US 5,017,025 A · Bearing assembly for a shaft journal

Abstract

A bearing assembly fits over the journal at the end of a shaft and is clamped between a fillet at one end of the journal and an end cap which extends across the opposite end of the journal. The bearing assembly includes a double row tapered roller bearing having a two indirectly mounted cones, a double cup around the cones, and tapered rollers arranged in two rows between the raceways of the cones and cup. The bearing assembly also includes seal rings located against the cones and seals fitted into the end of the cup and cooperating with the seal rings to establish barriers at the ends of the bearings. The outboard seal ring is clamped between the end cap and the outboard cone, whereas the inboard seal ring is clamped between the inboard cone and the backing ring. A slight clearance exists between the inboard seal ring and the journal to prevent fretting beneath that seal ring due to slight flexures in the journal. The inboard seal ring fits into a bore on the fillet ring so the fillet ring maintains the inboard seal ring centered with respect to the axis of rotation.

Claims15

Dependent claims

In combination with a shaft having a shoulder and a journal of smaller diameter projecting beyond the shoulder, an improved bearing assembly fitted to the journal to permit relative rotation between the shaft and another structure about an axis of rotation, said bearing assembly comprising:

an antifriction bearing including an inner race located around the journal and having an outwardly presented raceway, an outer race having an inwardly presented raceway, and rolling elements located between and contacting the raceways of the inner and outer races;
a backing ring located firmly against the shoulder such that it is incapable of moving radially with respect to the journal;
a circular ring interposed between the inner race of the bearing and the backing ring, the circular ring being spaced radially outwardly from the journal and being captured radially by the backing ring so that it is centered with respect to the axis of rotation.

In combination with a shaft having a fillet near its end and a journal of lesser diameter projecting beyond the fillet, and also with an end cap which extends across the end of the journal and is held on the journal with screws that thread axially into the journal, an improved bearing assembly located around the journal between the fillet and end cap, so as to permit the shaft to rotate about an axis of rotation, said bearing assembly comprising:

an antifriction bearing including outboard and inboard cones fitted around the journal with each having an outwardly presented tapered raceway, a cup located around the cones and having tapered raceways presented inwardly toward the raceways of the cones, and tapered rollers arranged in two rows between the raceways of the cones and cup;
a backing ring located around the journal and against the fillet;
an outboard seal ring located around the journal and between outboard cone and the end cap;
and inboard seal ring located around the journal and between the inboard cone and the backing ring, the inboard seal ring being slightly larger than the journal so that a slight radial clearance exists between the inboard seal ring and the journal, the inboard seal ring being engaged with the backing ring such that the backing ring maintains the inboard seal ring centered with respect to the axis of rotation;
and seal means fitted to the ends of the cup and cooperating with the seal rings for establishing barriers at the ends of the bearing.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Bearing assembly for a shaft journal

Life of this patent

Bearing assembly for a shaft journal

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims15