Fluid bearings

摘要

A bearing member, for incorporating in a fluid rotary bearing intended for use at speeds in excess of the "half-speed whirl" speed of a solidly mounted bearing, is a solid or composite substantially annular body made of or including material of which the tensile modulus and the specific gravity lie within defined ranges such that while remaining structurally stiff and dimensionally accurate the body is capable of absorbing energy and thus reducing or eliminating vibration and "whirl" in the bearing. The annular member may have radially projecting abutments to serve as sealing means, and these may be resiliently deformable, and may be axially spaced to define a zone communicating with the bearing face of the bearing member thereby to serve as a plenum chamber.