Pivoted pad bearing apparatus and method for bidirectional rotation

Claim 2

In combination a rotable journal, a pivoted bearing pad in supporting relation to said journal for bidirectional rotation of said journal, stationary structure supporting said pivoted bearing pad for pivotal movement, said pivoted bearing pad including a journal bearing surface extending in a generally circumferential and also in a generally axial direction of said journal whereby to be in supporting relation to said journal for bidirectional rotation of said journal, said journal bearing surface including opposite circumferentially spaced first and second edges, said first and second edges being respectively the leading and the trailing edges for one direction of rotation of said journal, said first and second edges being respectively the trailing and the leading edges for the opposite direction of rotation of said journal, said leading edge being at the circumferential end of said pivoted bearing pad first reached by a given point on the periphery of said journal for any given direction of rotation of said journal, said trailIng edge being at the circumferential end of said pivoted bearing pad last reached by said given point for any given direction of rotation of said journal, said bearing pad including a pivotal support located substantially midway between said first and said second edges, a first and a second lubricant discharge means in the journal bearing surface of said pivoted bearing pad respectively contiguous but spaced from said first and said second edges, means effective on both directions of rotation of said journal for connecting a pressurized supply of lubricant to the lubricant discharge means contiguous the leading edge of said pivoted bearing pad for any given direction of rotation of said journal, and for discontinuing the flow of lubricant to the lubricant discharge means contiguous the trailing edge of said pivoted bearing pad for any given direction of rotation of said journal, whereby to provide a lubricant film pressure profile at said journal bearing surface of said bearing pad which causes an offset pivot effect particular for each direction of rotation of said journal member while still maintaining a mechanically centrally located pivot for said pivoted bearing pad.

Claim 3

connecting a pressurized supply of lubricant to the lubricant discharge means which is contiguous the edge of said pivoted bearing pad which is ''''leading'''' for any given direction of rotation of said journal; and

Claim 4

connecting a pressurized supply of lubricant to the lubricant discharge means which is contiguous the edge of said pivoted bearing pad which is ''''leading'''' for any given direction of rotation of said journal; and

Claim 5

In combination a rotable journal, a pivoted bearing pad in supporting relation to said journal for bidirectional rotation of said journal, stationary structure supporting said pivoted bearing pad for pivotal movement, said pivoted bearing pad including a journal bearing surface extending in a generally circumferential and also in a generally axial direction of said journal whereby to be in supporting relation to said journal for bidirectional rotation of said journal, said journal bearing surface including opposite circumferentially spaced first and second edges, said first and second edges being respectively the leading and the trailing edges for one direction of rotation of said journal, said first and second edges being respectively the trailing and the leading edges for the opposite direction of rotation of said journal, said leading edge being at the circumferential end of said pivoted bearing pad first reached by a given point on the periphery of said journal for any given direction of rotation of said journal, said trailIng edge being at the circumferential end of said pivoted bearing pad last reached by said given point for any given direction of rotation of said journal, said bearing pad including a pivotal support located substantially midway between said first and said second edges, a first and a second lubricant discharge means in the journal bearing surface of said pivoted bearing pad respectively contiguous but spaced from said first and said second edges, means effective on both directions of rotation of said journal for connecting a pressurized supply of lubricant to the lubricant discharge means contiguous the leading edge of said pivoted bearing pad for any given direction of rotation of said journal, and for discontinuing the flow of lubricant to the lubricant discharge means contiguous the trailing edge of said pivoted bearing pad for any given direction of rotation of said journal, whereby to provide a lubricant film pressure profile at said journal bearing surface of said bearing pad which causes an offset pivot effect particular for each direction of rotation of said journal member while still maintaining a mechanically centrally located pivot for said pivoted bearing pad.

Claim 6

In combination a rotable journal, a pivoted bearing pad in supporting relation to said journal for bidirectional rotation of said journal, stationary structure supporting said pivoted bearing pad for pivotal movement, said pivoted bearing pad including a journal bearing surface extending in a generally circumferential and also in a generally axial direction of said journal whereby to be in supporting relation to said journal for bidirectional rotation of said journal, said journal bearing surface including opposite circumferentially spaced first and second edges, said first and second edges being respectively the leading and the trailing edges for one direction of rotation of said journal, said first and second edges being respectively the trailing and the leading edges for the opposite direction of rotation of said journal, said leading edge being at the circumferential end of said pivoted bearing pad first reached by a given point on the periphery of said journal for any given direction of rotation of said journal, said trailIng edge being at the circumferential end of said pivoted bearing pad last reached by said given point for any given direction of rotation of said journal, said bearing pad including a pivotal support located substantially midway between said first and said second edges, a first and a second lubricant discharge means in the journal bearing surface of said pivoted bearing pad respectively contiguous but spaced from said first and said second edges, means effective on both directions of rotation of said journal for connecting a pressurized supply of lubricant to the lubricant discharge means contiguous the leading edge of said pivoted bearing pad for any given direction of rotation of said journal, and for discontinuing the flow of lubricant to the lubricant discharge means contiguous the trailing edge of said pivoted bearing pad for any given direction of rotation of said journal, whereby to provide a lubricant film pressure profile at said journal bearing surface of said bearing pad which causes an offset pivot effect particular for each direction of rotation of said journal member while still maintaining a mechanically centrally located pivot for said pivoted bearing pad.

Claim 7

operating at substantially lower discharge pressure than said pressurized supply the lubricant discharge means contiguous the edge of said pivoted bearing pad which is ''''trailing'''' for the particular given direction of rotation of said journal.

Claim 8

operating at substantially lower discharge pressure than said pressurized supply the lubricant discharge means contiguous the edge of said pivoted bearing pad which is ''''trailing'''' for the particular given direction of rotation of said journal.

Claim 9

The combination defined in claim 1 in which said means for discontinuing the flow of lubricant to the lubricant discharge means contiguous said trailing edge includes means connecting the lubricant discharge means contiguous said trailing edge to a sump which is at a substantially lower pressure than said pressurized supply.

Claim 10

The combination defined in claim 1 including a pump having a first and a second discharge outlet, a first and a second discharge line respectively connected to said first and said second discharge outlet, said first discharge line being connected to said first lubricant discharge means, said second discharge line being connected to said second lubricant discharge means, a corresponding drain line connecting each of said first and said second discharge lines to a sump, a valve in each respective drain line to control the passage of lubricant through each respective drain line to said sump, whereby for any given direction of rotation of said journal said lubricant discharge means contiguous the leading edge may be maintained at pump output pressure and said lubricant discharge means contiguous the trailing edge may be maintained at substantially sump pressure.

Claim 11

The combination defined in claim 1 including a first and a second pump, means connecting the output of said first pump to said first lubricant discharge means, means connecting the output of said second pump to said second lubricant discharge means, a first drain line connecting said first lubricant discharge means to a sump, a second drain line connecting said second lubricant discharge means to a sump, and valve means in each drain line for selectively connecting to the sump or for isolating from the sump the corresponding lubricant discharge means.

Claim 12

The combination defined in claim 1 in which each said lubricant discharge means comprises a lubricant distribution groove extending for a substantial portion of the axial length of said pivoted bearing pad.

Claim 13

A pivoted bearing pad adapted to be in supporting relation to a journal member for bidirectional rotation of said journal member, said pivoted bearing pad being adapted to be supported for pivotal movement by stationary structure, said pivoted bearing pad including a journal bearing surface extending in a generally circumferential and also in a generally axial direction of said journal member whereby to be in supporting relation to said journal member for bidirectional rotation of said journal members, said journal bearing surface including opposite circumferentially spaced first and second edges, said first and second edges being respectively the leading and the trailing edges for one direction of rotation of said journal, said first and second edges being respectively the trailing and the leading edges for the opposite direction of rotation of said journal, said leading edge being at the circumferential end of said pivoted bearing pad first reached by a given point on the periphery of said journal member for any given direction of rotation of said journal member, said trailing edge being at the circumferential end of said pivoted bearing pad last reached by said given point for said any given direction of rotation, said bearing pad including a pivotal support located substantially midway between said first and said second edges, a first and a second lubricant discharge means in the journal bearing surface of said pivoted bearing pad respectively contiguous but spaced from said first and said second edges, the lubricant discharge means contiguous the leading edge of said pivoted bearing pad for any given direction of rotation of said journal member being adapted to be connected to a pressurized supply of lubricant, the lubricant discharge means contiguous the trailing edge of said pivoted bearing pad for any given direction of rotation of said journal member being adapted to have the supply of lubricant thereto discontinued, whereby to provide a lubricant film pressure profile at said journal bearing surface of said bearing pad which causes an offset pivot effective particular for each direction of rotation of said journal member while still maintaining a mechanically centrally located pivot for said pivoted bearing pad.

Claim 14

A pivoted bearing pad adapted to be in supporting relation to a journal member for bidirectional rotation of said journal member, said pivoted bearing pad being adapted to be supported for pivotal movement by stationary structure, said pivoted bearing pad including a journal bearing surface extending in a generally circumferential and also in a generally axial direction of said journal member whereby to be in supporting relation to said journal member for bidirectional rotation of said journal members, said journal bearing surface including opposite circumferentially spaced first and second edges, said first and second edges being respectively the leading and the trailing edges for one direction of rotation of said journal, said first and second edges being respectively the trailing and the leading edges for the opposite direction of rotation of said journal, said leading edge being at the circumferential end of said pivoted bearing pad first reached by a given point on the periphery of said journal member for any given direction of rotation of said journal member, said trailing edge being at the circumferential end of said pivoted bearing pad last reached by said given point for said any given direction of rotation, said bearing pad including a pivotal support located substantially midway between said first and said second edges, a first and a second lubricant discharge means in the journal bearing surface of said pivoted bearing pad respectively contiguous but spaced from said first and said second edges, the lubricant discharge means contiguous the leading edge of said pivoted bearing pad for any given direction of rotation of said journal member being adapted to be connected to a pressurized supply of lubricant, the lubricant discharge means contiguous the trailing edge of said pivoted bearing pad for any given direction of rotation of said journal member being adapted to have the supply of lubricant thereto discontinued, whereby to provide a lubricant film pressure profile at said journal bearing surface of said bearing pad which causes an offset pivot effective particular for each direction of rotation of said journal member while still maintaining a mechanically centrally located pivot for said pivoted bearing pad.

Claim 15

A pivoted bearing pad as defined in claim 6 in which the lubricant discharge means contiguous said trailing edge on any given direction of rotation is adapted to be connected to a sump which is at a substantially lower pressure than the pressurized supply to which the lubricant discharge means contiguous said leading edge is connected.

Claim 16

A pivoted bearing pad as defined in claim 6 in which each said lubricant discharge means comprises a lubricant distribution groove extending for a substantial portion of the axial length of said pivoted bearing pad.

Claim 19

The method defined in claim 9 in which step (2) comprises the step of connecting said lubricant discharge means referred to in step (2) to a sump which is at a substantially lower pressure than said pressurized supply.

Claim 20

The method defined in claim 9 in which said sump is at substantially zero gauge pressure.