The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 27, 1993
Filed:
May. 01, 1991
Luciano Veronesi, O'Hara Township, Allegheny County, PA (US);
James A Drake, O'Hara Township, Allegheny County, PA (US);
Westinghouse Electric Corp., Pittsburgh, PA (US);
Abstract
A pivoted pad bearing assembly of the Kingsbury type provides for leveling of bearing pads arranged in a circular array utilizing hydrostatic pressure rather than mechanical links. The leveling device is in the form of a hydraulic bearing support module having a variable volume hydraulic chamber. Pipe segments connect each hydraulic chamber to form a closed circuit and the circuit is completely filled with hydraulic fluid. Thereby, equal force will be exerted upon each pad at all times so that all pads will operate at an equal thrust load. The bearing assembly has particularly useful application in an integral motor submersible propulsor as a large diameter thrust bearing housed within an outer shroud of the propulsor at both upstream and downstream ends of a rotor mounted about the periphery of a propeller of the propulsor. By placing the thrust bearing within the shroud, greater thrust bearing surface areas can be obtained to handle larger thrust. By using hydrostatic leveling, the noise associated with mechanical linkages is avoided, and the size and weight of the bearing assembly can advantageously be reduced.