Caterpillar Tractor Co.

Roger O Bjerk

William D Brandon

John P Jero

Frederick S Engelking

Alexander Goloff

Harold C Powers

Donald F Walker

Frederick S Engleking

An air bearing is coaxially mounted around a rotatable shaft, such as an engine crankshaft, by means of a bellows-like tube or resilient material. Air flows through the tube into an air chamber partly formed by a bearing sleeve to the bearing face. The bearing sleeve is concentrically received within and spaced from a double flange thrust sleeve which is mounted on a shaft by a plurality of 'O'-ring seals. A plurality of air jets in both axial and the radial direction allow co-action of both thrust sleeves by means of the air flow therebetween. Stabilizing of the seal is provided by the air jets. Small, flexible lip seals on opposite faces of the bearing sleeve are lifted away from contact with the double flange sleeve when the shaft is rotating, thereby minimizing lip seal wear. The bearing seal provides streams of air which flow past the seal to prevent oil or contaminants from moving in a direction opposite to the air flow direction.

Dynamic air bearing seal - radially and axially stabilized

High modulus asperities are incorporated into a fluoroelastomer matrix to provide a material which, when cured, exhibits high, stable coefficients of friction over a wide temperature range.

Fluoroelastomer-based composite material

High modulus asperities are incorporated into a fluoroelastomer-polyacrylate elastomer matrix to provide a material which, when cured, exhibits high, stable coefficients of friction over a wide temperature range.

Fluoroelastomer-polyacrylate based friction material

A friction coupling which utilizes a friction plate composed of high modulus asperities incorporated into a reboundably compressible elastomeric matrix for selective rotational engagement with a relatively noncompressible reaction plate between which is directed a flow of fluid with the asperities hydrodynamically wedging such fluid into a relatively thin load supporting film between the asperities and the reaction plate which film absorbs substantially all of the energy of engagement in the shearing effect of the fluid during relative rotation of the plates.

Friction coupling

An air bearing is coaxially mounted around a rotatable shaft, such as an engine crankshaft, by means of a flexible ring of open cell foam. Air flows through the foam cell ring to the bearing face. In this manner, continuous streams of air will flow past the seal to prevent oil or contaminants from moving in a direction opposite to the air flow direction.

Dynamic air bearing seal for engine crankshaft

An improved slant axis rotary mechanism including a housing defining a chamber having an operating cavity. A shaft is journalled in the housing and includes an angularly offset portion within the chamber. The angularly offset portion has a peripheral, generally radially outwardly extending thrust collar. A rotor is disposed in the chamber and surrounds the angularly offset portion. Thrust bearings sandwich the thrust collar and engage the rotor and a journal bearing is disposed on the radially outer portion of the thrust collar and journals the rotor on the shaft. The journal bearing is functionally uncoupled from the thrust bearing.

Bearings for slant axis rotary mechanisms

A long-lived, unitized seal biasing spring assembly for use in rotary mechanisms such as rotary engines. The rotary mechanism with which the invention is to be used includes an operating chamber and a rotor within the chamber. At least one seal retaining groove is provided in the rotor and the seal is retained in the groove and extends partially out of the groove into sealing engagement with the chamber. A unitized, multi-leaf spring assembly made according to the invention is disposed in the groove and engages the seal to bias the seal into sealing engagement. Through the use of a unitized construction, assembly is facilitated while the use of a multi-leaf biasing spring arrangement dramatically reduces spring stress substantially prolonging the useful life thereof.

Unitized seal biasing spring assembly for rotary mechanisms

An improved slant axis rotary mechanism of the type including a housing defining a chamber including an operating cavity, a shaft journalled in the housing and including an angularly offset portion within the chamber, and a rotor within the chamber and journalled on the angularly offset portion. At least one thrust collar is located on the shaft and is operatively associated with one of the rotor and the housing. Thrust bearing means are provided on the one of the rotor and the housing and are in slidable engagement wth the thrust collar. At least one lubricant port in the thrust collar is provided and opens to the interface of the thrust bearing and the thrust collar. Means are provided for directing a lubricant under pressure to the port to provide excellent lubrication of the thrust collar during operation of the mechanism.

Growing community of inventors

Edelstein, IL, United States of America

Roger O Bjerk