Rotary shaft tilting shoe bearing

Claim 1

A tilt shoe bearing assembly for establishing a hydrodynamic wedge between the shoes and a shaft, for rotatably supporting the shaft, including a housing having an annular opening through which the shaft passes, a stationary backing ring mounted within the housing opening encompassing the shaft, the inner surface of said ring forming a circular seat uniformly disposed about the shaft and having a centrally located annular rib radially extended toward the shaft, a plurality of tilt shoe members circumferentially spaced within the ring, each shoe having a circumferential slot formed in the body thereof for loosely receiving said rib, a pair of rocker pads formed upon the outer periphery of each shoe member positioned on either side of said slot and being arranged to ride in contact with the ring seat, the axial width of each pad being substantially less than the axial width of the shoe surface confronting the shaft with each pad being contoured to permit the shoe to move upon the seat in any direction, a torque pin axially aligned with the shaft supported within the body of each tilt shoe and being arranged to pass through an opening formed in the annular rib whereby the shoe is prevented from moving with the shaft in the direction of shaft rotation, and the rib and the circumferential slot formed in the shoe, and the pin and the opening formed in the rib, having a clearance therebewteen that is at least greater than the width of the hydrodynamic wedge whereby each shoe is free to adjust its relative position in regard to the shaft to accommodate the shaft as it deflects under load.