The Torrington Company

Thomas G Rhoads

Paul M Cornish

Paul W Critchley

Rolling elements are positioned between two thrust washers that are retained together as an assembly. One of the thrust washers has one or more one-way assembly tabs extending radially outwardly beyond the axially extending lip of the other thrust washer to provide an interference with a housing to prevent the thrust bearing assembly from being installed on the pilot surface of the housing 'backwards'. A remaining perimeter portion of the thrust washer adjacent to the one-way assembly tabs has a maximum radius less than the radius of the axially extending lip of the first thrust washer to facilitate flow of lubricant.

Thrust bearing assembly with misassembly tab

A thrust washer has a radially directed annular portion providing a first raceway and an axially directed annular flange. A subassembly comprising a plurality of rollers, in rolling contact with the raceway, retained axially and radially in a roller cage, has a pilot surface facing the axially directed annular flange. A bushing or rolling element between the pilot surface and the axially directed annular flange reduces friction between the pilot surface and the flange while maintaining concentricity of the subassembly relative to the thrust washer.

Thrust bearing assembly

An improved thrust bearing assembly combines a thrust bearing with a thrust washer spacer which is attached to the trust bearing to provide a one-piece thrust bearing assembly. The spacer is made of plastic and has a variable predetermined axial thickness so as to facilitate the assembly of some automotive transmissions.

Growing community of inventors

Thomaston, CT, United States of America

Thomas G Rhoads