Dana Corporation

Glacier Garlock Bearings, Inc.

Mahle International Gmbh

Kenneth Macleod Mcmeekin

Janette Johnston

Patricia Morton McMeekin, Legal Representative

Raymond Bridgeman

An aluminum-based bearing alloy material and a bearing made therefrom is described, the bearing material having a composition comprising in weight %: 5-10 tin; 0.8-1.3 copper; 0.8-1.3 nickel; 1.5-3 silicon; 0.13-0.19 vanadium; 0.8-1.2 manganese; 0.4-0.6 chromium; balance aluminum apart from incidental impurities.

Bearing materials

A dry bearing ( , FIG. ( )) for a hinge pin or the like comprises a bush mounted in a radially supportive housing ( ), the bush being formed by a circumferentially discontinuous tubular form made by rolling a strip of steel-backed, bearing material having a filled polymer infiltrated sintered bronze (ISB) lining about a mandrel (FIG. ( )). The tubular form is, after mounting and to provide a more uniform inside diameter, burnished by pushing therethrough a burnishing tool ( ), having a cylindrical portion ( ), of larger diameter than the mounted form. The bearing (and method of manufacture) differ from the art in that a minor part of the lining surface is, prior to passage of the burnishing tool and conveniently when still in strip form, compressed in part as depressions (troughs ) arrayed over the surface. Such depressions permit burnishing with a less oversize tool to get said uniform inside diameter, thereby requiring less work in driving the tool and with less risk of shearing the lining components and damaging the surrounding housing with radial pressure during burnishing.

Bearing assembly and manufacturing method

A plain bearing comprises a metal backing, a layer of a porous matrix of sintered metal on the backing and a filled PTFE infiltrated into the interstices of the sintered layer and standing proud of the sintered layer, wherein the PTFE is filled with 1-20% by volume fibrillated aramid fibres and 10-30% by volume glass. The glass is preferably E-glass present as milled filaments of length 0.05-0.30 mm and diameter 0.010-0.020 mm and coated with a silene sizing agent. The fibrillated aramid fibres provide reinforcement and improved load bearing capacity and the glass provides an abrasive filler which abrades asperities on a body and creates a smooth polished surface against which to bear, thereby improving its life. The PTFE preferably also includes ferric oxide and carbon black to about 1.5% and 1.2% by volume respectively which both pigment the polymer and act as fine abrasive and lubricant respectively. The carbon black content may be increased to about 10% to provide electrical conductivity. The filler may be prepared as a wet mush or a dry &ldquo;paper&rdquo;.

Plain bearing structure

A plain bearing comprises a metal backing, a layer of a porous matrix of sintered metal on the backing and a filled PTFE infiltrated into the interstices of the sintered layer and standing proud of the sintered layer, wherein the PTFE is filled with 1-20% by volume fibrillated aramid fibres and 10-30% by volume glass. The glass is preferably E-glass present as milled filaments of length 0.05-0.30 mm and diameter 0.010-0.020 mm and coated with a silene sizing agent. The fibrillated aramid fibres provide reinforcement and improved load bearing capacity and the glass provides an abrasive filler which abrades asperities on a body and creates a smooth polished surface against which to bear, thereby improving its life. The PTFE preferably also includes ferric oxide and carbon black to about 1.5% and 1.2% by volume respectively which both pigment the polymer and act as an abrasive and lubricant respectively. The carbon black content may be increased to about 10% to provide electrical conductivity. The filler may be prepared as a wet mush or a dry &ldquo;paper&rdquo;.

A dry bearing (,, FIG.,(,)) for a hinge pin or the like comprises a bush,mounted in a radially supportive housing (,), the bush being formed by a circumferentially discontinuous tubular form made by rolling a strip of steel-backed, bearing material having a filled polymer infiltrated sintered bronze (ISB) lining about a mandrel (FIG.,(,)). The tubular form is, after mounting and to provide a more uniform inside diameter, burnished by pushing therethrough a burnishing tool (,), having a cylindrical portion (,), of larger diameter than the mounted form. The bearing (and method of manufacture) differ from the art in that a minor part of the lining surface is, prior to passage of the burnishing tool and conveniently when still in strip form, compressed in part as depressions (troughs,) arrayed over the surface. Such depressions permit burnishing with a less oversize tool to get said uniform inside diameter, thereby requiring less work in driving the tool and with less risk of shearing the lining components and damaging the surrounding housing with radial pressure during burnishing.

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Ayrshire, United Kingdom

Kenneth Macleod Mcmeekin