Claims
- 1. A method for manufacturing a guide (30) for surrounding and sealing a rod (26) in the end of a hydraulic cylinder (12) including a piston (24) slidably disposed in the cylinder (12) and attached to the end of the rod (26), said method comprising the step of;forming an annular guide (30) from metal and having end faces (32) interconnected by an outer mounting surface (34, 36) and an inner guide bore (38), forming at least one annular channel (40) in the guide bore (38), placing the guide (30) in a mold (44, 46) defining a cylindrical cavity extending about the guide bore (38) and between the end faces (32) of the guide (30), filling the cylindrical cavity with an organic polymeric bearing material (42), curing the bearing material, and removing the guide (30) from the mold (44, 46); forming the channel (40) with a mechanical interlock in the radially inward direction and curing the bearing material (42) to radially contact and exert a radially inward directed force against the mechanical interlock and machining a rod engaging surface (54) into the interior of the bearing material (42), machining at least a portion (34) of the mounting surface to closer tolerances than the guide bore (38), machining the bearing material (42) in relationship to the machined portion (34) of the mounting surface and to a closer tolerance than the machined portion (34) of the mounting surface so that said bearing material (42) is in closer tolerance relationship to said machined portion (34) of said mounting surface than said guide bore (38).
- 2. A method as set forth in claim 1 further defined as forming the mechanical interlock with an undercut as viewed in the cross section.
- 3. A method as set forth in claim 2 defined as forming the undercut at an angle.
- 4. A method as set forth in claim 2 further defined as forming irregularities (56) in the direction about the guide bore (38) to prevent the cured bearing material (42) from rotating relative to said bore (38).
- 5. A method as set forth in claim 3 further defined as forming said undercut in the shape of a dovetail as viewed in the cross section.
- 6. A method as set forth in claim 5 further defined as machining an annular groove (58) through the bearing material (42) and into the guide (30).
- 7. A method as set forth in claim 6 further defined as inserting a seal (60) in the annular groove (58).
- 8. A method as set forth in claim 1 further defined as machining the machined portion (34) of the mounting surface to a tolerance of plus or minus 0.001 inches and machining the bearing material (42) to a tolerance of plus or minus 0.002 inches.
Parent Case Info
This application is a divisional of application Ser. No. 08/661,996 filed on Jun. 12, 1996 now U.S. Pat. No. 5,782,162.
US Referenced Citations (11)