Resilient torsion bearing
AssigneeDunlop Limited a British Company
InventorsAlan F. Moore, Jerzy Poniatowski
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A resilient bearing able to accommodate relative torsional movement between two concentric inner and outer tubular rigid members comprises between those members a resilient bearing having a layer of elastomeric material secured relative to one of the rigid members and a support member for sliding relative to the other rigid member. The support member is axially movable and preferably inclined relative to the axis of the bearing at its interface with the elastomeric material whereby any such axial movement results in compression loading of that elastomeric material.
Claims23
A resilient bearing comprising an inner rigid member, an outer rigid member which extends around and is spaced from the inner rigid member to define between the rigid members an annular space and interposed between the rigid members and located in said annular space two axially arranged resilient elastomeric bearing assemblies which resiliently interconnects the inner and outer rigid members and restrict at least initial relative rotational movement of said members, each resilient elastomeric bearing assembly comprising an elastomeric element having a first surface secured relative to one of the inner and outer rigid members for rotational movement therewith by a first rigid support member, a second surface opposed to said first surface and having a second rigid support member secured thereto, said second rigid support member being adapted for sliding relative to the other of said inner and outer rigid members during increasing relative rotation of said rigid members, at least one of said support members of the elastomeric bearing assembly being arranged such that as a result of movement thereof axially relative to said one of the inner and outer rigid members the elastomeric element is loaded in compression between the rigid members, the two resilient elastomeric bearing assemblies being arranged such that movement of said at least one of said rigid support members of one resilient elastomeric bearing assembly of the pair to load the elastomeric element thereof in compression is in an axial direction opposite that in which the corresponding rigid support member of the other bearing assembly of the pair is moved to load the elastomeric element thereof in compression, and the resilient bearing comprising means to retain said support members of the two bearing assemblies in an axial position at which the elastomeric elements are loaded in compression.
A resilient bearing comprising an inner rigid member, an outer rigid member which extends around and is spaced from the inner rigid member to define between the rigid members an annular space and interposed between the rigid members and located in said annular space two axially arranged resilient elastomeric bearing assemblies which resiliently interconnect the inner and outer rigid members and restrict at least initial relative rotational movement of said members, each resilient elastomeric bearing assembly comprising an elastomeric element provided with a pair of inner and outer rigid support members, one of said rigid support members being secured relative to one of the inner and outer rigid members for rotational movement therewith, another of said rigid support members being adapted for sliding relative to the other of said inner and outer rigid members during increasing relative rotation of said rigid members, the support members of each elastomeric bearing assembly being arranged such that as a result of movement thereof axially relative to one another the elastomeric element is loaded in compression between the rigid members, the two resilient elastomeric bearing assemblies being arranged such that movement of a rigid support member of one resilient elastomeric bearing assembly of a pair to load the elastomeric element thereof in compression is in an axial direction opposite that in which a rigid support member of the other bearing assembly of the pair is moved to load the elastomeric element thereof in compression, and the resilient bearing comprising means to retain said support members of the two bearing assemblies in an axial position at which the elastomeric elements are loaded in compression.
A resilient bearing comprising an inner rigid member, an outer rigid member which extends around and is spaced from the inner rigid member to define between the rigid members an annular space and interposed between the rigid members and located in said annular space a resilient elastomeric bearing assembly which resiliently interconnects the inner and outer rigid members and restricts at least initial relative rotational movement of said members, the resilient elastomeric bearing assembly comprising an elastomeric element having a first surface secured relative to one of the inner and outer rigid members for rotational movement therewith by a first rigid support member, a second surface opposed to said first surface and having a second rigid support member secured thereto, said second rigid support member being adapted for sliding relative to the other of said inner and outer rigid members during increasing relative rotation of said rigid members, at least one of said support members of the elastomeric bearing assembly being arranged such that as a result of movement thereof axially relative to said one of the inner and outer rigid members the elastomeric element is loaded in compression between the rigid members, the elastomeric bearing assembly comprising a plurality of elastomeric bearing elements which do not have a common compression stiffness characteristic, a bearing element lying in the region of a diametral plane at one end thereof having a higher compression stiffness than other bearing elements of the resilient element and the bearing element lying in the region of the other end of said diametral plane having a lower compression stiffness than the other bearing elements of the resilient bearing, and the resilient bearing comprising means to retain said support members in an axial position at which the elastomeric elements are loaded in compression.
A resilient bearing comprising an inner rigid member, an outer rigid member which extends around and is spaced from the inner rigid member to define between the rigid members an annular space and interposed between the rigid members and located in said annular space a resilient elastomeric bearing assembly which resiliently interconnects the inner and outer rigid members and restricts at least initial relative rotational movement of said members, the resilient elastomeric bearing assembly comprising an elastomeric element having a first surface secured relative to one of the inner and outer rigid members for rotational movement therewith by a first rigid support member, a second surface opposed to said first surface and having a second rigid support member secured thereto, said second rigid support member being adapted for sliding relative to the other of said inner and outer rigid members during increasing relative rotation of said rigid members, at least one of said support members of the elastomeric bearing assembly being arranged such that as a result of movement thereof axially relative to said one of the inner and outer rigid members the elastomeric element is loaded in compression between the rigid members, at least one stop means associated with one of said inner and outer rigid members to restrict the level of torsional load to be accommodated by the elastomeric material, and the resilient bearing comprising means to retain said support members in an axial position at which the elastomeric element is loaded in compression.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.