Refiner with improved bearing retainer construction

摘要

A bearing assembly (40) is provided for supporting a rotatable and axially displaceable shaft (16) of a disc-type refining apparatus (10). An annular retainer ring (44) is mounted non-rotatably about the outer annular ring (54) of a bearing means (42) and has an outer circumferential surface (45) having a plurality of axially elongated pads (60) mounted thereto extending parallel to the shaft (16) at circumferentially spaced intervals about the outer surface (45) of the retainer ring (44). The bearing housing (46) has an inner circumferential surface (47) spaced from the outer circumferential surface (45) of the retainer ring (44) and has a plurality of axially elongated pads (70) mounted thereto extending parallel to the shaft (16) at circumferentially spaced intervals about the inner surface (47) of the bearing housing (46). The plurality of pads (70) mounted to the inner surface (47) of the bearing housing (46) is equal in number to the plurality of pads ( 60) mounted to the outer surface (45) of the retainer ring (44). Each of the pads (70) disposed about the inner surface of the bearing housing mate with and contact a pad (60) mounted to the outer surface of the retainer ring. The innerfaces therebetween provide sliding surfaces along which the shaft (16) may be axially translated relative to the stationary bearing housing (46).