07-08-2014, 02:26 PM
I agree with the paddle wheel mounting method - if the load on the shaft is close to the bearings, it makes for minimal shaft deflection (either due to dead weight or due to paddling force).
Another option with the bearings is just to leave enough bearing slop to allow for misalignment. You might consider wooden bearings. I once worked on an older Black-Clausin paper machine (built ~1918) that used hard maple block bearings on all the dryer cans. The design used two maple blocks with the bore on the center line. The blocks were clamped down to the frame with a cast iron bolted cap. New blocks quickly "wore in" to alignment. As the blocks wore down, the cap was tighten down to allow for the wear. The blocks ran for months (around the clock operation) before needing replacement. The blocks were lubed with high temperature grease which soaked into the wood. There was 100 psi steam going through the roll journals. On the paper machine, the blocks had to be replaced when the tram of the dryer cans got far enough out to cause defects to the paper. On a paddle boat, you could probably accept a lot more wear than a paper machine - and run a lot longer between block changes.
Terry S.
Another option with the bearings is just to leave enough bearing slop to allow for misalignment. You might consider wooden bearings. I once worked on an older Black-Clausin paper machine (built ~1918) that used hard maple block bearings on all the dryer cans. The design used two maple blocks with the bore on the center line. The blocks were clamped down to the frame with a cast iron bolted cap. New blocks quickly "wore in" to alignment. As the blocks wore down, the cap was tighten down to allow for the wear. The blocks ran for months (around the clock operation) before needing replacement. The blocks were lubed with high temperature grease which soaked into the wood. There was 100 psi steam going through the roll journals. On the paper machine, the blocks had to be replaced when the tram of the dryer cans got far enough out to cause defects to the paper. On a paddle boat, you could probably accept a lot more wear than a paper machine - and run a lot longer between block changes.
Terry S.