The Torrington Company

Timken US Corporation

Daniel R McLarty

Walter P Waskiewicz

Richard L Alling

Stephen T Podhajecki

John B Moseley

Salvatore Acampora

Thomas Richard Bober

John S Hayward

Jerzy Baginski

John H Hubbard

John H Munson

A sensor assembly for determining rotational angular displacement of a first moving component in a machine relative to a second component in the machine includes a base, a magnet housing, and a flexible member. The base is configured to be rigidly secured to the first moving component for movement therewith. The base defines a first axis of rotation. The magnet housing supports a sensor magnet and is rotatably received in the second component. The magnet housing defines a second axis of rotation. The flexible member has a first end rigidly secured to the magnet housing coaxially with the first axis of rotation. A second end of the flexible member is rigidly secured to the magnet housing coaxially with the second axis of rotation. A flexible body portion of the flexible member is capable of accommodating misalignment between the first and second axes of rotation.

Flexible sensor input assembly

A plurality of rollers is positioned between side members of a longitudinally-split, two-piece bearing race and a backup member that supports the two-piece bearing race along the length of side members. The backup member has angled surfaces such that ends of the rollers are closer to the angled surfaces than are intermediate portions of the roller. The two side members of the two-piece bearing race may be spread apart such that the angled surfaces of the backup member direct the side members of the two-piece bearing race toward the rollers to decrease the roller clearance and to create a preload.

Adjustable, self-aligning, linear roller bearing

An annular casing partially encloses the outer race of a pair of the angular contact bearings. The casing is split along a radial plane into two casing halves, each casing half being molded of a polymer. The two casing halves are retained axially such that relative axial movement of the angular contact bearings is limited.

Bearing assembly

A track roller or cam follower type bearing has seal-thrust withstanding members. The sealing function and the thrust withstanding function are performed by a single structure.

Bearing with a seal-thrust withstanding member

A shield has an outer periphery portion engaging a grooved outer bearing ring, an inner periphery portion adjacent an inner bearing ring, and a mid portion joining the outer periphery portion and the inner periphery portion. The outer periphery portion has an annular reverse bend and terminates in an annular flat surface having radially outer and radially inner edge portions. The radially outer edge portion and the radially inner edge portion and the reverse bend each contact the grooved outer bearing ring to retain the shield axially and radially.

Shield for rolling element bearings

An annular sealing groove is provided at an axial end of one of an outer or inner bearing ring. The seal element comprises an annular ring of an elastomeric material with a plurality of circumferentially periodic radially extending projections integrally formed in an outer periphery or an inner periphery thereof. The projections are configured to provide an interference fit in the radial direction with respect to a bottom wall and outer side wall of the sealing groove to effect a seal. Preferably, the radial interference fit of the seal element biases the seal element axially against an inner side wall of the sealing groove.

Seal for rolling bearings

A resilient seal member, fixed to one of an inner bearing ring and an outer bearing ring, engages a contact member fixed to the other bearing ring to close an annulus between the bearing rings. The resilient seal member has at least one resilient lip forming an interference fit with a contact surface of the contact member. The contact surface is configured such that misalignment of the inner bearing ring with respect to the outer bearing ring does not significantly change the amount of interference between the resilient lip and the contact surface. The contact surface may be substantially spherical or conical.

Sealing structure for a bearing

A bearing shield is mountable on a bearing outer ring such that the bearing shield extends radially inward toward a standardized bearing inner ring. An inner ring insert is mountable on the inner ring such that the inner ring insert extends a predetermined axial length beyond the inner ring and is engaged by a resilient seal member fixed to the bearing shield to seal an inner ring/outer ring annulus. The inner ring, inner ring insert, and an insert spacer provide a modular inner ring assembly of a predetermined length. Optionally, the inner ring insert can provide a 'slinger' or join two inner rings together to form a bearing assembly with multiple rows of rolling elements.

Sealing structure for standardized bearing ring

A ball bearing retainer in the form of a unitary molded plastic ring with a plurality of ball receiving pockets spaced circumferentially about the ring. The ball receiving pockets have a generally truncated spherical shape. The pockets have at least two prongs located about the pocket for retaining a ball in the pocket.

Ball bearing retainer

A variable stiffness bearing utilizing piezoelectric means for applying a variable preload force to the bearing. The preferred embodiment employs piezoelectric wafers having alternating power and ground connections to the wafers to allow the wafers to distort in direct proportion to the potentials applied. Increased potentials result in greater distortion, more preload force, and a stiffer bearing.

Bearing with adjustable stiffness

A bearing assembly for use with a spindle and featuring a rotatable preload actuator having differential thread portions in mesh with threaded sections of a selected race adjustment member to selectively vary the loading of the bearing. Drive means is provided for rotating the preload actuator to control actual bearing load.

Growing community of inventors

Burlington, CT, United States of America

Daniel R McLarty