Bicycle crank bearing assembly
AssigneeB. Linn Kastan
InventorsB. Linn Kastan, Ysmael E. Romero
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A bearing assembly and method of installing such within an enclosing open walled chamber wherein the bearing assembly utilizes first and second spaced apart bearing units. The bearing units low frictionally rotationally support a crank. The inner races of the spaced apart bearing units are connected together through a sleeve which is located about the crank. Mounted on the outer race of each bearing assembly is an expanding ring assembly. Each expanding ring assembly can be moved into tight engagement with the wall of the chamber.
Claims11
In combination with a hub, said hub having a substantially cylindrical internal chamber, a crank extending through said internal chamber, said crank having a straight center section each end of which is integrally attached to a separate elongated pedal arm, said straight center section being located within said internal chamber, a bearing assembly to be located about said straight center section within said internal chamber, said bearing assembly comprising:
- a first bearing adapter threadably secured on said straight center section, a second bearing adapter threadably secured on said straight center section, said second bearing adapter being spaced from said first bearing adapter;
- a first bearing assembly including a first inner race and a first outer race;
- a second bearing assembly including a second inner race and a second outer race;
- said first inner race being mounted on said first bearing adapter, said second inner race being mounted on said second bearing adapter;
- means connecting together said first and second inner races, said second bearing adapter being threadingly tightenable to tightly secure in position said first and second bearing adapters with said means located therebetween;
- and
- a first expanding member assembly mounted on said first outer race, a second expanding member assembly mounted on said second outer race, both said first and second expanding member assemblies being expandable into tight engagement with the wall of said internal chamber fixing said outer races to said wall yet permitting free rotation of said crank.
A bearing assembly for rotatingly mounting an irregularly shaped crank within an enclosing open ended chamber, said irregularly shaped crank comprising an integral structure of a pair of arms and a connecting center section, said arms extending in opposite directions from said connecting center section, the longitudinal center axis of each said arm being located substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal center axis of said connecting center section, said chamber having a wall, said bearing assembly comprising:
- a first bearing unit and a second bearing unit, said first bearing unit being spaced from said second bearing unit, said first bearing unit having a first inner race and a first outer race, said second bearing unit having a second inner race and a second outer race;
- means connecting together said first and second inner races, said means comprising an open ended sleeve, said open ended sleeve having a fore end and an aft end, said fore end abutting said first inner race, said aft end abutting said second inner race, said sleeve having a cut-out section formed within the wall surface of said sleeve, said cut-out section extending from said fore end and terminating at the approximate mid-point of the longitudinal length of said sleeve, said cut-out section permitting conducting of said crank through said sleeve past bends in said crank until said sleeve is located about said connecting center section;
- and
- a first expanding ring assembly mounted on said first outer race, a second expanding ring assembly mounted on said second outer race, both said first and second expanding ring assemblies being expandable into tight engagement with said wall of said enclosing open ended chamber fixing said outer races to said wall yet permitting free rotation of said crank.
A bearing assembly for rotatingly mounting an irregularly shaped crank within an enclosing open ended chamber, said chamber having a wall, said bearing assembly comprising:
- a first bearing unit and a second bearing unit, said first bearing unit being spaced from said second bearing unit, said first bearing unit having a first inner race and a first outer race, said second bearing unit having a second inner race and a second outer race;
- means connecting together said first and second inner races;
- a first expanding ring assembly mounted on said first outer race, a second expanding ring assembly mounted on said second outer race, both said first and second expanding ring assemblies being expandable into tight engagement with said wall of said enclosing open ended chamber fixing said outer races to said wall yet permitting free rotation of said crank;
- and
- said first expanding ring assembly including a first split ring, said second expanding ring assembly including a second split ring, said open ended chamber having a longitudinal center axis, first force applying means included within said first bearing unit, second force applying means included within said second bearing unit, said first force applying means being connected to said first split ring, said second force applying means being connected to said second split ring, said first force applying means being movable in a direction parallel to said longitudinal center axis which by second means causes said first split ring to expand in a direction substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal center axis, said second force applying means being movable in a direction parallel to said longitudinal center axis which by third means causes said second split ring to expand in a direction substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal center axis.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.