Pneumatic bearing for high speed grinding wheel - has conical hollow spindle end supported by air cushion between sloping perforated sleeves

摘要

The pneumatic bearing for a very high speed rotating part such as a grinding wheel (18) mounted on a spindle (3) has the end (13) of the spindle shaped as a hollow cone. This is supported between two concentric sleeves (1,2) forming a conical space matching the slope of the spindle end, acting as a chamber for an air cushion. Both conical parts of the sleeves have sets of holes (11,12) through them, through which air is forced against both sides of the conical spindle end. Air is blown through a connection (5') through an outer ring to pass through the outer holes (11) and air is blown axially through an end connection (10') in a block (10) at the open end of the inner sleeve, to pass through the inner holes (12). Air from the air cushion is discharged at one end through holes (17) in the spindle and at the rear, through holes (16) through an outer housing sleeve (7). The inlet holes terminate in grooves along the concentric sleeves.