Cartridge bearing assembly

A bearing assembly for supporting a rotatable shaft to be journaled in the bearing assembly, comprising:

• (1) a separate nonporous bearing member made of die cast aluminum alloy having a central bore sized to receive the rotatable shaft in a bearing relationship, said bearing member having a spherical shape and having a radial aperture extending from its central bore to its outer surface;
• (2) a mounting member having an outer surface and an inner surface;
• (3) support means for supporting said bearing member inside said mounting member;
• (4) a lubricant-impregnated wicking material, impregnated with aluminum bearing oil, located inside said bearing assembly and in said radial aperture of the bearing member, said portion located in said radial aperture being adapted to contact said rotatable shaft;
• and,
• (5) cap means for retaining said lubricant-impregnated wicking material inside said bearing assembly
• wherein said nonporous bearing member made of die cast aluminum alloy has substantially the following metallurgical analysis (percentages by weight):
• ______________________________________ Cu Ni Fe Si Cr Mg Mn Zn Ti Al ______________________________________ 3.30 0.02 1.0 8.60 0.06 0.10 0.43 0.80 0.08 Balance ______________________________________

A bearing assembly for supporting a rotatable shaft to be journaled in the bearing assembly, comprising:

• (1) a separate nonporous bearing member made of die cast aluminum alloy having a central bore sized to receive the rotatable shaft in a bearing relationship, said bearing member having a spherical shape and having a radial aperture extending from its central bore to its outer surface;
• (2) a mounting member having an outer surface and an inner surface wherein the inner surface is at least partially cylindrical and wherein said mounting member is made of die cast aluminum alloy and has a smooth outer surface which is entirely cylindrical;
• (3) support means for supporting said bearing member inside said mounting member;
• (4) a lubricant-impregnated wicking material, impregnated with aluminum bearing oil, located inside said bearing assembly and in said radial aperture of the bearing member, said portion located in said radial aperture being adapted to contact said rotatable shaft;
• and,
• (5) cap means for retaining said lubricant-impregnated wicking material inside said bearing assembly.

A bearing assembly for supporting a rotatable shaft to be journaled in the bearing assembly, comprising:

• (1) a separate nonporous bearing member made of die cast aluminum alloy having a central bore sized to receive the rotatable shaft in a bearing relationship, said bearing member having a spherical shape and having a radial aperture extending from its central bore to its outer surface;
• (2) a mounting member having an outer surface and an inner surface;
• (3) support means for supporting said bearing member inside said mounting member;
• (4) a lubricant-impregnated wicking material, impregnated with aluminum bearing oil, located inside said bearing assembly and in said radial aperture of the bearing member, said portion located in said radial aperture being adapted to contact said rotatable shaft;
• and,
• (5) cap means for retaining said lubricating-impregnated wicking material inside said bearing assembly
• wherein said cap means comprises a first end cap having a coaxial aperture for passage of the rotatable shaft and a second end cap having no aperture.

A bearing assembly for supporting a rotatable shaft to be journaled in the bearing assembly, comprising:

• (1) a nonporous bearing member made of die cast aluminum alloy having a spherical shape, said bearing member having a central bore sized to receive the rotatable shaft in a bearing relationship, said bearing member having a longitudinal window extending from its central bore to its outer surface;
• (2) a contactor made of fibrous material inserted in said longitudinal window of the bearing member and adapted to contact said rotatable shaft, said contactor having a rectilinear shape;
• (3) a mounting member having a cylindrical barrel portion and a radially-extending mounting flange, said barrel portion having an inner surface which is cylindrical;
• (4) support means for supporting said bearing member inside said mounting member, said support means comprising a first retainer and a second retainer, each having a coaxial aperture adapted to receive said bearing member;
• (5) a lubricant-impregnated wicking material, impregnated with aluminum bearing oil, located inside said bearing assembly and contacting said contactor;
• (6) cap means for retaining said lubricant-impregnated wicking material inside said bearing assembly, said cap means comprising a first end cap having a coaxial aperture for passage of the rotatable shaft and a second end cap having no aperture;
• and,
• (7) an oil slinger sized to fit on the rotatable shaft for rotation therewith, said oil slinger being positioned interiorly from said first end cap and adjacent to one end of said bearing member to sling lubricant radially outward.