Stemco Inc

Barry E Braun

Mark N Gold

Laurence B Winn

Paul S Perry

A wheel hub and bearing assembly for mounting on a vehicle axle. The assembly includes a wheel hub having a longitudinal axis, a pair of bearings within the wheel hub, the bearings in spaced axial relation along the longitudinal axis of the wheel hub, a lubricant cavity within the wheel hub between the axially spaced bearings adapted to be filled with a lubricant prior to the wheel hub being mounted on an axle, and a vane disposed within the lubricant cavity and extending radially outwardly with respect to the longitudinal axis of the wheel hub. The vane includes first and second passages. The first passage has a transverse port for receiving lubricant into the vane upon rotation of the wheel hub on the axle, a radial passageway for directing lubricant flow from the transverse port in a radially inward direction towards the longitudinal axis of the wheel hub, and an axial nozzle for directing lubricant flow from the radial passageway in an axial direction, with respect to the longitudinal axis of the wheel hub, out of the vane and within the lubricant cavity towards one of the axially spaced bearings. The second passage has a transverse port for receiving lubricant into the vane upon opposite rotation of the wheel hub on the axle, a radial passageway for directing lubricant flow from the transverse port of the second passage in a radially inward direction towards the longitudinal axis of the wheel hub, and an axial nozzle for directing lubricant flow from the radial passageway of the second passage in an axial direction, with respect to the longitudinal axis of the wheel hub, out of the vane and within the lubricant cavity towards one of the axially spaced bearings.

Lubricant distributing vanes for unitized wheel hub and bearing assembly

A wheel hub and bearing assembly for use on the ends of a stationary axle and particularly on tractor and trailer axles. A wheel hub, a pair of bearings, a bearing spacer and seals are assembled and installed on the axle end. The bearing spacer is positioned between the pair of bearings and has one or more vanes mounted thereon for redirecting the flow of lubricant disposed in a cavity in the wheel hub between the bearings in a bi-axial flow direction towards each spaced bearing to lubricate and cool the bearings.

Unitized wheel hub and bearing assembly with lubricant distributing vanes

A hubcap attached to a wheel hub wherein a chamber is formed between the hubcap and the wheel hub for housing a lubricating fluid for the associated wheel bearings. A vent passage extending through the hubcap is provided for relieving the pressure formed therein. A porous material is positioned to cover the vent passage for allowing a flow of gases to enter and exit the vent passage while preventing liquids and other contaminants from traveling therethrough. The porous material is held in a compressive abutting relationship to the hubcap surface by an enclosure which surrounds the vent passage and encases the porous material to shield the outer surface of the porous material from exposure to external grit and other contaminants. The enclosure further has at least one port to accommodate air flow to the porous material. The enclosure may further include a filter device positioned adjacent to the port which prevents the passage of grit and other contaminants therethrough to prevent the accumulation of external contaminants on the porous material covering the vent passage thereby maintaining the air flow vent path.

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Longview, TX, United States of America

Barry E Braun