# US 2021/0277953 A1 · Bearing cooling systems and methods for vibratory pile drivers > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0277953 A1 - Document ID: US20210277953A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/192,456 - Filed: 2021-03-04 - Published: 2021-09-09 - Earliest claimed: 2020-03-09 - Assignees: American Piledriving Equipment, Inc. - Applicants: American Piledriving Equipment, Inc. - Inventors: Joseph M. Klekotka - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210277953A1 ## CPC - F16C 37/007: {of rolling bearings} - E02D 13/00: Accessories for placing or removing piles or bulkheads {, e.g. noise attenuating chambers} - F16C 33/768: {between relatively stationary parts, i.e. static seals} - F16C 35/00: Rigid support of bearing units; Housings, e.g. caps, covers (F16C23/00 takes precedence) - E02D 7/18: Placing by vibrating {(vibrators for soil compacting E02D3/046)} - E02D 2600/00: Miscellaneous - F16C 2350/00: Machines or articles related to building - F16C: SHAFTS; FLEXIBLE SHAFTS; ELEMENTS OR CRANKSHAFT MECHANISMS; ROTARY BODIES OTHER THAN GEARING ELEMENTS; BEARINGS - E02D: FOUNDATIONS; EXCAVATIONS; EMBANKMENTS (specially adapted for hydraulic engineering E02B); UNDERGROUND OR UNDERWATER STRUCTURES {(tunnels, tunnelling, mining E21)} ## Abstract A bearing cooling system for a vibratory pile driving system comprising at least one housing wall defining at least one bearing opening and at least one bearing assembly supported by the at least one housing wall in the at least one bearing opening. The bearing cooling system comprises a bearing cover plate, a bearing cover seal member, and at least one bearing bolt. The bearing cover plate defines an inner surface having a bearing cover plate seal recess. The bearing cover seal member adapted to be received at least partly within the bearing cover plate seal recess. The at least one bearing bolt is configured to secure the bearing cover plate relative to the at least one housing wall to form at least one contact location at which the bearing cover plate is in contact with at least a portion of the at least one bearing assembly. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A bearing cooling system for a vibratory pile driving system comprising at least one housing wall defining at least one bearing opening and at least one bearing assembly supported by the at least one housing wall in the at least one bearing opening, the bearing cooling system comprising: a bearing cover plate defining an inner surface having a bearing cover plate seal recess; a bearing cover seal member adapted to be received at least partly within the bearing cover plate seal recess; and at least one bearing bolt configured to secure the bearing cover plate relative to the at least one housing wall to form at least one contact location at which the bearing cover plate is in contact with at least a portion of the at least one bearing assembly. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A bearing cooling system as recited in claim 1, in which the bearing cover plate defines an inner surface at least a portion of which engages the bearing assembly at the at least one contact location when the bearing cover plate is secured to the at least one housing wall. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A bearing cooling system as recited in claim 1, in which the at least one bearing assembly defines a bearing housing, where the at least one bearing cover plate engages the bearing housing at the at least one contact location. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A bearing cooling system as recited in claim 1, in which, when the bearing cover plate is secured to the at least one housing wall, the bearing cover plate seal member defines a sealed chamber between the bearing cover plate and the at least one bearing assembly. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) A bearing cooling system as recited in claim 4, in which at least one bearing cover plate through opening is formed in the bearing cover plate, where the at least one cover plate through opening is outside of the sealed chamber; and the at least one bearing bolt extends through the bearing cover plate through opening when the bearing cover plate is secured to the at least one housing wall. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A bearing cooling system as recited in claim 1, further comprising a bearing spacer plate arranged between the bearing cover plate and the at least one housing wall, where the bearing cover plate and the bearing cover seal member engage the bearing spacer plate. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A bearing cooling system as recited in claim 1, in which the bearing cover plate further engages the at least one housing wall. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A bearing cooling system as recited in claim 1, in which the bearing cover plate engages a plurality of portions of the at least one bearing assembly to form a plurality of contact locations. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A bearing cooling system as recited in claim 1, in which the bearing cover plate further engages the at least one housing wall. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) A bearing cooling system as recited in claim 1, further comprising a bearing spacer plate arranged between the bearing cover plate and the at least one housing wall, wherein: the bearing cover seal member engages the bearing spacer plate; the bearing cover plate engages the at least one housing wall at a first contact location; the bearing cover plate engages the bearing spacer plate at a second contact location; and the bearing cover plate engages first and second portions of the at least one bearing assembly to form third and fourth contact locations. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) A bearing cooling system as recited in claim 1, in which the bearing cover plate defines an outer surface comprising at least one fin structure configured to dissipate heat. ### Claim 12 A method of cooling a vibratory pile driving system comprising at least one housing wall defining at least one bearing opening and at least one bearing assembly supported by the at least one housing wall in the at least one bearing opening, the cooling method comprising the steps of: providing a bearing cover plate defining an inner surface having a bearing cover plate seal recess; providing a bearing cover seal member adapted to be received at least partly within the bearing cover plate seal recess; providing at least one bearing bolt; and securing the bearing cover plate relative to the at least one housing wall with the at least one bearing bolt such that the bearing cover seal member forms a sealed chamber, and at least one contact location is defined at which the bearing cover plate is in contact with at least a portion of the at least one bearing assembly. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) A method as recited in claim 12, in which, when the bearing cover plate is secured to the at least one housing wall, the bearing cover plate defines an inner surface at least a portion of which engages the bearing assembly at the at least one contact location. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) A method as recited in claim 12, in which the at least one bearing assembly defines a bearing housing, where the at least one bearing cover plate engages the bearing housing at the at least one contact location. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) A method as recited in claim 12, further comprising the steps of: forming at least one bearing cover plate through opening in the bearing cover plate, where the at least one cover plate through opening is outside of the sealed chamber when the bearing cover plate is secured to the at least one housing wall; and extending the at least one bearing bolt through the bearing cover plate through opening. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) A method as recited in claim 12, further comprising the step of arranging a bearing spacer plate between the bearing cover plate and the at least one housing wall such that the bearing cover plate and the bearing cover seal member engage the bearing spacer plate. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) A method as recited in claim 16, further comprising the steps: engaging the bearing cover plate with the at least one housing wall at a first contact location; engaging the bearing cover plate with the bearing spacer plate at a second contact location; and engaging the bearing cover plate with first and second portions of the at least one bearing assembly to form third and fourth contact locations. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) A method as recited in claim 12, further comprising the step of forming at least one fin structure configured to dissipate heat on an outer surface of the bearing cover plate. ### Claim 19 A bearing cooling system for a vibratory pile driving system comprising at least one housing wall defining at least one bearing opening and at least one bearing assembly supported by the at least one housing wall in the at least one bearing opening, the bearing cooling system comprising: a bearing cover plate defining at least one bearing cover plate through opening, and an inner surface having a bearing cover plate seal recess; a bearing cover seal member adapted to be received at least partly within the bearing cover plate seal recess; a bearing spacer plate adapted to be arranged between the bearing cover plate and the at least one housing wall, where the bearing spacer plate defines at least one bearing spacer plate through opening; and at least one bearing bolt; wherein the at least one bearing bolt extends through the at least one bearing cover plate through opening and the at least one bearing spacer plate through opening to secure the bearing cover plate relative to the at least one housing wall; and when the bearing cover plate is secured relative to the at least one housing wall, the bearing cover seal member engages the bearing spacer plate to define a sealed chamber between the bearing cover plate and the at least one bearing assembly, the bearing cover plate engages the at least one housing wall at a first contact location, the bearing cover plate engages the bearing spacer plate at a second contact location, and the bearing cover plate engages first and second portions of the at least one bearing assembly to form third and fourth contact locations. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) A bearing cooling system as recited in claim 19, in which the bearing cover plate defines an outer surface comprising at least one fin structure configured to dissipate heat.