A trunnion bearing has a generally cylindrical trunnion member that defines two inner ring raceways. A mounting pin is disposed within the trunnion member and an outer ring encircles the inner ring raceways. The outer ring defines raceways that are aligned with respective inner ring raceways. There is a row of balls between each inner ring raceway and a respective outer ring raceway. A bearing is assembled by placing a mounting pin within a trunnion member. An outer ring having raceways on its interior surface is placed eccentrically around the trunnion member. Each outer ring raceway is aligned with an inner ring raceway. The eccentricity creates an insertion opening for balls. Balls are inserted between the inner ring raceways and their respective outer ring raceways via the insertion opening. The balls are distributed around the trunnion member, and the outer ring moves into concentric relation with the trunnion member.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
The FIGURE is a schematic cross-sectional view of one embodiment of a trunnion bearing according to the present invention.
Claims
1. A trunnion bearing comprising:
a generally cylindrical trunnion member having an exterior surface and a central axis, the trunnion member defining two inner ring raceways in the exterior surface, the inner ring raceways being axially distanced from each other;a mounting pin disposed within the trunnion member;an outer ring encircling the inner ring raceways, the outer ring having an interior surface and defining two outer ring raceways on the interior surface, each of the two outer ring raceways being aligned with a respective inner ring raceway; andtwo rows of balls, one row between each one of the inner ring raceways and a respective outer ring raceway.
2. The bearing of claim 1 further comprising a spacing cage between the trunnion member and the outer ring to maintain a separation between the balls.
3. The bearing of claim 1 wherein the balls are sized to preload the outer ring.
4. The bearing of claim 1 wherein the balls are sized to preload the outer ring and wherein the difference in axial spacing between the ball raceways on the trunnion member and on the outer ring is less than the axial play the bearing would have if not preloaded.
5. A method for assembling a trunnion bearing, the method comprising:
providing a generally cylindrical trunnion member having an exterior surface and a central axis, the trunnion member defining two inner ring raceways in the exterior surface, the inner ring raceways being axially distanced from each other;placing a mounting pin within the trunnion member;placing an outer ring eccentrically about the inner ring raceways, the outer ring having an interior surface and defining two outer ring raceways on the interior surface, each of the two outer ring raceways being axially aligned with a respective inner ring raceway, the eccentric placement creating an insertion opening for balls;inserting a row of balls between each one of the inner ring raceways and a respective outer ring raceway via the insertion opening; anddistributing the balls around the trunnion member and moving the outer ring into concentric relation with the trunnion member.
6. The method of claim 5, further comprising inserting a ball cage between each inner ring raceway and the respective outer ring raceway.
7. The method of claim 5, further comprising preloading the outer ring.
Patent Application
20070211977
