Roller Bearing

The invention relates to a roller bearing comprising an inner and outer race, provided with an integral flange, between which are rows of rollers separated by cages and in line contact with the bearing surfaces, the outer ends of the rollers being guided by guide-flanges, together with sealing means fastened at one end to the outer race, and with the other end bearing on the inner race or parts thereof. A roller bearing of this type is, for example, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,589,747.

In the known bearing the guide-flanges are formed in the races or integral parts thereof so that on assembling the bearing, in particular on inserting the rollers between the races, it is necessary to move one of the races eccentrically with respect to the other, so that a "crescent-shaped" space is formed between the races and only a limited number of rollers can be used, thus causing a limitation in the capacity of such a bearing.

The object of the invention is to provide a bearing of the type described in which one is in principle no longer restricted to a limited number of rollers, whereby not only is its performance, that is the service life and load-bearing capacity of the bearing considerably improved or great flexibility obtained, but in addition the introduction of the rollers into or their location in the bearing is simplified. This object is achieved, according to the invention, by at least one guide-flange being formed by a substantially annular or cylindrical component of the bearing fixed in its position by means of a detachable retaining member.

By this means it is now possible to use the optimum number of rollers in assembling this type of bearing, that is to say, to provide in one row more or fewer rollers than in the other row, depending on the anticipated loads, and one is now, in fact, for the introduction of the number of rollers, only dependent on the annular space between the races and the dimensions of the periphery of the bearing-cage. Moreover, the necessary condition of eccentric displacement of one of the races in relation to the other for the purpose of inserting a (limited) number of rollers into the "crescent-shaped" space formed now no longer applies.

For a preferred embodiment the detachable bearing component consists of a bush fitting into the bore of the bearing which is provided with a flanged portion comprising the guide-flange. This embodiment offers advantages, because a screw-thread is applied to the other end of the bearing bush whereby a nut co-operating therewith can be tightened against the end face of the inner race facing away from the flange of the bush. A relatively simple design of guide-flange which is capable of being clamped or adjusted has thus been introduced. In a preferred embodiment according to the invention the bearing bush comprises a bearing surface, the guide-flange for a row of rollers and at the same time means for clamping it against the bearing. This greatly simplifies assembly and the insertion or location of the rollers. In another preferred embodiment a spacer, preferably annular, is located between the end face part of the part of the inner race and a shoulder formed on the outer surface of the bearing bush, whereby the bearing surface for the row of rollers guided by the flange which forms the guide-flange is formed between this shoulder and the inner surface of the flange of the bearing bush. This produces a considerable simplification and improvement in respect of the assembly and in particular the re-adjustability of the bearing.

The invention will be illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which advantages and other features will be emphasised.

FIGS. 1 to 5 show sections of different embodiments of the roller bearing according to the invention.

The bearing shown in FIG. 1 comprises an inner race 1 with a flange 2 which forms a single whole or is integral therewith for fastening of, for example, a vehicle wheel, and an outer race 3, likewise with an integral flange provided with fixing apertures 4 for the coupling of, for example, parts of the steering gear of the vehicle. Between races 1 and 3 two rows 5' and 6 of taper rollers are located which are separated from each other by cages 7. Furthermore, sealing means 8 and 9 are located on both sides of rollers 5, 6 which at one end are fixed in relation to outer race 3 while at the other end their sealing lips bear on parts of inner race 1. Seal 9 is moreover provided with a protective plate or ring 9a. Guide flanges are used for at least the indirect guidance of the taper rollers and guide flange 10 is formed for this purpose for rollers 6 in the inner race 1. For guiding rollers 5 in this embodiment of the invention annular bearing component 11 is used which is fixed to the bearing by similarly annular retaining member 12. The retaining member has for this purpose axially directed rims 13 and 14, rim 13 fitting into a groove formed in inner race 1 while rim 14 engages behind bearing component 11, so that this--the bearing component forming the guide flange--is firmly held against the end face of inner race 1.

According to the invention it is now possible to use a simple method completely different from that used hitherto for assembling a bearing as in FIG. 1; moreover, a bearing of greater and/or better-adapted load bearing capacity can be obtained with the same dimensions. In the known method the rollers can only be located between races 1 and 2 by displacing one of the races eccentrically with respect to the other, so that a "crescent-shaped" space is formed between them into which a (limited) number of rollers can be introduced.

By then moving one of the races centrally and subsequently inserting the bearing cage between the races and around the rollers, these are evenly distributed in the space between the races. It will be evident that in the known design of bearing it is the "crescent-shaped" space which determines the number of rollers to be inserted and inter alia the performance, at least the load bearing capacity, of the bearing.

By means of the invention not only can the number of rollers be optimised, thus increasing the capacity of the bearing, or making it better adapted to loaded states, but in addition the assembly of such a bearing is greatly simplified. According to the procedure of the invention the row of rollers 6 is first placed on race 1, simultaneously with race 7 or not, whereupon outer cage 3 is pushed over the row and rollers 5 are then located in the immediately adjacent space, simultaneously with a cage 7 or not. The guide flange-forming component of the bearing, 11, is then fixed onto and into the inner race by the fastening or retaining member 12. It will be evident that by means of this procedure the space between the races as well as substantially the dimensions of the periphery of the bearing cage are now the only factors determining the number of rollers 5, 6 to be inserted. The number of rollers in the rows, moreover, need not be the same; what matters is that a uniform distribution of the load is achieved by means of the rollers. Theoretically, therefore, one row should be able to contain twice as many rollers as the other row. The points mentioned are dependent on the specific loading curve expected with this special type of bearing (races with integral flanges). Furthermore, the use of loose, annular guide flanges is well known as such. This bearing component, however, is only used in conventional cylindrical bearings, that is, bearings without integral flanges, and, moreover, an annular guide flange of this type forms a sub-component which is completely detached or separate from the bearing and is not functional until after the bearing is mounted into a structure.

It should be noted that the sub-components in the exemplary embodiments shown in FIGS. 2 to 5 which coincide with those of the embodiment of FIG. 1 are given the same reference numerals, but with "dashes" added.

The embodiment of FIG. 2 differs from that of FIG. 1 in the use of a supplementary retaining member in the form of a bearing bush 15 inserted in the bore of the bearing which is provided on one side with a substantially radially directed flange 16 one portion of which bears on annular bearing component 11'. At the other end bearing bush 15 is provided with a screw thread into which fits a nut 17 clamped against inner race 1'. This makes it possible by tightening nut 17 to a greater or lesser extent to pre-stress the bearing via a suitable bearing ring 11', thus exerting on the rollers a greater or lesser degree of pressure in the axial direction so that undesirable play in the bearing is eliminated.

FIG. 3 shows a preferred embodiment in which the guide flange-forming component of the bearing is integral with a cylindrical bearing bush 18 provided with a guide flange 19 constituting a peripheral portion of the flange of this bearing bush. Moreover inner race 20 for rollers 5" is formed in bearing bush 18 between it, the guide flange-forming component 19 and a shoulder 21. It is preferred that an annular spacer 23 is located between the shoulder 21 and the end face of inner race 22 whereby accurate adjustment and if necessary pre-stressing of the bearing can be effected. An additional advantage of the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 is that in this the inner race 22 consists of two parts, so that the requirement for a very accurate axial width dimension for an inner race of this type can be entirely dispensed with, since differences in these dimensions can be taken up by spacer 23, which has a shape and dimensions which are in other respects adapted thereto. Furthermore, this bearing may easily be converted from a bearing for a non-driven wheel to a bearing for a driven wheel by providing bearing bush 18, for example as shown in FIG. 5, with one or more keyed connections or the like power transmitting coupling means.

The embodiment of FIG. 4 coincides in many respects with that of FIG. 2 with, however, the difference that the part forming the guide flange for the rollers 7 here forms a single entity with the bearing bush 24. Guide flange 25 thus consists substantially of a peripheral portion of the flange of bearing bush 24, the said flange fitting against the end face of inner race 26 with a given tolerance.

The embodiment of FIG. 5 largely coincides with that of FIG. 4 except that the screw thread for nut 28 is cut on a shaft to be mounted, 29, instead of on bearing bush 27. The shaft 29 further comprises a shoulder 30 bearing on bush 27. For a mounting more reliable in operation bearing bush 27 is provided with a locking ring 31 which is located on the side remote from the guide flange. This embodiment is particularly suitable for a driven wheel, for which purpose the bearing bush 27 is provided on its inner surface with keys or the like coupling means.

In all the embodiments shown the free race 11 or the flanged part of bearing bush 15, 18, 24 or 27 forming a guide flange advantageously forms a supporting and sealing surface for sealing means 8.