US 6,993,852 B2 · Gauge and process for adjusting bearings

Abstract

A setting gauge (G) determines the thickness of a spacer (22) which gives the correct setting for a pair of tapered roller bearings (B1, B2) that are mounted in opposition to accommodate relative rotation between machine components (S, H). The gauge has a base (50) which at one end fits against a surface (12) to which the spacer is to be applied, and at its other end holds one of the races (32) of the bearing (B2) remote from the other race (30) which remains in its operating position. In addition, the gauge has a pair of gauge elements (52, 54), one of which fits against a conical envelope along the remote race and the other of which fits against an identical conical envelope on the race which remains in its operating position, in effect, projecting the conical envelope defined by the in-place race out of the bearing to a remote location so that measurements may be taken from the bearing. The race which is remote during the measurements has a cylindrical surface (48) which is configured to fit another cylindrical surface (10) on one of the machine components (H) with an interference fit, and the gauge also measures the diameters of the two cylindrical surfaces so that the magnitude of the interference fit may be ascertained and its effect on the bearing compensated.

Claims15

Dependent claims

A gauge for setting a pair of tapered roller bearings mounted in opposition along a common axis and between inner and outer machine components, one of which has a cylindrical surface to which a race of one of the bearings is to be fitted with an interference fit and also has a reference surface located at an angle with respect to the axis, said gauge comprising:

a base having an end face configured to fit against the reference surface and at its other end configured to hold the race that is to be fitted to the cylindrical surface, so that the race is detached from said one machine component;
a first gauge element mounted on and shiftable axially relative to the base and having a gauging surface for contacting a conical envelope on the detached race that is carried by the base;
a second gauge element also mounted on and shiftable relative to the base and having a gauging surface for contacting an identical conical envelope on the bearing of which the detached race is also a part;
a first measuring device for determining the axial positions of the first and second gauge elements to ascertain the distance between gauging surfaces on them;
a second measuring device for determining the diameter of the race that is carried by the first gauge element;
and
a third measuring device for determining the diameter of the cylindrical surface of the one machine component, so that the magnitude of the interference fit may be ascertained.

4 more elements

A process for setting first and second bearings for accommodating relative rotation between inner and outer machine components about an axis, one of the machine components having a cylindrical surface located around the axis and a reference surface located at an angle with respect to the axis, the first bearing including inner and outer tapered raceways carried by the inner and outer machine components, respectively, and tapered rollers organized in a row between the raceways, the second bearing including inner and outer raceways and tapered rollers located along the inner raceway, the outer raceway and the tapered rollers defining identical conical envelopes having their axes coinciding with the axis of rotation, one of the raceways of the second bearing being on a race having a cylindrical surface that fits along the cylindrical surface of said one machine component with an interference fit and also having an end face oriented at an angle with respect to the axis and spaced axially from the reference surface, the other raceway of the second bearing being carried by the other machine component, the tapered rollers of the first and second bearings being oriented in opposite directions, said process comprising:

placing the inner machine component in the outer machine component;
eating the rollers of the first bearing along the tapered raceways for the first bearing;
locating one of the conical envelopes for the second bearing on said other machine component;
axially separating the other conical envelope and the race of the second bearing from said one conical envelope;
measuring the axial distance between equivalent diameters on the separated conical envelopes;
while the conical envelopes are separated axially, measuring the diameters of the cylindrical surfaces on the race and on said one machine component;
installing the race along the cylindrical surface of said one machine component;
from the measured axial distance between equivalent diameters on the separated conical envelopes and the measured diameters of the cylindrical surfaces, calculating the thickness of the spacer which, when fitted against the reference surface on said one machine component, will provide the first and second bearings with the desired setting.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Gauge and process for adjusting bearings

Life of this patent

Gauge and process for adjusting bearings

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims15