Bearing assembly

Claim 1

In combination with apparatus which includes a bearing housing and a shaft which is disposed concentrically within the housing to provide an annular space between its outer circumference and the inner circumference of the housing, and wherein the outer circumference of the shaft and the inner circumference of the housing have oppositely facing end surfaces at opposite ends of the space; a bearing assembly comprising first and second, bearing elements surrounding the shaft within the space in axially spaced relation, each bearing element including a radially inner part which is rotatable with the shaft and a radially outer bearing part which is held against rotation with the inner part, and a spacer disposed between oppositely facing end surfaces on the outer bearing parts of the first and second bearing elements, the outer part of each bearing element comprising a body having a conically shaped inner surface over which the outer surface of the inner part thereof is slidable, with the conically shaped surface of the first bearing element being divergent in a direction toward the end surface of the shaft, and the conically shaped surface of the second bearing element being divergent in a direction toward the end surface on the housing, an end surface on the inner part of the first bearing element being engaged by the end surface on the shaft, so as to receive the thrust of the shaft, and the other end surface on the outer part of the second bearing element engaging the end surface of the housing, whereby thrust loading is transmitted from the first bearing element through said spacer and outer part of the second bearing element to said housing, and said inner part of the first bearing element comprising a body having a conically shaped outer surface which conforms to and is slidable over the conically shaped inner surface of the outer part thereof.