A tilt pad journal bearing for supporting a rotating shaft includes an annular support ring and a plurality of arcuate pads tiltably mounted in the annular support ring and circumferentially spaced apart from each other. The tilt pad journal bearing further has a lubrication arrangement disposed between each pair of the plurality of arcuate pads. The lubrication arrangement includes a lubrication manifold connected to the annular support ring and recessed relative to a shaft support surface of adjacent arcuate pads to define an oil mixing cavity, and a plurality of lubrication nozzles protruding from the lubrication manifold into the oil mixing cavity. A cross-sectional flow area of at least one of the plurality of lubrication nozzles positioned toward a center of the lubrication manifold is larger than a cross-sectional flow area of a remainder of the plurality of nozzles.

Embodiments of the invention are directed to bearing assemblies configured to effectively provide heat dissipation for bearing elements, bearing apparatuses including such bearing assemblies, and methods of operating such bearing assemblies and apparatuses. In an embodiment, a bearing assembly includes a plurality of superhard bearing elements distributed about an axis. Each superhard bearing element of the plurality of superhard bearing elements has a superhard table including a superhard surface. The bearing assembly includes a support ring structure coupled to the plurality of superhard bearing elements. One or more of the superhard bearing elements includes a superhard table, which may improve heat transfer from such superhard bearing elements.

According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a bearing (100) for supporting a shaft (200) rotating around an axis A is provided. The bearing (100) comprises: a bearing housing (120); and a plurality of tilting pads (130), wherein each tilting pad is connected to the housing (120) via a flexible web support (135) and comprises a bearing surface (136) directed toward a shaft receiving space (125) configured for supporting a shaft. The bearing surface (136) of at least one tilting pad (130) of the plurality of tilting pads is provided with a plurality of lubricant feed openings (140). According to a further aspect, a method of operating a bearing (100) as well as a method of manufacturing a bearing (100) are provided.

Embodiments of the invention are directed to bearing assemblies having features that provide heat dissipation for bearing elements, bearing apparatuses including such bearing assemblies, and methods of operating such bearing assemblies and apparatuses. In an embodiment, a bearing assembly includes a plurality of superhard bearing elements distributed about an axis. Each superhard bearing element of the plurality of superhard bearing elements has a superhard table including a superhard surface. The bearing assembly includes a support ring structure coupled to the plurality of superhard bearing elements. One or more of the superhard bearing elements includes a superhard table, which may have a thickness at a peripheral that is greater than an average thickness of the superhard table improve heat transfer from such superhard bearing elements.

A tilting pad journal bearing includes a bearing housing, a plurality of pads and a projecting portion. The plurality of pads are arranged on an inner circumferential surface of the bearing housing and support a rotary shaft. The projecting portion is provided on a surface of the pad and has a plurality of projections. The projecting portion is provided on a surface other than a pad bearing surface in surfaces of the pad, the pad bearing surface being a surface that faces the rotary shaft.

A pad bearing includes a pad disposed on a radially outer side of a rotary shaft and supporting the rotary shaft so as to be rotatable around an axis, a block-shaped nozzle member disposed on an upstream side with respect to the pad on the radially outer side of the rotary shaft and including a discharge hole for discharging a lubricant toward an outer peripheral surface of the rotary shaft, and a compressed flow forming unit disposed in at least one of the pad and the nozzle member and configured to compress a flow of the lubricant flowing along the outer peripheral surface of the rotary shaft as the rotary shaft rotates.

Embodiments of the invention relate to bearing apparatuses in which one bearing surface of the bearing apparatus includes diamond, while another bearing surface includes a non-diamond superhard material (e.g., silicon carbide). For example, a bearing apparatus may include a bearing stator assembly and a bearing rotor assembly. The bearing stator assembly and bearing rotor assembly each include a support ring and one or more superhard bearing elements generally opposed to one another. The bearing surface(s) of the rotor or stator may include diamond, while the bearing surface(s) of the other of the rotor or stator do not include diamond. Another bearing apparatus may include both thrust- and radial bearing components. The generally opposed thrust-bearing elements may include diamond, while the generally opposed radial bearing elements may not include diamond, but include a non-diamond superhard material, such as silicon carbide.

A maintenance-free bearing system having self-lubricating features, seals, grooves and slots for use in a cushion hitch assembly for a hitch pull scraper vehicle. An interconnected bearing linkage system having two or more horizontal two-axis combined journal and thrust bearings with self-lubricating liners therein, two or more vertical single-axis sleeve bearings with self-lubricating liners therein and one or more vertical thrust bearing with self-lubricating liners therein, that cooperate with one another to accommodate vertical and horizontal angular movement relative to one another.

Embodiments of the invention are directed to bearing assemblies configured to effectively carry nonuniform loads, bearing apparatuses including such bearing assemblies, and methods of operating such bearing assemblies and apparatuses. In an embodiment, under some operational conditions, one or more portions of the bearing assemblies and bearing apparatus may be preferentially loaded, such as to carry preferentially higher loads (e.g., radial and/or axial loads) than other portion(s) of the bearing assemblies and bearing apparatus.

In an embodiment, a polycrystalline diamond compact includes a substrate and a preformed polycrystalline diamond table bonded to the substrate. The table includes bonded diamond grains defining interstitial regions. The table includes an upper surface, a back surface bonded to the substrate, and at least one lateral surface extending therebetween. The table includes a first region extending inwardly from the upper surface and the lateral surface. The first region exhibits a first interstitial region concentration and includes at least one interstitial constituent disposed therein, which may be present in at least a residual amount and includes at least one metal carbonate and/or at least one metal oxide. The table includes a second bonding region adjacent to the substrate that extends inwardly from the back surface. The second bonding region exhibits a second interstitial region concentration that is greater than the first interstitial region concentration and includes a metallic infiltrant therein.