US 4,133,588 AGranted

Ball separator for ball bearing

AssigneeIndustrial Molding Corporation

InventorMelvin L. Earsley

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Abstract

A primarily radial load ball bearing includes an assembly of outer and inner race rings having confronting raceways for a plurality of balls, and a unitary ball separator fabricated of a moldable material such as nylon. The separator is a ring-shaped member having an annular base and annularly spaced fingers projecting axially from the base to provide annularly spaced ball pockets. The separator is configured to be received between the races to separate and space the bearing balls in the bearing. The wall surfaces of the ball pockets may be spherical or may be cylindrical generated about radial axes of the separator. The effective diameter of the pocket wall surfaces is larger than that of the balls to provide a clearance space; and the wall surfaces are provided with projections of several configurations which define ball engaging surfaces having an effective diameter still slightly larger than that of the balls to provide minimal clearance with the balls.

Claims13

Dependent claims

In a ball separator for use in a ball bearing which includes confronting first and second races, and a plurality of spherical balls coacting with said races;

said ball separator including an annular base, and a plurality of annularly spaced fingers projecting from said annular base to define individual annularly spaced ball pockets;
said ball separator having opposite side walls, and being configured to be received between the outer and inner races of said ball bearing with said side walls confronting respective races;
each of said ball pockets being formed to partially enclose a respective ball, and having a wall surface with an effective diameter larger than the diameter of said ball, thereby providing a clearance space between the pocket wall surface and said ball;
the improvement comprising:
each pocket wall surface having integral projections formed thereon, defining ball engaging surfaces having an effective diameter slightly larger than the diameter of said ball to provide a small clearance between said projections and said ball.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.