Lubricated bearing structure

Claim 1

A bearing structure for a shouldered shaft rotating at high speed and being subjected to thrust forces applied thereto in both directions, said structure comprising a stationary member having a pair of longitudinally spaced journal sections adapted to surround portions of the shaft and being disposed to one side of a shaft shoulder, adjacent end portions of said sections being provided with inwardly projecting bearing surfaces, the opposite end of one section being disposed adjacent the shaft shoulder and the opposite end of the other section being disposed adjacent a thrust collar, said stationary member being provided with a passage for a lubricant, said passage being in communication with each journal section; and a pair of floating elongated sleeve bearings rotatably mounted within said journal sections, each sleeve bearing having an inner surface in proximity to and encompassing a shaft portion and an outer surface in proximity to an adjacent surface of a journal section, each sleeve bearing being provided with a first port means for the lubricant interconnecting the inner and outer surfaces thereof and being in communication with the lubricant passage, and a second port means for the lubricant interconnecting the end faces of said sleeve bearing and being in communication with the lubricant passage, said sleeve bearings being rotatable with said shaft but at a slower speed.