PUMP HAVING UNIDIRECTIONAL TAPERED LAND THRUST BEARING CLUSTER

摘要

This invention pertains to a single-piece unidirectional tapered land thrust bearing cluster for use in high-pressure positive-displacement swashplate piston pumps and the like. The bearing cluster has a plurality of identical bearing pads integral to the bearing cluster. Each bearing pad includes a tapered section, a flat section and a fluid communicating slot integral therewith. During operation of the pump the swashplate camming surface rotates relative to the bearing cluster which develops a pressurized load-carrying hydrodynamic film of decreasing thickness and increasing strength betwwen a back plate of the rotating swashplate and the bearing cluster.