An improved flexible support for a steady bearing in rotational contact
with the surface of a shaft allows the bearing and housing to
substantially track the contact surface of an impeller shaft when the
shaft is subject to elastic deflection during operation. The flexible
support employs a flexible disc pack, which is comprised of a plurality of
thin, flexible disc elements in a stacked arrangement. The disc pack is
mounted to a support ring and is also mounted to the bearing housing such
that the bearing housing and other bearing elements are capable of
deflection to substantially align with the axis of the impeller shaft when
the shaft deflects.