Emergency rolling bearing that is insensitive to axial load

摘要

The emergency rolling bearing for a rotary machine having magnetic bearings includes at least first and second bearing members with radial clearance of value &egr;r/2 that is of the order of half the mean radial air gap &egr;r of the magnetic bearings being arranged between each of the bearing members and the rotor, and axial clearances &egr;a are provided on either side of the set of bearing members between said set and first and second axial abutment elements secured to the rotor. The first bearing member is mounted directly in a first intermediate support element coaxial with a stator element. The second bearing member is mounted in a second intermediate support element likewise coaxial with the stator element. The intermediate support elements present a plane of contact in a radial plane perpendicular to the axis of the bearing and they are united by a resilient pre-stressed element acting in the axial direction and allowing the intermediate support elements and the bearing members to expand or move apart in the axial direction. Damper means acting in the radial direction are interposed between the intermediate support elements and the stator element.