# US 2016/0355196 A1 · Backing Ring Assembly for Railcar Axle Bearings > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2016/0355196 A1 - Document ID: US20160355196A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/150,933 - Filed: 2016-05-10 - Published: 2016-12-08 - Earliest claimed: 2015-05-11 - Assignees: Aktiebolaget Skf - Inventors: David Johansson; Michael Duguet; Mark A. Ussai; Arnaud Duchassin; Thierry Le Moigne; Jonathan Repesse - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20160355196A1 ## CPC - B61F 15/22: Sealing means preventing entrance of dust or leakage of oil - B61F 15/02: with journal bearings - B61F 15/12: with roller, needle, or ball bearings - F16C 33/7813: {for tapered roller bearings} - F16C 35/063: Fixing them on the shaft (with interposition of an element F16C35/07) - F16C 19/386: {in O-arrangement} - F16C 33/723: {Shaft end sealing means, e.g. cup-shaped caps or covers} - F16C 2226/74: with snap-fit, e.g. by clips - F16C 2326/10: Railway vehicles - B61F: RAIL VEHICLE SUSPENSIONS, e.g. UNDERFRAMES, BOGIES OR ARRANGEMENTS OF WHEEL AXLES; RAIL VEHICLES FOR USE ON TRACKS OF DIFFERENT WIDTH; PREVENTING DERAILING OF RAIL VEHICLES; WHEEL GUARDS, OBSTRUCTION REMOVERS OR THE LIKE FOR RAIL VEHICLES (for vehicles in general B60; axles or wheels B60B; vehicle tyres B60C) - F16C: SHAFTS; FLEXIBLE SHAFTS; ELEMENTS OR CRANKSHAFT MECHANISMS; ROTARY BODIES OTHER THAN GEARING ELEMENTS; BEARINGS ## Abstract A backing ring assembly is for a railcar axle assembly including a shaft with a central axis and a bearing mounted on the shaft. An annular backing ring is disposeable upon the shaft between the bearing and a shaft enlarged section and has a central axis, an inner surface extending about the axis and defining a central bore for receiving the shaft and a retention surface facing away from the shaft enlarged section when the backing ring is disposed upon the shaft. A retainer includes an annular body, disposeable about the shaft enlarged section and having an inner surface sized to frictionally engage with the shaft enlarged section cylindrical surface, and at least one coupler connected with the annular body. The coupler(s) engage with the ring retention surface to releasably connect the retainer annular body with the backing ring to retain the ring at a fixed position on the shaft. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A backing ring assembly for a railcar axle assembly, the axle assembly including a shaft with a central axis and a bearing mounted on the shaft, the shaft having an enlarged section with a generally cylindrical outer circumferential surface and a curved fillet section connecting the enlarged section with a remainder of the shaft, the backing ring assembly comprising: a generally annular backing ring disposeable upon the shaft between the bearing and the shaft enlarged section and having a central axis, an inner circumferential surface extending about the axis and defining a central bore for receiving a portion of the shaft and a retention surface facing generally away from the shaft enlarged section when the backing ring is disposed upon the shaft; and a retainer including a generally annular body disposeable about the shaft enlarged section, the annular body having an inner circumferential surface sized to frictionally engage with the shaft enlarged section cylindrical surface, and at least one coupler connected with the annular body and configured to engage with the backing ring retention surface to releasably connect the retainer annular body with the backing ring so as to retain the ring at a substantially fixed axial position on the shaft. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The backing ring assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein at least the annular body of the retainer is formed of a substantially expansible material such that the central bore is adapted to separately receive one of a plurality of shafts, each shaft including an enlarged section with an outside diameter having a value different than a value of the outside diameter of the enlarged section of each other one of the plurality of shafts. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The backing ring assembly as recited in claim 2 wherein the retainer annular body is formed of one of a polymeric material and a metallic material. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The backing ring assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein the retainer annular body inner surface is configured to sealingly engage with the shaft enlarged section outer surface. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The backing ring assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein the at least one retainer coupler is integrally formed with the retainer annular body. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The backing ring assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein the backing ring has first and second axial ends and an outer circumferential surface extending generally axially between the first and second ends, the shoulder surface extending generally radially-inwardly from the ring outer surface proximal to the ring second axial end. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The backing ring assembly as recited in claim 6 wherein: the backing ring outer circumferential surface is generally frustoconical and extends generally axially between a first, diametrically-smaller axial edge proximal to the backing ring first axial end and a second, diametrically-larger axial edge proximal to the backing ring second axial end; and the retainer coupler includes a generally frustoconical tubular body sized to be disposed about the backing ring outer surface, the coupler body having a first, diametrically-smaller end connected with the retainer main body and a second, diametrically-larger end, the retainer body second end being located at least generally proximal to the backing ring second axial end when the retainer is installed about the body and configured to engage with the shoulder surface. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The backing ring as recited in claim 6 wherein the retainer coupler includes a generally tubular body having a first end connected with the retainer annular body, a second end engageable with the backing ring shoulder surface and an inner circumferential surface disposeable about the ring outer circumferential surface. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The backing ring as recited in claim 8 wherein at least a portion of the retainer coupler tubular body is configured to deflect generally radially when installing the retainer onto the backing ring and alternatively when removing the retainer from the backing ring. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The backing ring assembly as recited in claim 8 wherein the retainer coupler tubular body includes at least one generally arcuate lip extending radially inwardly from the tubular body second end and disposeable against the backing ring shoulder surface. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The backing ring assembly as recited in claim 10 wherein the at least one retainer coupler lip includes a plurality of the lips spaced circumferentially apart about the ring central axis. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The backing ring as recited in claim 10 wherein the at least one lip has opposing circumferential ends and the retainer coupler tubular body has at least two, generally parallel slotted openings each disposed adjacent to a separate one of the lip circumferential ends and extending axially from the tubular body second end and toward the tubular body first end, the two slotted openings defining a generally arcuate tab, the tab being generally radially displaceable with respect to a remainder of tubular body to displace the arcuate lip in generally radial directions. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The backing ring assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein the retainer annular body includes outer and inner axial ends, the retainer coupler being connected with the body inner end, and a substantially radially-extending demount surface on the outer axial end, the demount surface being engageable by a removal tool to axially displace the retainer body off of the shaft enlarged section and the backing ring along the shaft. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The backing ring assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein the retainer coupler includes a generally tubular body having a first end connected with the retainer annular body, a second end engageable with the backing ring shoulder surface and an inner circumferential surface disposeable about the ring outer circumferential surface. ### Claim 15 (depends on 16) The backing ring assembly as recited in claim 16 wherein the retainer coupler tubular body includes at least one generally arcuate lip extending radially inwardly from the tubular body second end and disposeable against the backing ring shoulder surface. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The backing ring assembly as recited in claim 15 wherein the at least one lip has opposing circumferential ends and the retainer coupler tubular body further has at least two, generally parallel slotted openings each disposed adjacent to a separate one of the lip circumferential ends and extending axially from the tubular body second end and toward the tubular body first end, the two slotted openings defining a generally arcuate tab, the tab being generally radially displaceable with respect to a remainder of tubular body to displace the arcuate lip in generally radial directions. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The backing ring assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein the retainer coupler has a first end connected with the retainer annular body, a second, opposing end proximal to the backing ring shoulder surface and at least one generally arcuate lip extending generally radially inwardly from the coupler second end and disposeable against with the backing ring shoulder surface. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The backing ring assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein the backing ring has an outer axial end and an opposing inner axial end, the inner axial end being disposed adjacent to an intersection of the shaft fillet and the shaft enlarged section such that the backing ring is spaced axially from the cylindrical surface of the shaft enlarged section, and the backing ring inner surface including a curved surface section juxtaposeable against the shaft fillet section when the backing ring is disposed on the shaft. ### Claim 19 A backing ring assembly for a railcar axle assembly, the axle assembly including a shaft with a central axis and a bearing mounted on the shaft, the shaft having an enlarged section with a generally cylindrical outer circumferential surface and a curved fillet section connecting the enlarged section with a remainder of the shaft, the backing ring assembly comprising: a generally annular backing ring disposeable upon the shaft between the bearing and the shaft enlarged section and having a central axis, an inner circumferential surface extending about the axis and defining a central bore for receiving a portion of the shaft and an opposing outer circumferential surface; and a retainer including a generally annular body portion with an inner circumferential surface sized to frictionally engage with the shaft enlarged section cylindrical surface and a generally tubular coupler portion integrally formed with the annular body portion, the tubular portion being disposeable about the backing ring outer surface and configured to engage with the backing ring to releasably connect the annular body portion with the backing ring so as to retain the ring at a substantially fixed axial position on the shaft. ### Claim 20 A backing ring assembly for a railcar axle assembly, the axle assembly including a shaft with a central axis and a bearing mounted on the shaft, the shaft having an enlarged section with a generally cylindrical outer circumferential surface and a curved fillet section connecting the enlarged section with a remainder of the shaft, the backing ring assembly comprising: a generally annular backing ring having opposing first and second axial ends, an inner circumferential surface defining a central bore for receiving a portion of the shaft such that the ring is disposed between the bearing and the shaft enlarged section, the ring inner surface including a curved surface section juxtaposeable against the shaft fillet section when the backing ring is disposed on the shaft, and a generally radially-extending shoulder surface facing generally toward the bearing; and a retainer including a generally annular body disposed adjacent to the backing ring first axial end, the annular body having a central bore sized to frictionally engage with the shaft enlarged section cylindrical surface, and generally tubular coupler disposeable about the backing ring and having a first end integrally formed with the annular body and a second end configured to engage with the backing ring shoulder surface to releasably connect the annular body with the ring so as substantially retain the backing ring at a fixed axial position on the shaft.