Bearings
AssigneeThe Glacier Metal Company Limited
InventorBrian D. Campbell
Life of this patent
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Abstract
This invention is a method of making a flanged half-bearing in which a semi-cylindrical journal bearing shell and two semi-annular end flanges are held in a jig with one flange in contact with each axial end of the shell over a part only of the thickness of the shell, and are welded together by a laser beam weld. The use of laser beam welding together with the restricted area of contact between the shell and the flanges enables the bearing to be made with very little distortion.
Claims15
A method of making a flanged half-bearing in which a semi-cylindrical shell having an outer face and an inner face, and a semi-annular end flange having an outer face and an inner face, are held with the inner face of the flange in contact with one axial end of the shell over a partial thickness comprising less than the entire thickness of the shell, said partial thickness encompassing said inner face of said shell and a laser beam is applied around a semi-circular path where the inner face of the flange is in contact with the end of the shell adjacent said inner face of said shell to weld the flange and shell together.
A method of making a flanged half-bearing in which a semi-cylindrical shell having an outer face and an inner face, and a semi-annular end flange having an outer face and an inner face, are held with the inner face of the flange in contact with one axial end of the shell over a partial thickness comprising less than the entire thickness of the shell, said partial thickness encompassing said inner face of said shell and a laser beam is applied around a semi-circular path where the inner face of the flange is in contact with the end of the shell to weld the flange and shell together, said partial thickness and said weld comprising less than the entire thickness of the shell.
A method of making a flanged half-bearing from a semi-cylindrical shell having bearing lining material on one outer face thereof and a pair of semi-circular flanges having bearing lining material on one face thereof, comprising the steps of:
- contacting the other face of each flange against a radial portion of each semi-circular axial end of the shell along the entire semi-circular length of said end, said radial portion being less than the entire radial thickness of the shell and encompassing the other face thereof;
- and
- applying a laser beam in a semi-circular path along the point of contact between the other face of said flange and said other face of said shell;
- whereby the flanges are continuously welded to the shell along the entire semi-circular length of the shell.
A method of making a flanged half-bearing from a semi-cylindrical shell having bearing lining material on one outer face thereof and a pair of semi-circular flanges having bearing lining material on one face thereof, comprising the steps of:
- contacting the other face of each flange against a radial portion of each semi-circular axial end of the shell along the entire semi-circular length of said end, said radial portion being less than the entire radial thickness of the shell and encompassing the other face thereof;
- and
- applying a laser beam in a semi-circular path along the point of contact between the other face of said flange and said shell to weld said flange and shell, said weld and said partial thickness comprising less than said entire radial thickness;
- whereby the flanges are continuously welded to the shell along the entire semi-circular length of the shell.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.