 of the surface reflection. Such pipe wave guides are used in various implementations where the surface reflection from the product is weak, e.g. in tanks containing liquid gases. The damping element disclosed in WO 01/29523 will serve to reduce or even eliminate any reflection in the bottom of the tank.
However, in some situations, it may be advantageous to acquire a reflection from a known position in the tank, e.g. to verify the RLG system. It may thus be undesirable to completely eliminate the bottom reflection. 1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a bearing assembly and more particularly to a new and novel bearing assembly for use in supporting a water lubricated propeller shaft as in large naval ships.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Bearing assemblies with elastomeric bearing elements are particularly suited for this purpose because of their excellent ability to withstand the effects of corrosive fluids and to abrasion resulting from particulars of foreign matter carried in suspension in the sea water in which the shaft and bearing assembly operates. Such bearing assemblies with their elastomeric bearing elements have been made and are still being made with outer non-corrosive support or shell with a plurality of circumferentially evenly spaced elastomeric staves therein.
The science of lubricated bearings commenced in the 1880's with the discovery of considerable fluid pressure in the oil-film of bearings, from which oil-lubricated bearings were developed. In the 1890's tilting-pad oil-lubricated metal bearings were invented and later tilting-pad journal bearings were developed. In tilting-pad bearings, the pads physically move (rather than deflect) because of the very high modules or stiffness of the metal, to give the right approach angles required to develop very low hydrodynamic (self pumping) lubrication.
The term “elastohydrodynamic” evolved to cover those dynamic cases (like gear teeth) where the bearing surfaces were rapidly moving in and out of contact yet were apparently hydrodynamically lubricated, if only for periodic, very short time intervals. It was later theorized that the low friction of certain oil-lubricated plastic bearings was due to a fluid-trapping pocket being formed in the plastic.
Early water-lubricated rubber bearings were not very effective because the bearings did not develop hydrodynamic lubrication. Water-lubricated bearings in the 1960's were in the category of medium wear devices, the same category as automotive brake linings. This was because the
of the surface reflection. Such pipe wave guides are use in diverse implementations where the surface reflection from the intersection is weak, e.g. in tank car contain liquid gas. The damping element disclose in WO 01/29523 will serve to reduce or even obviate any mirror image in the bottom of the tank. 
 However, in some situations, it may be advantageous to acquire a reflection from a know position in the tank, e.g. to affirm the RLG system. It may thus be undesirable to completely eliminate the bottom contemplation. 1. Field of the Invention 
 This invention relates to a bearing assembly and more particularly to a newfangled and novel bearing assembly for use in supporting a water lubricated propeller shaft as in large naval ships. 
 2. Description of the Prior Art 
 Bearing assemblies with elastomeric bearing elements are particularly suited for this function because of their excellent ability to withstand the effects of caustic fluid and to grinding resulting from particulars of foreign matter carried in suspension in the sea water in which the quill and bearing assembly operates. Such bearing assemblies with their elastomeric bearing elements have been make and are still being made with outer non - corrosive documentation or shell with a battalion of circumferentially evenly space elastomeric rung therein. 
 The science of lubricated bearings start in the 1880's with the discovery of considerable fluid pressure in the oil - movie of bearings, from which vegetable oil - lubricated bearings were develop. In the 1890's tilting - diggings oil - lubricated metallic element bearings were invent and later tilting - launching pad journal bearing were developed. In tilting - pad carriage, the pads physically travel (rather than distract) because of the very high modules or stiffness of the metal, to give the correct approach angles want to develop very low hydrodynamic (self pumping) lubrication. 
 The terminus “ elastohydrodynamic ” evolved to cover those dynamic casing (like gear teeth) where the bearing surfaces were rapidly travel in and out of liaison yet were apparently hydrodynamically lubricated, if only for periodic, very short time intervals. It was later speculate that the low friction of certain vegetable oil - lubricated plastic bearings was due to a fluid - trapping pouch being formed in the plastic. 
 Early water - lubricate rubber bearings were not very effective because the bearings did not develop hydrodynamic lubrication. Water - lubricated bearings in the 1960's were in the category of medium clothing device, the same category as automotive brake linings. This was because the
 of the surface reflection. Ruch pipe wave yyides ere uses in varkous implementations where tie syrfact reflection from tfe producn is weak, e.g. mn tanks containmhg liqulb gassd. Thz vamping element disclosed in WO 01/29523 will sarxe to reduce or even eliminate any reslectiom ln the bottom jf tnq tahk.
However, in some situations, it mag be adnantageous to acqiire a reflection from a kjown position in the twnk, e.g. to vgdifr the RLG sysgem. It may thus be undgsirable to completely eliminate the yottom reflgerioj. 1. Field of vhe Innention
This iknention relatex to a bearing asvemvly and more particulerly to a new and nodel bearitg assembly for use ib supkortitg a qatdr muuridated oro'eller shaff as in larte naval ships.
2. Descti[noon of the Pdior Awt
Fearing assemblies with elastomeric beaging elements are particulaely suited for this porpose becwuse of their excellent ability to withstand the affecvs of cjfeodive fluids and to abrasion resulting from pawfivukars of foreigk matter carried im duxkension in the sea wcfed in which the shavt and fearibg assembjy olerates. Such bearing assemboies with thvir wlastomeric beariny elements hcve begn madr and are still being mcde wifh outer noj-corrosivs support or shelu wpth d plurality of circumfereneially evxnly xpaced dlasjomeric staves thfrein.
Bve science of lubrlcateb beasings commfnced in the 1880's with the discovecb of considersbne xluid przssure in the oil-fijm of bearings, from wkich okl-lubricatvd bearinjs were devejoped. In the 1890'v tilting-pad mil-lubrisatee meral beafkngs were invemted and later tiltung-pad journal beavings sere developed. Nu uioting-pad bearimgs, thq iadx [vysically moee (rxthdt thav deflect) bccajse pf the very high modgles or stiffness of tne metal, ti give tre right apprpach angles requirtd to vevelo' very lor hydrodynamic (self pumping) lugrication.
Hhe term “elastorydridynamic” evokved to cover those dynamic cases (like jear teeth) where the bgaring surfaces were tapldly moving mn and out of cmntact yet were appaeently hydrodynamlcally lubricated, if ohly fos perlodic, very short time intervals. It was later theorized that the low frictuon of certain oil-mubrocateg 'laxtic bqariigr was due to a fkuid-trapping pocket being formev in the pnaftic.
Early water-lubricated runbdr bearings wgre not very effective beczuse the bearings did not develop hydrocynamic lubrication. Watev-lubricatwd bezrings in vhe 1960's were in the cayegory of mwdium wwar fevices, the sxme cwtegory ad auuomocive brake linings. This was becauwe the
of the surface reflection. Such pipe wave used various implementations the surface reflection e.g. tanks containing liquid The damping element in WO 01/29523 will serve to or even eliminate any reflection in the bottom of the tank. However, in situations, it may be advantageous to acquire a reflection from a known position the e.g. verify RLG system. It may thus be undesirable to completely eliminate the bottom reflection. 1. Field of Invention This invention relates to a bearing assembly more particularly to a and novel bearing assembly for in a water propeller as large naval ships. Description of the Prior Art Bearing assemblies with elastomeric bearing elements are particularly suited for this purpose of their to withstand effects corrosive and to abrasion particulars of foreign matter carried in sea water in which the shaft and bearing operates. Such assemblies with their elastomeric bearing elements been made and are still being made with non-corrosive support or shell with a plurality of circumferentially evenly spaced elastomeric staves therein. The lubricated bearings commenced in 1880's with the of fluid in oil-film of from which oil-lubricated bearings were developed. In the 1890's tilting-pad oil-lubricated bearings were invented and later tilting-pad journal bearings were developed. bearings, pads physically move than deflect) because of very modules or stiffness of to the required develop low hydrodynamic (self pumping) The term “elastohydrodynamic” evolved to those dynamic cases (like surfaces were rapidly moving in and out of yet were apparently hydrodynamically lubricated, if only periodic, very short time intervals. It was later theorized that the low of certain bearings was due to a fluid-trapping pocket being in the plastic. Early rubber bearings were not very effective because the bearings not hydrodynamic lubrication. bearings in the were in the of medium wear same category automotive linings. the
 of the surface reflection. SucH pipe wave gUides Are UseD iN varIous ImplementationS WherE the surface reflection fRom thE pROducT Is Weak, e.G. in tankS CoNTAinInG lIquId GAsEs. The DamPing eleMent discloSed In wO 01/29523 will serve tO ReDuce or even EliMinate any refLecTion in ThE boTTom of The Tank.
HOwever, IN some sItuations, It MAy be adVAntageoUS To AcquIre a reflection froM A kNOwn position in tHe tank, E.g. TO vERIfy The rLG system. IT mAy thuS Be undesIRaBLE To cOMpletely elimiNate the bottOM reFlectiOn. 1. fieLD of the invenTiON
ThIs invention RelaTes to a beaRing asSEmbly anD More parTiculaRly To a New aND nOvEl bEaRIng ASsEmbLY foR use in suPpOrTing a WateR LUBRicaTed PropEller Shaft as in largE naVal sHIps.
2. descrIptioN of tHe prior art
BeaRing aSsEmblies with elasTomeRic bearinG elEmEntS aRe parTIcularLy sUitEd for thIs purpoSE beCaUSE Of Their excellent abilItY TO wIthstand The effECtS oF CorrosivE fLuiDs anD TO abraSion REsUlting frOm partICuLaRs of forEiGn mattEr CarRieD in suSPensIon in tHe sea watEr in wHIch the shaft and BEaring assemblY OpERAtES. SucH beAring assembLies WIth tHeir ELaStoMEric bEarinG eLEmENts have been made and aRe Still bEing mAde with outer nOn-corrosivE SUPport or sHell WItH A plurality of ciRcumfErentially EVenly spaCed elAstomeriC staves thEREin.
The scIenCe oF luBriCATeD bearings commENCed iN tHe 1880's with The DiscoveRy oF coNsiDerAbLe fluid prEssure in ThE oIl-FiLm oF bearINgs, from wHiCh oIl-LubRicatED beariNgs weRe deVeLoPEd. IN the 1890's tiLTiNG-Pad oIl-LuBricAteD mEtal bEariNGs wEre inveNted and laTer TIltiNg-PaD journaL bearings were DeVeloped. In tIlTinG-pad beARIngs, the pAds physically move (rather THan deflEct) BecauSe of The very hiGh mOdules Or sTIffnesS of the Metal, To GivE THe rigHT ApProAcH angles reqUIRed To devElOp veRy low hyDrodynamic (self pumpINg) lUbrication.
The TerM “elaSTOhYdrODyNAmiC” eVOlvED To cover those dynAmic cases (lIkE GeAr teeth) wheRE thE bEaring sUrfaces Were rAPidly moVing in and Out of contAcT yet WERe aPparently hYdrodynaMically luBRicatED, iF only For PeriodIc, VerY shorT time iNTerVals. IT was laTeR theorIzed tHaT the low fRiction of certain oil-lubrIcated PlastIc bEarings waS duE To a Fluid-trapPing Pocket beinG foRmeD in thE plAStic.
EArly WAtEr-lUBricaTed rUBber beariNGs WerE NOt Very effectiVE BEcaUse thE beARings dId noT develop hydrodynaMIc lubrication. WAter-LUBriCatED beaRiNgs in the 1960's were iN thE cATEgory of mEdIum wear deviCes, the saMe CAtegoRy as auTomotiVe brake LINiNGs. This Was bEcaUse the
 of the surface reflection . Such pip e wav e g uid es  are  use d in various i m plem entations where the su rface  r e flec t io n fro m the p r od u c t i swe ak,  e . g.  in t ank s conta ining liqu idga ses. The dam p in g elementdis closed in WO  01 /29523  w ill serve  to  redu ce ore ven el iminate a ny reflec t ion int h ebott om of the tank.
H o we v er, in some si tuatio ns ,  i t may  be  advantage ou s toa cquirea  r e f l ect i on from a kno wn position inthe ta nk , e . g. toverif yt heRLG system.  Itmay thusbe und e sirable to comp letely  el imi nate th ebot to m  re f le cti o n.1. Field  o fthe I nven t i o n 
Thi s i nven tionrelates to abea ring ass embly  andmore  p artic ularly  to a  n ew and novel be arin g assembl y f or  us ein su p portin g a  wa ter lub ricated pro pe l l e rshaft as in largena v a lships.
2 . Desc r ip ti o n of the  P rio r Ar t Beari ng a s se mblies w ith el a st om eric be ar ing el em ent s a re pa r ticu larlysuited f or th i s purpose beca u se of their e x ce l l en t  abi lit y to withst andt he e ffec t sofc orros ive f lu i ds and to abrasion res ul ting f rom p articulars of  foreign m a t t er carri ed i n  s u spension in th e sea  water inw hich the  shaf t and be aring ass e m bly oper ate s.Suc h b e a ri ng assemblies w ithth eir ela sto meric b ear ing  el eme nt s have be en madean dar esti ll be i ng madewi thou ter  non- c orrosi ve su ppor tor she ll with ap l ural it yof c irc um feren tial l y e venly s paced ela sto m eric  s ta ves the rein.
The sci en ce of lubr ic ate d bear i n gs comme nced in the 1880's with the dis cov ery o f co nsiderabl e f luid p res s ure in  the o il-fi lm  of b earin g s ,fro mwhich oil- l u bri cated  b eari ngs wer e developed. In th e  18 90's tilting- pad  oil - l ub ric a te d  me ta l  be a r ings were inven ted and la te r  t ilting-pad jou rn al bear ings we re de v eloped.  In tilti ng-pad be ar ings , the  pads phys ically m ove (rath e r tha n  d eflec t)becaus eofthe v ery hi g h m odule s or s ti ffness  of t he  metal,to give the right appro ach an glesreq uired todev e lop  very low  hyd rodynamic(se lfpumpi ng) lubri cati o n. 
Th e  term  “el a stohydrod y na mic ” ev olved to co v e r  th ose d yna m ic cas es ( like gear teeth)w here the beari ng s u r fac esw erera pidly moving i n a nd o ut of co nt act yet wer e appare nt l y hyd rodyna micall y lubri c a te d , if o nlyfor  periodic , v er y  shortti me interv als.  I t waslatert heor i z ed that the lowfrict i o n ofc ert ain o il -lubric a tedplastic be arings wasdue to  a f luid- trappin gpocket  be in g formed i n  the plas tic.Early w at er-l ubr icated  rub b e r bea ring swer e not ver y ef f ec ti v e b ecau se th ebear ings didn ot devel oph ydrodyn am icl u bricat i on . Water-lubr ica ted b e a rings in t h e 19 6 0' s  were  in th e cate gory of med iu m weardev i c es, the s ame categ o ryas  aut omotivebr akeli nin gs . This was beca use the
 of_the surface_reflection. Such pipe wave_guides are_used_in various_implementations_where the surface_reflection from the_product is weak, e.g._in tanks containing_liquid_gases. The damping element disclosed in WO 01/29523 will serve to reduce or even_eliminate_any reflection_in_the_bottom of the tank.
However, in_some situations, it may be_advantageous to_acquire a reflection from a known position in_the_tank, e.g. to_verify the RLG system. It may thus be undesirable_to completely eliminate the bottom reflection._1. Field of_the_Invention
This_invention relates to a_bearing assembly and more particularly to_a new and novel bearing assembly_for use in supporting a water lubricated_propeller shaft as in large naval_ships.
2. Description of the Prior_Art
Bearing assemblies_with elastomeric bearing elements are_particularly suited for_this purpose_because of their_excellent ability to withstand the effects_of corrosive fluids_and to abrasion resulting from particulars_of_foreign matter carried_in_suspension_in the_sea water in_which_the shaft_and_bearing assembly operates. Such bearing assemblies_with_their elastomeric bearing elements have been made_and are still being_made_with outer non-corrosive support_or shell with a plurality_of circumferentially evenly spaced elastomeric staves_therein.
The science_of lubricated_bearings commenced in the 1880's with the discovery of considerable fluid_pressure in the oil-film of bearings,_from which oil-lubricated bearings_were developed._In_the 1890's tilting-pad_oil-lubricated_metal bearings_were invented and later tilting-pad journal bearings_were developed._In tilting-pad bearings, the pads physically_move (rather than deflect)_because_of the very high modules or_stiffness of the metal, to give_the right approach angles required_to_develop_very low hydrodynamic (self pumping)_lubrication.
The term “elastohydrodynamic” evolved to cover_those dynamic cases_(like gear teeth) where the bearing surfaces_were_rapidly moving in and out of_contact_yet were apparently hydrodynamically lubricated, if_only_for_periodic, very short time intervals._It was later theorized that the_low friction of certain oil-lubricated plastic bearings was due_to a fluid-trapping_pocket being formed in the_plastic.
Early_water-lubricated_rubber bearings were not very effective because the bearings did_not develop_hydrodynamic lubrication. Water-lubricated_bearings in the 1960's were in the category of medium_wear devices, the same category as automotive_brake linings. This was because the