Sealed bearing

A sealed bearing includes a first race having a circumferential outer surface with a first portion of a first diameter and a second portion of a reduced diameter. A second race is provided having an circumferential outer surface with a first portion of a first diameter and a second portion of a reduced diameter. Rolling elements are positioned between the first race and the second race. A race retention sleeve is provided which engages the second portion of the first race and the second portion of the second race.

FIELD

The present invention relates to a full complement tapered roller thrust bearing with a sealing design that provides both an outer debris barrier and prevents the bearing from disassembling during shipping, handling, and tool assembly.

BACKGROUND

The use of a full complement of tapered rollers in a thrust bearing assembly is necessary in a number of heavily loaded applications, such as oilfield rotating liner hangers. The full complement of tapered rollers in traditional designs have no method of retention and often fall out of the bearing during shipping, handling, and tool assembly.

SUMMARY

There is provided a sealed bearing which includes a first race having a circumferential outer surface with a first portion of a first diameter and a second portion of a reduced diameter. A second race is provided having an circumferential outer surface with a first portion of a first diameter and a second portion of a reduced diameter. Rolling elements are positioned between the first race and the second race. A race retention sleeve is provided which engages the second portion of the first race and the second portion of the second race.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A sealed bearing generally identified by reference numeral10, will now be described with reference toFIG. 1 through 4.

Structure and Relationship of Parts:

Referring toFIG. 1andFIG. 2, sealed bearing10has an upper or first race12, a lower or second race14and a full complement of tapered rollers16as rolling elements. Referring toFIG. 3, first race12has a circumferential outer surface18with a first portion20of a first diameter and a second portion22of a reduced diameter. A first seal groove24encircles circumferential outer surface18on second portion22of first race12. Second race14also has a circumferential outer surface28with a first portion30of a first diameter and a second portion32of a reduced diameter. A second seal groove34encircles circumferential outer surface28on second portion32of second race14. Tapered rollers16are positioned between first race12and second race14. Referring toFIG. 1, tapered rollers16are assembled into sealed bearing10on raceway surfaces of first race12and second race14. First race12and second race14have outer thrust flanges,36and38respectively, which guide movement of tapered rollers16. Referring toFIG. 3, a race retention sleeve40engages second portion22of first race12and second portion32of second race14. Race retention sleeve40has an inner surface42. A first circumferential recess44is provided in inner surface42of race retention sleeve40and a second circumferential recess46is provided on inner surface42of race retention sleeve40in parallel spaced relation to first circumferential recess44. A first seal48, in the form of an O ring, is positioned in first seal groove24encircling first race12. A second seal50, in the form of an O ring, is positioned in second seal groove34encircling second race14. First seal48engages first circumferential recess44of race retention sleeve40and second seal50engages second circumferential recess46of race retention sleeve40. Referring toFIG. 4, the positioning of second seal50in seal groove34is shown in enlarged detail, along with the engagement of second seal50with second circumferential recess in race retention sleeve40.

Referring toFIG. 1, tapered rollers16are assembled into sealed bearing10, by insertion into first race12and second race14. The movement of tapered rollers16on the raceway surfaces of first race12and second race14is guided by outer thrust flange36and38, as is commonly practiced in a full complement tapered roller bearing. Referring toFIG. 3, race retention sleeve40engages second portion22of first race12and second portion32of second race14. The nominal bore inner surface42of race retention sleeve40is sized for a snug but displaceable fit over first race12and second race14. Referring toFIG. 3, first circumferential recess44and second circumferential recess46are provided on inner surface42of race retention sleeve40over the running location of first seal48and second seal50, respectively, so that a lighter frictional contact is produced. During assembly of sealed bearing10, race retention sleeve40is pressed over first seal48and second seal50until first seal48and second seal50snap into first circumferential recess44and second circumferential recess46. The use of race retention sleeve40ensures that the bearing assembly is unitized and that tapered rollers16can not fall out of the bearing during shipping, handling, or installation of the tool. The use of one or more seals provides a barrier to the entry of debris.

The above described full complement tapered roller thrust bearing has a sealing design that provides both an outer debris barrier and prevents the bearing from disassembling during shipping, handling, and tool assembly. The bearing makes use of commonly available o-ring sizes to eliminate seal tooling costs and enables a wide variety of designs to be created for low volume production.

It will be apparent to one skilled in the art that modifications may be made to the illustrated embodiments without departing from scope of the Claims.