a tilting pad thrust bearing arrangement ) consists of an annular backing ring providing an axially facing supporting surface on which an array of bearing pads is carried . each pad has a flat supported surface clamped to a thin mounting ring of resilient steel by a headed fastener which bears on the supporting surface . the mounting ring is supported clear of the supporting surface at mounting points each side of each bearing pad which define a stand - off distance between ring and supporting surface of less than the height of each fastener head so that the ring is biased and each pad is lifted at the clamping position with its edges clear of the ring , thereby permitting it to pivot about the fulcrum formed by the fastener head . the supporting surface may be an intervening resilient ring .