The Torrington Company

Gunter J Zinken

Richard L Alling

A flat, thin ring is formed into a modified ring having bridge material between adjacent, initial ball pockets. Movable anvils having a rounded surface are positioned within the initial ball pockets and the bridge material is flattened such that a flat bridge is formed between adjacent final ball pockets enclosing more than a 180 degree circumference of the rounded surface. The movable anvils are then moved such that the final ball pockets do not enclose more than a 180 degree circumference of the rounded surface to facilitate removal of the movable anvils from the final ball pockets. A method of assembling a ball bearing assembly is also described.

Method of assembling a bearing

A flat, thin ring is formed into a modified ring having bridge material between adjacent, initial ball pockets. Movable anvils having a rounded surface are positioned within the initial ball pockets and the bridge material is reformed such that a substantially flat bridge is formed between adjacent final ball pockets conforming to more than a 180 degree circumference of the rounded surface. The movable anvils are then moved such that the final ball pockets do not conform to more than a 180 degree circumference of the rounded surface to facilitate removal of the movable anvils from the final ball pockets. A method of assembling a ball bearing assembly is also described.

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Torrington, CT, United States of America

Gunter J Zinken