Since 1912, we have gained unequaled experience in designing and manufacturing thrust bearings. This section details design features which we developed to improve your machine’s performance.
Lubrication
For Kingsbury thrust bearings to operate safely and efficiently, continuous self-renewing oil films must be present between the shoes and collar.
The oil supplied to the bearing should be cooled and filtered, so that the average particle size is less than the bearing’s minimum film thickness. The typical oil flow path is shown below.
End Play
To understand end play, or axial clearance, picture a double thrust bearing (one on each side of the collar). End play is the distance the thrust collar can be moved between the bearings during intallation while applying load to either bearing.
Note: End play isn’t an exact dimension. The shaft’s maximum end play is limited to the smallest clearance between the stationery and rotating machine elements, while the shaft’s minimum end play must be sufficient to prevent excessive power loss in the unloaded thrust bearing.
Any time a double thrust bearing is installed, end play must be provided to allow for an oil film to form in each bearing, and thermal expansion of the bearing elements.
For the complete paper with associated illustrations, continue reading at Kingsbury.com.
