Membrane type fluid flow regulator for a hydrostatic bearing

Claim 1

The combination of a hydrostatic bearing and a controller for regulating the rate of continuous flow of pressure fluid to the pad of the hydrostatic bearing and through the sill clearance thereof, said controller including a rigid housing having an inlet communicating with a source of fluid under pressure and an outlet leading to said pad, an axially flexible membrane made of a single piece of resiliently yieldable material, said membrane constituting a partition dividing said housing internally between said inlet and outlet and permitting the flow of pressure fluid therebetween, a rigid wall opposing and axially spaced from the membrane and defining between the central areas of the two a restriction in the form of a thin gap through which fluid passing through said membrane flows in all radial directions through the gap and to said outlet whereby said membrane is responsive to pressure changes within the outlet to vary the width of said gap and therefore the rate of flow of fluid to the pad of said hydrostatic bearing with changes in the loading of said bearing, a cavity within the housing on the opposite side of said membrane and communicating with said pressure source whereby to provide a hydraulic backing for the membrane opposing pressure changes on the gap side thereof, and means for resisting the flow of fluid between said cavity and said pressure source and comprising a thin gap formed between and defined by the back of said membrane and an area on the opposed end wall of said housing so as to produce a snubbing action preventing objectionable axial vibration of said membrane in service use.