What is this device?

[rci]

Hi all...

does anyone know what this device is called?

It is a sort of spherical bearing...

Imagine a shallow concave dish.

If it was the size of a dinner plate, imagine then a hard ball bearing,
about the size of a baseball sitting in the middle of the dish.

Finally imagine another, inverted dish, sitting atop that.

It would be a self centering apparatus capable of lateral movement.

What is it called?

Thanks!

SMS

[Quarc]

Post by rci
Hi all...
does anyone know what this device is called?
It is a sort of spherical bearing...
Imagine a shallow concave dish.
If it was the size of a dinner plate, imagine then a hard ball bearing,
about the size of a baseball sitting in the middle of the dish.
Finally imagine another, inverted dish, sitting atop that.
It would be a self centering apparatus capable of lateral movement.
What is it called?
Thanks!
SMS

I don't know the name, but I think what you are talking about is a
device you put beneeth houses to make them earthquake safe.

regards /PA

[Guru]

Post by rci
does anyone know what this device is called?
It is a sort of spherical bearing...
Imagine a shallow concave dish.
If it was the size of a dinner plate, imagine then a hard ball bearing,
about the size of a baseball sitting in the middle of the dish.
Finally imagine another, inverted dish, sitting atop that.
It would be a self centering apparatus capable of lateral movement.
What is it called?

I don't know the name, but I think what you are talking about is a device
you put beneeth houses to make them earthquake safe.

I had also come across a description of this building support device some
time ago. From a Google Search, I found this report, just to quote it as
an example.
"Protective Systems for Buildings: Application of Spherical Sliding
Isolation Systems"
http://mceer.buffalo.edu/infoservice/faqs/rsa5_ssi.asp