US Patent 7237958 Bearing stiff plate pedestal

A bearing stiff plate pedestal with cylindrical bore and a separate bearing with shimmed saddle blocks that mate to the bore to permit accurate alignment and with self-aligning Babbitted tilting pad bearings to replace existing bearing spring plates arrangements. A method wherein the bearing stiff plate pedestal is fashioned initially as a drill fixture by drilling mounting holes in the stiff plate pedestal with the diameter of a tap drill for hold down bolts, to permit drilling and tapping holes in the pedestal base plate at proper locations. Subsequently, the mounting holes are enlarged to form clearance holes, and the stiff plate pedestal is mounted, aligned, and bolted into place.