The Torrington Company

Koyo Bearings USA LLC

Timken US Corporation

Charles W Shattuck

Richard F Murphy

David R Torlai

Charles E Condon, Jr

Christopher William Kaswer

Dean E Johnston

Mark A Polinsky

Robert D Richtmeyer

Mitchell L Bussell

Primo P Gugnoni

Michael W Gerardi

Phillip J Draper

Joseph J Lestinsky

Ronald Wilcox

Brian H Laskoff

David Gurka

A thrust bearing assembly generally includes a cage and a plurality of rolling elements. The cage has first and second cage halves with each cage half having a respective radial segment with a plurality of circumferentially spaced openings. Each opening has an opening perimeter. The cage halves are interconnected with portions of the radial segments circumferentially between the plurality of openings abutting along a given plane and the respective openings aligned to defined rolling element pockets. The rolling elements are positioned in the rolling element pockets such that a centerline of each rolling element lies in or in proximity to the given plane. A flange extends along at least a portion of each opening perimeter to retain the rolling elements within a respective one of the rolling element pockets.

Thrust bearing assembly

A first race component includes a flat, circular raceway portion, defined about an axis, and an axially extending lip portion. A plurality of needle rollers is arranged radially with respect to the axis for rolling contact with the flat raceway. A bearing cage retains the needle rollers and is engageable with the lip portion of the first component for piloting of the bearing cage. A second race component, made of different material, includes a flat portion in contact with the raceway portion of the first race component and a lip portion extending axially and radially from the flat portion and beyond the lip portion of the first race component such that the second race component is engageable by the bearing cage to hold the first race component, the second race component and the bearing cage together as an assembly.

Thrust bearing and method of making same

A laminated carrier comprises a first end plate, a second end plate, and a connection joining the first and second end plates together such that windows are formed therebetween for locating planetary gears. At least one of the first and second end plates comprises multiple layers of material joined together, such that a non-uniform internal structure is formed.

Laminated carrier assembly

A roller thrust bearing having an increased efficiency and a reduced operating noise level includes a plurality of cylindrical roller elements radially oriented within a circular bearing cage which has inner and outer cage diameters and upper and lower cage surfaces. The roller elements protrude above and below the upper and lower cage surfaces, respectively, and upper and lower circular races having inner and outer diameters, are in rolling contact with the portions of the roller elements protruding above and below the upper and lower cage surfaces. The upper and lower races have features for reducing roller skidding against the races and for reducing operating noise of the thrust bearing. Another race feature allows the load carrying capacity of the bearing to vary to be proportional to the imposed load.

Roller thrust bearing having improved efficiency and reduced noise

Rollers having a cylindrical configuration without substantial end relief are positioned between and exert a force against an outer raceway contact area and a cylindrical inner raceway contact area. The outer raceway has a crowned configuration such that a calculated maximum contact stress over the outer raceway contact area is controlled with respect to the maximum contact stress over the inner raceway contact area in order to make the outer raceway life substantially equal to the inner raceway life.

Controlled contact stress roller bearing

The diametral variations around the circumference of a bearing roller are measured by mechanical-to-electrical transducers which convert the diametral variations into electrical signals which are functions of the variations. The frequencies of the electric signals are converted into electric spikes which are proportional to the actual effect on roller noise of the frequency represented by each spike. The spikes are electrically added and a print is made of a value which is proportional to the expected noise the roller will produce when used in a roller bearing.

Bearing roller gauge

An annular band fits over a thrust washer of a thrust bearing. At least one but preferably a plurality of circumferentially spaced radially extending protrusions are provided on the annular band. The protrusions are adapted to provide an interference fit between the thrust washer and the support such as a housing on which the thrust washer is mounted.

Thrust washer retaining band

An annular shoulder on the radial bearing is contacted by the thrust bearing raceway radially inwardly from the inside periphery of the thrust bearing cage. Either the thrust race or the annular shoulder on the radial bearing, or both, may have an integral axial extension with the thrust race and the radial bearing interlocking radially inwardly from the inner periphery of the thrust bearing cage. The bearing is pressed in to the bore of the housing by pushing against the thrust race with the force against the thrust race being transmitted by way of the annular shoulder to the radial raceway. Thus, it is not necessary to push the bearing into the housing bore by pressing against the thrust rollers which often results in critical damage to the thrust race.

Growing community of inventors

West Goshen, CT, United States of America

Charles W Shattuck