US 4,113,328 AGranted

Wheel bearing assembly with plastic bearing seals

AssigneeC. L. Frost & Son, Inc.

InventorDouglas J. Vander Meulen

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

A sealed wheel bearing assembly including thermoplastic seals permanently fused to a thermoplastic wheel or bearing. The thermoplastic wheel or outer bearing member has at least one row of bearings fitted between an outer raceway in a central aperture extending through the wheel or bearing member and an inner raceway on an inner race. An annular seal on one side, formed from a thermoplastic material, centers itself on and engages an annular surface of the inner race. A sealing disc, also formed from a thermoplastic material, may be included on the opposite side to cover the end of the inner race and the entire central wheel or bearing aperture. Both the seal and sealing disc are fused, preferably by ultrasonic welding, to the thermoplastic wheel or bearing member. The assembly is especially useful in trolley conveyor, conveyor and other bearing applications to prevent bearing contamination by moisture, dirt or the like.

Claims24

Dependent claims

A wheel bearing assembly comprising a wheel formed from a thermoplastic material and having an outer circumference, opposing sides and an axially extending, central aperture therethrough;

an outer raceway in said axially extending central aperture for receiving at least one row of antifriction bearings;
an inner race having an inner raceway radially spaced from and axially aligned with said outer raceway for receiving at least one row of antifriction bearings;
a plurality of antifriction bearings disposed in at least one row in said raceways;
said inner race having an annular surface axially outward of said inner raceway on at least one side of said inner raceway;
and an annular seal formed from a resilient, thermoplastic material and having an outer edge with a maximum radial dimension smaller than the circumference of said wheel and an annular inner edge defining an aperture through said seal;
said seal being assembled over said inner race such that said seal centers itself, an inner portion of said seal sealingly engaging said annular surface of said inner race, said seal aperture being coaxial and concentric with said inner race, an outer portion of said seal spaced from said annular inner edge being fused to said thermoplastic wheel after such assembly whereby moisture, dirt and other contaminants are prevented from entering said bearing area including said raceways and bearings.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.