Locking device for a bearing ring or the like
AssigneeTextron Inc.
InventorRalph S. Howe, Jr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The invention contemplates selectively securing a bearing ring or the like to a cylindrical shaft, using a collar rotatably carried on a slotted end of the bearing ring. The collar bore and the collar-overlapped part of the slotted end have substantially conforming contours; in the case of the ring contour, a minimum radial extent characterizes the angular region of any slot, and a maximum radial extent characterizes an angularly offset location which, for the case of a two-slot ring, involves maximum radial extent angularly intermediate the slots. Various forms are described.
Claims20
Locking means for securing a bearing ring or the like to a cylindrical shaft, said ring having a cylindrical bore to fit the shaft and said ring having at one axial end a slot of limited axial length, whereby said ring is circumferentially discontinuous in an axial region of the slot and is therefore locally radially deformable in said axial region, said ring having at said axial region a circumferential contour characterized by a minimum radial extent at the angular region of the slot and by a maximum radial extent at a second angular region offset from said first-mentioned angular region to an extent less than 180.degree., and a circumferentially continuous locking collar having a bore conforming substantially to the said ring contour, said collar having an externally accessible formation engageable for relative angular displacement of said collar and ring to bring the second angular region of said ring into adjacency with the first angular region of said collar.
In combination, an inner ring for an antifriction bearing and a locking collar assembled to said ring for selective clamping of said ring to a shaft, said ring having a cylindrical bore to fit the shaft and said ring being externally characterized at one axial region by an antifriction-element raceway and being characterized at a second axial region by two diametrically opposed axially extending radial slots open to the adjacent axial end of said ring, thereby defining a "split-tail" region of said ring at an axial location offset from the region of said raceway, said ring having in at least a portion of said "split-tail" region a circumferential contour characterized by a minimum radial extent at each of the opposed angular regions of the slots and by a maximum radial extent at the opposed angular regions which are intermediate the slotted regions, said locking collar being circumferentially continuous and having a bore assembled and conforming substantially to the ring contour.
In combination, an inner ring for an antifriction bearing and a locking collar adapted for assembly to said ring for selective clamping of said ring to a shaft, said ring having a cylindrical bore to fit the shaft and said ring being externally characterized at one axial region by an antifriction-element raceway and being characterized at a second axial region by two diametrically opposed axially extending radial slots open to the adjacent axial end of said ring, thereby defining a "split-tail" region of said ring at an axial location offset from the region of said raceway, said ring having in at least a portion of said "split-tail" region a circumferential contour characterized by a minimum radial extent at each of the opposed angular regions of the slots and by a maximum radial extent at the opposed angular regions which are intermediate the slotted regions, said locking collar being circumferentially continuous and having a bore assembled and conforming substantially to that of the ring contour, and coacting formations on said ring and collar for their snap-acting assembly and unit-handling retention.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.