STATIC TILT CHARACTERISTICS OF AEROSTATIC RECTANGULAR DOUBLE-PAD THRUST-BEARINGS WITH COMPOUND RESTRICTORS

Aerostatic rectangular thrust bearings with compound restrictors have often been used in ultra-precision machine tools and precision measuri ng equipment because high bearing stiffness is easily achieved. Compou nd restrictors combine a feed-hole restrictor with a groove compensati on restrictor. This paper investigates, theoretically and experimental ly, the static tilt characteristics of aerostatic rectangular double-p ad thrust bearings with compound restrictors, when coupled loads or of fset loads are applied. Furthermore, the usefulness of aerostatic thru st bearings with compound restrictors is clarified by comparison with the characteristics of conventional aerostatic thrust bearings with fe ed-hole restrictors.