Year: 1896

page_text: I, ARCHIBALD SHARP, Engineer, 13 Fairlawn Grove, Chiswick, in the County
of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
In the ordinary forms of ball bearings at present used for cycles, the same row
of balls is used to transmit both the transverse and the longitudinal loads from the
rotating to the fixed part of the bearing; the balls usually running between two
more or less conically shaped surfaces, the "cup" and "cone" respectively.
The surface of contact of a ball with either of the ball-paths is usually inclined to
the axis. With this arrangement the pressure on the balls is increased by the
wedging action, and in addition to the rolling motion of the ball on its path there
is a considerable spinning motion about an axis at right angles to the surface of
contact, this spinning motion taking place under the full pressure on the ball.
My invention has for its object the elimination, as far as possible, of this relative
spinning motion, and therefore the production of a bearing of diminished frictional
resistance.
In my invention I make the main rows of balls, which transmit the transverse
load, run between two hard steel cylindrical "paths," so that the surfaces of
contact of a ball with its paths are parallel to the axis. With such an arrangement
the motion of the ball relative to its path is one of pure rolling, but the bearing is
incapable of resisting longitudinal force. To resist longitudinal force in both
directions, I introduce two additional ball thrust bearings, which may be the same
in principle as that described in Figures 8 and 9 of Patent Specification No. 3267
of the year 1894. In cycle bearings with cylindrical ball-paths as above described,
the longitudinal pressure is very small, and a simpler thrust bearing, formed by
balls running between conical or parallel discs, may be used.
The two rows of thrust balls may be reduced to one, by having the said thrust
balls running between two pairs of collars opposite each other on the spindle and
hub respectively. The balls may be got into place by (a) having one collar of the
said two pairs screwed into place, (b) threading the balls through a radial hole in
either the inner or outer ball-path.
The bearing may be made non-adjustable. For example, in the case of a hub
the nut which fastens the spindle to the frame of the machine may lock the various
portions of the bearing in their proper relative positions.
Each main row of balls may be made adjustable by making either the inner or
the outer ball-path slightly tapered and screwing it in place, fixing it in the desired
position by a lock nut.
Bearings for heavier machinery may be made iu substantially the same way;
two, three or more rows of balls being used to transmit the transverse load, and
thrust hearings to transmit the longitudinal load.
Dated this 24th dox of June 1806

page_text: Improvements in Ball Bearings.
I, ARCHIBALD SHARP, Engineer, 13 Fairlawn Grove, Chiswick, 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:-
In the ordinary forms of ball bearings at present used for cycles, the same row
of balls is used to transmit both the transverse and the longitudinal loads from the
rotating to the fixed part of the bearing; the balls usually running between two
more or less conically shaped surfaces, the "cup" and "cone" respectively. The
surface of contact of a ball with either of the ball-paths is usually inclined to the
axis. With this arrangement the pressure on the balls is increased by the wedging
action, and in addition to the rolling motion of the ball on its path, there is a
considerable spinning motion about an axis at right angles to the surface of
contact, this spinning motion taking place under the full pressure on the ball. My
invention has for its object the elimination, as far as possible, of this relative
spinning motion, and therefore the production of a bearing of a diminished frictional
resistance.
In my invention I make the main rows of balls B which transmit the transverse
load run between two hard steel cylindrical "paths," so that the surfaces of contact
of a ball with its paths are parallel to the axis; or as nearly parallel as possible,
consistent with the modifications described hereinafter. With this arrangement
the motion of each ball relative to its path is one of pure rolling; but the bearing
is incapable of resisting longitudinal force. To resist longitudinal force in both
directions I introduce two additional ball thrust-bearings, which may be the same
in principle as that described in Figures 8 and 9 of Patent Specification No. 3267
of the year 1894.
I append a few drawings illustrating my invention as applied to bicycle wheels.
Figure 1 is a half section of a front wheel hub. The main balls B run between
outer and inner ball-paths O and I on the shell of the hub H and on the spindle S
respectively, the surfaces of these paths where rolled over by the balls B being
parallel to the axis s s. To retain the balls B in position one of the ball-paths (in
Figure 1, the outer path O) is provided with two flanges or collars ff, the distance
between the said collars being slightly greater than the diameter of the said balls B.
Any longitudinal thrust is taken up by the secondary balls 6 which roll between
two conical surfaces, on the fixed and rotating parts of the bearing respectively,
having a common vertex v, and which are retained radially in position by the live-
ring r. In Figure 1, one of the said conical surfaces is formed on the flange of
the outer ball-path O, the other is on a steel disc C fixed to the spindle S. The
main balls B are preferably placed outside the secondary balls b. The disc C,
the inner ball-path I, and the distance washers d are screwed hard up, by means
of the nut N, between the shoulder t on the spindle and the fork side F.
In the ordinary running of a bicycle bearing, the longitudinal pressure is very
small compared with the transverse, and the balls (Fig. 1) are not subjected to
much pressure. Figure 2 shews a simpler bearing in which the disc and live ring
of Figure 1 are merged in a cup C. With this arrangement it is possible to work
with only one ball b at each end of the bearing. .
The two rows of secondary balls b may be reduced to one, by having them
running between two pairs of collars opposite each other on the spindle and hub
shell respectively (Figs. 3 and 4). The balls b may be got into place by
(a) having one collar of the said two pairs screwed into position after the balls and
parts are assembled, (b) passing the balls through a radial hole in either the outer

page_text: g
or inner ball-path. In Figure 3, one of the outer collars 9 is screwed hard up on the
outer ball-path O after the balls b and spindle S are brought into position. In
Figure 4 the outer collars are in one piece with the outer ball-path O, and the
balls bare passed through a radial hole, which may afterwards be stopped by a
plug p.
In Figures 1 and 2 no provision is shewn for adjustment, but each main row of
balls may be made adjustable by making either the outer or inner ball-path slightly
tapered, screwing it in place, and fixing it in the desired position by a lock-nut.
In Figures 3 and 4, the outer ball-path O is screwed into the hub-shell H, until
its polygonal flange is hard up against the end of the said hub shell. The inner
ball-path I is tapered, it is screwed on the spindle, and is locked in position by the
nut N. The secondary balls b can also be adjusted, if desired. For example, in
a bearing with two rows of secondary balls 6 (Figs. 1 and 2) the longitudinal
adjustment for the said balls 6 could be provided by making one of the outer ball-
paths O adjustable in position along the hub shell, the adjustment for the main
balls B by screwing the inner ball-paths I along the spindle S.
Bearings for heavier machinery may be made in substantially the same way;
two, three or more rows of balls being used to transmit the transverse load, and
one or two rows, as herein before described, to transmit the longitudinal load.
Also cylindrical rollers may be used instead of balls to sustain the transverse
load.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in. what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
(1.) A ball-bearing in which the transverse and longitudinal loads are transmitted
from the fixed to the rotating part of the bearing by separate, rows of balls.
(2.) The combination of a pair of ball thrust-bearings with ball-or-roller-bearings
for transmitting the transverse load.
(3.) The particular forms of non-adjustable ball-bearings with three or four
rows of balls, herein before described and illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4.
(4.) The particular forms of adjustable ball-bearings with three or four rows of
balls, hereinbefore described and illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4, in which the
transverse adjustment of each row of main balls and the longitudinal adjustment
are effected independently.
Dated this Twenty-fourth day of March 1897.
ARCHD. SHARP.