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US 7,234,869 B1Granted
Sink roll bearing having ceramic elements for supporting the roll's shaft
AssigneeAlphatech, Inc.
InventorJorge A. Morando
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A bearing for supporting a shaft submerged in molten zinc, has a bearing surface comprising a steel cylindrical liner having slots retaining ceramic shaft-engaging bearing elements.
Claims19
A composite bearing useful for supporting a rotating load submerged in molten metal, comprising:
- a plurality of ceramic bearing elements each having a shaft-engaging surface;
- a metal liner having a plurality of circumferentially spaced ceramic element receiving slots, the ceramic bearing elements each being received in a respective slot, the liner being thermally expansive such that each slot has a diameter less than the diameter of its respective ceramic element at a lower liner temperature, and a diameter greater than the diameter of its respective ceramic element at a higher liner temperature, whereby each ceramic element is received into its respective slot at the higher liner temperature, and then is tightly held in the slot when the liner temperature is reduced to said lower liner temperature forming a cylindrical liner surface for slidably supporting a rotating shaft.
A method for making a composite bearing having a plurality of ceramic bearing elements comprising the steps of, but not necessarily in this order:
- a) forming a liner having a cylindrical bearing surface having a plurality of circumferentially spaced ceramic-receiving openings;
- b) forming a plurality of ceramic bearing elements each receivable in a respective one of the ceramic-receiving openings;
- and larger than their respective ceramic-receiving openings;
- c) heating the liner to a temperature such that each ceramic-receiving opening enlarges to a size for receiving its respective ceramic bearing element;
- d) inserting each ceramic bearing element into its respective ceramic-receiving opening to a position in which each ceramic bearing element has a shaft-engaging surface forming a part of the liner cylindrical bearing surface;
- and
- e) telescopically inserting the liner and the ceramic bearing elements into a holding sleeve to prevent each ceramic bearing element from moving radially outwardly from its respective opening.
4 more elements
A composite bearing useful for supporting a rotating load submerged in molten metal, comprising:
- a plurality of ceramic bearing elements each having a shaft-engaging surface;
- a metal liner having a plurality of circumferentially spaced ceramic element-receiving openings, the ceramic bearing elements each being received in a respective element-receiving opening to form a cylindrical liner surface for slidably supporting a rotating shaft;
- the ceramic element-receiving openings extending through the liner, each of the ceramic elements being receivable into its respective ceramic element-receiving opening by a motion toward the liner bearing surface, and including a holding sleeve telescopically disposed over the ceramic element-receiving openings to prevent a radial outward motion of the ceramic bearing elements;
- and
- self-aligning structure, comprising an outer sleeve telescopically receiving the liner, the holding sleeve and the ceramic bearing elements, and self-aligning bearing structure disposed between the holding sleeve and the liner such that the liner is slidably swingable with respect to the holding sleeve.
2 more elements
A composite bearing useful for supporting a rotating load submerged in molten metal, comprising:
- a plurality of ceramic bearing elements each having a shaft-engaging surface;
- and
- a metal liner having a plurality of circumferentially-spaced ceramic element-receiving slots, the ceramic bearing elements each being receivable in a respective slot, the liner being thermally expansive such that each slot is smaller than its respective ceramic bearing element at a lower liner temperature, and is larger than its respective ceramic bearing element at a higher liner temperature, whereby each ceramic bearing element is receivable into its respective slot at the higher liner temperature, and then is tightly held in the slot when the liner temperature is reduced to said lower liner temperature forming a cylindrical liner surface for slidably supporting a rotating shaft.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.