A bearing take-up apparatus includes a rigid base having spaced upstanding walls between which a bearing housing having recesses in its upper surface is slidably received. A threaded screw having anchoring means rigidly secured on its ends and nuts intermediate its ends is lowered onto upper surfaces of the end walls with the nuts positioned to be received within the recesses while the anchoring means overhang the end walls. A cover is lowered over the screw and connecting means are provided for releasably connecting the cover to the end walls.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to bearing take-up apparatus, and more 
particularly relates to such a take-up apparatus that is quickly, easily 
and safely assembled. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
U.S. Pat. No. 1,571,009 which issued to Holzer on Jan. 26, 1926 discloses a 
bearing take-up apparatus having a base with upstanding end walls rigid 
therewith and a cover which cooperates with the base to define a guideway 
which slidably receives a bearing that journals one end of a shaft. The 
bearing is adjusted longitudinally of the guideway by an adjusting screw 
which is threaded in one of the end walls and is rotatably received in 
abutting engagement with the bearing housing. 
Another bearing take-up apparatus which is not patented but has been 
manufactured by the assignee of the present invention for several years, 
includes a V-shaped cover having end brackets secured thereto and 
projecting downwardly therefrom. A threaded take-up screw is inserted 
through holes in the cover end brackets and has two bearing advancing nuts 
threaded on and positioned within the end brackets, and also has two nuts 
rigidly secured to the ends of the screw and positioned externally of the 
end plates. When assembling the take-up screw in the cover end brackets, 
the cover is inverted and held in a fixture. A bearing is then inverted 
and is placed in sliding engagement on the lower edges of the cover. The 
bearing has nut engaging cavities therein which are fitted over the 
bearing advancing nuts. A take-up frame base is then inverted and is 
placed in sliding engagement with the bottom of the bearing housing, which 
base is then bolted to the cover end brackets. The completed prior art 
bearing take-up frame is then removed from the fixture and is inverted to 
upright position thereby completing the assembly operation of the prior 
art device. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The bearing take-up apparatus of the present invention includes a base 
having spaced upstanding end walls rigidly secured thereto. A bearing 
housing is slidably mounted on the base between the end walls and has 
cavities on its upper surface. A threaded take-up screw mechanism includes 
a threaded rod with bearing advancing nuts screwed on the rod and 
positioned to be received in the bearing cavities. Washers near the outer 
ends of the rod and screw anchoring nuts are rigidly secured to both ends 
of the rod. The screw mechanism is lowered upon the upper surface of the 
end plates with the anchoring nuts and washers overhanging the end walls 
and with the bearing advancing nuts received within the bearing cavities 
for adjusting the bearing longitudinally of the base. An inverted V-shaped 
cover having slotted end brackets is then lowered over the screw and the 
brackets are then bolted to the end walls.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
A bearing take-up apparatus 10 (FIGS. 1-4) of the present invention is 
directed to an arrangement of components which permits a much faster 
method of assembling the several components than was possible with similar 
prior art take-up assemblies. After the take-up apparatus has been 
assembled, it will be apparent that the ultimate use of the take-up 
apparatus is the same as the prior art apparatus; that is, to tension 
belts or chains trained around pulleys or the like that are secured to a 
shaft journaled in two side-by-side bearing take-up apparatus. 
The bearing take-up apparatus 10 in general comprises a base or base frame 
12, a bearing housing 14, a threaded adjusting or take-up screw mechanism 
16, and a cover 18 secured to the base frame 12. 
More particularly, the base frame 12 comprises an inverted fabricated 
channel 20 having inwardly turned end portions 22. Bolt holes 24 are 
formed in the upper surface 26 of the channel 20 and are aligned with 
semi-cylindrical slots 28 in the end portions 22 for receiving bolts (not 
shown) or the like which rigidly secure the base frame to a supporting 
surface when placed in operation. 
In the preferred embodiment, the length of the base lies within the range 
of about 28.5-56.5 inches (72-144 cm) to provide at least four different 
sizes of take-up apparatus providing bearing adjustment lengths of 12, 18, 
24 and 30 inches (31, 45.5, 60 and 76 cm). When the three layer bases are 
used, one or more reinforcing straps 30 (FIGS. 1 and 2) are welded across 
the sides of the base to stiffen the same. 
The base frame 12 also includes a pair of end walls 32 which are rigidly 
secured to the end portions of the channel 20. Each end wall 32 is 
generally U-shaped and includes a transverse plate 34 having a pair of 
gussets or side walls 36 bent outwardly therefrom with the lower edges of 
plate 34 and the gussets 36 welded to the upper surface and side walls, 
respectively, of the base frame 12. Pairs of apertures 38, which are 
preferably square aperatures to receive the heads of square neck bolts 40, 
are formed in each gusset 36. The upper surface 42 of each transverse 
plate 34 supports one overlapping end portion of the take-up screw 
mechanism 16 and is preferably flat as best shown in FIG. 4, although it 
will be understood that the upper surface may be provided with a depressed 
concave arcuate portion to cradle the screw mechanism 16 if desired. 
The bearing housing 14 is a well known commercial item and includes a 
bearing unit, such as a ball bearing, a roller bearing, or babbitted 
bearing unit. The bearing housing 14 includes upper and lower ears 44 
which slidably maintain the bearing housing in position between the base 
frame 12 and the cover 18. The upper surface of the bearing housing is 
also provided with abutment surfaces which define cavities 46 that receive 
portions of the take-up screw mechanism 16. 
The take-up screw mechanism 16 comprises a threaded rod or adjustment screw 
50 of proper length having a pair of square bearing advancing nuts 52 
screwed thereon, a pair of washers 54, and a pair of hexagonal nuts 56 on 
opposite ends portions of the screw and secured in place by split pins 58 
or the like. The screw mechanism 16 is then placed on the upper surfaces 
42 of the end walls 32 with the nuts 56 and washers 54 overlapping the end 
walls 32 and with the square nuts 52 positioned within the cavities 46 of 
the bearing housing 14. It will be understood that a portion of the 
adjusting screw 50 is received within U-shaped slots (not shown) in the 
walls of the cavities 46. 
The cover 18 preferably comprises an angle bar 60 of proper length with its 
apex directed upwardly as best shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. Fabricated tabs or 
end brackets 62 of generally U-shaped construction each include a 
transverse wall 64 and side walls 66. Each transverse wall 64 includes a 
vertically extending open bottomed slot 68 (FIGS. 3 and 4) and a generally 
V-shaped upper end that is preferably welded to the associated end portion 
of the angle bar 60. The side walls 66 are apertured to receive the 
previously referred to square neck bolts 40 when the cover is lowered over 
the take-up screw mechanism 16 into position to be secured to the base 
frame 12. When fully assembled as best shown in FIGS. 1-3, the fabricated 
end bracket 62 of the cover are received within the associated U-shaped 
end walls 32 of the base frame 12 with the associated washers 54 and 
hexagonal nuts 56 being disposed outside of and overhanging adjacent 
transverse walls 34,64. Thus, when the bolts 40 are tightened, a simple, 
sturdy, and easily assembled bearing take-up apparatus is provided. 
It will be understood that the bearing housing 14 is moved in one direction 
longitudinally of the base frame 12 by engaging one of the nuts 56 and 
rotating the screw 50 in one direction; while rotation of the screw in the 
opposite direction will move the bearing housing in the opposite 
direction. 
It has been determined that the time required to assemble the above 
described bearing take-up mechanism 10 is about one-half that required 
when assembling assignee's previously described prior art mechanism. Also, 
the steps taken when assembling the take-up apparatus 10 is much more 
efficient and stable as compared to that of assembling the components when 
inverted thus minimizing injury to personnel when assembling the bearing 
take-up mechanism 10. 
The steps taken when assembling the take-up apparatus 10 comprises placing 
the base frame 12 on a bench or the like in upright position, placing the 
bearing housing 14 on the base frame, spacing the square nuts 52 in 
positions to be received by the cavities 46 of the bearing housing 14 and 
then placing the take-up screw mechanism 16 onto the upper surface 42 of 
the end walls with the nuts 52 received in the bearing cavities 46 thus 
preventing the take-up screw from rolling, lowering the cover into 
position over the screw mechanism 16, with the screw being received by the 
slot 68 in the bracket 62 and with the washers 54 and hexagonal nuts 56 
overlapping the wall 32, and thereafter bolting the cover end bracket 62 
to the associated base end walls 32. 
From the foregoing description it is apparent that an improved bearing 
take-up apparatus is provided which greatly minimizes assembly time and 
thus the cost of the apparatus yet provides a sturdy apparatus with the 
adjusting screw well protected from falling objects. 
Although the best mode contemplated for carrying out the present invention 
has been herein shown and described it will be apparent that modification 
and variation may be made without departing from what is regarded to be 
the subject matter of the invention.