Improvements in Anti-friction Bearings.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Apr., 1898-Accepted, 29th Oct.,
1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Anti-friction Bearings.
1, SYDNEY PITT, of Sutton, in the County of Surrey, Gentleman, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention. (which has been communicated to me from
abroad by Samuel Schrack Eveland, a citizen of the United States, residing at
4139, Westminster Avenue, in the City of Philadelphia, County of Philadelphia
and State of Pennsylvania, U.S.A., Manufacturer,) and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:-
According to this invention, I provide an anti-friction bearing in which the
rollers are mounted in two roller supports, each of which has a series of inwardly
projecting lugs formed with roller sockets between them. The sockets are open
to permit the rollers to bear throughout their entire lengths against the shaft or
journal, and throughout the greater portion of their lengths against a surround-
ing casing. The arrangement is also such as to permit of the insertion or with-
drawal of the rollers endwise. The roller sockets at one end of the bearing are
closed to prevent endwise displacement of the rollers, and a removable ring or
similar device is employed to prevent endwise displacement at the opposite end
of the bearing. The ring may be readily removed and replaced and permits of
the ready removal or insertion of any one of the rollers, or all of them, without
disturbing other parts of the bearing. The roller sockets, while open to permit
the rollers to contact with the shaft or journal, are so formed as to prevent the
rollers from dropping out when the shaft or journal is withdrawn.
Preferably, I place in each roller socket at one end or both ends of the bearing
a ball which bears directly against the end of the roller axially and against the
ring or other similar device which closes the outer ends of the roller sockets.
In some instances I find it advantageous to cause the balls to extend partially
through openings in the rings, for a purpose hereinafter described.
My improved anti-friction bearing may be used wherever there are two parts
turning relatively to each other and where it is desirable to reduce wear, friction
and heat. In the drawings hereto annexed I have shown one way of applying
the invention, viz., to a vehicle axle, but it is obvious that the same invention
may be applied to numerous kinds of journals, etc.
In the drawings
Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a set of rollers mounted in one form
of my improved roller supports.
:
Figure 2 is a detail view of one way of connecting the roller supports at
opposite ends of the rollers.
i
Figure 3 is a detail view showing another way of accomplishing the same
result.
Figure 4 shows a transverse section on the line 4-4 of Figure 1. This figure
also shows a cross section of a casing surrounding the rollers.

page_text: rollers.
Figure 6 is a similar view showing a modification.
Figure 7 is a detail view showing the manner of arranging balls at the ends
of the rollers.
Figure 8 shows a way of arranging balls at the ends of the rollers so that the
balls will also be arranged to take end thrust and wear at the outside of the
roller supports.
Figure 9 is a perspective view showing one of the roller supports and the rollers
partially withdrawn from the casing.
Figures 10 and 11 are perspective views showing the manner of connecting
one of the roller supports to an end piece or cap and of connecting this cap to
the casing.
Figure 12 shows. a-longitudinal section through a hub with my improvements
applied.
The roller supports H, are each centrally apertured to receive a shaft or
journal C, which extends through the supports and is loosely arranged therein.
Radially. arranged sockets L, are formed in the roller supports for the ends of the
rollers G. These sockets are formed by arranging around the central opening
of the roller supports a series of lugs 7, which are so formed as to so shape the
sockets that the latter shall be widest at their outer and narrowest at their inner
sides. The distance from the outer to the inner side of each socket radially,
is somewhat less than the diameter of the roller. The ends of the sockets are
closed to prevent endwise movement of the rollers; each socket, in fact, being
open on three sides only. By this arrangement the rollers are made to project
radially inwards, so as to bear upon the journal throughout their entire lengths,
and they project radially outwards from the sockets, so as to always bear against
the sleeve or casing F, throughout the greater portion of their lengths. The
lugs, will thus be relieved from wear or strain and serve only to position the
rollers, hold them in proper alignment, and prevent them from twisting or bank-
ing or getting too close together. The rollers, it will be observed, are not reduced
at their ends, as is the case in some other bearings, and therefore, no sharp
corners or edges are presented which would tend to wear the sockets or cut the
rollers.
In Figure 1 the roller supports are shown as connected together by rods R.
These same rods are shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4. Each rod shown in Figure 2
is screw threaded at opposite ends. Its screw-threaded portion r,, at one end is
slightly larger in diameter than the screw-threaded portion r, at the opposite
end, so that the rod may be inserted through an opening 2 in one roller sup-
port H, and made to enter a socket 3, in the opposite roller support. The rod
may be thus inserted without turning, but when the screw threaded portion pl
reaches the socket, the rod may be turned or screwed home and will thus
connect the two end pieces, and when fully screwed home, as shown in Figure 2,
the end pieces or roller supports are prevented from moving either towards or
from each other. By this means a nice adjustment may be obtained, and the
rollers properly supported. Instead of employing the arrangement shown in
Figure 2, the rods may be held in place by means of short screws R', which enter
screw-threaded sockets in the ends of the rods, as indicated.
A ring X, is employed at one end of the bearing to confine the rollers and
prevent endwise movement. Preferably this ring is arranged in an annular
recess z, on the outer side of the roller support and is held in place by screws r.
By removing the screws, the ring may be detached and one or more of the rollers
removed or inserted. When no balls are used, the ring will contact with the
ends of the rollers, but when balls S are used, they are interposed between. the
ends of the rollers and the ring, there being preferably one ball in each roller
socket. But a ball may be used at one end only of each roller. The roller

page_text: support at the opposite end of the bearing may be closed in any suitable way,
as by a ring X, or other similar device. Any desired number of rods may be
used, preferably three, as shown, as this number is found to be most efficient.
The rollers and their supports, such as shown in Figure 1, may be arranged in a
casing, as indicated in Figures 1, 4 and 9, and the supports and rollers turn
relatively to the casing. The ends of the rollers may be plain or flat, as shown
in Figure 7, or they may be slightly rounded, as shown in Figure 8. The balls
may be made to pass partially through openings in the ring X, as indicated in
Figures 6 and 8, so as not only to bear against the ends of the rollers, but also
to take end thrust from the outside. I have shown a removable ring X, for
confining the balls and rollers, but any other suitable device may be employed
for this purpose.
In Figures 10 and 11, the roller support H is similar to that heretofore
described, but it is provided on its outer face with a socket h, into which fits
an annular flange H2, on an end cap U. This end cap is connected to a similar
end cap by rods J, which are thus held together on the casing. The roller
supports revolve about the annular flange or ring H2. Obviously any desired
number of rollers and any desired number of balls may be employed.
In Figure 12 my improvements are shown applied to a vehicle hub and axle.
In this instance I have shown the form of bearing illustrated in Figures 10
and 11. In this figure A indicates a portion of a vehicle axle, C the journal
portion thereof, B a flange or collar at the inner end of the journal, and E a
nut secured to the screw threaded end D, of the journal. The roller supports
are provided with anti-friction balls M, to take end thrust and with annular
ribs N, shown as fitting into corresponding grooves in the flange B, and the
nut E, to exclude dust. I indicates the wooden portion of the hub surrounding
the casing F. G indicates the rollers which are mounted in the manner herein-
before described in the roller supports. S indicates the balls. U indicates the
cap shown also in Figure 10, while H indicates the roller supports, and H², the
flange or ring entering a recess in the roller support. J indicates bolts or screws
for connecting together the caps at opposite ends of the bearing.
Anti-friction bearings constructed in accordance with my invention are both
durable and efficient. The rollers bear uniformly on the journal or shaft from
end to end, and thus distribute friction uniformly. The rollers can conveniently
be assembled and when worn can be readily replaced. The rollers may be in-
serted radially into their sockets, or they may be inserted endwise therein.. The
ring X can be readily removed and replaced for the purpose of inserting or
withdrawing the rollers. As shown in Figure 9 the roller supports enter annular
sockets Y in the casing in which the roller supports turn.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1. An anti-friction bearing comprising a series of cylindrical rollers inter-
posed between a casing and a shaft or journal on which latter the rollers bear
throughout their entire length, and comprising also roller supports at opposite
ends only, such roller supports having inwardly projecting lugs formed with
sockets for the rollers between them, and having a ring removably secured
closing the ends of the roller sockets to prevent endwise displacement of the
rollers.
2. The combination of the rollers, a roller support having individual sockets
for the rollers, and balls arranged in said individual roller sockets at the ends of
the rollers.
3. The combination of the rollers, roller supports formed with a series of roller
sockets, devices for closing the ends of the sockets, and balls extending partially
through the openings in said closing devices and bearing against the ends of the
rollers.

page_text: 4. An anti-friction bearing comprising a series of rollers, roller supports at
opposite ends only thereof connected by rods passing between the rollers, and
having inwardly projecting lugs formed with roller sockets between them which
are open at their inner and outer ends to permit the rollers to bear against the
journal and also against the case, and are open at opposite ends to permit end-
wise movement of the rollers, a ring removably secured to one of the roller sup-
ports and closing the ends of the roller sockets to prevent endwise displacement
of the rollers, means for closing the sockets in the other roller support, a shaft
or journal against which the rollers bear throughout their entire lengths, and a
casing against which the rollers bear throughout the greater portion of their
lengths.
5. Anti-friction bearings substantially as described and shown in the drawings.
Dated this 15th day of March 1898.