The Torrington Company

Other

Timken US Corporation

Walter P Waskiewicz

Daniel R McLarty

John A Larson

Maksimilijan Godec

Stephen T Podhajecki

John S Hayward

John H Rhodes

Thomas Richard Bober

Jerzy Baginski

George A Downey

Dean P Johnston

J Russell Willyard

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

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 bearing housing includes a mounting for securing a bearing housing to a support surface and a bore adapted for receiving a bearing. An intermediate ring having a mechanical interlock and configured to mount over the bearing housing is positioned adjacent the bearing housing bore. An adhesive connection between the bearing housing and the intermediate ring connects the intermediate ring to the bearing housing. A bearing cover is positioned over the housing bore and engages the intermediate ring such that the mechanical interlock retains the bearing cover.

Bearing housing and cover assembly

A polymer ring has a circumferential mounting flange and an annular end wall extending radially inwardly and axially inwardly therefrom, providing a conically convex side and a conically concave side. An annular seal lip projects from a radially inner portion of the end wall to engage an annular radially outwardly curved surface of the bearing inner ring after insertion of the seal into the bearing. An annular rib located on the convex side between the end wall and the mounting flange, and an annular rib groove on the concave side opposite the annular rib, allow the polymer ring to collapse radially as the end wall is deflected axially outwardly to a more radial orientation during insertion.

Polymer bearing seal and sealed bearing

A two-piece annular bearing ring seat with an annular concave spherical inside surface is adapted to slidably receive a spherical outer surface of a bearing ring. An annular strap having a coefficient of thermal expansion higher than the coefficient of thermal expansion of a bearing housing holds the bearing ring seat and annular strap together as a subassembly. The subassembly can be press fit into the housing to provide a housed self-aligning bearing.

Bearing assembly insert and housed self aligning bearing assembly

A ball bearing assembly includes a polymer outer bearing ring molded over and partially enclosing a metal annular outer raceway. The metal annular outer raceway may be economically formed from sheet metal or wire. The polymer outer bearing ring may be mounted within a metal housing to provide support and/or self-alignment capability.

Ball bearing assembly with polymer bearing ring

A rolling element bearing is mounted in the bore of a housing, and a hollow end cap is mounted over the bearing. Circumferentially spaced grooves in the bore extend axially partially through the housing from one axial end to facilitate insertion of the bearing. The end cap has a closed wall at one axial end and resilient projections extending axially from its open end, firmly engaging the housing grooves. A strap holder, integral with the end cap, may be provided between the two resilient projections, extending radially outwardly along the axial end of the housing and axially along the housing outer surface and has an opening for mounting a grease fitting. An integral flexible strap extends from the strap holder and has a cover to enclose the grease fitting.

Bearing assembly with end cap

A plurality of wedge-shaped separator elements are pivotably mounted on a retainer ring such that the separator elements may space rollers of a roller bearing circumferentially. The separator elements include a narrow portion for engagement with a thrust flange of one of the inner and outer bearing rings to restrain the bearing retainer in the axially outward direction and include a wide portion for engagement with the rollers to retain the rollers in one of the radially outward and radially inward directions. The retainer ring engages the rollers to retain the bearing retainer in the axially inward direction.

Modular retainer assembly

Adaptor for inner bearing ring bore

Pillow block bearing housing

Flange bearing housing

A tubular portion of the adaptor has a non-cylindrical outer surface to be received within an inner bearing ring bore and a non-cylindrical inner surface to receive a non-cylindrical shaft. Flanges are directed substantially radially outwardly from the tubular portion at the adaptor ends to engage the end surfaces of the inner bearing ring. Slots distributed along the perimeter of at least one adaptor end and extending longitudinally through the flange and part of the tubular portion form a plurality of retention fingers. The retention fingers may bend radially inwardly and outwardly to permit insertion into the inner bearing ring and to accommodate dimensional variation of the non-cylindrical bore and the non-cylindrical shaft.

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

An adaptor for use with an inner bearing ring having a cylindrical bore. The adaptor comprises a tubular portion having a cylindrical outer surface adapted to be received within the inner bearing ring cylindrical bore and a non-cylindrical inner surface adapted to receive a non-cylindrical shaft. A plurality of foldable tabs are distributed along the circumference of the ends of the adaptor. The foldable tabs have a uniform thickness in the axial direction and are directed substantially radially outwardly from the cylindrical outer surface of the tubular portion and are angled axially inwardly. The tubular portion and foldable tabs are formed integrally of a resilient material such that the foldable tabs transiently fold to permit insertion of the adaptor into the bearing ring cylindrical bore and engage end surfaces of the bearing ring to retain the adaptor in the inner bearing ring after insertion.

Growing community of inventors

Bristol, CT, United States of America

Walter P Waskiewicz