ROLLING FRICTION DEVICE

Abstract: The present rolling friction devices for transferring one form of motion into another are constructed of three or more rotatable members such as ball, rollers or the like (10, 11, 12) which are arranged and positioned in rolling frictional engagement with one another and with a support (16) therefor to eliminate the usual sliding friction in devices such as linear bearings, rotary bearings, drives, cam devices, epicyclic reducers, etc. In the preferred embodiments, the load is borne by larger diameter rotatable members (10, 12) which are in frictional rolling engagement with smaller diameter, idler, rotatable members (11) with all of the engaged rotatable members having substantially equal surface velocities and having rolling frictional engagement with the support (16) holding them in position. The rotatable members may be jointed by a serpentine, endless flexible band (16) partially wrapped about each of the rotatable members (10, 11, 12) to travel with them at the same surface velocity as that of the respective rotatable members engaged thereby. In other instances, a rigid turnable ring members (11) and turns with them in lieu of the endless flexible band (16). In still other instances, the idler counter rotating members (711) are positioned by the other rotatable members (711, 712) in lieu of endless flexible bands (16) or rigid turnable rings (817).

Description: ROLLING FRICTION DEVICE This invention relates to rolling friction mechanical mechanisms and more particularly to such mechanisms having a plurality of balls or rollers joined together. Most of the mechanical devices in existence . today for transferring one form of motion or energy into another involve a substantial amount of sliding friction or involve highly lubricated structures. More specifically common gears, rotary bearings, linear bearings, wheels, tracks, etc. are formed with elements which inherently have a substantial amount of sliding friction and often have surfaces rubbing against each other with. the surfaces moving in opposite directions and generating heat or other energy losses. To reduce the sliding friction, highly sophisticated lubrication systems have been developed using liquid, gaseous, or solid lubricants which, in turn, require complicated packing or sealing devices also having members experiencing sliding friction in performance of their •; sealing function. The Rolamite device which is disclosed in U.S. Patent 3,452,175 recognized the problem of these inherent losses due to sliding friction in many of the common mechanical devices and rightly pointed out that rolling coefficients of friction are considerably lower than sliding coefficients of friction. The Rolamite • device was given considerable publicity and was proclaimed to be one of the first truly unique inventions in the mechanical area in many years. The rolamite device does provide a mechanism which operates without the use of lubricants and exhibits a lower coefficent of friction because it is a rolling friction device. However, despite its initial acclaim, the Rolamite device has not been widely used. Fundamental to the Rolamite device is the wrapping of a flexible band in generally an S-shaped fashion about a pair of adjacent rotatable members with opposite ends of the band secured to a housing. A rolling movement of the rotatable members and the band longitudinally along the housing places the band in tension and necessitates that a substantial portion of the load be taken by the band in tension. For the band to bend readily and flex easily as it rolls with the rotatable members, the band should be very thin and flexible which is at cross purposes with a desirability to have a strong band for carrying heavy tensile loads. .. Stated differently, the ability to carry heavy loads . necessitated a thicker cross section for the band but this causes problems from the standpoint that a thick ' cross sectional band becomes overstressed when being bent around the rotatable member. For this and other reasons, it is believed that the Rolamite device has not been widely used. . . ' There was and is a need for a new and improved mechanical device which overcomes the inherent disadvantages of this Rolamite device and yet provides a mechanism having substantially only pure rolling friction losses. The general state of the art today is that rotary or linear bearings are used for most applications and that these bearings have been highly developed with • more precision surfaces, more exotic and expensive materials, and ' highly developed lubricating schemes. ' While such developments have added extensively to the life and load-carrying capabilities, they have not overcome the usual sliding friction losses inherent in the design of these bearings. The present invention is directed to new mechanisms rather to an improvement of existing bearings and this new mechanism goes beyond bearings and into other " uses such- as a wheel or' a gear and other devices. -• - .. - -- . - Accordingly, it is a general- obgect of the- - present invention to provide a new- and improved mechanism having substantially only " pure rolling ÷- ' - friction losses and which can be used in " many " diverse mechanisms. - - . : ≡_z - - ' - - .. zzz_-z . - :- " A further and more detailed- object " of the - - invention is to provide a ' rolling friction mechanism employing rotatable members and- band means without . having the load to be taken by the band means as-a - ■ tension load. ~ - " - ' - These and ot er r objects and " advantages of " the • invention will become apparent when taken in conjunction with the illustrated drawing in- which FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a mechanism constructed in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention; _ FIGURE 2 is a plan view taken substantially * along the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1; FIGURE 3 is a cross sectional view- taken substantially along- the- -line-3-3- o ; FIGURE 2; --- : FIGURE 4 is a cross sectional view taken substantially along the line 4-4 of FIGURE 2; and FIGURE 5 is- ' a cross sectional view taken substantially along the line 5-5' " of FIGURE " - 2 ~ ; "~ FIGURE 6 illustrates another " embodiment " of-the ■ invention; - - ~ ;- FIGURE 7 illustrates another embodiment in which additional rotatable " members have -been added- to the mechanism shown in FIGURE 1 and 6; .. -- -:- FIGURE 8 illustrates another embodiment of the invention in which the rotatable members are arranged- to -form a rotary mechanism; FIGURE 9 illustrates another embodiment of the invention in which the rotatable members are joined by flexible band means to form a linear support or bearing; FIGURE 10 is a cross-sectional view through one of the rotatable members of FIGURE 9; FIGURE 11 is a partially sectioned view of another embodiment of the invention; FIGURE 12 illustrates another linear bearing embodiment of the invention; FIGURE 12a is a reduced in size cross sectional view showing operation of the linear bearing of FIGURE 12; FIGURE 13 illustrates another embodiment of the invention operating as a cam or cam follower device; FIGURE 14 illustrates an embodiment of the invention in a configuration as a driving track or band; FIGURE 15 is a plan view of another embodiment of the invention serving as a conveyor means; FIGURE 16 is a side elevational view of the conveyor means of FIGURE 15; FIGURE 17 illustrates another embodiment of the invention in the form of a reduction unit; FIGURE 18 illustrates a further embodiment of the invention using rings to hold a pair of idler rollers; FIGURES 19 and 20 illustrate another embodiment of the invention providing a thrust bearing; FIGURE 21 illustrates a further embodiment of the invention having roller bearing members connected by flexible band means to form a rotary bearing; FIGURE 21a is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 21a-21a of FIGURE 21; FIGURE 22 illustrates another rotary bearing device constructed in accordance with the invention and using a rigid cage means; FIGURE 23 is a diagrammatical view taken of the balls and needle roller and its cage for the bearing of FIGURE 22; _ FIGURE 24 illustrates a rotary bearing device constructed in accordance with another embodiment of the invention; FIGURE 25 is a sectional view taken along the line 25-25 of FIGURE 26; and FIGURE 26 illustrates a motion transmitting device constructed in accordance with a further embodiment of the invention. As shown in the drawings and for purposes of illustration, the invention is embodied in a low friction device 9 comprising a plurality of rotatable • members 10., 11 and 12 held together by a means such as a traveling band means 14 with the latter being looped about each of the rotatable members. The band means is flexible, and preferably lightly tensioned and extends in a generally "S" or serpentine shape about each of the rotatable members 10 , 11 and 12 which are preferably in the form of right, circular cylinders or rollers with the preferred band means being in the form of three or more separate bands 15, 16 and 17 as best seen in FIGURE 2. In other embodiments of the invention and illustrated beginning with FIGURE 22 et seq. , the means for holding the rotatable members in contact with each other to prevent slipping motion therebetween may include inner and outer races and rigid metal cages all as will be explained in detail hereinafter. The first embodiments using the flexible bands will be first described before describing the embodiments of the invention which do not use flexible bands. It is thought that the flexible band embodiments of the invention will have more use in linear motion devices and that the rigid means for holding the rotatable c members toqether will have more use in rotary motion devices. Heretofore, roller-band devices were generally of the so-called Rolamite device which employs a pair of rollers joined together by a flexible band looped in a . generally S-shaped fashion about adjacent rollers with opposite ends of the bands secured to a housing. As the rollers were displaced, they rolled without sliding relative to the band and they rolled along a supporting surface without frictionally sliding or frictional engagement with one another as will generate heat or cause a large friction loss. However, the Rolamite has not gained widespread use as was contemplated with its introductron. It appears that one serious limitation with the Rolamite device is that it can take relatively limited loads because the band is placed in tension and such a thin flexible band cannot take heavy tensile loads. Also, for the Rolamite device to perform the band must bend and a heavy cross section for taking high tension loads results in a band that may be overstressed as it bends and unbends about a roller, that is the bending stress for the band material is exceeded. The desirability of a thin band for flexibility and wrapping capability is at cross purposes with the desire to have a thick strong band which will carry heavy tensile loads. Thus, there is a need for a device • which overcomes this shortcoming of the Rolamite device and allows loads to be placed on the rollers without applying the load through the band means. The present invention is also of particular utility as a replacement for other bearings or linear . motion devices such as, for example, a roller band device shown in U.S. Patent Nos. 3,003,828 and 3,341,262 in which a plurality of recirculating rollers are mounted in a housing and held together by a stabilizer band. In these roller band bearings, the adjacent rollers have a rubbing, sliding engagement one with another causing friction loss and wear. As will be explained in detail, the presentation is also applicable to rotatable devices having rotary or osσilatory movements. In accordance with the present invention, a plurality of rotatable members (such as rollers Nos. 10, 11 and 12) are joined by a support means (such as races or cages in FIGURES 22 et seq. or a flexible band means 14 in FIGURE 1) so that each of the rotatable members rotates with non-slipping engagement with the support means and rotates with substantially pure rol3 ing . friction. ' This is achieved in the FIGURES 1-5 embodiment by having the band means 14 wrapped about each of the rotatable members and being disposed between the rotatable members and doing the spacing of the rotatable members because the band means.14 is being intermediate the adjacent rotatable members. Herein, the preferred bands 15, 16 and 17 each have a substantial loop engagement from about one-half to three-fourths of the circumferential surface of each roller so that, e.g. roller circumferentially extending surfaces 10a, 11a and 12a will not slip relative to the band means, with the result that each of the rollers are turning. If the> band means is allowed to slip substantially relative to the roller surfaces, then a substantial frictional loss . occurs at area of the slippage. The adjacent rollers 10 and 11 may be allowed to roll against each other * providing that their respective surfaces are equal to establish rolling friction therebetween. If the surface velocities are substantially different, then sliding friction losses will occur. Further, if one roller has a rolling circumferential speed greater than that of another roller there would be slipping engagement with a surface of a load 20 or supporting surface 24. In this first embodiment of invention, the central or middle rotatable member 11 is rotating in a direction opposite to the direction in which the outer rotatable members 10 and 12 are rotating. For example, as shown in FIGURE 1, άf the load 20 is. being shifted to the left, the rollers 10 and 12 are rotating counterclockwise while the roller 11 is rotating clockwise. The preferred band means 14 serves to hold the plurality of rotatable members 10, 11 and 12 together. in spaced and assembled relationship to each other and the three rotatable members illustrated may be lifted or oriented vertically, as shown in FIGURE 7 and the rollers wrll still maintain their relationship to each other. Of course, in some more complex embodiments of the invention, as disclosed hereinafter, there must be other supporting surfaces such as the shaft 22 in FIGURE 8 to help sustain the rollers and bands; but nonetheless, even in the FIGURE 8 embodiment, the rotatable members are spaced by the band means and are rotated in unison with the band means without slippage between the band means and the rollers. It is preferred to use three or more bands 15, 16 and 17 to offset any force couple which would tend to shift one of the bands laterally from the rollers 10, 11 or 12 during the rotation of the rollers. The two outer and thin bands 15 and 17 may be considered to be a single band in that each of them has the same wrapping configuration about the three rollers 10, 11 and 12. For instance, as shown in FIGURE 5, the band 15 has a flat return run 15a spanning the bottom of the three rollers and which would lay on the support surface 24 (FIGURE 1) and a first loop portion 15b extending from the bottom upwardly and around the top side of the roller 12 to leave the roller 12 at a tangent point 12b and the band 15 has a portion 15c then wrapped about the lower half of the roller 11 to leave at a tangent point lib from which the band 15 engages the roller 10 with a portion 15d wrapped about the upper half of the roller 10 and then down along the lower left side of the roller 10.to the return run. As seen in FIGURE 3, the band 17 likewise has the same configuration and similar portions have been numbered in a similar manner as above described for the description of the band 15 in connection with FIGURE 5. The central band 16 shown in FIGURE 4 is generally the reverse of that described with a return run 16a of the band being uppermost to travel across the tops of the three rollers 12, 11 and 10 to • wrap a section 16d about 3/4 of the circumference of the roller 10 and to leave it at the tangent point 10b. The endless band 16 has a section 16c wrapped about the top half of roller 11 with the band leaving the roller 11 at tangent point lie to form a section 16b which extends about the bottom portion of the roller 12 all the way to * the top side of the roller 12 to start the return run section 16a. In each instance, each of the return run sections 15a, 16a and 17a is superimposed over a respective portion of the central roller 11 at sections respectively numbered 15c, 16c and 17c. It is most desirable that the superimposed portions of the bands 15, 16 and 17 do not have substantial rubbing or sliding contact with each other to the extent to cause large tension loads in the bands or substantial frictional forces generated by contact therebetween. To this end, " it is preferred to make the central roller 11 of smaller diameter than the rollers 10 and 12 so that the central band return run 16a is spaced at space 26.from the underlying band section 16c and likewise the return runs 15a and 17a are spaced at 28 and 29 from the sections 15c and 16c wrapped about the underside of the central c: r" i roller 11. In one sense, the smaller roller 11 may be thought of as an idler with the load being applied through the overhead member 20 directly to the rollers 10 and 12 with none of the load being applied directly from the member 20 to the central roller 11. Of course, this may be changed so the central roller 11 carries a load. From the foregoing, it will be seen that the bands 15, 16 and 17 receive a downwardly directed compressive force from the load 20 but because force is applied directly in compression to the underlying roller surface, heavy loads may be supported without stressing the bands unduly with heavy tension loads as in the case ' of a Rolamite to which a heavy load is applied through the band to the rollers. Typically, the bands will, te of metal or other material, which can take heavy compression loads while being relatively thin cross section to wrap and unwrap about the rotatable members. On the other hand, the compressive loading of the band means 14 may be alleviated substantially by providing the outer rollers with lands which directly engage the load 20 and the supporting surface 24 without any intermediate band means between' the lands and load or support surface. For example, as best seen in FIGURES 9 and 10, end rollers 40 and 41 are identical in shape and size and each is provided with a pair larger diameter lands 42 and 43 for rolling along the support * surface 24 and for engaging load surface 20 while a smaller diameter central hub 45 has the three bands 47, 48 and 49 wrapped thereabout. Further, the lands 42 and 43 will not transfer horizontally directed loads to the support surface 24 which for vibratory apparatus may then be substantially reduced in size and weight. The bands 47, 48 and 49 may be identical to the bands 15, 16 and 17, as above-described. The bands 47, 48 and 49 may be spaced by smaller diameter spacer lands 50 and 51 which assist in preventing the bands from moving in a lateral direction that is in a direction parallel to the rotational axis for the roller 40. An intermediate roller 55 functions in the manner of the idler roller ■ . ill. ' Preferably, the roller 55 has a smaller diameter than the outer rollers 40 and 41 so that the.lands 42 and 43 do not contact the roller 55 which is rotating in a direction opposite to the rollers 40 and 4-1. The circumferential surface 57 of the idler roller 55 has. a non-slipping engagement with the respective bands 47, 48 and 49 each of which may space the circumferential surface 57. from that the outer rollers 40 and 41. If the circuirfferential surface 57 of the roller 55 is allowed to engage the surfaces of the rollers 40 and 41, it should be held thereagainst in a manner to assure that its surface velocity equals the surface velocity of the roller surfaces in contact therewith. In this embodiment of FIGURES 9 and 10, the load 20 is supported directly on the lands 42 and 43 of rollers 40 and 41 rather than being supported also by intermediate portions of the bands, as disclosed above in reference to the FIGURES 1-5 embodiment of the invention. The importance of establishing a rolling friction device without having to place a band means in a highly tensioned and load supporting state should be clear from • the description of the FIGURE 9 and 10 embodiment of the invention. An embodiment of the invention (not shown) has used three elastomeric bands of circular cross section in lieu of the three flat bands 47, 48 and 49 and has formed hemispherically cross-sectioned grooves in the rollers 40, 41 and 55 to form the lands 42, 43, 50 and 51. Similar longitudinal grooves were formed in the bottom of the load 20 and the support 24 to accommodate these elastomeric bands. ■ ^r_h ζ * c. ** ?: Recapitulating the band roller device 9 may be used as a linear bearing for supporting a load 20 for travel in a linear direction or as a radial bearing, as illustrated in FIGURE 8, with means (such as the bands) joining the rotatable members to rotate the load supporting rollers at the same speed and in the same direction, while the idler rotatable members, rotate in the opposite direction, without any slippage or sliding engagement between any of the rotatable members or bands or support surfaces as would result in friction and the generation of heat. Additionally, the basic mechanism comprising at least three rotatable members joined to rotate together without slippage in the manner of the . invention, ' can be used as a portion of other devices or as a building block for various other mechanisms or * devices such as, for example, a support or toggle arm (FIG. 7) , a thrust bearing (FIGS. 18-21) , a cam follower device (FIG. 13) , a tractor or tank drive (FIG. 14) , an endless chain or conveyor (FIG. 15) , a gear device (FIG. * 17) , unlimited travel linear bearing (FIG. 12) simple or compound epicycle reducer (FIG. 26) . Preferably, axes lOf, llf and 12f of the respective rotatable members are aligned in a straight line which defines in the instance of FIGURE 1, a plane or line 25 parallel to the lower horizontal supporting surface 24 for the rollers 10 and 12. The device 9 described above in connection with FIGURES 1-5 may be - used as a basic building block or component and the present invention is not limited to a linear motion * mechanism or to devices having only three rotatable members for the reason, as will be explained in greater detail hereinafter, other embodiments of the invention having substantially more than three rollers may be arranged for rotary or oscillatory motion while still operating in accordance with the invention. c * For instance, the basic device 9 may be used as a toggle or support arm 30, FIGURE 7, in which each of the rollers and bands and parts thereof have been identified by the same reference characters used in FIGURES 1-5, but to which has been applied a prime suffix. In this vertical configuration of the device 9, the lower roller 10 • may be held stationary with the other rollers 11' and 12' pivoting between the solid line position and the dotted line position. During this pivotal action the point of tangency 10g at which the band 15a' leaves the roller 10' for the return run of the band 15a merely shifts upwardly along the roller 10 ' to a point 10f' as the roller 11' rolls along the roller • 10* and through an angle "A" shown in FIGURE 7 while another portion of the band is traveling in an upwrapping direction from the lower roller 10 * as the rollur 11* pivots in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIGURE 7 and in an arcuate path having an axis at the center 10f of the roller 10*. The load may be applied directly to the uppermost roller 12 which transmit the load through the bands at point 60 (FIGURE 7) to the intermediate roller 11" and then through the bands at point 61 to the lower roller 10'. Thus, the vertical load is being applied through the respective bands 15, 16 and 17 in compression at the respective points 60 and 61, as shown in FIGURE 7, rather than as a tension load. The roller 10' acts in the nature of a frictionless bearing with the roller 11' rolling on the bands and the roller 12' rolling the bands without any substantial sliding engagement between the rollers 11* and 12' or the rollers 10' and 11' or between bands 15, 16 and 17 and any of the rollers 10 ' , 11' or 12' . Of course, the device shown in FIGURES 9 and 10 having the lands 42, 43, 50 and 51 may be stood on end to have the orientation shown in FIGURE 7 with the lands on the rollers 40 and 41 supporting the load without the load contacting the bands. As best seen in FIGURE 7, the axes 10f, llf* and 12f of. the respective rollers 10', 11" and 12' are aligned to define a straight line or plane 25' and that the., line 25' turns through an angular rotation about the axis of the roller 10' as the outer rollers 11' and 12' are rolled and turned by the band means between the solid line and dotted line positions shown in FIGURE 7. Referring now to the embodiment of FIGURE 6,. a second pair of rollers 70 and 72 have been added to the rollers 10', 11* and 12* which are aligned with their . respective axes 10f, llf and 12f aligned to define a • straight line 25*. The rollers 70 and 72 have axes of rotation 74 and 76 aligned in a straight line 25a * through the axis 10f of rollers 10* with the lines 25a and 25' intersecting at the axis of the roller 10'. Preferably, a first endless band means 14' joins the rollers 10', 11' and 12* to maintain rolling frictional * contact therebetween while a second, discrete band means 14a is wrapped about the rollers 10', 70 and 72. Thus, the central roller 10' will have both band means 14' and 14a wrapped thereabout; and since neither of these band means slip with respect to the roller 10', all of the other rollers 11', 12', 70 and 72 are rotating with same surface speed. Preferably, the band means 14' and 14a each comprise two or more separate bands so that the • central roller 10' will have at least four bands wrapped thereabout. Preferably, the intermediate rollers 11' ' and 70 are smaller in diameter than the rollers 10", 12' and 72 so as not to contact or support a load which is supported by the larger diameter load supporting rollers, as will be explained in greater detail hereinafter. The central rollers 10' act as a fulcrum or hinge about which the other two rollers may pivot as shown in FIGURE 7. Thus, the rollers 11' and 12* and rollers 70 and 72 pivot about the same axis 10f. As will be explained in connection with FIGURE 8, each roller 110 and 112 serves as a hinge roller with its 5 respective axis llOf and 112f being a hinge point. • Also, each roller- 110 and 112 will have two sets of bands thereon while the idler rollers 111 have only one set of bands thereon. Referring now in detail to the embodiment of 10 the invention, shown in FIGURE 8, a band means 114 joins together a plurality of central rotatable members 111 with adjacent rotatable members 110 and 112 into an annular or- circular configuration about an internal member which is in the form of a shaft 22. Herein, the 15. band means 114 is comprised of six sets of bands each set of which ma have three separate bands 115, 116 and 117 with the central band 116 being looped about the circumferential surfaces of the rollers 110, 111 and 112 . in a direction opposite to that in which the bands 115 20 and 117 are looped. Thus, as best seen, in FIGURE 8, the bands 115 and 117 are each engaging the undersides of the rollers 111 while the band 116 is engaging the top side of the rollers 111; and conversely the band 116 is engaging the underside of the rollers 110 and 112 25 while the bands 115 and 117 are engaging the top outersides of the rollers 110 and 112. Each of the • bands 115, 116 and 117 are endless with the band 116 urging the rollers 111 toward the circumferential . surface 124 of the shaft 22 and with bands 115 and 117 30 holding the rollers 110 and 112 against the surface 124. As explained above, however, the bands are primarily to keep the surface speeds of the respective rollers 110, 111 and 112 the same. The rollers 110 and 112 may be used as a bearing to support the shaft for 35 rotation in which case an outer support or housing 140 M - U may be disposed concentrically about the shaft 22. Preferably, the axes of the idler rollers are offset radially , from a pitch circle drawn through the axes of the load rollers 110 and 112 so that the load rollers stabilize the idler rollers 111 against moving in one -radial direction.. Thus, it should be clear that the shaft surface 124 will have rolling contact with the band 116 and with the rollers 110 and 112 and that the latter will have the same circumferential surface speed as that of the shaft's surface 124. As a result, rolling contact without any substantial slippage occurs between the support rollers 110 and 112 and the shaft 22 turning in the bearing being formed by the rollers. The bands space the rollers 110, 111 and 112 from each other and prevent rollers 111 from rubbing against the rollers 110 and 112, the latter are rotating in the opposite direction to the rotation of their respectively adjacent rollers 111. Thus, for example, if the shaft 22 is turning in a clockwise direction, each roller 110 and 112 will be rotating in a counterclockwise direction with the intermediate rollers 111 rotating in the clockwise direction. To provide a more ααπplete st-ructure, an encircling annular housing or support 140 may be stationary with bands 115 and 117 in direct contact with the outer support 140 and applying a compressive radially directed load from the shaft 22 and rollers 110 and 112 through the bands to the support 140. Of course, the rollers 110, 111 and 112 may have lands thereon and grooves therein for the respective bands 115, 116 and 117 so that the load is transferred from the shaft 22 through the lands to the support 140, the lands being disclosed in the FIGURES 9 and 10 embodiment. In addition to serving as a rotary bearing device or mechanism, the present invention may also act as a thrust bearing device or mechanism which may have various forms of construction. For instance, in a device shown in FIGURE 11 a shaft 150 is shown with a collar 151 affixed thereto with the collar having radial thrust surfaces 152 and 153 for engagement by opposing • edges 156 and 157. of a pair of outer endless bands 159 and 160 which cooperate with an inner wider band 161 in a manner of the band means 14 and 114 as previously described in connection with FIGURES 1 and 8.. A series of rollers similar to that shown in FIGURE 8 and described in connection therewith will be used to support the shaft 150. That is, the respective bands 159, 160 a.nd 161 are wrapped about the respective series of rollers- 162, 163 and 164 so that the larger rollers 162 have their respective bands 160 and 159 disposed about their inner facing portions to directly contact the collar 151 at annular surfaces 164 and 165 when an axial thrust load is applied to the shaft 150 and its fixed collar 151 one of the shoulders 152 or 153 will move in an axial direction to abut one of the facing sides 156 or 157 of its associated band 164 or 165. Thus, the band is expected in this instance to take some thrust loading. The axial thrust load is transferred from the bands 164 and 165 to the collar 162 and from the latter to the central band 161 which is traveling across an outer annular stationary support 170 which has • a pair of annular ring surfaces 172 and 173 directed radially inward to face adjacent sides 174 and 175 of the band means 161. Thus, it will be seen as, for example, should the shaft 150 be receiving a thrust load shifting it to the right as in FIGURE 11 its radial shoulder 153 on its collar 151 will abut facing band 157 of a band 159 and try to shift the collar 162 to the right which will in turn try to shift and carry the band 161 to the right to abut the right edge 175 of the outer band against the inwardly facing shoulder ring 173 on the outer support 170. Likewise, as desired separate removable thrust rings 178 may be attached to opposite ends of the support and may be extended downwardly to adjacent and closely spaced positions from opposite ends . -180- and 181 of a roller 162. Thus, the axially directed load on the shaft 150 to shift it to the right may also cause end 181 to abut the thrust ring washer 178 on the support 170. Referring now to FIGURE 12 there is illustrated another embodiment of the invention in the form of a linear bearing formed with rotatable members 210 and 212 * of larger diameter than idler rotatable members 211 disposed therebetween. In the manner hereinbefore described, a band means 214 joins the respective rollers 210, 211 and 212 ' together and spaces the rollers from sliding engagement with one another. The illustrated band means 214 preferably comprises twelve sets of endless bands each having three bands 215, 216 and 217 wrapped about three rollers 210, 211 and 212. For example, an outer band 216 may be wrapped about the outer side 220 or each of the respective larger rollers 210 and 212 and which is wrapped around in inner facing side 221 of each of the idler rollers 211. Each set of the band means 214 further comprises at least one and preferably two or more inner bands 215 which contact the . inner halves or side 223 of the large rotatable members 210 and 212. The bands 215 also are wrapped about outer sides or halves 225 of the idler rollers 211. Preferably the bands are lightly tensioned to hold the rollers in the relationship shown. The respective rollers and band means serve to hold the larger diameter rollers 210 and 212 with their inner facing sides in rolling engagement with a translatable carriage 230 which, in this instance, has an upper flat planer surface 232 and a lower flat parallel planer surface 234 in engagement with either the bands 215 and 216 or if a landed roller is used directly in contact with the lands on the rollers. The carriage 230 may be supported for travel relative to a lower fixed support surface 224 . which may be a stationary bed of a machine tool or other device. It will be appreciated that as the carriage translates to the left or right as viewed in FIGURE 12 that the end rollers in engagement arcuate end surfaces 236 and 237 of the carriage travel to and from the space between the lower wall 234 and the support 224 to support the carriage. The band means 214 assures that each of the supporting rollers 210 and 211 has the same rotational rolled contact with the carriage and, when in position, with the lower support 224 without any sliding motion. Also as above-described in detail the band means 214 separates the idler rollers 211 from the adjacent end rollers 210 and 212. Optionally, to prevent any bounce, i.e., that is upward vertical movement of the carriage 230 a top way or plate 239 may be provided having an upper ' planer surface 240 parallel to the lower support surface 224. When using an upper plate 239, at least one additional duplicative set of rollers is used with the above-described set of rollers 210, 211 and 212, one set • having rolling contact with the lower support surface 224 and the lower planar surface 234 for the carriage - _ and the second duplicate set of rollers 210', 211' and 212' (FIG. 12A) of the same shape as the rollers 210, 211 and 212 are used between the top plate 239 and the upper surface 232 of the carriage. The set of rollers 2Ϊ0, 211 and 212 are disposed to roll along the surfaces 232, 234, 236, and 237 of the carriage 230 and along lower support surface C.IFI 224 (FIGURE 12). On the other hand, the rollers 210, 211 and 212 do not contact the bottom side 240 of the overhead plate 239 as they travel in a longitudinal extending channel 244 therein. Conversely, the rollers 210', 211' and 212' of the other set do engage the . -surface 240 of the top plate but do not engage the bottom support surface 224 because they travel in a longitudinally extending channel 246 (FIG. 12A) in the support surface 224. Manifestly, additional- sets of rollers should be used to provide a balance support for the carriage 230 and they need not be shown or described herein.. It will be appreciated that the above-described description of a linear bearinq, or what may be termed a recirculating bearing, is by way of illustration only and not by way of limitation because other constructions and forms of a linear bearing may be constructed while falling within the purview of the invention as defined by the dependent claims. In accordance with a further embodiment of the invention, as illustrated in FIGURE 13, a cam follower device may be constructed by having the rollers 210, 211 and 212 of FIG. 12 joined in a similar manner by band means 214 having the outer band for the larger diameter roller and a pair of inner bands for the smaller diameter rollers 211 to hold the same together as - above-described in connection with FIGURE 12. Herein the rollers have inner surfaces engaging a peripheral * surface 250 of a rotatable cam member 251 which rotates about an axis 252 causing its outer pointed end 253 to cause an orbital movement to an outer cam follower member 255 as the rollers 210 and 212 experience rolling contact with the surface 250 of the cam and with an inner surface 257 on the outer cam follower member. Thus, the rotation of the cam 251 in the clockwise direction as viewed in FIGURE 13 causes the rollers 210 and 212 to turn in the opposite or counterclockwise direction because of the rolling engagement between the respective surfaces on the rollers 210 and 212 and the cam 251. Because the band means 214 effectively ties all of the rollers together to rotate in unison without slippage relative to one another, all of the rollers move with rolling contact along the cam surface 250 and also are experiencing rolling contact with the surface 257 of the cam follower 255 displacing it in an upward motion when the cam is rotating clockwise from the position viewed in FIGURE 13, It will be appreciated that the configuration may be reversed with an input rotational force being applied to one or more of the rollers 210, 211 or 212 causing- it to turn and to drive the band means 214 thereby causing roller contact of these rollers with the cam displacing the cam to turn about its axis 252 without sliding friction between the rollers and the cam surface 250. In the instance, where the rollers themselves are driven to turn the cam 251, the outer member 255 may be eliminated. It will be appreciated that the cam follower and cam devices in various forms and configurations in the present invention may be adapted to such various cam or cam follower devices. Referring now to FIGURE 14 the • present invention is shown in the configuration in which it surfaces as an endless driving track or band such as < for propelling a vehicle. That is the track or band 280 illustrated in FIGURE 14 may be used as a substitute for a so-called caterpillar track for common earth moving tractors or military tanks. More specifically an outer tread 281 may be positioned in an endless form about a series of rollers 210, 211 and 212 joined together by a band means 214 as above described in detail in connection with FIGURE 12 which detail need not be repeated at this point. The inner peripheral surfaces of the rollers 210 and 212 ar2 in engagement with an endless, flexible track 284 which spans a pair of driving wheels or sprockets 285 preferably the driving : band 284 is " tensioned and supported so as to provide a generally planer upper and lower run with the rollers 210 and 212 being turned at the same peripheral speed as the band travels. Because the encircling track 284 holds all of the rollers together and the outer track 281 is in engagement with the outer surface with the rollers 210 and 212 the outer track 281 also travels without slipping or sliding. The driving wheels 285 thus drive * the inner track 284, the rollers, the band means, and the outer track 281, the latter crawling across the ground. Thus, there may be provided a track drive for a vehicle which may have rolling contact rather than sliding contact for the track supporting element. In accordance with the further embodiment of the invention, illustrated diagrammatically in FIGURES 15 and 16, an endless chain 300 is formed by joining together a series of large diameter rotatable members 310 and 312 to intermediate smaller diameter rollers rotatable members 311 by a band means 314. The respective rollers 310 and 312 may be formed with * cylindrical surface 320 each engaging a band with the bands being separated from adjacent band by circular lands or shoulders 322 on the rollers 310 and 312. Herein, the illustrated chain 300 is provided with a first set of bands which served to join the outer ends of the large " diameter rollers 310 and 312 together as best seen in FIGURE 15. Preferably each of the first set of bands comprises a pair of outer bands 315 and 316 which have a top section 315a disposed to contact art upper surface 310a and 312a of the large diameter rollers 310 and 312 as viewed in FIGURE 16. The top section 315a is spaced from rubbing against the return section 315 at a space 318. The interior band 317 is disposed in the opposite . naπner to the ban.d 315 so that its return run section engages the underside of the idler rollers 311 therebetween. The inner set of bands are numbered 326, 327 and 328 and join and support the idler rollers 311b. That is, as best seen in FIGURE 15, only the second set of bands 326, 327 and 328 support and rotate the rollers 311b which are spaced from other bands 315, 316 and 317 and which -are spaced from the rollers -310 and 312 driven by bands 315, 316 and 317. As hereinbefore discussed, the central band 327 may be looped in a direction opposite to that in which the other two bands 326 and 328 are looped about the idler rollers 311b so that the roller 311b captured between the bands 327 and bands 326, 328. Of course, the bands 326, 327 and 328, as well as the bands 315, 316 and 317, are all in tension and served to hold the chain or conveyor member in the position illustrated in FIGURE 15 for travel about driving drums (not shown) at opposite ends of the endless chain device. The apparatus described in connection with FIGURE 15 could also be used as a rotary • device as in FIGURE 8 by wrapping the rollers and their bands about a shaft 22 with the lands 310 and 312 engaging the shaft's surface with rolling friction. FIGURE 15 provides a view of how each band set of two or more individual bands joins together three rollers and how each load roller has two sets of bands- wrapped thereabout. The bands on each roller are preferably symmetrically arranged so that the bands do not exert forces in one direction which are not counterbalanced so C " "?I as to keep the roller in position for rolling frictional engagement without sliding friction. This is particularly true for the smaller diameter rollers 11, 111, 211 etc. which are not engaging two supporting surfaces or races and are positioned by the bands and/or ^load rollers. In accordance with the further embodiment of the invention as will be discussed hereinafter in connection with FIGURES 19, and 20, the bearing mechanism above-discussed in conjuction with FIGURE 8 may be converted to a thrust bearing means by the substitution of circular cross section bands 115a and 116a and with the provision of generally annular grooves in the respective rollers 110a, Ilia and 112a as well as grooves 390 and 391 in the shaft 22a and the outer housing 140a. The same general reference characters used in FIGURE 8 to described the non-thrust type of roller bearinq will be used for the same elements in conjunction with FIGURES 19, and 20, except that a suffix "a" will be added. The shaft 22a resists axial thrust transmitted to it by transferring the same to the generally circular cross section bands 116a, FIGURE 19 in engagement therewith at each of the six locations about its peripheral axial ends located at large diameter rollers 110a or 112a. Likewise each of the large diameter rollers 110a and 112a has annular grooves 400 and 401 therein in which is wrapped a band 116a for about one-half the circumference of the rollers as above-described in conjunction with FIGURE 8. Thus, when an axially directed thrust load being transmitted by the shaft 22a to the six large diameter rollers 110a and 112a and likewise, in turn, is being transmitted by another band means 115a disposed in a groove 405 in the large diameter rollers 110a and 112a with a significant portion of the outer peripheral surface thereof disposed engagement with a groove 407 aligned with a groove 405 and disposed in an outer cage or sleeve 140a. It will be appreciated that the respective circular cross section bands 115a and 116a have substantial portions of their circular circumferences disposed within their mating grooves so that the axial thrust load being applied is transmitted from the shaft 22a through the bearing to the surrounding sleeve 140a. Manifestly, the thrust loads could be reversed with the thrust load being applied to the surrounding sleeve 140a and being transferred by the bands 115a to the large diameter rollers 110a and 112a and through the latter to the shaft 22a. While the smaller idler rollers Ilia, as best seen in FIGURE 20, do not directly interconnect with the shaft 22a or the surrounding sleeve 140a, nonetheless, grooves in the form of annular rings 408, 40-9 and 407 ' are formed therein to receive the circular cross section bands 115a and 116a in the manner hereinbefore described in conjunction with FIGURE 8 for the bands 115 and 116. Manifestly, the thrust bearing may take other shapes and configurations from that described herein and still fall within the purview of the appended claims. In accordance with the further embodiment of the invention, ball or roller bearing devices may be built without the conventional cage which holds the balls in position between the races and often includes spacer elements which extend between the balls for separating the balls from each other. The cage is a source of sliding friction with the balls or rollers. In accordance with the present invention, the conventional cage is eliminated in a bearing device 413, such as shown in FIGURES 21 and 21a, wherein a bearing is formed with a plurality of load-carrying rotatable members 410 and 412 spaced from each other and having c::?ι rolling contact with ' idler rotatable members 411 which space the load-carrying rollers 410 and 412 from each other. The specific shape of the rotatable members 410, 411 and 412 disclosed in FIGURE 21 can best be . appreciated by consideration of FIGURE 21a, which shows a conventional generally cylindrical ball 410 having a substantially spherical surface 420. To the ball 410 has been added a pair of diametrically opposed outwardly extending ears or pins 421 and 422 in the shape of cylindrical rods. Each of the cylindrical pins 421 and 422 has a band means 414 associated therewith which functions in the manner of the band means 14, etc. • heretofore described. Thus, in accordance with the present invention, each of the band means 414 along with an inner race 425 and outer race 426 serve as a means to hold and locate the load-carrying rotatable members 410 and 412. Likewise the idler rollers 411 have ears or pins 428 projecting outwardly from the opposite sides thereof to receive the band means 414 so that the peripheral surface of the idler rollers 411 also rotate at the same surface velocity without slipping contact with the balls 412 in contact therewith. The idler rollers 411 are each captured against radially directed or laterally directed movement by the band means 414 which includes an outer band 430 disposed over the top of radially outer surface of its opposed pins 428. The * band 430 has a portion 430a leading to the underside of the ear of roller 412 (FIG. 21) and then wrapped about the left side of the ear of roller 412 to a return section 430b leading to the top side of ear 421 for the roller 410. As best seen in FIGURE 21A, the bands 430 may be in the inner grooves 432a on ear 421. Another band 431 in the groove 432b extends from the top of ear 421 of roller 410 to the underside of ear 428 of the idler roller and then a section 431a extends to top side of ear 421 of idler 412 and then around the ear to a return section 431b leading back to underside of ear 421 for the roller 410. Extending to the left from roller 412 is another pair of bands 435 and 436 for each ear 421. on the .opposite sides of central ball 420. The band 438 performs a function similar to the band 431 because it travels the same kind of path, namely, to the left from roller 421 to across the top of the ear 428 for the idler roller 411 and along a section 438a to the underside of ear 421 for the roller 410 and then about the latter to the top side thereof to return along a section 430b above the idler roller ear to the top side • of ear 421. for the roller 412. As seen in FIG. 21a, the band 438 is the outer band in groove 432d. The band 436 is in groove 432c and it extends left from roller 412 to the underside of idler roller ear 428 and then down along a section 436a to the top side of ear 421 of roller 410- and is wrapped thereabout to leave at the bottom of the roller 410 to a rightward return section 436b leading to the underside of roller 412. The band 436 functions in the manner of band 431. The band 436 is third outwardly from the ball 420 of the roller 412. Thus each of the rotatable members 410 and 412 has a pair of opposed ears 421 with four grooves 432 a, b, c and d therein each of which receives one of the bands of the band means 414. The ears 428 on the idler rollers * are similar, but smaller in diameter to the pins 421 on the idler rollers 411. The idler roller ears need have only two grooves therein. The illustrated bands may be any flexible material having a cylindrical cross section for fitting into the he ispherically cross section, annular grooves 432. These take axial or thrust loads to retain the rotatable members 410, 411 and 412 in position. The bearing illustrated in FIGURE 21 may be used for both axial and radial loads due to the fact that the outer race 426 has an annular groove 440 therein with an arcuate surface 441 complementary in size and shape to the spherical portion of the ball : sur ' face 420 being, engaged thereby. Likewise, a similar groove 442 is formed in the lower race. Thus, it will be seen that the bearing of FIGURE 21A may employ a band means 414 to hold the idler rotatable members 411 in position and to assure that they rotate in contact with and at the same surface velocity as the load-carrying balls because they abut and engage balls 410 and 412. Because of the size and dimensional relationships, the load-carr ing rollers 410 and 412 will roll relative to the inner race 425 and the outer race 426 with substantially pure rolling friction and without sliding , friction. In accordance with the present invention, the device may be used as a reduction unit, for example, speed reduction. For example, if ■ a speed reduction is desired, the smaller rotatable member 510 (FIGURE 17) may be connected to an input once to rotate it and the band means 514 extending therefrom to a counterrotating rotatable member 511 of an intermediate diameter and then to a large diameter rotatable member 512 to which will be connect a takeoff device operable at the lower * revolutions per minute. Herein, the band means may be similar to the band means 14 described in connection . with FIG. 1 with three bands. Thus, the central band 516 may be looped at the band 16 shown in FIGURE 4 with the bands 515 and 517 looped the bands shown in FIGURE 5. The rotatable rollers 510, 511 and 512 preferably have lands allowing the bands to travel in grooves in the rollers and to allow the roller surfaces to engage and travel with the same surface velocities. Thus, there is rolling friction only in this speed reduction unit. Manifestly, the reverse operation of the epicyclic mechanism of FIGURE 17 will provide an 5 increase in speed if the roller 512 is the input roller • and the roller 510 is the output roller. Various shapes and forms units may be constructed with rollers in accordance with the invention and be submitted for typical gear mechanisms used for speed or torque 10 transmitting or reduction devices. In accordance with a further embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGURES 22 and 23, a conventional ball bearing was modified by removing its cage and leaving an inner race 601 and an outer race 602 15. for supporting a plurality of load-carrying balls 610 and 612. In lieu of the cage, the balls 601 and 602 are separated by idler rotatable members 611. In this instance, the idler rotatable member or roller 611 is an . elongated, thin pin which has an inner grooved 20 peripheral surface 620 having a surface complementary in shape to the cylindrical surfaces 621 and 622 on the respective balls 610 and 612. As heretofore explained in the previous embodiments of the invention, the surface 620 will engage and have the same surface 25 velocity as the surfaces 621 and 622 of the balls and will be in essentially pure rolling friction contact * therewith. To maintain these idler rollers 611 in position between the load carrying balls 610 and 612, a - . positioning means 614 is provided which in this 30 instance, includes a pair of inner and outer metallic rings or bands 626 and 627 preferably formed of rigid metal. To prevent inward movement of the ring 626 along the idler roll 611, the ring 626 is abutted against an annular shoulder 633 between a larger diameter surface 5 634 and the smaller diameter surface 631. Likewise, the inner ring 627 has its radially outer surface 635 engaging the underside of cylindrical surfaces 631 on the rollers 611. Fastener means such as lock or snap washers 636 are forced over and connected to the small diameter ends 638 of the rollers 611 to hold the : res ' pective' rings .626 and 627 against sliding axially off the rollers 611. This embodiment of the invention shown in FIGURES 22 and 23 has been ' particularly advantageous in the conversion of existing roller bearing having balls 610 and 612 and the races 601 and 602. The cages are merely removed and replaced with the needle-like roller 611 and their respective retaining rings 626 and 627 which are "also free to rotate. Thus, the load-carrying balls 610 and 612 will have rolling friction with their inner and their outer races and with the idler roller 611. The device is intended to operate with a minimum of sliding friction between the rings 626 and 627 which are to have rolling friction engagement with the surface 631 at each end of the respective pin rollers 611. Thus, the rings 626 and 627 should have the same surface velocity as the pin surfaces 631. In lieu of two rings 626 and 627 only one ring may be used when shifting the location of the rotational axes of the respective pins 611 radially inwardly or * outwardly from a pitch circle for the rotatable members 610 and 612. That is, by locating the axes of the pins . 611 radially outwardly of the pitch circle the spacing of the balls 610 and 612 will not permit the pins to move radially inward so that the pins location in a radially inward direction is determined by the load carrying balls 610 and 612. Hence, the inner circular surface of the outer ring 627 may engage the pin surfaces 631 to hold them against radially outward • Ό RE movement. Thus, the ring 626 is not needed. Conversely, by positioning the axes of the roller pins 611 radially inwardly of the pitch circle for the balls 610 and 612 and by using the ring 626 with its outer circular surface in rolling engagement with the. inner sides of the pins, the outer ring 627 may be deleted. While each of the heretofore described embodiments of the invention have used a band means usually in the form of resilient endless bands with the exception of FIGURES 22-24 which use rigid metallic rings or bands, it is possible to eliminate both the bands and/or rings when forming a construction in • accordance, with further embodiments of the invention which will now be described in connection with FIGURES 25 and 26. In the embodiments of the invention shown in FIGURES 25 and 26, idler rotatable members 711 are positioned so as to be captured between and held by a series of outer rotatable members 710 and a series of inner rotatable members 712. Herein the inner rotatable members 712 are in the form of spherical balls having spherical surfaces 720 in a contact with a receiving annular groove 722 in an inner race 724. In a like manner, the outer rotatable members are balls of equal size with spherical surfaces 730 in engagement with an annular groove 732 in an outer race 733. Each of the grooves 722 and 732 has its surface, in cross section, * complementary to the engaged portion of the spherical balls engaged thereby. A further distinguishing feature of the invention shown in FIGURES 25 and 26 is that the rotatable members 711 are loaded transmitting members (rather than idler members). For example,- radially directed loads must pass outwardly from the balls 712 to the engaged rollers 711 and through the latter to the balls 710 and then to the outer race 733. Conversely, inwardly directed loads must be transmitted from the outer race 733 and balls 710 through the rotatable members 711 to the inner balls 712 and then by the latter to the inner race 724. As best seen in FIGURE 25, the preferred rotatable members 711 have an inner groove surface 740 extending around their central circumference, the groove surface 740 being generally arcuate and complementary to the spherical surfaces of the balls 710 and 712. That is, the groove surface 740 is complementary in shape and size to the portions of the respective spherical surfaces 720 and 730 in engagement therein. End sections 742 are disposed outwardly of the groove 740; • and the balls 710 and 712 disposed in the groove, will prevent lateral movement of the rollers 711 from their engaged balls 710 and 712. Also, rather than merely engaging two adjacent load-carrying rollers, the rotatable rollers 711 are each engaged by four rotatable members as can be readily seen in FIGURE 26. This four point relationship between a pair of outer balls 710 and a pair of inner balls 712 locates the roller 711 against radial movement. Preferably, the rotational axis 745 of each rotatable roller 711 is located slightly inward or slightly outward of a medial or central circle between the inner and outer races so that there is no tendency for the rollers 711 to move radially inwardly or outwardly. The • preferred and illustrated construction of the embodiment of the invention shown. in FIGURE 26 thus, uses as a means to hold the rotatable member 711 in position, the other rotatable members 710 and 712 along with respective inner and outer races. The relationship is maintained by this means with ' the sizes chosen so that each of the rotatable members 710, 711 and 712 has only rolling frictional engagement with its respective inner or outer race and its respectively associated rotatable member 711. The rotatable members 710, 711 and 712 have substantially the same surface velocity at the areas of engagement therebetween. Thus, there will be substantially rolling friction without the sliding friction heretofore presented with a conventional bearing. There is illustrated in FIGURE 24, a roller-bearing device constructed generally -in accordance with the invention above-described in connection with FIGURES 22 and 23 and the same references characters with the suffix "a" are used to designate similar elements. In FIGURE 24, adjacent cylindrical rollers 610a and 612a are spaced by idler cylindrical rollers 611a and inner rings 627a and outer rings 626a hold the rotatable "rollers 611a in position. Locking washer devices 636a are secured to ends 638a of the rollers 611a to hold the rings and rollers together. The rollers 610a engage the inner and outer races 601a and 602a with pure rolling friction and likewise have the same rolling friction engagement with their idler rollers 611a. In accordance with a still further embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGURE 18, a roller bearing having balls or rollers such as shown in FIGS. 22-24 between inner and outer races 801 and 802 may be joined in rollinq frictional engagement without sliding by a pair of idler rotatable members 811 and 811a which are identical in shape and size with each having rolling frictional contact with rotatable members 810 and 812. The upper idler roller 811a is above the pitch circle with the load rollers 810 and 812 holding it against radial inward displacement. Likewise, the rotatable members 810 and 812 hold the idler roller 811 against radially outward movement. Small freely tu nable rings -^U ' ϋEA C * TI 817 are mounted on the opposite ends 818 and 819 of the respective idler rollers to hold the same against separation from the rotatable members 810 and 812. The rin<;fs have an inner circular surface 825 in rolling frictional engagement with the annular surfaces on the rollers 81-1 and 811a to have the same surface velocity as these roller surfaces to avoid sliding friction between the rings 817 and the rollers 811 and 811a. Thus, the rotatable members 810 and 812 will have rolling engagement without sliding friction with their races 801 and 802. From the foregoing, it will be seen that there has been disclosed a number of constructions for a substantial rolling friction device, which may have many and various configurations and be used in various environments all too numerous to be mentioned or described in this patent. However, the basic concepts and the basic invention discussed herein provide a basis for reducing friction in a substantial number of linear or rotary devices. In the instances mentioned herein, the term rotatable member is meant to be generic to both ball and roller members. Often, a ball or roller may be used in lieu of the other and fall within the ambit of this invention.

Claims: CLAIMS : 1. In a rolling friction device for supporting a load for movement, a combination comprising: first and- second ^rotatable members each having a circumferentially extending surface and each having an axis of rotation, said first and second rotatable members for rotating in a first direction and each having surfaces with substantially the same surface velocity during movement of the load, at least a third counterrotating member for rotating in a direction - opposite to said first and second rotatable members and for having- a surface velocity substantially equal to said surface velocity of said first and second rotatable members, and means joining said first, second and third rotatable members for conjoint rolling frictional movement. « 2. A rolling friction bearing device for supporting a load for rotational movement comprising an inner race having a circumferentially extending surface, an outer race disposed concentrically with said inner race and defining an annular space therewith and having a circumferentially extending surface spaced from said circumferentially extending surface of said inner race at a predetermined distance, a series of rotatable . members disposed in said annular space including load bearing first and second rotatable members in said space between said inner and outer races and rotating in rolling frictional engagement with said inner and outer circumferentially extending surfaces, and third rotatable members of said series of rotatable members having engagement with said first and second rotatable members for travel at the same surface velocity as the surface velocity for said first and second rotatable members and in a direction counter to their direction of rotation, said third counterrotatable members having rolling frictional engagement with said first and second rotatable members. 5 A rolling friction bearing device for supporting a load for rotational movement comprising an " inner race having ' a circumferentially extending surface, an outer race disposed concentrically with said inner race and having a circumferentially extending surface •10 spaced from said circumferentially extending of said inner race at a predetermined distance to define an annular space therebetween, a series of radially outer rotatable members in said space between said inner and . outer race ' s and having rolling frictional engagement 15 with said outer circumferential surface, a series of • radially inner rotatable member^ in said space between said ' inner and outer races and having rolling frictional engagement with said inner circumferential surface, and a series of counterrotatable members each in engagement 20 with rotatable members of said first and second series of rotatable members for travel at the same surface velocity as the surface velocities of said first and second rotatable members, each of said counterrotatable members having rolling frictional engagement with said 25 first and second rotatable members and spacing the same and transferring loads therebetween. 4. In a rolling friction device, a combination . comprising: at least three rotatable members each having a circumferentially extending surface and each 30 ' disposed in predetermined relationship to one another and each having an axis of rotation, a plurality of endless flexible bands looped about a substantial portion of the circumferential surface of each of said rotatable members and being held thereagainst so that 5 traveling of said bands and turning of said rotatable - 37 - members occurs without a substantial relative movement between the bands and the rollers, a central one of said three rotatable members turning a direction opposite to that of the other two rotatable members and being spaced from direct contact with said adjacent rotatable members. 5. A rolling friction device comprising: a plurality of rotatable members each having a circumferential extending rolling surface and each disposed in a predetermined relationship to one other and each having an axis of rotation therein, an endless flexible band means looped about the substantial circumferential surface on each of said rotatable members and being held thereagainst so that " the . traveling ' of said bands and the rotation of said rotatable members occurs without substantial sliding ■ relative movement between the bands and said rotatable members, said band means being positioned between adjacent surfaces of adjacent rotatable members, said rotatable members and said band means being positioned * in a predetermined endless track configuration, an inner member within said endless track configuration having a surface for rolling contact engagement without substantial sliding friction with the inner facing sides of said rolling surfaces of some of said rotatable members or with said band means moving in a predetermined direction. 6. In a rolling friction device, the . combination comprising: a plurality of rotatable load carrying members arranged in series in an endless ' orbital path with means providing an endless orbital support surface, said load carrying rotatable members having rolling friction engagement with said endless orbital support surface, counterrotating rotatable members disposed between adjacent load carrying members, and means for joining said counterrotating rotatable members with said load rotatable members to rotate all of said rotatable members with the same surface velociti.es. 7. A motion and torque transmitting device comprising a first motion and torque transmitting means : having a circular, array of rotatable members thereon, a second motion and torque transmitting means having a circular array of rotatable members thereon for meshing engagement with rotatable members on said first motion and torque transmitting means, a first circular support surface on said first motion and torque transmitting means, said rotatable members of said first motion and torque transmitting means traveling in a continuous circular path and having rolling friction engagement without substantial sliding motion with said first . circular support surface, a second circular support surface on said second motion and torque transmitting means and defining a second circular path for said second rotatable members each having rolling frictional contact therewith, and counterrotating rotatable members on each of said first and second motion and torque transmitting means and traveling with the same surface velocities as their respective rotatable members to which they are joined, some of said rotatable members on said first and second motion members being in meshed engagement for transferring motion and torque • therebetween. 8. In a bearing device having inner race and -, outer race with the plurality of rotatable members disposed in an annular space defined betwen said inner and outer races, said rotatable members having rolling friction contact with said inner race and said outer race, the improvement comprising: counterrotating rotatable members disposed between each of said rotatable members and having rolling friction engagement - - therewith, said counterrotating rotatable members being spaced from said races and having rolling frictional contact with its adjacent pair of rotatable members and turning at the same velocity as said rotatable members. 9. In a rolling friction device, a first planar surface, and second planar surface parallel to . and spaced' from said frist planar surface, at least a pair of rotatable members, each having circumferential extending load-bearing surfaces in rolling frictional contact with each of said planar surfaces, an intermediate counterrotating roller disposed between said load carrying rotatable members, and band means wrappe about a substantial circumferential surface of each of said rotatable members and said roller so that ' said roller and said rollers have the same surface velocity. 10. A device in accordance with Claim 9 in which said rotatable members are rollers having grooves in their peripheral surfaces and said band means are disposed in said grooves, said parallel surfaces having parallel and longitudinally extending grooves therein into which project a portion of said band means, said intermediate counterrotating roller being in rolling contact with said pair of rollers, said pair of rollers engaging said parallel surfaces at locations intermediate said band means.

Inventors: LOWRY G
Applicants: LOWRY G
Application year: 1981
Main classification: F16C19
IPC codes: F16C19, F16C29, F16C33