US 4,395,078 AGranted

Bearing unit with improved inner race

AssigneeC. L. Frost & Son, Inc.

InventorsHarvey E. Smith, Sr., Seigfried K. Weis

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A bearing assembly especially adapted for use as a trolley wheel for overhead conveyors. The assembly includes a multipart inner race in which one annular part, preferably machined from steel, bears the major loading on the assembly and the other annular part, preferably formed from sheet metal, bears only minor loading. The major load bearing inner race part extends on either side of the root diameter of the inner raceway and allows a full complement of balls to be inserted in place between the inner and outer raceways without heating and expansion, or contraction, or any other treatment of the inner or outer race parts. The minor load bearing inner race part is preferably clamped to the major load bearing part and provides a contoured extension of the major load bearing raceway for guidance and ball retention purposes. Preferably, the outer race outer circumference is curved to accommodate a sloped support track in overhead conveyors such that the loading force is directed through the balls to the major load bearing inner race part.

Claims10

Dependent claims

In a bearing assembly having inner and outer race means for supporting a plurality of anti-friction ball members therebetween, and a plurality of such balls positioned between inner and outer raceways on said race means, the improvement comprising:

said inner race means having first support means including a major portion of said inner raceway for supporting the primary portion of any load on said assembly and second support means engaged with said first support means and including a minor portion of said inner raceway for retaining and guiding said ball members and supporting a minor portion of any load on said assembly;
said major raceway portion on said first support means extending on both sides of a radial plane of said assembly which passes through the center line of said ball members and the root diameter of said inner raceway;
said first support means including a first shoulder having a diameter slightly larger than said root diameter of said inner raceway to allow insertion of said ball members between said inner and outer raceways prior to assembly of said second support means without heating or otherwise resizing or modifying any part of said inner or outer race means or ball members during assembly, said first shoulder also providing resistance to removal of said ball members after insertion;
said first support means also having a generally radially extending surface adjacent said first shoulder and a recess;
said second support means including a portion engaging said generally radially extending surface of said first support means and a flange bent into and engaging said recess to retain said inner race members in engagement.

2 more elements

In a bearing assembly of the type having a plurality of anti-friction balls;

outer race means having an outer raceway for supporting said plurality of balls;
and inner race means spaced radially inwardly of said outer race means and having an inner raceway in opposition to said outer raceway for supporting said plurality of balls, the improvement comprising:
said inner race means having a minimum or root diameter;
said bearing assembly including a radial plane passing through said outer race means, the centers of said balls, and said root diameter of said inner race means;
said inner race means including a first annular inner race member having a first raceway extending from a first shoulder having a first diameter on one side of said radial plane to a second shoulder on the opposite side of said radial plane, said second shoulder having a second diameter less than said first diameter and slightly larger than said root diameter, a generally radially extending surface adjacent said second shoulder, and a recess, and a second annular inner race member having a portion engaging said generally radially extending surface of said first inner race member and having a second raceway forming an extension of said first raceway and extending to a third shoulder of a diameter larger than said second diameter;
said second shoulder having a diameter sufficient to allow said plurality of balls to be inserted into position intermediate said inner and outer raceways without heating or otherwise resizing or modifying of any part of said inner or outer race means or anti-friction balls during assembly, and to resist removal of said balls once in position whereby said first inner race part provides principal load bearing support for said outer race means and balls while said second inner race part provides ball retention and guidance and lesser load bearing support than said first inner race part;
said second inner race part also having a flange bent into and engaging said recess to retain said inner race members in engagement.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 06/301,871Filed 14 Sep 1981 · continuation
Priority: 25 Feb 1980
Granted: 26 Jul 1983
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification8 codes

B65G 39/09
Adaptations of individual rollers and supports therefor: arrangements of bearing or sealing means
F16C 13/006
Rolls, drums, discs, or the like ; Bearings or mountings therefor: guiding rollers, wheels or the like, formed by or on the outer element of a…
F16C 29/045
Ball or roller bearings: having rolling elements journaled in one of the moving parts
F16C 33/60
Raceways; Race rings: divided or split, e.g. comprising two juxtaposed rings

Family

Serial124,556Parent of this continuation · filed 25 Feb 1980
US 4,323,288 AParent of this continuation
US 4,395,078 AThis patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

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