The disclosure embraces a self-aligning spherical bearing having two hemispherical rings; each of the rings have inner annular surfaces and substantially planar mating surfaces; one of the mating surfaces is provided with a recess adjacent its inner arcuate edge while the other mating surface is provided with a projecting lip on its inner arcuate edge so that, when the mating surfaces are disposed in abutting relationship, the recess and lip will define a circumferential cavity; a ball member is disposed between the ring members prior to placing the mating surfaces in abutting relationship and then the mating surfaces are fusion-bonded by an energized beam of electrons to form the assembled spherical bearing.

A slidable ceramic member includes a base of a sintered ceramic material which is a compound including silicon (Si) as a constituent element, the base having a sliding surface, and a coated layer covering the sliding surface of the base, the coated layer comprising a compound of elements, such as barium (Ba) and calcium (Ca), belonging to group IIa of the periodic table, silicon (Si), and oxygen (O). The slidable ceramic member is used as a slidable component of a heat engine such as a cylinder liner or a piston ring which is subjected to repeated thermal stresses. Such a slidable ceramic member is manufactured by placing powder of a fluoride including elements belonging to group IIa of the periodic table on a surface of a base, and heating the base while rubbing the powder against the surface of the base, whereby the silicon (Si) contained in the base and the group-IIa elements contained in the powder can react with each other, thereby forming a slidable layer on the surface of the base.

Machine parts are disclosed which are subjected to rolling or sliding conditions, wherein the friction partners are protected by layers with low static and dynamic coefficients of friction which are selected with regard to their tribological properties and whereby the layers are constituted by carbides and/or nitrides and/or carbonitrides and/or borides and/or silicides and/or oxides of an element or elements selected from Groups III to VIII of the Periodic Table in the form of mixtures or mixed crystals which are deposited in a suitable manner and, according to their physiochemical properties, are combined for the particular application. Preferably one of the friction partners comprises TiC or MoSi.sub.2 and the other comproses TiN or SiC or Si.sub.3 N.sub.4.

The disclosure embraces a method of assembling a self-aligning spherical bearing by placing the mating surfaces of two ring members each having annular facing recesses together about the spherical member and then directing an energized beam raised inwardly towards the common axis of the ring members to fusion bond the mating surface of the ring members together; the depth of the fusion bonding extending from the outer edges of the ring members to the cavity defined by the mating recesses formed on the mating surfaces of the ring members on their interior edges; the inner bearing surfaces of the ring members have a bearing surface formed thereon by injecting a mixture of an acrylate composition and a solid particulate lubricant between the spherical bearing surface and the inner annular surfaces of the ring members.

The present invention relates to a bearing having at least two bearing surfaces provided with a clearance therebetween, the clearance being filled with a fluid mixture which provides a heavily damped viscous-drag on the bearing surfaces during slow relative movement of the surfaces and a substantially free-slipping movement of the surfaces upon a suddenly increased force being applied to the surfaces.