Gas-bearing spindles

Abstract

A gas-bearing spindle comprising a housing 2, at least one gas bearing assembly 1", 1''' housed in the housing 2, a shaft 3 mounted for rotation within the at least one gas bearing assembly 1", 1''' and a spindle coolant flow path 211, 212 leading from a spindle coolant inlet C1 to a spindle coolant outlet C2. The gas bearing assembly 1", 1''' comprises an assembly coolant flow path from an assembly coolant inlet to an assembly coolant outlet, and the assembly coolant flow path forms part of the spindle coolant flow path.The spindle coolant flow path 211, 212 comprises a first section located downstream of the spindle coolant inlet C1 and upstream of the coolant inlet of the assembly, and a second section located downstream of the coolant outlet of the assembly and upstream of the spindle coolant outlet C2, and one of the first and second sections is forked to create a split flow section in which the spindle coolant flow path runs in two separate flow channels 211, 212 provided in the spindle.

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