A heating apparatus for induction heating is disclosed. The heating apparatus may comprise a bearing ring, at least one bearing element disposed in the bearing ring, and a braze material adjacent to the at least one bearing element and the bearing ring. The heating apparatus may additionally comprise an inductor positioned radially adjacent to at least a portion of the bearing ring. A current source may be electrically coupled to the inductor. A bearing orienting member may also abut a surface of the at least one bearing element. The bearing orienting member may orient a surface of the at least one bearing element. A heating method is also disclosed.

An externally pressurized porous gas bearing for operating within a refrigerant environment is disclosed. The gas bearing utilizes shear heating from rotation of a rotor, thereby increasing the pressure and load capacity of the externally pressurized porous gas bearing. The gas bearing is capable of operating when the refrigerant is in a liquid phase and when the refrigerant is in a gaseous phase.

A slide bearing can include a metal support, a primer layer, an adhesive layer applied directly thereto, and a sliding layer applied to the adhesive layer. The primer layer can include an oligomeric condensate of at least one silanol selected from the group having the formula: ##STR00001## wherein x is 1 or 2, y is 0 or 1. The moieties R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 can be the same or different. The moieties R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 can be selected from the group consisting of methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, i-propyl, and a functionalized alkyl group R(CH.sub.2).sub.z, wherein z is at least 1. Slide bearings comprising a primer system based on silanol oligomeric condensates show improved peel strength than their analogous slide bearings lacking the primer system.

A heating apparatus for induction heating is disclosed. The heating apparatus may comprise a bearing ring, at least one bearing element disposed in the bearing ring, and a braze material adjacent to the at least one bearing element and the bearing ring. The heating apparatus may additionally comprise an inductor positioned radially adjacent to at least a portion of the bearing ring. A current source may be electrically coupled to the inductor. A bearing orienting member may also abut a surface of the at least one bearing element. The bearing orienting member may orient a surface of the at least one bearing element. A heating method is also disclosed.

A gear shaft allows a ceramic bearing to be used in environments where gear steel is desirable for driving a gear. The gear shaft includes a gear region and a bearing region. A bearing can be disposed about the bearing region of the gear shaft. A gear can be disposed about the gear region of the gear shaft. The bearing includes a ceramic material. The gear region of the gear shaft includes gear steel, whereas the bearing region of the gear shaft includes a bearing-region material that has a coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) that is close to the CTE of the ceramic material.

A method of manufacturing a radial bearing assembly having a bearing surface created from a plurality of spherical bearing inserts positioned within insert retainer channels extending diagonally along the length of the bearing sleeve. The method of manufacture includes providing insert retainer channels having a curved bottom surface. The method of manufacture utilizes a mold for simultaneously brazing and bonding the spherical bearing inserts to the surface of the bearing sleeve.

In an embodiment, a bearing assembly may include a support ring to which one or more superhard bearing elements may be mounted. The support ring may include one or more relief features configured to reduce residual stresses in the superhard bearing elements that are induced by brazing the superhard bearing elements to the support ring, operational loads, other processes, or combinations of the foregoing. Reducing the residual stresses in the superhard bearing elements may help prevent damage to the superhard bearing elements. The bearing assembly may be used in subterranean drilling systems and/or other types of systems.

A radial bearing assembly and method of manufacture that provides a radial bearing assembly having a plurality of spherical bearing inserts, such as ball-shaped carbide inserts, bonded to a bearing sleeve. The bearing sleeve may include insert retainer channels, including insert retainer channels that extend diagonally or in a helical or spiral path along the length of the bearing sleeve. The method of manufacture utilizes a mold for simultaneously brazing and bonding the spherical bearing inserts to the surface of the bearing sleeve.

A slide bearing can include a metal support, a primer layer, an adhesive layer applied directly thereto, and a sliding layer applied to the adhesive layer. The primer layer can include an oligomeric condensate of at least one silanol selected from the group having the formula:

##STR00001## wherein x is 1 or 2, y is 0 or 1.

The moieties R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 can be the same or different. The moieties R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 can be selected from the group consisting of methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, i-propyl, and a functionalized alkyl group R(CH.sub.2).sub.z, wherein z is at least 1. Slide bearings comprising a primer system based on silanol oligomeric condensates show improved peel strength than their analogous slide bearings lacking the primer system.

An aircraft includes an airframe and a rotary component rotatably connected to the airframe by way of a plain bearing. The rotary component is part of a rotorcraft control system. The plain bearing includes an inner member rotatably engaged in at least two axes of rotation to an outer member. The inner member has a coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) substantially less than that of the outer member.