Slewing bearing for food processing equipment

A slewing bearing for angularly displacing a rotatable member with respect to a fixed member about a central axis, the slewing bearing comprising:

• an inner annular body coupleable with the fixed member, the inner annular body having a centerline coaxial with the central axis and an inner bearing race;
• an outer annular body disposed about the inner body, coupled with the rotatable member, and having an outer bearing race spaced radially outwardly from the inner race and a plurality of gear teeth spaced about the centerline and configured to be engaged by a drive pinion so to angularly displace the outer body about the central axis;
• a plurality of rolling elements disposed between the inner and outer annular bodies so as to be rollable upon the inner and outer races to rotatably couple the inner and outer bodies;
• and
• an annular seal coupled with the outer annular body and having an outside diameter, opposing first and second axial ends, an axial thickness being defined between the axial ends, a sealing lip sealing against the inner annular body, the seal being sized such that the ratio of the seal outside diameter to the seal axial thickness is greater than fifty (50).

A slewing bearing for angularly displacing a rotatable member with respect to a fixed member about a central axis, the slewing bearing comprising:

• an inner annular body formed of unhardened stainless steel and coupleable with the fixed member, the inner annular body having a centerline coaxial with the central axis and an inner bearing race with an unhardened race surface;
• an outer annular body disposed about the inner body and formed of unhardened stainless steel, coupled with the rotatable member, and having an outer bearing race with an unhardened race surface spaced radially outwardly from the inner race and a plurality of gear teeth spaced about the centerline and configured to be engaged by a drive pinion so to angularly displace the outer body about the centerline;
• and
• a plurality of rolling elements disposed between the inner and outer annular bodies so as to be rollable upon the inner and outer races to rotatably couple the inner and outer bodies.