Improvements in Roller Bearings.
Year: 1899

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Roller Bearings.
I, HENRY MARTYN LE Duc, Clerk in U.S. Post Office, of Washington, D.C.,
U.S.A., 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:-
-
The object of my invention is to provide cheap, economical and efficient means
for overcoming friction in bearings, such as cars, carriages and bicycles.
Ball bearings afford cheap and practical methods for overcoming friction, where
light loads are carried, but for heavy work they are short lived, as they become
irregular in contour, and frequently crumble," owing to the small contacting
surface on the bearings, which envelop them.
With rollers no such defects are liable, as the contacting surface is invariably the
entire length of the rolls and where proper facilities are afforded in constructing
hubs or casings for roller bearings, so as to entirely exclude dust; the life of rollers
may be considered to be indefinite.
The present invention is so constructed and arranged that all abrading friction
is overcome, as the contacting surfaces of the friction and spreading rolls move
in opposite directions by rolling contact. To overcome end friction of rolls against
their confined casing or shell, a central rib is cast integral with the hub of the
revolving wheel, said ribs affording means for a central groove turned in the
periphery of each roll to lay within the circumference of said rolls, thus holding
them free from the walls of the casings or shell of the wheel.
The grooves in rolls referred to, are of a greater depth than the internal pro-
jectional ribs referred to: otherwise there would be undue friction between the
periphery of the rib and the bottom of the grooves in said rolls, as the surface
speed in both varies in the ratio of the radial distance between the peripheries of
the rolls and bottom of the grooves, in said rolls.
To more fully elucidate the device I will proceed to describe the drawings, in
which,
Figure 1: Represents a longitudinal section of my improved device, which for
illustration, is adapted for a bicycle, the drawing being somewhat exaggerated.
Figure 2: Represents inside elevation of my improved device, with the cover
removed to exhibit the rollers.
Figure 3: Represents in detail, a portion of the hub rim with the internal rib,
which is provided with a gap or opening for assembling the rolls within a hub
or casing.
The letter A indicates a sleeve having the free ends of the same threaded to
receive hubs A1, A2, said hubs being provided with the ordinary wire tension
spokes a Passing centrally through said sleeve A, is an axle B, which terminates
in the hub A', which will be hereinafter more fully set forth. Said hubs A¹ and A²
are provided with chambers C, C, for receiving friction rolls D, D, and guide or
spreading rolls E, E, within said chambers and integral with the same
ribs c. c, which fit into grooves d, d, formed in the peripheries of rolls D, D,
previously referred to. The spreading rolls are also provided with grooves c,
arc

page_text: which register with the grooves in rolls, D, D, &c. The object of the grooves in
the rolls, e, is to provide a clean or even wearing surface on said friction rolls
and spreading rolls otherwise, if said grooves, e were not formed in said rolls,
the constant revolution of rolls D, D, upon said rolls, e, would cause a ridge to
form on rolls, e, which would cause undue friction and thus frustrate in part the
object of this invention.
Said rolls E, E, are provided with pintles or journals, e¹, e, which travel in
annular grooves a³, a³, formed in the side walls of the hubs A1 and A2, respectively.
Each hub A1 and A2, is provided with covers a, a. In Figure 1, lock nuts F, F,
are indicated, the inner nut being so constructed as to exclude dust from the
friction rolls, through the medium of felt dust rings f.
Shaft or axle B, previously referred to, is provided with ribs b, b, the object of
which is to prevent end thrust of the axle, as the friction rolls are held in position
by the internal ribs, c, c, consequently the grooves in said rolls act similar to a
solid shoulder for said b, b, on axle B, to shut against.
The internal ribs c, c, forming part of chambers C, C, are provided with gaps
or openings, c¹, c¹, see Figures 1 and 2, also the axle rib b, having a similar 63, for
allowing the assembling of the friction rolls within said chambers, C, C. The
gaps formed in said ribs c, c, are provided with plates or plugs G, G, and set
screws g, g, the latter for securing them to hubs A1 and A2, when the friction
rolls are assembled in working position. The gaps c, c, can be so constructed that
no plug or plate G, may be required, as shown at Fig. 3 of the accompanying
drawing. The terminal of each rib is pointed, consequently it would be almost
impossible for the friction rolls 1), to leave their seat and ride upon the rib c, as
the beveled edges terminating in a point, would be a guide to hold said rolls
in position.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1st. In combination with axle or bearing for vehicles or other purposes,
friction rolls provided with central grooves in their peripheries and the means
employed for holding said rolls from lateral contact with the walls of the casing
or hub which envelopes them substantially as described.
2d: In combination with an axle or bearing for vehicles and other purposes,
friction rolls provided with central grooves in their circumference and a rib
formed on the internal face of the hub or casing for holding said rolls free from
the sides or walls of said hub or casing, and the means employed for spreading
said rolls evenly around their accompanying axle or bearing through the medium
of auxiliary rolls of smaller diameter, substantially as described.
3d: In combination with grooved friction rolls adapted to roll upon the axle
and internal ribbed periphery of a hub or casing centrally grooved spreading
rolls having their grooves to register with the grooves in said friction rolls, sub-
stantially as described.
4th In combination with grooved friction rolls, a rib formed on the internal
periphery of a bicycle or other vehicle hub, and said rib having a gap or opening
therein, and a removable plate or plug for closing said gap or opening, for the
purpose, as specified.
Dated 11th at 1900
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.