of an associated annular volume substantially roughened, and each roughened surface portion being comprised of a plurality of projections which serve as pump elements which provide said wedging action with optimum efficiency.

Claim 12

A machine comprising; a precision bearing assembly; said bearing assembly having an outer structure supported at a fixed position and having a plurality of axially spaced inside surface portions each defining an associated bore, an inner structure disposed within said bores and having a corresponding plurality of axially spaced outside surface portions with each outside surface portion cooperating with an associated inside surface portion to define a controlled substantially annular volume between associated inside and outside surface portions, said inner structure being axially movable relative to said fixed outer structure along a common longitudinal axis, a plurality of annular grooves in said fixed structure with each of said grooves defining an enlargement in an associated annular volume, each groove having a base and a pair of sides extending away from said base; a supply of fluid; means for supplying said fluid under pressure from said supply directly to each enlargement; and means for relatively moving said structures to thereby cause the fluid contained in each enlargement to be urged toward an adjoining associated portion of its associated annular volume to perform a wedging action which precisely centers one of said structures about said axis and simultaneously enables said one structure to carry a greater load in a direction transverse said longitudinal axis, said movable structure having each of its surface portions which defines one wall of an associated annular volume substantially roughened, and each roughened surface portion being comprised of a plurality of projections which serve as pump elements which provide said wedging action with optimum efficiency.

Claim 13

A machine as set forth in claim 7 in which said plurality of projections are defined by tool marks which are defined by a cutting tool used to form surface portions on said movable structure.

Claim 14

A machine as set forth in claim 7 in which said fluid comprises a lubricating oil, said outer structure has said inside surface portions in the form of substantially right circular cylindrical surface portions, and said movable structure is in the form of a shaft having said ourside surface portions defined as cooperating right circular cylindrical surface portions.