Backing ring assembly for railcar axle bearings

A backing ring assembly for a railcar axle assembly, the axle assembly including a shaft with a central axis and a bearing mounted on the shaft, the shaft having an enlarged section with a generally cylindrical outer circumferential surface and a curved fillet section connecting the enlarged section with a remainder of the shaft, the backing ring assembly comprising:

• a generally annular backing ring disposeable upon the shaft between the bearing and the shaft enlarged section and having a central axis, an inner circumferential surface extending about the axis and defining a central bore for receiving a portion of the shaft and a retention surface facing generally away from the shaft enlarged section when the backing ring is disposed upon the shaft;
• and
• a retainer including a generally annular body disposeable about the shaft enlarged section, the annular body having an inner circumferential surface sized to frictionally engage with the shaft enlarged section cylindrical surface, and at least one coupler connected with the annular body and configured to engage with the backing ring retention surface to releasably connect the retainer annular body with the backing ring so as to retain the ring at a substantially fixed axial position on the shaft;
• wherein the backing ring has first and second axial ends and an outer circumferential surface extending generally axially between the first and second ends, the retention surface extending generally radially-inwardly from the ring outer surface proximal to the ring second axial end, the backing ring outer circumferential surface is generally frustoconical and extends generally axially between a first, diametrically-smaller axial edge proximal to the backing ring first axial end and a second, diametrically-larger axial edge proximal to the backing ring second axial end;
• and
• wherein the retainer coupler includes a generally frustoconical tubular body sized to be disposed about the backing ring outer surface, the coupler body having a first, diametrically-smaller end connected with the retainer main body and a second, diametrically-larger end, the retainer body second end being located at least generally proximal to the backing ring second axial end when the retainer is installed about the body and configured to engage with the retention surface.

A backing ring assembly for a railcar axle assembly, the axle assembly including a shaft with a central axis and a bearing mounted on the shaft, the shaft having an enlarged section with a generally cylindrical outer circumferential surface and a curved fillet section connecting the enlarged section with a remainder of the shaft, the backing ring assembly comprising:

• a generally annular backing ring disposeable upon the shaft between the bearing and the shaft enlarged section and having a central axis, an inner circumferential surface extending about the axis and defining a central bore for receiving a portion of the shaft and a retention surface facing generally away from the shaft enlarged section when the backing ring is disposed upon the shaft;
• and
• a retainer including a generally annular body disposeable about the shaft enlarged section, the annular body having an inner circumferential surface sized to frictionally engage with the shaft enlarged section cylindrical surface, and at least one coupler connected with the annular body and configured to engage with the backing ring retention surface to releasably connect the retainer annular body with the backing ring so as to retain the ring at a substantially fixed axial position on the shaft;
• wherein the backing ring has first and second axial ends and an outer circumferential surface extending generally axially between the first and second ends, the retention surface extending generally radially-inwardly from the ring outer surface proximal to the ring second axial end;
• and
• wherein the retainer coupler includes a generally tubular body having a first end connected with the retainer annular body, a second end engageable with the backing ring retention surface and an inner circumferential surface disposeable about the ring outer circumferential surface, at least a portion of the retainer coupler tubular body being configured to deflect generally radially when installing the retainer onto the backing ring and alternatively when removing the retainer from the backing ring.

A backing ring assembly for a railcar axle assembly, the axle assembly including a shaft with a central axis and a bearing mounted on the shaft, the shaft having an enlarged section with a generally cylindrical outer circumferential surface and a curved fillet section connecting the enlarged section with a remainder of the shaft, the backing ring assembly comprising:

• a generally annular backing ring disposeable upon the shaft between the bearing and the shaft enlarged section and having a central axis, an inner circumferential surface extending about the axis and defining a central bore for receiving a portion of the shaft and a retention surface facing generally away from the shaft enlarged section when the backing ring is disposed upon the shaft;
• and
• a retainer including a generally annular body disposeable about the shaft enlarged section, the annular body having an inner circumferential surface sized to frictionally engage with the shaft enlarged section cylindrical surface, and at least one coupler connected with the annular body and configured to engage with the backing ring retention surface to releasably connect the retainer annular body with the backing ring so as to retain the ring at a substantially fixed axial position on the shaft;
• wherein the backing ring has first and second axial ends and an outer circumferential surface extending generally axially between the first and second ends, the retention surface extending generally radially-inwardly from the ring outer surface proximal to the ring second axial end;
• and
• wherein the retainer coupler includes a generally tubular body having a first end connected with the retainer annular body, a second end engageable with the backing ring retention surface, an inner circumferential surface disposeable about the ring outer circumferential surface, and a plurality of generally arcuate lips spaced circumferentially apart about the ring central axis, each lip extending radially inwardly from the tubular body second end and disposeable against the backing ring retention surface.

A backing ring assembly for a railcar axle assembly, the axle assembly including a shaft with a central axis and a bearing mounted on the shaft, the shaft having an enlarged section with a generally cylindrical outer circumferential surface and a curved fillet section connecting the enlarged section with a remainder of the shaft, the backing ring assembly comprising:

• a generally annular backing ring disposeable upon the shaft between the bearing and the shaft enlarged section and having a central axis, an inner circumferential surface extending about the axis and defining a central bore for receiving a portion of the shaft and a retention surface facing generally away from the shaft enlarged section when the backing ring is disposed upon the shaft;
• and
• a retainer including a generally annular body disposeable about the shaft enlarged section, the annular body having an inner circumferential surface sized to frictionally engage with the shaft enlarged section cylindrical surface, and at least one coupler connected with the annular body and configured to engage with the backing ring retention surface to releasably connect the retainer annular body with the backing ring so as to retain the ring at a substantially fixed axial position on the shaft;
• wherein the backing ring has first and second axial ends and an outer circumferential surface extending generally axially between the first and second ends, the retention surface extending generally radially-inwardly from the ring outer surface proximal to the ring second axial end;
• and
• wherein the retainer coupler includes a generally tubular body having a first end connected with the retainer annular body, a second end engageable with the backing ring retention surface, an inner circumferential surface disposeable about the ring outer circumferential surface, at least one generally arcuate lip extending radially inwardly from the tubular body second end and disposeable against the backing ring retention surface, the at least one lip having opposing circumferential ends, and at least two, generally parallel slotted openings each disposed adjacent to a separate one of the lip circumferential ends and extending axially from the tubular body second end and toward the tubular body first end, the two slotted openings defining a generally arcuate tab, the tab being generally radially displaceable with respect to a remainder of tubular body to displace the arcuate lip in generally radial directions.