Lubricated journal bearing

Claim 1

In combination with a lightly loaded shaft rotating at high speed having a film of lubricants thereon, an improved bearing comprising a housing having a bore extending therethrough for receiving said shaft, a plurality of flexible sectors positioned around said shaft for shaping the geometry of said film, each of said sectors having a first surface facing said shaft and spaced therefrom varyinG distances so that the film geometry converges, each of said sectors having a second surface directed away from said shaft and spaced from said bore, each of said sectors comprising a base, and a pad portion mounted on said base at a junction, said pad portion forming said first surface facing said shaft and said second surface directed away from said shaft, said pad portion having a trailing edge at the end thereof in the direction of rotation of said shaft and a leading edge at the end in the direction opposite the rotation of said shaft, the minimum radial clearance between said pad portion and said shaft being adjacent to said trailing edge, said pad portion having a tapered thickness for providing a variable film geometry, and means for rigidly securing said bases to said housing thereby maintaining said sectors about said shaft.