Corrosion-resistant zinc-nickel plated bearing races
AssigneeMPB Corporation
InventorPeter C. Ward
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A rolling element bearing includes a first ring having a first raceway; a second ring having a second raceway, and rolling elements between the two raceways. The first and second rings are positioned and configured so that the first and second raceways form a channel which retains the rolling elements. A first zinc alloy plated layer is on the first ring including at the first raceway, and a second zinc alloy plated layer is on the second ring including at the second raceway. The rolling elements may also be plated with a zinc alloy layer. The layers are porous and thus permit hydrogen to escape from the rings and rolling elements when baked, so that the rings and rolling elements possess low hydrogen embrittlement. The layers provide physical and galvanic protection to the underlying substrates for the rings.
Claims20
A rolling element bearing comprising:
- a first race having a first raceway;
- a second race having a second raceway, said first and second races being positioned so that said first and second raceways form a channel;
- a first zinc alloy plated layer on said first race along the first raceway thereof;
- a second zinc alloy plated layer on said second race along the second raceway thereof;
- and
- a plurality of rolling elements disposed within said channel formed by said first and second raceways.
An antifriction bearing comprising:
- a first race having a raceway;
- a second race having a raceway that is presented toward the raceway of the first race;
- at least one of the races including a substrate and zinc alloy over the substrate in the form of a plating, the zinc alloy plating being at the raceway of the first race and elsewhere on the first race as well, the zinc alloy plating having microscopic pores which extend through it from the substrate to its exposed surface;
- and rolling elements located between the races at the raceways thereof.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.