Method and structure for bearing the eccentricity of a bushing bore

A bushing assembly having an infinitely variable eccentricity within fixed range, bushing assembly comprising:

• an outer body member of cylindrical configuration defined around a first axis, and an inner bore defined therethrough around a second axis eccentric to the first axis, the outer body member having a longitudinal split defined from the outer surface thereof to the inner bore;
• an inner sleeve member having an outer surface complementary in shape to the outer body member inner bore defined around a third axis, an inner bore defined therethrough around a fourth axis eccentric to the third axis, and a longitudinal split defined from the outer surface thereof to the inner bore, the inner sleeve member further including at one end thereof a hexagonal head portion of a dimension greater than the inner bore of the outer body member, and at the end opposite thereof as the hexagonal head a circumferential groove defined therearound;
• and
• the inner sleeve member being rotatably fitted within the outer body member inner bore and the assembly further including a snap ring positioned in the inner sleeve member circumferential groove.

A method for infinitely varying an eccentric inner bore in a bushing assembly relative to the outer surface of the busing assembly, the method comprising:

• rotating an inner sleeve member within an outer body member, the outer body member having an outer body surface defined around a first axis an inner bore defined therethrough around a second axis eccentric to the first axis and the inner sleeve member having an outer surface complementary in shape to the outer body member inner bore and defined around a third axis, having an inner bore defined therethrough around a fourth axis eccentric to the third axis with at least one the first and second pair of axis and the third and fourth axis being in a skewed relationship;
• and
• stopping the rotation of the inner sleeve member within the outer body member when the effective eccentricity of the fourth axis relative to the outer body member outer surface is at a desired value;
• whereby by varying the amount of rotation of the inner sleeve member relative to the outer body member an infinite range of eccentricities may be provided within the fixed range.