Large scale spherical roller bearing having radially offset cage bars

A large scale spherical roller bearing for supporting a main shaft of a power plant turbine, the spherical roller bearing comprising:

• an outer ring;
• an inner ring having a bore with a diameter of at least 499 mm;
• first and second sets of spherical rollers rollable along raceways formed on the outer ring and the inner ring;
• and
• at least one cage configured to retain the first and second sets of spherical rollers and including at least one axial inner cage ring extending in a circumferential direction of the spherical roller bearing, a first axial outer cage ring spaced from the at least one axial inner cage ring on a first axial side, a plurality of cage bars connecting the first axial outer cage ring with the at least one inner cage ring and forming a plurality of closed pockets, each pocket being configured to receive one spherical roller of the first set of spherical rollers, a second axial outer cage ring spaced from the at least one axial inner cage ring on a second axial side opposite to the first axial side, a plurality of cage bars connecting the second axial outer cage ring with the at least one inner axial cage ring and forming a plurality of closed pockets, each pocket being configured to receive one spherical roller of the second set of rollers;
• wherein each one of the plurality of cage bars is at least partially arranged at a position that is offset in a radial direction from a pitch diameter of the bearing;
• and
• wherein the at least one cage is provided with at least one retention element for securely holding the spherical rollers in the pockets of the at least one cage.