A Bearing for Shafts or Journals Automatically Adjustable by Fluid Pressure.
Year: 1887

page_text: A Bearing for Shafts or Journals Automatically Adjustable by
Fluid Pressure.
We, NICOLAS DYMCOFF, Engineer, and THÉODORE STOJANOFF BOURMOW, Engineer,
of No. 56 Rue de Lancry, Paris, in the Republic of France, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows :-
This invention relates to bearings for shafts or journals so arranged that the
displacement resulting from wear brings liquid under pressure into action to restore
the shaft or journal to its proper position.
In a step bearing for a vertical shaft we provide a passage communicating with a
receptacle of liquid under pressure, this passage having a spring valve the stem of
which nearly reaches the end of the shaft.
When the shaft sinks a little it presses on the valve stem and opens the valve, and
thereupon the liquid being admitted under the end of the shaft or under the step in
which it is pivotted presses it up until the valve again closes. To prevent escape of
liquid from under the shaft or step we apply a packing ring which the liquid pressure
keeps tight.
For a bearing for a horizontal shaft or one requiring adjustment transversely we
provide several passages and valves for admitting liquid under pressure at several
parts of the circumference of the bearing.
When the shaft is displaced a little laterally it presses on one other of the valve
stems and the liquid under pressure is thus admitted to act on the side of the shaft
restoring it to its proper position.

page_text: In this case also to prevent escape of the liquid we apply longitudinal packings at
points intermediate to the fluid inlets.
According to a modified arrangement for adjustment of a horizontal shaft, we
provide, under the bush in which the shaft revolves, a wedge to which is attached a
piston working in a horizontal cylinder.
This cylinder communicates with a receptacle of fluid under pressure by a passage
provided with a spring valve the stem of which stands immediately under and almost
touching the shaft.
When the shaft sinks a little, the valve is opened, and liquid under pressure being
thus admitted to the cylinder, the piston is pressed forwards advancing the wedge and
so raising the bush and shaft.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A Bearing for Shafts or Journals Automatically Adjustable by
Fluid Pressure.
We, NICOLAS DYMCOFF, Engineer, and THÉODORE STOJANOFF BOURMOW, Engineer
of No. 56 Rue de Lanery, Paris, in the Republic of France, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to bearings for shafts or journals so arranged that the
displacement resulting from wear brings liquid under pressure into action to restore
the shaft or journal to its proper position.
In a step bearing for a vertical shaft we provide a passage communicating with a
receptacle of liquid under pressure, this passage having a spring valve the stem of
which nearly reaches the end of the shaft.
When the shaft sinks a little it presses on the valve stem and opens the valve, and
thereupon the liquid being admitted under the end of the shaft or under the step in
which it is pivotted presses it up until the valve again closes. To prevent escape of
liquid from under the shaft or step, we apply a packing ring which the liquid pressure
keeps tight.
For a bearing for a horizontal shaft or one requiring adjustment transversely we
provide several passages and valves for admitting liquid under pressure at several
parts of the circumference of the bearing.

page_text: When the shaft is displaced a little laterally it presses on one other of the valve
stems and the liquid under pressure is thus admitted to act on the side of the shaft
restoring it to its proper position.
In this case also, to prevent escape of the liquid we apply longitudinal packing at
points intermediate to the fluid inlets.
According to a modified arrangement for adjustment of a horizontal shaft, we
provide under the bush in which the shaft revolves a wedge to which is attached a
piston working in a horizontal cylinder.
This cylinder communicates with a receptacle of fluid under pressure by a passage
provided with a spring valve the steam of which stands immediately under and almost
touching the shaft.
When the shaft sinks a little the valve is opened, and liquid under pressure being
thus admitted to the cylinder, the piston is pressed forwards, advancing the wedge
and so raising the bush and shaft.
On the accompanying drawings are shewn by way of example four different
arrangements for carrying our above described invention into effect.
Fig. 1 shews a vertical section of a step bearing in which a layer or cushion of
liquid under pressure L is interposed between the bottom surface of the shaft and the
surface of the bearing. When by leakage or otherwise this liquid becomes diminished
in volume, the shaft, in sinking to a corresponding extent, will press with its bottom
surface upon the stem S of a valve K and, in opening this, will cause a fresh quantity
of liquid under pressure to enter from the chamber R which is supplied through
the passage C, connected in any suitable manner with the supply of liquid under
pressure.
By this means the shaft will be again raised to its normal position, whereupon the
spring R or equivalent device will force up the valve K again so as to close the
supply. By rendering the length of the stem S adjustable by any suitable means,
the height at which the shaft is held may be varied.
Suitable packing rings B B may be provided for preventing the escape of liquid
between the shaft and the side surface of the step bearing. Should at any time the
supply of liquid under pressure cease, the shaft will be carried by the bottom surface
of the bearing in the usual manner.
Fig. 2 shews a similar application of the invention to the side surfaces of the shaft
and its bearing, there being in this case three valves arranged round the circumference of
the shaft, so that according as this tends to approach the one or the other side it will
force open the corresponding valve so as to admit fluid pressure until the shaft has
been brought back to the central position.
The several parts are indicated by the same letters of reference as in the first
arrangement, and need therefore not be further described.
Fig. 3 shows the application of the invention to the adjustment of the brasses of
step bearings as they become worn. The arrangement is here practically the same as in
Fig. 1, the liquid under pressure being made to act upon the bottom of the brass M of
the step bearing N, instead of on the shaft itself. Fig. 4 shews the application to the
brass M of a horizontal shaft P. In this case the brass M is carried by a wedge Q to
which is attached a piston in a small cylinder O, communicating by passage L with
the chamber of the valve K, so that as the shaft sinks owing to the wearing of the
brass, the consequent forcing open of the valve K will cause the piston to force
forward the wedge O so as to raise the brass to make up for the wear.
The characteristic points upon which our invention is based may be stated as
follows:
1. The utilisation of the movement of a shaft consequent upon the wear of its
bearing surfaces or those of its brasses for causing the shaft or its brasses to be
readjusted by means of liquid pressure.
2. Utilising the liquid under pressure employed for forming itself the bearing
surface for the shaft so as to avoid to a great extent actual frictional contact with the
bearing surfaces.

page_text: 3. The employment of the liquid under pressure as the means for adjustment of the
brasses.
4. The employment of valves actuated by the shaft by the medium of a stem
or other device, for regulating the supply of liquid under pressure to the
bearing.
5. Making the said valve stem or other device adjustable so as to render the normal
position of the shaft capable of being varied.
6. The use of packing rings or equivalent devices for preventing leakage of the
liquid under pressure.
7. The arrangement of the parts so that in the event of the liquid under pressure
being exhausted, the shaft can run in its bearing in the usual manner.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is :-
1. The use for adjusting shafts or their bearings to compensate for wear, of liquid
under pressure, made to operate substantially as herein described.
2. Constructing bearings for shafts wherein either the shaft itself or the bearing
brasses is or are adjusted for wear by means of liquid under pressure, arranged and
operating substantially as herein described.
Dated this 27th day of June 1888.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicants.