A hermetic reciprocating compressor, in which a bearing structure to support a
rotating shaft is improved to minimize frictional contact between the parts of
the compressor, thus reducing noise of the compressor and improving compression
efficiency of the compressor. In the hermetic reciprocating compressor, a first
annular bearing seat is formed around an upper edge of a shaft bore of a frame
to seat therein a first radial bearing which sustains loads of a rotating shaft.
The first radial bearing is a self-aligning radial bearing which allows the rotating
shaft to self-align due to a clearance angle of the first radial bearing, even
when a desired perpendicular arrangement of the shaft bore relative to a cylinder
block is not formed, due to a mechanical tolerance of the frame. The first radial
bearing sustains both axial loads of the rotating shaft and horizontal loads acting
in the rotating shaft due to rectilinear reciprocation of a piston, thus reducing
the losses caused by friction between the rotating shaft and the frame. In addition,
since the rotating shaft self-aligns due to the first radial bearing, it is possible
to reduce the losses caused by friction between a compression chamber and the piston
and between the rotating shaft and the frame.