Low clearance high capacity roller bearing

Abstract

A low clearance, high load capacity roller bearing that includes a cylindrical outer race with a set of non-helical grooves formed on its inside surface that mesh with teeth formed on the outside surface of a plurality of rotating rollers longitudinally and axially aligned inside the outer race. Located inside the rollers are two cylindrical inner race pieces each with non-helical outer grooves configured to mesh with the teeth on the rollers. The rollers are longitudinally aligned and evenly spaced apart inside the outer race and outside the inner race assembly by two retainer plates. The two inner race pieces are separated by a uniform circular gap in which a circular shim is disposed. Different lengths of inner race pieces may be used to create-different gap widths to reduce the clearance or to pre-load the bearing. Shims with different widths slightly larger or smaller than the gap are placed in the gap.