Improvements in and relating to Ball-bearings.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Oct., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 6th July, 1892-Accepted, 13th Aug., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by GEORGE FREDERICK SIMONDS, of Fitchburg,
Massachusetts, United States of America, Engineer.]
Improvements in and relating to Ball-bearings.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine Lake & Co., Patent
Agents, 45, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to ball-bearings and more especially to ball-bearings of the
kind or class sometimes known as the "Bown bearing," and is intended chiefly to
provide a suitable ball-containing cage whereby the introduction of the balls into
and their removal from the space between the rotating and non-rotating parts is
greatly facilitated.
The cage constructed according to this invention consists of a short annulus or
ring preferably of conical shape forming the body of the cage, said body being
provided at each end with an external flange inclined to the axis of the ring or
body. Holes or openings are formed in each flange at opposite equidistant points,
and through these openings there protrude a series of spherical rollers or balls that
are disposed between the flanges and around the ring or body. The said balls
project beyond the outer faces of the flanges and are thereby retained or confined
while occupying a position where they can take up the pressure or weight of the
bearing parts. The aforesaid ball retaining device forms what I term a "bevel
cage." The said balls are free to rotate therein in every direction, and it is obvious
that they can be readily placed in or removed from the bearing.
The bearing surfaces are so made or modified as to allow room for the aforesaid
ball-containing cage.
My said improvements are very advantageously applicable to velocipede and
other bearings where it is desired that one set of balls shall resist both radial
pressure or weight and end thrust.
Dated this 8th day of October 1891.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Ball-bearings.
I HENRY HARRIS LAKE of the firm of Haseltine Lake & Co. Patent
Agents 45 Southampton Buildings in the County of Middlesex do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
This invention relates to ball-bearings for sustaining radial pressure or weight
and resisting thrust or end pressure.
An important feature of the said invention relates to the provision of a bevel
cage constructed to receive an annular series or circular group of spherical rollers
or balls that are adapted to revolve freely in all directions and independently of
each other, said balls being arranged to project through circular openings in the
opposite walls of the bevel cage in such position as to bear against and roll on
the bevelled bearing surfaces of a rotary and non rotary part, as in the hubs of
bicycle wheels, and in other situations, and sustain and resist both radial pressure

page_text: and end thrust. The said invention also comprises the improvements in the con-
struction arrangement and combination of parts in a ball-bearing as hereinafter
more particularly described and claimed.
In the annexed drawings illustrating the invention,
Figure 1 is a plan of the bevel cage for receiving and retaining the spherical
rollers or balls of a ball bearing.
Figure 2 is a transverse section of the same.
Figure 3 is a longitudinal section of a bicycle bearing showing cages and balls
arranged in position to sustain radial pressure or weight and resist thrust or end
pressure from both directions according to my invention.
Figure 4 is a similar section except that the bearing surfaces on which the balls
act are plane instead of grooved.
Like letters indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.
In bicycle bearings as heretofore usually constructed the anti-friction balls 1 are
placed loosely and uncaged in annular outwardly flared or bevelled channels, for
example as shown at 2 Figure 3, arranged between the enlarged end portions 3 of a
box or casing 4, and the adjacent surfaces of a collar 5 and nut 6 that are fast on
the axle 7. The balls being loose, or unconfined, save by the opposing surfaces of
the box and nuts or collars, will unavoidably crowd each other when in action,
especially at the lower parts of the bearing toward which they have a tendency to
gravitate. By this crowding of the balls and wedging action on each other the
efficiency and durability of the bearing are greatly impaired so that besides the
large loss of power, the lack of uniformity in the action of the balls quickly results
in unequal grinding and wear of the bearing surfaces.
The above mentioned difficulties and objections can be readily overcome by
placing the balls or spherical rollers 1 in a suitable cage which should be so
constructed that while preventing the balls from crowding and grinding they will
be free to revolve independently of each other and project from the cage in such
positions as to roll freely in all directions upon and against the bearing surfaces and
take both radial pressure and end thrust. As before referred to the annular
channel or channels 2 in which the balls are placed, have an outwardly flared
conformation with the adjacent bevelled faces of the box 4 and collar 5 or nut 6,
and it is necessary that the cage should have a similar configuration, not only for
the purpose of enabling it to support the balls independently of each other and in
position to sustain and resist both radial pressure and end thrust but also because
by employing a cage of this shape it can be applied at once in bicycles having
bearings of the present ordinary construction in which the annular channels 2 are
usually flared in the manner herein shown and described.
The annular bevel shaped ball retaining cage 8 Figures 1 and 2 is preferably
composed of sheet metal that may be spun or otherwise brought to the required
shape as shown. This cage 8 is formed with two flared bevelling walls or sides 9
that are connected at their inner edges by a cross wall 10 at right angles with the
two flaring side walls and forming the central opening 11 by which the cage is
made to loosely surround a shaft or axle. In each of the flaring or bevelling side
walls 9 are formed an annular series of circular openings 12 that receive and retain
the spherical rollers or balls 1 independently of each other and in position to
project therefrom and roll freely in all directions upon and against the adjacent
bearing surfaces furnished by the bevelled or flaring walls of the channel or
channels 2 in which the balls revolve. By this construction all crowding and
grinding of the anti-friction balls is effectually prevented and each ball is adapted
and permitted to revolve freely in all directions in contact with the bevelled
bearing surfaces, and in such position as to sustain and resist both radial pressure
and end thrust without injury to any part of the bearing.
In a ball-retaining or confining cage of this construction the spherical rollers
or balls can be readily inserted and removed by slightly springing the parallel
bevelling walls 9, and after the balls are placed in the cage they can be inserted into
or removed from a bearing in a body with great convenience.

page_text: It is obvious that while the described bevel cage or ball-retaining device is
especially adapted for use in bicycle bearings it may also be applied with advantage
in many other locations.
The bearing surfaces on which the balls act may be slightly grooved as shown
in Figure 3, or, as shown in Figure 4, they may be perfectly plane.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent I declare that what I claim is:-
:-
1. A bevel shaped ball-bearing cage having parallel flaring or bevelling sides
and provided with an annular series of circular openings for receiving a circular
group of spherical rollers or balls in position to revolve freely and independently
of each other in contact with bevelled bearing surfaces for the purpose of sustaining
and resisting radial pressure and end thruet, substantially as described.
2. In a ball-bearing, the combination, with rotary and non-rotary parts having
bevelled bearing surfaces that form an annular flaring or bevelling channel, of an
annular bevel shaped cage having parallel flaring or bevelling side walls each
provided with an annular series of circular openings, and a circular group of
spherical rollers or balls placed in said cage and projecting therefrom in position to
revolve freely in all directions independently of each other upon and against
the bevelled bearing surfaces of the said rotary and non-rotary parts, for the
purpose of sustaining and resisting radial pressure and end thrust, substantially as
described.
3. A ball-bearing constructed substantially as described with reference to
Figure 3 or to Figure 4 of the drawings for the purpose specified..
Do
ST11000
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.