Apparatus and method for testing wheels, bearings and lubricants
AssigneeThe B. F. Goodrich Company
InventorsJames M. Budd, Philip W. Sheehan, John H. Warren
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Test apparatus comprises a wheel means including a hub and wheel web rotatably mounted on wheel bearings set in the wheel hub and mounted on a non-rotatable axle mechanism. The wheel means is rotatable by motor means. A load application mechanism including hydraulic load cylinders and load sensors effects selective imposition of radial, axial and moment loading upon the wheel web, wheel hub and wheel bearings so that the bearings experience operting conditions during rotation and at rest. Acoustic sensing means enable determination of the onset of bearing failure. Operation of test apparatus is preferably controlled by a computer.
Claims21
Test apparatus, comprising drive motor means connected with a fixed support, a wheel means including a hub and wheel web connected with the motor means and rotatable by the motor means through the wheel web connection, non-rotatable axle means upon which the wheel means is rotatably mounted via wheel bearings set in the wheel hub, a load application mechanism disposed in offset manner with respect to with said axle means, at least one movable connecting member connecting together the load application mechanism and one of the axle means and the wheel web, load sensing devices associated with the load application mechanism, and control means, so that activation of the load application mechanism inherently effects through the axle means and wheel means the selective imposition of radial, axial and moment loading through the wheel web and wheel hub upon the wheel bearings so that the wheel bearings experience realistic operating conditions during rotation of the wheel means by the motor means and when the wheel means is at rest, wherein the axle means upon which the wheel means is mounted via wheel bearings is movable, and a movable connecting member connects together the load application mechanism and movable axle means, the axle means being attached fixedly to the connecting member, wherein the connecting member comprises a generally L-shaped member having one leg which extends generally parallel to the axle means and an axial and moment load application mechanism attached to the end of said one leg, and a radial load application mechanism attached to said one leg disposed substantially orthogonally relative to said axle means.
A method for testing bearings by a testing apparatus, comprising the steps of (a) rotatably disposing wheel means including a wheel hub and wheel web on non-rotatable axle means via bearings, (b) connecting the wheel web with motor means for rotation of the wheel, (c) attaching an axial and moment load mechanism to a movable connecting member connected to one of the axle means and the wheel web so that the axial and moment load mechanism is disposed in substantially offset manner relative to the axle means, (d) attaching a radial load mechanism to the connecting member so that the radial and moment load mechanism is disposed substantially orthogonal relative to the axle means, (e) providing control means for controlling operation of the testing apparatus, (f) providing load sensing devices for sensing loads imposed by the mechanism on the bearings, and (g) activating selectively, via the control means, the respective load mechanism in order to effect through the wheel web and axle means the selective imposition of radial, axial and moment loading upon the bearings so that the bearings experience realistic operating conditions when the wheel means is at rest and during rotation of the wheel means by the motor means, further comprising the step of providing the connecting member as a generally L-shaped member having one leg which extends generally parallel to the axle means and the axial and moment load mechanism attached to the end of said one leg and a radial load cylinder attached to said one disposed substantially perpendicular relative to said one leg.
A method for testing bearings by a testing apparatus, comprising the steps of (a) rotatably disposing wheel means including a wheel hub and wheel web on non-rotatable axle means via bearings, (b) connecting the wheel web with motor means for rotation of the wheel, (c) attaching an axial and moment load mechanism to a movable connecting member connected to one of axle means and the wheel web so that the axial and moment load mechanism is disposed in substantially offset manner relative to the axle means, (d) attaching a radial load mechanism to the connecting member so that the radial and moment load mechanism is disposed substantially orthogonal relative to the axle means, (e) providing control means for controlling operation of the testing apparatus, (f) providing load sensing devices for sensing loads imposed by the mechanisms on the bearings, and (g) activating selectively, via the control means, the respective load mechanisms in order to effect through the wheel web and axle means the selective imposition of radial, axial and moment loading upon the bearings so that the bearings experience realistic operating conditions when the wheel means is at rest and during rotation of the wheel means by the motor means, further comprising the step of providing acoustic sensing means adapted to sense acoustic emissions of the wheel bearings.
A method for testing bearings by a testing apparatus, comprising the steps of (a) rotatably disposing wheel means including a wheel hub and wheel web on non-rotatable axle means via bearings, (b) connecting the wheel web with motor means for rotation of the wheel, (c) attaching an axial and moment load mechanism to a movable connecting member connected to one of the axle means and the wheel web so that the axial and moment load mechanism is disposed in substantially offset manner relative to the axle means, (d) attaching a radial load mechanism to the connecting member so that the radial and moment load mechanism is disposed substantially orthogonal relative to the axle means, (e) providing control means for controlling operation of the testing apparatus, (f) providing load sensing devices for sensing loads imposed by the mechanisms on the bearings, and (g) activating selectively, via the control means, the respective load mechanisms in order to effect through the wheel web and axle means the selective imposition of radial, axial and moment loading upon the bearings so that the bearings experience realistic operating conditions when the wheel means is at rest and during rotation of the wheel means by the motor means, further comprising the step of providing acoustic sensing means adapted to sense acoustic emissions of the wheel bearings, further comprising the steps of rotating the wheel, sensing a baseline acoustic emission level for the wheel bearings and terminating the test when a predetermined increase in acoustic emission level is sensed and optionally sensing a baseline temperature for the wheel bearings and terminating the test when a predetermined increase in temperature is sensed.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.