Play-free anti-friction bearing construction

Abstract

The invention contemplates an anti-friction bearing wherein the inner raceway for a complement of rolling elements is ground directly in the shaft which is to have anti-friction support. The outer raceway is provided in the bore of a relatively thin-wall outer ring which is locally split, as by an axial slit. The outer ring is compliantly widened at the split, to permit introduction of the complement of rolling elements through the widened slit; the outer ring is then relaxed for circumferential engagement of all rolling elements, whereupon the outer ring is clamped tight against the shaft without play by means of a tensed circumferential wrap of spring-steel wires or bands. Thereafter, the wrapped bearing is bedded via jointing agents in the bore of a bearing housing. With such construction, the outer race in the outer ring adapts itself to the precision-ground inner or shaft raceway, via the rolling elements, and therefore the outer ring and its raceway may be manufactured to lesser tolerances, and yet the precision of the finished article will be primarily a function of the precision of the inner raceway.