Patent ID: 6767133
Filing Date: 2004-07-27
Classification: F16C

Abstract:
A tilting pad bearing arrangement, for supporting an article moveable relative thereto in rotation about a rotation axis, the arrangement comprising a plurality of bearing pads and a load bearing carrier of the pads, each of the pads having an obverse article-supporting face extending in the direction of article motion and a reverse supported face adapted to transfer load to the carrier in a loading direction perpendicular to the motion direction, and associated with each pad, pivot structure operable to support the pad separated from the carrier and permit the pad to tilt about a primary tilt axis perpendicular to the motion and loading directions, said pivot structure comprising a pad recess formed in the reverse face of the pad, a carrier recess fanned in the face of the carrier, and linking structure extending between said pad recess and carrier recess, one of the recesses having a cylindrically concave surface centered on the primary tilt axis, the other recess having a cylindrically concave surface centered on a secondary tilt axis perpendicular to the primary tilt axis, and the linking structure having defined on each of opposite sides thereof associated with respective recesses a surface of cylindrically convex curvature conforming to the curvature of the associated recess to make sliding contact therewith over the common area of said convex and concave surfaces.