Patent Publication Number: US-7707709-B2

Title: Pneumatic bearing race and pinion race driver set

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   In a principal aspect the present invention relates to a bearing race and seal driver set or kit and a pinion bearing race driver set or kit for installation of bearing races and seals. 
   Lisle Corporation has, for a number of years, made available an automotive repair tool identified as a Bearing Race and Seal Driver Set. Lisle Corporation makes and sells such sets, identified as Product No. 12600 and No. 12980, which are used for the purpose of inserting a properly aligned bearing race quickly into an axle housing, by way of example. The same tools may be used to install seals in a housing. Tools of this general type are described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,651,553 issued Mar. 28, 1972 for a Bearing Race Driver, which patent is incorporated herewith by reference. 
   With the continuous development of various vehicle designs and vehicle improvements, such as four-wheel drive and other changes in vehicle construction, the number, variety and construction of bearing races has evolved. Bearing races are now commonly used in transmissions, differentials and other component parts of a vehicle and in many other machines. In certain circumstances, bearing races are larger than previously common place and thus more difficult to position or insert. Thus, tools of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,651,553 and the references cited therein are not always adequate for machine and vehicle repair; namely, replacement or installation of seals and bearing races. 
   Additionally, quality control of the component parts in vehicles and machines, especially replacement parts, may be deficient necessitating more frequent replacement of parts such as bearing races. For example, a bearing race may not be properly heat treated and, as such, may fail prior to an expected life span. As a consequence, the removal and replacement of bearings, seals and bearing races is a growing repair consideration. Thus, there has developed a need for an improved bearing race driver sets or kits capable of use for a broad range of automotive and machine components including, but not limited to pinion bearing races. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   Briefly, the present invention comprises a set or kit (or sets) of tools for driving or installing bearing races and/or seals. Bearing races are annular and typically have a cylindrical exterior wall that is seated or engaged in a cylindrical counterbore of a particular machine or automotive component such as a wheel hub, differential or the like. Further, such races typically have a frustoconical tapered interior wall which serves as the race or raceway for bearings fitted against the tapered or frustoconically shaped interior wall. A circumferential, planar rim generally extends between the interior wall and the exterior wall of the race, the rim being transverse to and connecting the frustoconical wall to the cylindrical outer walls of the bearing race. 
   The invention relates to the combination of a number of elements comprising a kit or kits for repair, replacement and insertion of bearing raceways and seals. Each kit typically includes a series of uniquely sized drivers, each driver sized to engage a compatible sized bearing race or seal. Each driver is comprised of a generally cylindrical collar which is coaxial with an integral, frustoconical disc. A uniformly sized axial passage extends through each driver. Typically, the axial passage is substantially of the same size and dimension in each of the drivers. Two or more drivers are typically provided in a kit. More typically, upwards 10-15 or as many as 18 drivers may be required to facilitate the full range of the application of a tool kit of the invention. 
   The drivers are each designed to be cooperative with a single, universal sized, generally cylindrical, manual driver handle. For certain applications, such as for pinion bearing races, the effective length of the driver handle may be extended by means of a handle extension positioned between the driver handle and a driver which is attached to the extension. 
   Alternatively or additionally, a pneumatic driving handle is provided as an alternate driving mechanism for drivers. The alternate pneumatic driver handle includes a forward cylindrical section with a projecting coaxial stud that is designed to fit through the uniformly sized axial passage of each of the drivers. The opposite end of the pneumatic driver handle includes an axial drive rod with a collar against which a pneumatic tool may impinge to effect a driving operation. This arrangement saves significant amounts of time when installing bearing races. 
   A washer is preferably provided to fit between the connection of a handle (or extension) and a driver to thereby efficiently and effectively spread the force acting on the driver through the handle. A nut or bolt is provided for attachment of the various handles to a driver is provided. The entire array is generally symmetrical about a linear axis extending through the component parts. The component parts are thus designed to be arranged or assembled coaxially. 
   The use of a pneumatically driven handle in such a kit is highly unique and the configuration and size requirements for such a pneumatic driving handle as well as the materials from which it is made in combination with the materials used for manufacture of the drivers enable broad utility of the tool kit or kits. That is, the drivers are typically made from aluminum which is a softer metal that will not damage the hardened bearing races against which the drivers are to impinge. Further, the frustoconical portion of drivers for pinion bearing races is unique in that the angle subtended by the frustoconical walls of such drivers is in the range of about 40°, thus enabling such drivers to be used for pinion bearing races such as associated with the differential of a vehicle. 
   In a preferred embodiment, the pneumatic driver handle includes a forward annular face which engages against a washer or alternatively against a driver face. The face has an annular area about three times greater than the cross sectional area of the axial passage through the driver. 
   With a kit or kits of the invention, it is possible, therefore, to provide manual, as well as pneumatic, driving of bearing races and/or seals and to incorporate an extension for the manual handle driving mechanism. Multiple combinations of drivers and driver handles are, therefore, useful to enable universal or broad utility of the kit or kits to enable repair of almost any modern day vehicle or machine utilizing bearing races. 
   Thus, it is an object of the invention to provide an improved bearing race driver kit or set. 
   It is a further object of the invention to provide a bearing race driver kit which may include a manual handle and/or a pneumatic driving handle for driving a driver. 
   Another object of the invention is to provide manual handles and component parts of a driver kit which are manufactured from hardened or case hardened steel, by way of example, for use in cooperation with softer metal drivers such as aluminum metal drivers. 
   Another object of the invention is to provide an economic, yet highly rugged and efficient bearing race driver kit. 
   Another object of the invention is to provide a pinion bearing race driver kit or set incorporating unique drivers and various options for driving such drivers. 
   These and other objects, advantages and features of the invention will be set forth in the detailed description which follows. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
     In the detailed description which follows, reference will be made to the drawing comprised of the following figures: 
       FIG. 1  is a side elevation of various component parts that may be included in a kit of the invention including the various types of driver handles; 
       FIG. 2  is a side elevation of the pneumatic driver handle depicted in  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is a side view of a typical driver; 
       FIG. 4  is an end view of the driver of  FIG. 3 ; 
       FIG. 5  is a side view of a distinctly sized driver relative to the driver of  FIG. 3 ; 
       FIG. 6  is an end view of the driver of  FIG. 5 ; 
       FIG. 7  is an end view of a washer incorporated as part of the kit of the invention; 
       FIG. 8  is an isometric view illustrating the manner of usage of the tool of the invention using the manual handle; 
       FIG. 9  is an isometric view similar to  FIG. 8  wherein the manual handle includes an extension handle associated therewith; 
       FIG. 10  is an isometric view of the bearing race driver of the invention in combination with a pneumatic handle; and 
       FIG. 11  is a cut away cross sectional view illustrating the manner in which the driver of the invention in combination with various handles may be utilized to drive a bearing race into position. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   The race and seal driving kits or sets of the invention are comprised of a series of component parts which are typically maintained in a kit carrier package or container. The component parts may be mixed, matched and assembled in order to accomplish the appropriate task of sizing the driver for use with respect to the unique size of the pinion race, bearing race or seal involved to drive the race or seal appropriately either manually or pneumatically. Thus, a kit typically includes a series of race and seal drivers  20  which are typically manufactured from aluminum and have the form of a shaped disc as described in greater detail hereinafter. The drivers  20  generally cooperate with a hardened steel washer  22  which is aligned coaxially along an assembly axis  24  for the tool. A pneumatic driver handle  26  may be used in combination with any one of the race and seal drivers  20 . Alternatively, a manual handle  28  or a manual handle  28  with an extension or extender handle  30  may be used in combination with a driver  20 . Depending upon the particular driver handle ( 26  or  28 ) that is being utilized, either a bolt  32  or a nut  34  is used to attach the component parts; namely, the driver  20 , washer  22  and one of the handles  26 ,  28  or  30  together. Thus bolt  32  is used to connect to the pneumatic handle  26  to driver  20 . Nut  34  may be used to connect to the handle  28  or the extension handle  30  to a driver  20 . 
   The component parts described are generally symmetrical about the elongate axis  24 . The parts described are generally cylindrical with various angular side surfaces to facilitate their use and interaction. 
     FIG. 2  illustrates the pneumatic driver handle  26 . The pneumatic driver handle  26  is preferably made from an alloy steel such as 41L40 steel tempered to a hardness of RC 46-50. The pneumatic driver handle  26  is comprised of a forward cylindrical section  40  with a projecting coaxial stud  42  that includes internal threads  44  in a counterbore  46 . The threaded counterbore  46  is designed to receive the threaded shaft  33  of bolt  32  and thereby retain driver  20  and washer  22  on the stud  42 . Projecting from the back side of forward section  40  is a connecting rod  48  with a peripheral or circumferential rim  50  connected with a next adjacent drive rod section  52  having a distal end face  54 . The described component parts are coaxial and the drive rod section  52  is adapted to receive a pneumatic driving tool. The pneumatic driver handle  26  includes an annular rim with a face or surface  60  surrounding the stud  42 . As an important feature of the invention, the area of the surface  60  is about three times greater than the cross sectional area of a passage  74  in driver  20 . Thus, when the hard metal face  60  of the pneumatic driver tool  26  is inserted against a back side face of a race and seal driver  20 , the load or force thereon will be appropriately spread or apportioned so as to avoid adversely affecting the softer metal, i.e. aluminum driver  20 . As an alternative or in addition to properly sizing the surface  60 , washer  22  may be inserted over the stud  42  to spread the load on the surface of the driver  20 . The washer  22  is thus typically an important component of the kit. It is noted that the washer  22  is typically a case hardened steel material. 
     FIGS. 3 ,  4 ,  5  and  6  depict two typical drivers. Referring to  FIG. 3 , the driver  20 A includes a generally cylindrical collar  70  with an axial dimension D. Collar  70  is joined to a axial, frustoconical disc  72  by a radially extending annular surface  71 . A center throughpassage  74  is coaxial with the generally cylindrical collar  70 . Each driver  20 , such as the driver  20 A of  FIG. 3  and the driver  20  B of  FIG. 5 , is uniquely sized. Thus, the radial dimensions of the drivers  20 A and  20 B and other dimensions comprise unique sizing as set forth by way of examples in Table 1 and Table 2. 
   The frustoconical forward section  72  includes a frustoconical surface  76  which defines a subtended angle of about 40°±10°, preferably in the range of about 40±2°. The angle of approximately 40° is important, particularly when drivers  20  are used in association with pinion bearing races. Of course, drivers  20  of a design having a different angle subtended by the frustoconical surface  76  may be utilized in the combination for non-pinion bearing races. Common angles associated with such drivers for non-pinion bearing races and seals are in the range an angle of about 20°-30° subtended by the surface  76 . As currently practiced, the larger subtended angle of about 40° is important particularly with certain applications such as pinion bearing races. Thus, a pinion bearing race kit preferably includes drivers  20  having such a subtended angle of about 40° associated therewith. 
   Each of the drivers  20 , such as shown in  FIGS. 3 ,  4 ,  5  and  6  includes a forward facing surface  76  and a rear surface  80 . The rear surface  80  is typically engaged by a washer  22  as previously described. As explained, each of the drivers  20  depicted in the separate  FIGS. 3 ,  4 ,  5  and  6  have different radii and other unique dimensional features. However, the angles subtended by the frustoconical surface  76  for pinion bearing race applications is generally the same; namely about 40°. For non-pinion bearing races the subtended angle is generally in the range of 20°-30°. 
   In use, the manual handle; namely, the handle  28 , may be attached to a driver  20  such as shown in  FIG. 8 . Thus, a manual handle  28  includes an impact end  90 , a threaded forward stud or surface  92 , an annular impact surface  94  and a cylindrical body  96 . The manual handle  28  and extension  30  are generally useful for pinion bearing race repair or installation to improve accessibility for the driver. The manual handle  28  and extension  30  are typically fabricated from aluminum. 
   In operation, as depicted in  FIG. 8 , the threaded end  92  or stud  92  may be fitted through the driver  20  and retained thereon by means of nut  34 . In operation, a repairman drives the handle  28  with a hammer, for example, as depicted in  FIG. 8  in order to drive a race bearing seal or the like. 
   As depicted in  FIG. 9 , extender handle  30  includes a counterbore  100  which is threaded for receipt of the threaded stud  92  of the handle  28 . The extension or extender handle  30  is a generally cylindrical member having a cylindrical body  102  and a forwardly extending threaded stud or stud  104  adapted to cooperate with and engage the nut  34 . Thus, the handle  28  may be threaded to the extender handle  30  and the extender handle  30  fitted to a driver  20  and attached thereto by means of the nut  34 .  FIG. 9  depicts the manner of usage of the driver  20  with the extender handle  30  incorporated therewith. Typically stud  92  is identical dimensionally to stud  104 . 
     FIG. 10  depicts the utilization of a driver  20  in combination with the pneumatic handle  26 . Thus, the pneumatic handle  26  is either directly attached to the driver  20  or in combination with the washer  22 . A bolt  32  as previously described holds the driver  20  in contact with the pneumatic driver handle  26 . As depicted in  FIG. 10  the pneumatic driver handle  26  may then be engaged and driven by a pneumatic tool. 
     FIG. 11  is a cross sectional view of the driver  20  in combination with various types of manual  28 ,  30  handles to effect removal or replacement of a bearing race. Thus, various handle elements may be combined with a driver  20  in order to effect bearing race removal or replacement. 
   A typical kit for bearing races may include the following drivers (see  FIG. 4 ) and handles having the following described dimensional characteristics as set forth in Table 1: 
   
     
       
         
             
             
             
             
             
             
             
             
           
             
               TABLE 1 
             
             
                 
             
             
               Driver 
               Dimensions 
               A (in)   
               B (in)   
               C (°)   
               D (in)   
               E (in)   
               F (in)   
             
             
                 
             
           
          
             
                 
             
          
         
         
             
             
             
             
             
             
             
             
          
             
               1 
               1.565 
               1.563 
               .565 
               21° 
               .25 
               1.413 
               .569 
             
             
               2 
               1.750 
               1.740 
               .562 
               21° 
               .25 
               1.573 
               .569 
             
             
               3 
               1.965 
               1.963 
               .562 
               21° 
               .25 
               1.762 
               .569 
             
             
               4 
               2.325 
               2.325 
               .562 
               30° 
               .25 
               2.122 
               .687 
             
             
               5 
               2.470 
               2.473 
               .562 
               30° 
               .25 
               2.312 
               .687 
             
             
               6 
               2.555 
               2.553 
               .562 
               30° 
               .25 
               2.352 
               .687 
             
             
               7 
               2.830 
               2.830 
               .562 
               26° 
               .25 
               2.670 
               .685 
             
             
               8 
               2.995 
               2.995 
               .562 
               30° 
               .25 
               2.840 
               .685 
             
             
               9 
               3.180 
               3.180 
               .562 
               25° 
               .25 
               2.980 
               .685 
             
             
               10 
               3.805 
               3.800 
               .562 
               30° 
               .25 
               3.535 
               .685 
             
             
               11 
               4.604 
               4.604 
               .562 
               32° 
               .25 
               4.333 
               .688 
             
             
                 
             
          
         
       
     
   
   A typical kit for pinion races will have the following dimensional characteristics: 
   
     
       
         
             
             
             
             
             
             
             
             
           
             
               TABLE 2 
             
             
                 
             
             
               Driver 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
             
             
               No. 
               Dimensions 
               A (inches)   
               B (inches)   
               C 
               D (in)   
               E (in)   
               F (in)   
             
             
                 
             
           
          
             
               1 
                 
               2.658 
               0.569 
               40° 
               .25 
               2.488 
               .688 
             
             
               2 
                 
               2.823 
               0.562 
               40° 
               .25 
               2.648 
               .688 
             
             
               3 
                 
               2.844 
               0.562 
               40° 
               .25 
               2.663 
               .688 
             
             
               4 
                 
               2.970 
               0.562 
               40° 
               .25 
               2.788 
               .688 
             
             
               5 
                 
               3.220 
               0.562 
               40° 
               .25 
               3.040 
               .688 
             
             
               6 
                 
               3.470 
               0.562 
               40° 
               .25 
               3.258 
               .688 
             
             
               7 
                 
               3.720 
               0.562 
               40° 
               .25 
               3.528 
               .688 
             
             
               8 
                 
               4.095 
               0.562 
               36° 
               .25 
               3.892 
               .688 
             
             
                 
             
          
         
       
     
   
   It may be possible to combine kits represented by Tables 1 and 2; however, such combinations would not be typical. Also, kits for non-automotive purposes may be created using the parts and concepts disclosed, but customized dimensionally. 
   The general construction and operation of the tool thus enables the tool to comprise a useful item for vehicle repair. Other uses other than vehicle repair wherein race bearings are involved render the tool even more universal. Variations of the tool may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The invention is therefore to be limited only by the following claims and equivalents thereof.