Fmc Corporation

Robert H Ash, Jr

Brian Michael Chrestoff

Sergio A Castillo

Ralph Taeuber, Jr

This invention pertains to a single-piece unidirectional tapered land thrust bearing cluster for use in high-pressure positive-displacement swashplate piston pumps and the like. The bearing cluster has a plurality of identical bearing pads integral to the bearing cluster. Each bearing pad includes a tapered section, a flat section and a fluid communicating slot integral therewith. During operation of the pump the swashplate camming surface rotates relative to the bearing cluster which develops a pressurized load-carrying hydrodynamic film of decreasing thickness and increasing strength between a back plate of the rotating swashplate and the bearing cluster.

Pump having unidirectional tapered land thrust bearing cluster

A positive displacement pump including a plurality of pistons reciprocally driven in respective cylinders by a swashplate assembly to expel fluid during the pressure stroke of the piston from a chamber in communication with each piston. Oppositely disposed magnets are located respectively in an upper pressure face of each piston and in a check valve housing adjacent each cylinder to produce a magnetic force circuit accelerating movement of each piston toward and in continual contact with a cluster bearing associated with the swashplate assembly during the suction stroke of each piston. Like poles of each magnet face each other to produce a permanent levitating force on each piston.

Positive displacement pump having levitating magnetic piston spring

A swashplate style pump uses a dual location cluster bearing of consistent configuration for use in each of two positions in the pump. In one location the dual location cluster bearing will interface with pistons and the swashplate cam. In a second location the dual position cluster bearing will interface with the non-camming side of the swashplate and the back plate of the pump. The dual position cluster bearing can be used in either and both positions with equal facility.

Swashplate pump incorporating a dual location cluster bearing

In a swashplate style pump a cam follower that interfaces the pump pistons and the swashplate cam is a ring of material. This ring of material will be provided with a bearing surface and a piston contacting surface having the piston contacting surface provided with piston receiving elements.

Cam follower retainer for a swashplate pump

A load segment assembly for use in pipe swivel joints or pipe connectors locks male and female hubs of a joint together while providing an axial bearing therebetween. The load assembly includes arcuate segments each having a dove-tail groove on the face of the convex side of the arcuate segment, requiring a flexible joining member to be threaded therethrough, providing maximum shear and bearing strength.

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Humble, TX, United States of America

Robert H Ash, Jr