Not Applicable.
The present application is generally related to large bearing cage configurations, and in particular, but not exclusively, to a cage assembly for a large diameter bearing containing multiple heavy rolling elements and including discrete bridge elements coupled between axially-spaced cage wire rings located adjacent opposite axial ends of the rolling elements.
The usual approach to designing large-bearing cages (typically 1-4 meters in diameter) has been to extend the design styles for smaller, conventional bearings to the larger bearing sizes. The first and most common attempt at meeting the needs of larger bearings uses pin style cages to facilitate placement and retention of the rolling elements. While pin style cages provide excellent retention, they are heavy, complex, and costly to assemble. Furthermore, some pin style cage designs can partially block flow of lubricants (especially grease) to critical wear surfaces. They also cannot be disassembled without damaging either the cage rings or the cage pins.
Another cage design often considered is an “L” type design produced using various combinations of forging, forming, machining and precision cutting. The resulting cost of bearing cages produced using combinations of these various processes are unacceptably high, especially for the larger bearing sizes.
Yet another cage design is a polymer segmented style cage. While these cages have a demonstrated ability to perform satisfactorily, there are potential limitations in scaling up this design for larger bearings containing heavy rollers. Current polymer cages for very large bearings are made from polyether ether ketone (PEEK), an organic polymer thermoplastic which is relatively expensive. For extremely large bearings containing large rollers, the size and strength of the cage must be increased. The greater amount of PEEK required to make a sufficiently strong cage can therefore often be cost prohibitive. Accordingly, polymer segmented cages appear to be most suited for bearing cages with small to medium size rollers which only require small to medium size PEEK segments.
Based on the foregoing, it would be advantageous to provide a large bearing cage design having full functionality (roller retention, roller spacing, roller alignment, lubricant flow) for various sizes and types of bearings (e.g., tapered roller, cylindrical roller, spherical roller bearings, etc.) and which can be manufactured at a lower cost than is currently possible.
Briefly stated, the present disclosure provides a bearing assembly having a plurality of rolling elements (rollers) disposed about the circumference of a race member and positioned in a spaced configuration by a segmented bearing retainer assembly. The segmented bearing retainer assembly comprises a plurality of discrete bridge elements coupled between first and second wire support rings located adjacent axially opposite ends of the bearing assembly.
Each discrete bridge element has a cross-sectional shape adapted to contact adjacent rolling elements on the rolling element's circumferential surface and radially displaced from the pitch diameter of the bearing. This maintains the spacing between adjacent rolling elements in the bearing assembly, and retains the rolling elements relative to the race member. A desired spacing arrangement about the circumference of the bearing assembly, between the wire support rings, is achieved using a plurality of spacers disposed on the rings. In a preferred embodiment the bridge elements and spacers have a piloted engagement. The rings extend through attachment eyelets formed in each end of each bridge element.
In one embodiment, the discrete bridge elements of the segmented bearing retainer assembly are disposed between adjacent rolling elements in the bearing assembly. Each bridge element includes an axially aligned bridge segment traversing between adjacent rolling elements. An end block at each axial end of the bridge element includes the attachment eyelet through which a wire support ring passes.
Each discrete bridge element further has a cross-sectional profile designed to distribute a contact load between a rolling element and an adjacent bridge element above (radially outward from) a pitch diameter of the bearing assembly. At least one surface on the end block is profiled to position the cage assembly against an end surface of the rolling elements.
In another disclosed embodiment, each discrete bridge element has a cross-sectional shape adapted to contact adjacent rolling elements on the rolling body's circumferential surface at a position which is radially inward from the pitch diameter of the bearing.
Additional surface profiling on a bridge element's end faces may be optimized to position the segmented bearing retainer assembly on the large end of the rolling elements so to establish and maintain a beneficial lubricant film between them.
In a preferred embodiment, the discrete bridge elements are of a powdered metal or sintered steel. The discrete bridge elements may be impregnated with a lubricant, or dipped in a lubricant for a period of time for the lubricant to be absorbed into the bridge element, or the bridge element may be vacuum impregnated with a lubricant. Optionally, the bridge elements may have surface features or finishes configured to, over time, trap and release lubricants.
The rings are initially open ended to allow for assembly of the bridge segments and spacers onto the rings. The free ends of the rings have a feature which facilitates subsequently joining the ends together as part of the final assembly. In one embodiment the rings have a groove near each end which allows the rings to be connected by a joining spacer, using a crimp joint. In another embodiment the free ends of the rings are threaded with opposite handed threads and a joining spacer in the form of a turnbuckle is used to join the ends of the rings together. This embodiment allows the spacers and bridge segments to be drawn together to a desired degree of force. By drawing the spacers and bridge elements tightly together a more rigid cage structure is obtained. In another embodiment one end of the ring has a groove formed in it to receive a crimp connection and the other end of the ring is threaded. In this embodiment, the common right handed threads only may be used and the need to use the less common left handed threads is eliminated. The joining spacer in this case has threads on only one side and is crimped on the other end.
For the embodiments using a threaded joining spacer to connect the respective ends of each ring together, a means to prevent the threaded engagement from backing off is desired. This may be accomplished by a thread adhesive, by a set screw engaging the spacer and ring or by welding the adjusting spacer to the ring.
The joining spacer may have features to make rotation easier when drawing the cage together. Common features employed are one or more flats, or octagonal or hexagon external geometries that will accept an open end wrench, or radial holes for rotation by a simple pin or by a spanner wrench.
A method of the present disclosure for assembling a segmented bearing retainer assembly about an inner race of a tapered bearing is accomplished by initially threading a plurality of discrete bridge elements and spacers onto ends of the first and second wire support rings. Each wire ring is then formed into an open loop and the ends of the rings are threaded with opposite handed threads. Discrete bridge elements and the spacers between them are first inserted onto the wire support rings. Individual rollers (rolling elements) are then inserted into the assembly by moving the bridge elements and spacers circumferentially around the wire support rings so to provide sufficient space for insertion of the rollers. After the final roller is installed on the inner race, the rings are parted in opposite directions to open up a space for insertion of a turnbuckle. The turnbuckle is then used to draw all of the bridge elements and spacers tightly together.
The foregoing features and advantages set forth in the present disclosure as well as presently preferred embodiments will become more apparent from the reading of the following description in connection with the accompanying drawings.
In the accompanying drawings which form part of the specification:
Corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings. It is to be understood that the drawings are for illustrating the concepts set forth in the present disclosure and are not to scale.
The following detailed description illustrates the invention by way of example and not by way of limitation. The description enables one skilled in the art to make and use the present disclosure, and describes several embodiments, adaptations, variations, alternatives, and uses of the present disclosure, including what is presently believed to be the best mode of carrying out the present disclosure.
Referring to
Referring to
As designed and constructed, each roller 112 moves freely within its respective pocket in bearing retainer 100 such that the load on any bridge element 206 is only a function of the mass of the roller 112 either ahead of or behind it, or a combination of the masses of both rollers, depending on the dynamic conditions.
Different embodiments of bridge element 206 are shown in
Referring to
In a preferred embodiment, retention web 216 of a bridge element 206 has straight and flat surfaces 217 (see
Construction of the bearing retainer or cage 100, as shown in
During assembly, each ring 102, 104 is initially open, thus allowing all of the bridge elements 206, spacers 110, and a turnbuckle 140 (see
Alternate ways of closing rings 102, 104 are shown in
Also, although not shown in the drawings, the ends of the spacer 141 can be crimped about the ends of the support ring inserted in the spacer. It will be appreciated that the ends of the ring can be secured to a turnbuckle/spacer using a combination of the above techniques. For example, one end of the ring may be threadably received in a turnbuckle with the other end of the ring crimped in place in the other end of it. Attachment of the ends of ring 102, 104 to the spacer can further be done using an adhesive material. Regardless of the method (or methods) of attachment used, in addition to securely attaching the ends of ring 102, 104 together to form a completed ring, the turnbuckle/spacer to which the ring ends are secured is now prevented from rotational movement which could otherwise, over time, loosen the connection.
Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the spacers 110 may float on the rings 102, 104 between the discrete bridge elements 206. Referring to
Referring to the bridge element 206 shown in
Alternatively, as shown in
In one method of assembly, bearing retainer 100 is formed by supporting inner race 118 on a work table (or other surface) with its back face or large end facing downward. The assembled cage is then brought into position over and around the inner race. One by one, each roller 112 is inserted onto the assembly by moving the bridge elements 206 and spacers 110 (if required) circumferentially around the rings 102, 104 so to make space available for insertion of the next roller. For installation of the final roller into its space on inner race 118, the already assembled rollers 112, bridge segments 206, and spacers 110 are moved in opposite directions about the circumference of the rings thereby to create sufficient space into which to fit this roller. If required, after the last roller is inserted into place, a final bridge element 206 is installed to fill any remaining gap between the rollers 112.
In an alternate method of assembly, the ends of rings 102, 104 remain separated during the assembly process. The rings are brought into position over and around inner race 118 and are moved apart to create a circumferential gap of sufficient width to allow bridge elements 206 and spacers 110 (if the design so requires them) to be slipped onto the rings. The bridge elements and spacers are spread equally around inner race 118 with rollers 112 positioned between them. When all of the rollers, bridge elements and spacers are installed, the ends of each ring are drawn together until a proper tension is created and an appropriate clearance is established between the rollers and the cage assembly. This clearance is referred to as “cage shake”. Once the requisite cage shake is established through proper tensioning of the rings, the ends of the rings are joined together as previously described.
The method used for joining the separated ends of rings 102, 104 must close the gap between the installed components so a correct amount of circumferential clearance exists in the “stack up” of spacers 110 and bridge elements 206. This is conveniently accomplished by modifying the width(s) of one or more spacers, if necessary.
The assembly methods described with respect to
To further limit the stack up of potential gaps, one or more spacers 110 are fixed to a ring 102, 104 by welding. This will limit the stack up of accumulated gap between each of the fixed spacers, including the turnbuckle spacer. To facilitate spacing, the spacers 141, 150, and 160 have a radial bore 142, 162 respectively, in which a welding material is deposited. Or, as shown in
Compared with some previous segmented bearing cage designs, bearing retainer 100 of the present disclosure is configured to provide an improved flow of lubricant to critical wear surfaces within the bearing assembly; for example, between bridge elements 206 and rollers 112. Use of circular cross-section rings 102, 104 and eyelet couplings 214 for the bridge elements provides openings for the axial movement of lubricant into the spaces between adjacent rollers. Again to further enhance lubrication, exposed surfaces of the bridge elements or segments may receive special finishes or textures to entrap and release lubricants in the contact regions between the bridge elements and rollers. These features can be applied to the appropriate surfaces as previously described. Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the bridge elements 206 may have more complex geometries than those shown in the drawings without departing from the scope of the invention.
While, as previously noted, the bridge segments are preferably made of a powdered metal, they may also be formed from a variety of materials including polymers and metals. Examples of suitable constructions include a compacted and sintered powered metal or steel construction which produces very strong bridge elements suitable for use with very large and heavy bearing designs, and which can optionally be impregnated (for example, by vacuum impregnation) with lubricating materials so to provide improved resistance to wear at critical surfaces within the bearing assembly. These type bridge elements may also have surface features or finishes which promote the trapping and releasing of lubricants.
As various changes could be made in the above constructions without departing from the scope of the disclosure, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.
The present application is related to and claims priority from U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/654,159 filed Jun. 1, 2012, which is herein incorporated by reference.
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