Kingsbury Inc., headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, held the fundamental patents on the tilting-pad hydrodynamic thrust bearing design that became the standard configuration for naval propulsion shaft bearing systems in the United States Navy throughout the mid-twentieth century. Kingsbury thrust bearings were installed as main propulsion thrust bearings in destroyers, cruisers, aircraft carriers, and auxiliary vessels, absorbing the propeller thrust load from the rotating propulsion shaft and transmitting it to the ship’s hull. According to asbestos litigation records, Kingsbury thrust bearing housing assemblies incorporated asbestos-containing compressed gasket materials at bearing housing cover joints and oil seal retainer flanges, creating exposure for Machinist’s Mates and ship repair personnel who performed bearing housing inspections, oil seal replacements, and propulsion shaft bearing overhauls aboard Navy vessels.

Company History

Kingsbury Inc. traces its origins to the early twentieth century, when Albert Kingsbury developed the tilting-pad hydrodynamic thrust bearing and patented the design that would bear his name. The Philadelphia company became the United States Navy’s primary supplier of main propulsion thrust bearings, providing the critical bearing assemblies that allow a ship’s propulsion shaft to transmit rotational force to the propeller while absorbing the resulting thrust loads in both the ahead and astern directions.

The Kingsbury bearing was adopted as a standard propulsion component across the Navy’s surface ship fleet during World War II and the postwar buildup, with the bearings installed in newly constructed destroyers, destroyer escorts, cruisers, and carriers throughout the mid-twentieth century. The bearing housings were manufactured with oil-sealed internal chambers, with the housing cover joints and oil seal retainer flanges sealed with compressed asbestos gasket materials consistent with Navy machinery standards of the era.

Asbestos-Containing Products

According to asbestos litigation records, Kingsbury thrust bearing assemblies incorporated asbestos-containing materials at bearing housing joint interfaces.

Thrust Bearing Housing Cover Gaskets

Plaintiffs alleged in asbestos lawsuits that Kingsbury thrust bearing housings incorporated asbestos-containing compressed gasket materials at the housing cover joint faces. Periodic bearing inspection required housing cover removal, exposing Machinist’s Mates to the asbestos compressed sheet gasket material at the cover joint face. Bearing maintenance crews who removed and replaced these covers for inspection, lubrication system service, or bearing component replacement encountered and disturbed the asbestos-containing gasket materials during each housing access operation.

Oil Seal Retainer Flange Gaskets

Kingsbury bearing housings used oil seal retainer flanges at the propulsion shaft entry points into the bearing housing, sealed with asbestos-containing compressed gasket material at the retainer flange faces. Machinist’s Mates replacing shaft entry oil seals required retainer flange removal, disturbing the asbestos-containing gasket material at the flange face during the seal replacement process.

Lube Oil System Piping Gaskets

The lubrication oil supply and return piping systems serving Kingsbury thrust bearing assemblies incorporated asbestos-containing compressed gasket materials at flanged connections. Machinist’s Mates maintaining the bearing lube oil system encountered asbestos gasket materials at lube oil system piping flanges during bearing lube oil system service operations.

Occupational Exposure

Navy Machinist’s Mates and Engineering Personnel

The primary exposure population for Kingsbury thrust bearing asbestos materials consists of Navy Machinist’s Mates who performed propulsion shaft bearing maintenance in naval vessel engineering spaces. According to asbestos litigation records, propulsion shaft thrust bearing access in destroyers, cruisers, and carriers was performed in the machinery spaces where the main shaft bearings were located, with Machinist’s Mates working directly on the bearing housing covers and oil seal retainer flanges during each maintenance evolution. The confined nature of ship engineering spaces concentrated asbestos fibers released during bearing housing cover and retainer flange gasket removal.

Naval Shipyard Workers

Shipyard workers performing overhaul and repair of naval vessels at naval shipyards accessed Kingsbury thrust bearing housings for propulsion shaft bearing inspection and overhaul during scheduled ship availabilities. According to asbestos litigation records, shipyard personnel performing propulsion shaft bearing maintenance as part of overhaul and repair work encountered asbestos-containing gasket materials at Kingsbury bearing housing joint faces during bearing overhaul operations.

Kingsbury Inc. has been named as a defendant in asbestos personal injury and wrongful death litigation brought by Navy veterans and shipyard workers who performed propulsion shaft bearing maintenance on Kingsbury thrust bearing installations. According to asbestos litigation records, claims involving Kingsbury bearing housing asbestos gasket materials have been brought primarily in the context of maritime asbestos litigation involving naval vessel engineering operations.

No Trust Fund Has Been Established

As of the publication date of this article, Kingsbury Inc. has not established an asbestos bankruptcy trust fund. Workers and families with Kingsbury-related asbestos exposure claims must pursue compensation through the civil litigation system.

If you or a family member developed mesothelioma, lung cancer, asbestosis, or another asbestos-related disease after performing propulsion shaft thrust bearing maintenance involving Kingsbury bearing assemblies aboard Navy vessels or at naval shipyards, the following applies:

  • No bankruptcy trust exists for Kingsbury Inc. Claims must be pursued through civil litigation.
  • Maritime claimants — Navy veterans and shipyard workers — may have options under admiralty and maritime law in addition to standard tort claims.
  • Multiple defendants are typically named in asbestos litigation. Other manufacturers of the gasket and insulation materials installed in or adjacent to Kingsbury bearing housings may have established asbestos bankruptcy trusts.
  • Documentation of vessel service, rating, and duty assignment records can help establish propulsion shaft bearing maintenance duties and exposure to Kingsbury bearing housing asbestos materials.