Patent ID: 9388849
Filing Date: 2016-07-12
CPC Classification: B23P,E21B,F16C,Y10T

Claim Text:
1. A method for maintaining a bearing for a tong, the tong including a housing, the bearing including: a monolithic upper bearing element having a substantially planar upper surface; a monolithic lower bearing element having a substantially planar lower surface, the upper and lower bearing elements being configured to mount inside the housing with a substantially same outer horizontal profile as the upper bearing element; the upper bearing element and the lower bearing element defining a central open area, and the upper bearing element and the lower bearing element having an inner section; the upper bearing element and the lower bearing element having an outer section wherein when assembled, the outer sections of the upper bearing element and the lower bearing element form a bearing; the method comprising: removing the bearing elements from the tong; machining surfaces of the bearing elements; replacing the bearing in the tong; adding one or more shims intermediate the tong and the bearing.