Self-aligning bearing and seal

An improved self-aligning bearing assembly of the type adapted to rotatably support a shaft comprising:

• an inner race ring rotatably coupled with the shaft;
• anti-friction bearing means spaced circumferentially around the inner race;
• an outer race ring rotatably carried on the bearing means;
• spacer members carried by the shaft and having portions abutting the sides of the inner race ring, said portions being generally cylindrical and having an external radius equal to or greater than the external radius of said inner race ring;
• a housing member supporting the outer race ring, said member and ring slidably engaged at complementary surfaces of spherical cross section, the housing member further having a side flange extending axially outwardly of the side of the outer race ring and inwardly so as to be adjacent said portion of the respective spacer member and form a narrow gap therewith;
• and a seal member carried by the outer race ring and having an axially inwardly extending first resilient seal lip slidably engaging the inner race ring and a second resilient seal lip extending axially outwardly and wipingly abutting the side flange and the portion of the spacer member and closing the gap therebetween.

An improved self-aligning bearing assembly of the type adapted to rotatably support a shaft comprising:

• anti-friction bearing means carried between an inner and outer race ring, the inner race ring rotatably coupled with the shaft;
• a housing member adapted to support the outer race ring, said member and ring having complementary surfaces of spherical cross section slidably engaged;
• the housing member further having side flanges extending inwardly and adjacent the sides of the outer race ring;
• and a seal having a metal stiffening member, means for connecting the stiffening member to the outer race ring;
• resilient seal lips carried by the stiffening member and slidably engaging the outer circumferential surfaces of the inner race ring;
• and a resilient wiper lip carried by the stiffening member and wipingly engaging the side flange.

An improved self-aligning bearing assembly of the type adapted to rotatably support a shaft comprising:

• inner and outer race rings, the former rotatably carried on the shaft and the latter rotatably carried on anti-friction means supported on the former;
• a housing member adapted to support the outer race ring, said housing member and outer race ring having complementary surfaces of spherical cross section slidably engaged, said housing further having side flanges extending inwardly and adjacent the sides of the outer race ring;
• a reservoir formed between the housing member and the outer race ring;
• means carried by the housing member in communication with said reservoir whereby lubricating may be introduced;
• and a seal member carried by the outer race ring and including first resilient seal lips extending radially inwardly and slidably engaging the outer circumference of the inner race ring and second seal lips extending radially outwardly and wipingly engaging the side flange of the housing member so as to maintain lubricating within the reservoir and prevent entry of contaminates thereinto.

A shaft supporting structure including a support surrounding the shaft with an inner bearing-receiving spherical surface formed about a center substantially on the axis of the shaft, and a bearing assembly comprising:

• an outer race ring exteriorly formed to complement and to oscillate within the bearing-receiving surface;
• an inner race ring rotatable with the shaft;
• a plurality of anti-friction elements between said rings;
• an annular seal member fixed to the outer race ring and having a first annular resilient lip extending radially inwardly and wipingly engaging the outer circumferential surface of the inner race ring;
• and a second annular resilient lip extending toward and frictionally engaging the inner bearing-receiving surface so as to resist relative rotation between said outer race ring and support structure.

A bearing assembly adapted to rotatably support a shaft comprising:

• an inner race ring rotatably coupled with the shaft;
• anti-friction bearing means spaced circumferentially around the inner race ring;
• an outer race ring rotatably carried on the bearing means and having an outer surface formed as the section of a sphere;
• a housing including an inner bearing-receiving spherical surface slidably supporting the outer race ring, the housing member further having a side flange extending axially outwardly beyond the radially extending side of the outer race ring;
• and an annular resilient seal member carried by the outer race ring including a first seal lip extending radially inwardly and wipingly engaging the outer surface of the inner race ring and a second seal lip extending outwardly and frictionally engaging the side flange of said housing so as to yieldably resist rotational movement of the outer race ring relative to the housing.

A self-aligning bearing assembly adapted to rotatably support a shaft comprising:

• an inner race ring rotatably coupled with the shaft;
• anti-friction bearing means spaced circumferentially around the inner race ring;
• an outer race ring rotatably carried on the bearing means and having an outer surface formed as the section of a sphere with radially extending faces spaced axially inwardly of the radially extending faces of said inner race ring;
• a housing member including an inner bearing-receiving surface formed as the section of a sphere and slidably supporting the outer race ring, said member having side flanges extending axially outwardly beyond the radially extending faces of the outer race ring;
• and an annular resilient seal member carried at each radially extending face of the outer race ring;
• each seal member including a first seal lip extending radially inwardly and wipingly engaging the outer surface of the inner race ring and an annular resilient seal lip extending axially outwardly and frictionally engaging a respective side flange of said housing member so as to resist rotation of said outer race ring relative to said housing member.