Patent ID: 6505972
Filing Date: 2003-01-14
Classification: B23Q,F16C

Abstract:
An assembly comprising: a housing containing a fluid port; a spindle located within the housing; at least two bearings located between the housing and the spindle to enable the spindle to rotate within the housing about an axis, each bearing including an inner raceway carried by the spindle and an outer raceway carried by the housing and rolling elements located in a row between the inner and outer raceways, the raceways of each bearing being oblique to the axis so that the bearing will transmit radial loading and also thrust loading in the axial direction which seats the rolling elements against the raceways, the two bearings being mounted in opposition so that one takes thrust loading in one axial direction and the other takes thrust loading in the other axial direction, the outer raceway for one of the bearings being on a race that is located within the housing and has end faces; and an actuator sleeve located in the housing and fitted around the race, the actuator sleeve being flexible and having end regions where it is sealed against the housing and, between the end regions, having an intervening region which together with the housing creates a chamber that communicates with the port of the housing, whereby the actuator sleeve will flex with changes in pressure in the chamber and will change the configuration of the bearing race and the outer raceway on it, thus changing a condition of the bearings.