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AssigneeThe Timken Company
InventorsAlan Charles Webb, Peter Holland, Peter Standring, Douglas H. Smith, Larry L. Bahney
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A hub (2) includes a spindle (14) which projects through a housing (4) and rotates relative to the housing (4) on a bearing (6) that is located between the spindle (14) and the housing (4). The bearing (6) has two sets of raceways (28,40) that are oblique to the axis x, and in addition rolling elements (36) arranged in two rows between the sets of raceways (28,40). The inner raceways (28) that fit around the spindle (14) and have back faces (32), with the back face (32) for one of the races (26) being against a shoulder (18) from which the spindle (14) projects. Initially, the end of the spindle (14) projects straight beyond the back face (32) of the outer race—indeed, so that the races (26) can be installed over the spindle (14). But once the housing (4) and races (26) are in a position around the spindle (14), the projecting end portion of the spindle (14) is deformed radially and axially in a rotary forming operation such that it transforms into a formed end (20) that lies behind back face (32) of the race (26). With the two races (26) between the formed end (20) and the shoulder (18). During the rotary forming operation the hub (26) rotates, and the end of its spindle (14) is forced against a rotating forming tool and the force is monitored. The housing (4) is restrained and the torque transferred from the rotating hub (2) to the housing (4) is monitored.
In a process for securing a bearing on a spindle, the bearing having inner and outer races with rolling elements interposed therebetween, the inner race being received on the spindle for rotation therewith and the spindle having a deformable spindle end portion that extends beyond the inner race, the spindle end portion being engaged with a forming tool that rotates about a tool axis that is inclined to the spindle axis to gradually deform the spindle end portion and create a formed end that lies against an end face of the inner bearing race, characterized in that during the forming operation the spindle and inner race are rotated while the outer race is maintained essentially stationary.
In an apparatus for securing a bearing on a spindle, the bearing having inner and outer races with rolling elements interposed therebetween, the inner bearing race being received on the spindle for rotation therewith and the spindle having a deformable spindle end portion that extends beyond the inner race, the apparatus comprising:
In a process for securing a component on a spindle, the component having an opening in which the spindle is received for rotation of the component with the spindle, the spindle having a deformable annular spindle end portion extending beyond the opening, the spindle having a longitudinal spindle axis and being supported on a spindle support that rotates about the spindle axis, the annular spindle end portion being engaged with a rotatable forming tool that is rotatable about a tool axis that is inclined to the spindle axis for gradually deforming the annular spindle end portion generally radially outwardly and axially toward an end face of the component to create a formed end that lies against the component end face and secures the component on the spindle, characterized in that during the forming operation both the forming tool and the spindle rotate in the same rotational direction.
In a process for securing a component on a spindle, the component having an opening in which the spindle is received for rotation of the component with the spindle, the spindle having a deformable annular spindle end portion extending beyond the opening, the spindle having a longitudinal spindle axis and being supported on a rotatable spindle support that is rotatable about the spindle axis, the annular spindle end portion being engaged with a forming tool that is rotatable about a forming tool axis that is inclined to the spindle axis for gradually deforming the annular spindle end portion generally radially outwardly and axially toward an end face of the component to create a formed end that lies against the component end face and secures the component on the spindle, said process including the step of moving at least one of the forming tool and the spindle toward the other at at least two different velocities including a first velocity during the initial stages of the forming operation and a second velocity that is slower than the first velocity in the final stages of the forming operation during which the formed end is worked against the end face of the component.
Apparatus for securing a component on a spindle, the component having an opening in which the spindle is received for rotation of the component with the spindle, the spindle having a deformable annular end portion extending beyond the opening, the apparatus comprising:
A method of securing a component on an annular end portion of a rotatable spindle that is received through a hole in the component by deforming the annular end portion with a rotatable forming tool, at least one of the rotatable forming tool and the rotatable spindle being movable toward the other for engaging the forming tool with the spindle annular end portion, said method comprising the steps of rotatably driving at least one of the forming tool and spindle while positioning the forming tool and the spindle in engagement with one another to provide rotation of both the forming tool and the spindle in the same rotational direction, and moving at least one of the forming tool and the spindle toward the other to deform the spindle annular end portion generally radially outwardly and axially into engagement with an end face of the component while the forming tool and the spindle rotate in the same rotational direction to create a formed end that secures the component on the spindle.
Apparatus for securing a component on a spindle annular end portion that is received through a hole in the component comprising:
In a process for securing a component on a spindle, the component having an opening in which the spindle is received for rotation of the component with the spindle, the spindle having a deformable annular spindle end portion extending beyond the opening, the spindle having a longitudinal spindle axis and being supported on a rotatable spindle support that rotates about the spindle axis, the annular spindle end portion being engaged with a forming tool that rotates about a tool axis that is inclined to the spindle axis for gradually deforming the annular spindle end portion generally radially outwardly and axially toward an end face of the component to create a formed end that lies against the component end face and secures the component on the spindle, characterized in that during the forming operation the spindle rotates about its axis in the same direction as the forming tool and at least one of the forming tool and the spindle is moved toward the other at at least two different velocities including a first velocity during the initial stages of the forming operation and a second velocity that is slower than the first velocity in the final stages of the forming operation during which the formed end is worked against the end face of the component.
In a process for securing a component on a spindle, the component having an opening in which the spindle is received for rotation of the component with the spindle, the spindle having a deformable annular spindle end portion extending beyond the opening, the spindle having a longitudinal spindle axis and being supported on a rotatable spindle support that rotates about the spindle axis, the annular spindle end portion being engaged with a forming tool that rotates about a tool axis that is inclined to the spindle axis for gradually deforming the annular spindle end portion generally radially outwardly and axially toward an end face of the component to create a formed end that lies against the component end face and secures the component on the spindle, characterized in that each of the forming tool and the spindle are individually rotatably driveable independently of one another and at least one of the forming tool and the spindle is moved toward the other at at least two different velocities including a first velocity during the initial stages of the forming operation and a second velocity that is slower than the first velocity in the final stages of the forming operation during which the formed end is worked against the end face of the component.
In a process for securing a component on a spindle, the component having an opening in which the spindle is received for rotation of the component with the spindle, the spindle having a deformable annular spindle end portion extending beyond the opening, the spindle having a longitudinal spindle axis and being supported on a rotatable spindle support that rotates about the spindle axis, the annular spindle end portion being engaged with a forming tool that rotates about a tool axis that is inclined to the spindle axis for gradually deforming the annular spindle end portion generally radially outwardly and axially toward an end face of the component to create a formed end that lies against the component end face and secures the component on the spindle, characterized in that the spindle end portion is engaged with the forming tool by linearly moving the spindle support axially toward the forming tool which remains in an essentially fixed position and the spindle support is rotatably driven independently of the forming tool about a vertical axis and moves upwardly toward the forming tool at at least two different velocities including a first velocity during the initial stages of the forming operation and a second velocity that is slower than the first velocity in the final stages of the forming operation during which the formed end is worked against the end face of the component.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.