Compressive load carrying bearings

Abstract

A compressive load carrying laminated bearing comprising alternating bonded layers of a resilient material and a non-extensible material generally concentrically disposed about a common center with successive layers being disposed at successively increasing radii. The fatigue life thereof, when subjected to cylic rotational or torsional motion about the common center, is substantially enhanced by progressively increasing the thickness of the layers of resilient material with increasing radii while simultaneously progressively decreasing the modulus of elasticity of the layers of resilient material with increasing radii. .Iadd.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A compressive load carrying laminated bearing comprising alternating bonded layers of a resilient material and a non-extensible material generally concentrically disposed about a common center with successive layers being disposed at successively increasing radii with the thickness of said layers of resilient material progressively increasing with radii while the modules of elasticity of said layers of resilient material simultaneously decreases with radii. 
     
     
       2. A compressive load carrying laminated bearing comprising an inner support member having an outwardly facing convex surface, an outer support member having an inwardly facing concave surface radially spaced from the convex surface of said inner member, said convex and concave surfaces being concentrically disposed about a common center, alternating bonded layers of a resilient material and a non-extensible material disposed between and fixedly secured to the convex and concave surfaces of said inner and outer members, respectively, said layers of non-extensible material being concentrically disposed about said common center, successive layers of said resilient material and non-extensible material being disposed at successively increasing radii with the thickness of said layers of resilient material progressively increasing with radii while the modulus of elasticity of said layers of resilient material simultaneously decreases with radii. .Iadd. 3. A compressive load carrying laminated bearing comprising alternating bonded layers of a resilient material and   a non-extensible material   generally concentrically disposed about a common center with successive layers being disposed at successively increasing radii with the thickness of said layers of resilient material progressively increasing with radii while the modulus of elasticity of said layers of resilient material simultaneously decreases with radii;     said compressive load carrying laminated bearing having a configuration comprising a generally conical, cylindrical or spherical shape or a segmented form thereof; and   said compressive load carrying laminated bearing being characterized by extended fatigue life resulting from a concurrent increase in resilient layer thickness and decrease in modulus of resilient layer elasticity moving generally radially outward from said common center. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 4. A compressive load carrying laminated bearing comprising an inner support member having an outwardly facing convex surface, an outer support member having   an inwardly facing concave surface radially spaced from the convex surface of said inner member,     said convex and concave surfaces being concentrically disposed about a common center, alternating bonded layers of a resilient material and a non-extensible material disposed between and fixedly secured to the convex and concave surfaces of said inner and outer members respectively, said layers of non-extensible material being concentrically disposed about said common center, successive layers of said resilient material and non-extensible material being disposed at successively increasing radii with the thickness of said layers of resilient material progressively increasing with radii while the modulus of elasticity of said layers of resilient material simultaneously decreases with radii,     said compressive load carrying laminated bearing having a configuration comprising a generally conical, cylindrical or spherical shape or a segmented form thereof; and said compressive load carrying laminated bearing being characterized by extended fatigue life resulting from a concurrent increase in resilient layer thickness and decrease in modulus of resilient layer elasticity, moving generally radially outward from said common center. .Iaddend.