Michell and the Development of Tilting Pad Bearings

The major contribution of A.G.M. Michell to the science of lubrication through his three dimensional solution to Reynolds’ equation is well known. Much less known is the story of the industrial introduction of tilting pad bearings to Europe and the eventual establishment of a specialist bearing company carrying the inventor’s name. The purpose of this paper is to relate something of this history and then highlight some of the subsequent technological changes encountered by the company, Michell Bearings, in the 65 years of its existence.

Introduction

The personal biography of A.G.M. Michell, figure 1, has been documented serveral times (1, 2, 3) and most recently and comprehensively by Dowson (4, 5). On the occasion of the Osborne Reynolds centenary it is perhaps appropiate to recall that Michell (6) in 1905, ninteen years after Reynolds had considered the lubrication of plane surfaces, obtained a three dimensional solution to Reynolds’ theory yet effected.