Solid-lubricated bearing assembly

A solid-lubricated bearing assembly comprising:

• a. an outer bearing member having a generally radially inwardly facing race surface formed therein adapted to receive rotatable bearing elements for rotating motion of said rotatable bearing elements respecting said outer bearing member;
• b. an inner bearing member having a generally radially outwardly facing race surface formed therein adapted to receive said rotatable bearing elements for rotating motion of said rotatable bearing elements respecting said inner bearing member;
• c. a plurality of said rotatable bearing elements retained between said race surfaces of said inner and outer bearing members;
• d. ring of solid lubricant material located radially inwardly of said bearing elements, said ring being inwardly compressed by contact with at least one of said elements, for depositing a film of said solid lubricant material on said element by contact therewith as said rotatable element moves relative to said race surfaces. wherein said ring when uncompressed is discontinuous around its circumference.

A solid-lubricated bearing assembly comprising:

• a. an outer bearing member having a generally radially inwardly facing race surface formed therein adapted to receive rotatable bearing elements for rotating motion of said rotatable bearing elements respecting said outer bearing member;
• b. an inner bearing member having a generally radially outwardly facing race surface formed therein adapted to receive said rotatable bearing elements for rotating motion of said rotatable bearing elements respecting said inner bearing member;
• c. a plurality of said rotatable bearing elements retained between said race surfaces of said inner and outer bearing members;
• d. a ring of solid lubricant material biased against and contacting at least one of said rotatable bearing elements for depositing a film of said solid lubricant material on said rotatable element by contact therewith as said rotatable elements rotate against said race surfaces. wherein said inner bearing member has two pieces, one piece having a land for contacting the radially inner surface of said lubricating ring, said land being parallel to a line of tangency at a point of rotating element-lubricating ring contact.

A solid-lubricating bearing assembly comprising:

• a. first means for retaining a plurality of rotatable bearing elements in a generally circular array and permitting rotary motion of said elements relative to said first means, at least about respective individual axes which are parallel with an axis of said circular array;
• b. second means for retaining said plurality of rotatable bearing elements in said generally circular array and permitting rotating motion of said elements between and relative to said first and second means, at least about respective individual axes which are parallel with the axis of said circular array;
• c. solid lubricant material self-biased against at least one of said elements for depositing a film of said material on said first means, second means and said elements by contact thereamong as said element having said lubricant material biased thereagainst moves relative to said first and second means and remaining ones of said elements
• wherein:
• d. said plurality of elements rotate relative to said first and second means when there is relative rotary motion between said first and second means.

In a bearing assembly including:

• a. an outer member having a generally radially inwardly facing race surface formed therein to receive rotatable bearing elements for rotating motion of said rotatable bearing elements respecting said outer bearing member, and
• b. an inner bearing member having a generally radially outwardly facing race surface formed therein to receive said rotatable bearing elements for rotating motion of said rotatable bearing elements respecting said inner bearing member and a plurality of said rotatable bearing elements retained between said race surfaces of said inner and outer bearing members;
• the improvement comprising:
• c. solid lubricant material self-biased against at least one of said inwardly facing race surface, said outwardly facing race surface or one of said rotatable bearing elements, for depositing a film of said lubricant thereon by contact therewith as said rotatable elements rotate against said race surfaces of said outer and inner members and said outer and inner members rotate respecting one another.

An solid-lubricated bearing assembly comprising:

• e. an outer bearing member in the form of a ring, having a generally radially inwardly facing annular race surface formed therein adapted to receive rotatable bearing balls for rotating motion of said rotatable bearing balls respecting said outer bearing member;
• f. an inner bearing member in the form of a ring, having a generally radially outwardly facing annular race surface formed therein adapted to receive said rotatable bearing balls for rotating motion of said balls respecting said inner bearing member;
• g. said balls being retained between said race surfaces of said inner and outer bearing members;
• h. a ring of solid lubricant material biased against and contacting substantially all of said rotatable bearing balls, for depositing a film of said solid lubricant material on said rotatable balls by contact therewith as said balls rotate against said race surfaces of said outer and inner members;
• i. said ring being located radially inwardly of said balls and being inwardly compressed by said rotatable bearing balls;
• ii. said ring when compressed being essentially continuous around its circumference and including circumferential end portions overlapping one another so that said ring is continuous through an angle exceeding three hundred sixty degrees when uncompressed;
• iii. end portions of said ring overlapping one another for sliding contact along a sector of said ring at respective facing surfaces when said ring is radially compressed;
• iv. axially facing surfaces of said ring being planar and normal to the axis of said ring;
• v. said lubricating ring being housed within said inner bearing member;
• vi. said facing surfaces of said end portions which are in sliding contact with one another being substantially planar;
• vii. said facing surfaces of said end portions which are in sliding contact with one another being substantially parallel with said annular surfaces;
• viii. said facing surfaces of said end portions being substantially normal to said rotatable bearing balls;
• ix. surfaces of said ring perpendicular to the axis of said ring being normal to a surface portion of said ring contacting said rotating balls;
• i. means for biasing said solid lubricating material against said rotatable bearing balls;
• j. said inner bearing member having two pieces, one piece having a land for supporting said lubricating ring in the radially inward direction as required, said land being parallel to a line of tangency at rotating element-lubricating ring contact.