Double row angular contact ball bearings and a method for the manufacture thereof

A manufacturing double row, angular contact ball bearings having integral inner and outer race rings and two rows of balls engaging in axially spaced confronting inner and outer raceways of the rings consisting of the steps of:

• a) providing a first sheet metal tubular work piece with a circumferential radially inward depression, thus providing a finished outer ring having a pair of axially spaced finished outer raceways located at opposite radial surface portions of said depression;
• b) providing a second sheet metal tubular work piece having a pair of axially spaced inner raceways adjacent opposite axial ends, one of the raceways being partially finished, thereby defining a partially finished inner ring;
• c) introducing rows of balls between the finished outer ring and partially finished inner ring;
• d) rotating the rings relative to one another, thereby effecting rolling the rows of balls constantly about the circumferential periphery of the inner ring;
• and
• e) simultaneously with the rotating of step d) bending the inner ring at an axial end thereof, thereby shaping the partially finished raceway to a final finished form whereby the balls are permanently encapsulated in two rows forming a bearing free from play.