Radial bearings

Claim 2

In combination, a housing member, a shaft member, a radial bearing mounted between the housing member and the shaft member, said radial bearing including a sleeve member comprising matrix bonded hard particles, a complementary bearing member comprising matrix bonded hard particles mounted in said bearing in bearing relationship with said sleeve, passageways extending through one of said members.

Claim 3

A radial bearing adapted for mounting between a housing member and a shaft member, a first sleeve adapted for mounting on one of said members, a complementary bearing member adapted for mounting on the other of said members in bearing relationship with said first sleeve, said complementary bearing member including a second sleeve of exterior diameter less than the interior diameter of the first-mentioned sleeve, a plurality of bars mounted circumambiently about said second sleeve and in bearing relation with said first sleeve, interrupted annular passageways between said bars and between said first sleeve and the second sleeve, said first sleeve and said bars being formed of matrix bonded hard particles.

Claim 4

A radial bearing adapted for mounting between a housing member and a shaft member, a first sleeve adapted for mounting on one of said members, a complementary bearing member adapted for mounting on the other of said members in bearing relationship with said first sleeve, said complementary bearing member including a second sleeve of exterior diameter less than the interior diameter of the first-mentioned sleeve, a plurality of bars mounted circumambiently about said second sleeve and in bearing relation with said first sleeve, interrupted annular passageways between said bars and between said first sleeve and the second sleeve, said first sleeve and said bars being formed of matrix bonded hard particles.

Claim 5

In a motor assembly including a motor, fluid input means to said motor and a drive shaft member, connected to said motor, a housing member for said drive shaft, a radial bearing between said drive shaft and said housing, said radial bearing comprising a first sleeve member mounted on one of said members, a complementary bearing member mounted in bearing relationship to said first sleeve member, passageway extending through one of said members to pass fluid discharging from said motor, said bearing members comprising matrix-bonded hard particles.

Claim 6

In a motor assembly including a motor, fluid input means to said motor and a drive shaft member, connected to said motor, a housing member for said drive shaft, a radial bearing between said drive shaft and said housing, said radial bearing comprising a first sleeve member mounted on one of said members, a complementary bearing member mounted in bearing relationship to said first sleeve member, passageway extending through one of said members to pass fluid discharging from said motor, said bearing members comprising matrix-bonded hard particles.

Claim 7

In a motor assembly of claim 3, said complementary bearing member including a second sleeve of exterior diameter less then the interior diameter of the first sleeve, said complimentary member comprising a second sleeve, a plurality of bars mounted circumambiently about said second sleeve and in bearing relation to said first sleeve, interrupted annular passageways between said bars and between said first sleeve and the second sleeve.

Claim 8

The fluid motor of claim 3, which includes a rotor, a stator, a drive shaft connected to said rotor, housing for said drive shaft, and fluid passageways into the stator, an outlet from said stator, the improvement which includes a thrust bearing assembly mounted between said housing member and said drive shaft member in thrust transmission relationship between said housing member and said shaft, a by-pass passageway from said outlet to said passageways.

Claim 9

In a fluid motor, which includes a rotor, a stator, a drive shaft connected to said rotor, housing for said drive shaft, and fluid passageways into the stator, an outlet from said stator, the improvement which includes a thrust bearing assembly mounted between said housing member and said drive shaft member in thrust transmission relationship between said housing member and said shaft, radial bearing in said housing between said shaft member and said housing member, said radial bearing comprising a first sleeve mounted on one of said members, complementary bearing member mounted on the other of said members in bearing relationship to said first sleeve, said passageways through said bearing communicating with said thrust-bearing housing, said first sleeve and said complementary bearing member comprising matrix bonded hard particles of Knoop hardness of about 1600 or higher.

Claim 10

In a fluid motor, which includes a rotor, a stator, a drive shaft connected to said rotor, housing for said drive shaft, and fluid passageways into the stator, an outlet from said stator, the improvement which includes a thrust bearing assembly mounted between said housing member and said drive shaft member in thrust transmission relationship between said housing member and said shaft, radial bearing in said housing between said shaft member and said housing member, said radial bearing comprising a first sleeve mounted on one of said members, complementary bearing member mounted on the other of said members in bearing relationship to said first sleeve, said passageways through said bearing communicating with said thrust-bearing housing, said first sleeve and said complementary bearing member comprising matrix bonded hard particles of Knoop hardness of about 1600 or higher.

Claim 11

In a fluid motor, which includes a rotor, a stator, a drive shaft connected to said rotor, housing for said shaft, and fluid passageways into the stator, an outlet from said stator, the improvement which includes a thrust bearing assembly mounted between said housing member and said drive shaft member in thrust transmission relationship between said housing member and said shaft, radial bearing in said housing between said shaft member and said housing member, said radial bearing comprising a first sleeve mounted on one of said members, complementary bearing member mounted on the other of said members in bearing relationship to said first sleeve, said radial bearing positioned between said shaft and said housing and positioned between said thrust bearing and the said stator, a second radial bearing positioned between said shaft member and said housing member and positioned between said thrust bearing and the end of said housing member, said second radial bearing comprising a first sleeve mounted on one of said members, a second complementary bearing sleeve mounted on the other of said members in bearing relationship to said first sleeve, said first sleeve, said second sleeve, and said bearing members being each formed of matrix bonded hard particles of Knoop hardness of about 1600 or higher.

Claim 12

In a fluid motor, which includes a rotor, a stator, a drive shaft connected to said rotor, housing for said shaft, and fluid passageways into the stator, an outlet from said stator, the improvement which includes a thrust bearing assembly mounted between said housing member and said drive shaft member in thrust transmission relationship between said housing member and said shaft, radial bearing in said housing between said shaft member and said housing member, said radial bearing comprising a first sleeve mounted on one of said members, complementary bearing member mounted on the other of said members in bearing relationship to said first sleeve, said radial bearing positioned between said shaft and said housing and positioned between said thrust bearing and the said stator, a second radial bearing positioned between said shaft member and said housing member and positioned between said thrust bearing and the end of said housing member, said second radial bearing comprising a first sleeve mounted on one of said members, a second complementary bearing sleeve mounted on the other of said members in bearing relationship to said first sleeve, said first sleeve, said second sleeve, and said bearing members being each formed of matrix bonded hard particles of Knoop hardness of about 1600 or higher.

Claim 13

In a fluid motor, which includes a rotor, a stator, a drive shaft member connected to said rotor, housing member for said drive shaft member, and fluid passageways into the stator, an outlet from said stator, the improvement which includes a thrust bearing assembly mounted between said housing member and said drive shaft member in thrust transmission relationship between said housing member and said shaft, radial bearing in said housing between said shaft member and said housing member, said radial bearing comprising a first sleeve mounted on one of said members, complementary bearing member mounted on the other of said members in bearing relationship to said first sleeve, in which said complementary bearing member comprises a second sleeve, a plurality of bars mounted circumambiently about said second sleeve and in bearing contact with said first sleeve, said second sleeve being of exterior diameter less than the interior diameter of said first-named sleeve, interrupted annular passageways between said bars and between said first sleeve and said second sleeve, said first sleeve and said bars being each formed of matrix bonded material of Knoop hardness of 1600 or higher.

Claim 14

In a fluid motor, which includes a rotor, a stator, a drive shaft member connected to said rotor, housing member for said drive shaft member, and fluid passageways into the stator, an outlet from said stator, the improvement which includes a thrust bearing assembly mounted between said housing member and said drive shaft member in thrust transmission relationship between said housing member and said shaft, radial bearing in said housing between said shaft member and said housing member, said radial bearing comprising a first sleeve mounted on one of said members, complementary bearing member mounted on the other of said members in bearing relationship to said first sleeve, in which said complementary bearing member comprises a second sleeve, a plurality of bars mounted circumambiently about said second sleeve and in bearing contact with said first sleeve, said second sleeve being of exterior diameter less than the interior diameter of said first-named sleeve, interrupted annular passageways between said bars and between said first sleeve and said second sleeve, said first sleeve and said bars being each formed of matrix bonded material of Knoop hardness of 1600 or higher.

Claim 15

In a fluid motor, which includes a rotor, a stator, a drive shaft member connected to said rotor, housing member for said drive shaft member, and fluid passageways into the stator, an outlet from said stator, the improvement which includes a thrust bearing assembly mounted between said housing member and said drive shaft member in thrust transmission relationship between said housing member and said shaft, radial bearing in said housing between said shaft member and said housing member, said radial bearing comprising a first sleeve mounted on one of said members, complementary bearing member mounted on the other of said members in bearing relationship to said sleeve, a by-pass passageway in said housing and connected to said outlet, passageways between the first sleeve and said complementary bearing member extending through said rotary bearing and communicating with said by-pass passageway and with the said thrust-bearing housing, a second radial bearing positioned in said housing between said thrust bearing and the end of said housing, said radial bearing comprising a second sleeve mounted in one of said members, a second complementary bearing mounted on the other of said members in bearing relationship to said sleeve, said first and said second sleeve and said bars each being formed of matrix bonded material of Knoop hardness of about 1600 and higher.

Claim 16

In a fluid motor, which includes a rotor, a stator, a drive shaft member connected to said rotor, housing member for said drive shaft member, and fluid passageways into the stator, an outlet from said stator, the improvement which includes a thrust bearing assembly mounted between said housing member and said drive shaft member in thrust transmission relationship between said housing member and said shaft, radial bearing in said housing between said shaft member and said housing member, said radial bearing comprising a first sleeve mounted on one of said members, complementary bearing member mounted on the other of said members in bearing relationship to said sleeve, a by-pass passageway in said housing and connected to said outlet, passageways between the first sleeve and said complementary bearing member extending through said rotary bearing and communicating with said by-pass passageway and with the said thrust-bearing housing, a second radial bearing positioned in said housing between said thrust bearing and the end of said housing, said radial bearing comprising a second sleeve mounted in one of said members, a second complementary bearing mounted on the other of said members in bearing relationship to said sleeve, said first and said second sleeve and said bars each being formed of matrix bonded material of Knoop hardness of about 1600 and higher.

Claim 17

In a fluid motor, which includes a rotor, a stator, a drive shaft connected to said rotor, housing for said drive shaft, and fluid passageways into the stator, an outlet from said stator, the improvement which includes a thrust bearing assembly mounted between said housing member and said drive shaft member in thrust transmission relationship between said housing member and said shaft, radial bearings in said housing between said shaft member and said housing member, said radial bearing comprising a first sleeve mounted on one of said members, a first complementary bearing member mounted on the other of said members in bearing relationship to said sleeve, passageways between the said first sleeve and said compelementary bearing member extending through said radial bearing and communicating with said by-pass passageway and with the said thrust-bearing housing, a second radial bearing positioned in said housing between said thrust bearing and the end of said housing, said radial bearing comprising a second sleeve mounted in one of said members, a second complementary bearing mounted on the other of said members in bearing relationship to said second sleeve, in which said complementary bearing includes a third sleeve of exterior diameter less than the interior diameter of the second sleeve, and is mounted on one of said members, a plurality of bars mounted circumambiently about said third sleeve in rubbing contact with said second sleeve, interrupted annular passageways between said bars and between said second sleeve and the third sleeve, said passageways communicating with said housing member above said second radial bearing and with the end of said housing member, said first sleeve and said second sleeve and said bars formed of matrix bonded particles of Knopp hardness of 1600 or higher.

Claim 18

In a fluid motor, which includes a rotor, a stator, a drive shaft connected to said rotor, housing for said drive shaft, and fluid passageways into the stator, an outlet from said stator, the improvement which includes a thrust bearing assembly mounted between said housing member and said drive shaft member in thrust transmission relationship between said housing member and said shaft, radial bearings in said housing between said shaft member and said housing member, said radial bearing comprising a first sleeve mounted on one of said members, a first complementary bearing member mounted on the other of said members in bearing relationship to said sleeve, passageways between the said first sleeve and said compelementary bearing member extending through said radial bearing and communicating with said by-pass passageway and with the said thrust-bearing housing, a second radial bearing positioned in said housing between said thrust bearing and the end of said housing, said radial bearing comprising a second sleeve mounted in one of said members, a second complementary bearing mounted on the other of said members in bearing relationship to said second sleeve, in which said complementary bearing includes a third sleeve of exterior diameter less than the interior diameter of the second sleeve, and is mounted on one of said members, a plurality of bars mounted circumambiently about said third sleeve in rubbing contact with said second sleeve, interrupted annular passageways between said bars and between said second sleeve and the third sleeve, said passageways communicating with said housing member above said second radial bearing and with the end of said housing member, said first sleeve and said second sleeve and said bars formed of matrix bonded particles of Knopp hardness of 1600 or higher.

Claim 19

A radial bearing adapted to be mounted between a shaft and a housing, said radial bearing comprising a sleeve adapted to be mounted on one of said members and a complementary bearing sleeve adapted to be mounted on the other of said members in bearing relationship to said first sleeve, circumambient fluid passageways in the form of grooves in one of said sleeves, said sleeves being formed of hard material.

Claim 20

A radial bearing adapted to be mounted between a shaft and a housing, said radial bearing comprising a sleeve adapted to be mounted on one of said members and a complementary bearing sleeve adapted to be mounted on the other of said members in bearing relationship to said first sleeve, circumambient fluid passageways in the form of grooves in one of said sleeves, said sleeves being formed of hard material.

Claim 21

The radial bearing of claim 11 in which said materials are chosen from the group consisting of alumina, nitrides and borides.

Claim 22

The radial bearing of claim 11 in which the material is ceramic particles of Knoop hardness of 1600 kg/mm square or higher bonded in a matrix.

Claim 23

A radial bearing adapted to be mounted between a shaft member and a housing member comprising a first sleeve and a second sleeve, a plurality of discrete shaped members mounted in said second sleeve in a spaced vertical and circumambient array, the surface of the shaped members on a cylindrical surface in bearing relation to said first sleeve, said shaped members comprising matrix bonded hard particles.

Claim 24

A radial bearing adapted to be mounted between a shaft member and a housing member comprising a first sleeve and a second sleeve, a plurality of discrete shaped members mounted in said second sleeve in a spaced vertical and circumambient array, the surface of the shaped members on a cylindrical surface in bearing relation to said first sleeve, said shaped members comprising matrix bonded hard particles.

Claim 25

The radial bearing of claim 14, longitudinally extending passageways in said second sleeve between said vertical arrays.

Claim 26

A fluid motor assembly including a motor, fluid input means to said motor and drive shaft member connected to said motor, a housing member for said drive shaft, a radial bearing according to claim 14 mounted between said drive shaft and said housing in which said particles are ceramic particles having a Knoop hardness of about 1600 or higher.

Claim 27

The fluid motor of claim 15, which includes a rotor, a stator, a drive shaft connected to said rotor, housing for said drive shaft, and fluid passageways into the stator, an outlet from said stator, the improvement which includes a thrust bearing assembly mounted between said housing member and said drive shaft member in thrust transmission relationship between said housing member and said shaft, a by-pass passageway from said outlet to said passageways.

Claim 28

In a fluid motor, which includes a rotor, a stator, a drive shaft connected to said rotor, housing for said shaft, and fluid passageways into the stator, an outlet from said stator, the improvement which includes a thrust bearing assembly mounted between said housing member and said drive shaft member in thrust transmission relationship between said housing member and said shaft, radial bearing according to claim 15 in said housing between said shaft member and said housing member, said radial bearing positioned between said shaft and said housing and positioned between said thrust bearing and the said stator, a second radial bearing according to claim 15 positioned between said shaft member and said housing member and positioned between said thrust bearing and the end of said housing member.

Claim 29

In a fluid motor, wjhich includes a rotor, a stator, a drive shaft member connected to said rotor, housing member for said drive shaft member, and fluid passageways into the stator, an outlet from said stator, the improvement which includes a thrust bearing assembly mounted between said housing member and said drive shaft member in thrust transmission relationship between said housing member and said shaft, radial bearing according to claim 15 in said housing between said shaft member and said housing member, said radial bearing comprising a first sleeve mounted on one of said members, a by-pass passageway in said housing and connected to said outlet, said passageways communicating with said by-pass passageway and with the said thrust-bearing housing, a second radial bearing according to claim 15 positioned in said housing between said thrust bearing and the end of said housing.

Claim 30

In a fluid motor, which includes a rotor, a stator, a drive shaft connected to said rotor, housing for said drive shaft, and fluid passageways into the stator, an outlet from said stator, the improvement which includes a thrust bearing assembly mounted between said housing member and said drive shaft member in thrust transmission relationship between said housing member and said shaft, radial bearings according to claim 15 in said housing between said shaft member and said housing member, said passageway communicating with said by-pass passageway and with the said thrust-bearing housing, a second radial bearing according to claim 15 positioned in said housing between said thrust bearing and the end of said housing.