Bearing system with redundant race

Claim 1

A redundant-race bearing system for joining two bodies together for coaxial relative rotation around a central axis, comprising; a first and second race member, each of said race members comprising a circular ring-shaped structure concentric with said central axis, each said race member having a radial cross-section which includes a plurality of tracks, said tracks being coaxial, each said track facing externally on its respective race member; a plurality of mounts, each mount comprising a bearing block, each bearing block bearing against a respective track of one of said race members, so disposed and arranged that the bearing block is mounted for bearing movement with respect to the race member, and the tracks and bearing blocks being so disposed and arranged that separative movement in any direction between the bearing block and the respective race member is restrained by at least one of said bearings, and a mounting block connected to each bearing block and adapted to clamp onto the other said race member; and clamp means whereby each said mounting block is immovably joined to a respective race member, and each said bearing block is joined to its respective race member in rotary shear bearing relationship, said blocks being releasably mountable in their respective manner selectively to either one of said race members.