Polymer cage for a high speed tapered roller bearing

Abstract

The cage of a tapered roller bearing has large and small end rings that extend respectively along the large and small end faces of the tapered rollers and in addition bridges that connect the end rings and maintain the proper spacing between the rollers. Each bridge includes a web that projects radially inwardly toward the bearing cone. One end of each web merges with the small end ring, while the other end forms a corner located inwardly from the large end ring. Indeed, the corner is located opposite to the thrust rib of the bearing cone. Each web in turn is provided with a groove that extends its full length, with the end located at the small end ring being closer to the axis of rotation than the end that is at the corner. During operation of the bearing, a liquid lubricant is directed into the space between the small end ring and the bearing cone. Some of this lubricant collects in the grooves at the small end of the cage, and by reason of the centrifugal forces generated by the rotation of the cage, this lubricant flows through the grooves and at the corner is discharged against that surface of the thrust rib against which the large end faces of the rollers bear. As a consequence, this critical surface area of the bearing receives adequate lubrication, even during high speed operation of the bearing.