Assembly method for two row ball bearing with integral, angular contact

Abstract

A two row, integral pathway, angular contact ball bearing has a single separator to handle both ball rows, but without significant limitation on the total ball count and load capacity. The theoretical full complement ball count is determined, that is, the largest number of balls that could be installed in the first row. The largest even number equal to or smaller than the full complement count is then determined, and chosen for the total number of separator pockets. The separator pockets are formed by adjacent axial fingers, long enough to reach both ball rows, and joined by circumferentially alternating bights. Therefore, at each end of the separator, half the pockets are open, and half closed. When the first ball row is installed against one pathway of the inner race, there is no access limitation, and all pockets, open and closed, are filled. Then, the separator is shifted back to clear the other pathway, before the outer race is inserted over the inner race. Then, the two races are tilted off access far enough to allow the second ball row, which is half the first row, to be loaded in. After the races are tilted back to a coaxial orientation and the second ball row is evenly spaced out, the balls can be aligned with the open half of the pockets. This allows the separator to be pulled back from its shifted position, moving the remaining balls into the aligned open pockets.