A New or Improved Bearing Block for Shafts.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Jan., 1893-Accepted, 18th Feb., 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Bearing Block for Shafts.
I, EDWARD CASTLE, of 3, Franklin Cottages Franklin Road New Brompton
Kent Gentleman 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 an improved bearing block for shafts, especially
applicable as a thrust block for the shaft of a screw propeller.
The invention consists in employing a loose frame capable of rotation and
carrying a number of rollers, bearing against a suitable surface on the block on
one side.and on the other supporting the shaft by means of a collar, also having
bearing surfaces, a frame and set of rollers being employed at each side of the
collar. The rollers rotate on pins fixed in the frame, each section of which
encloses one of the rollers, the pins being fastened in place by nuts or other
suitable means, and preferably furnished with an automatic lubricating device by
which they are lubricated at each revolution of the shaft. This device consists of
a central hole extending from the top down to about the level of the upper part
of the roller, branching off to the periphery of the pin. A projecting piece is
furnished at the top which serves to collect oil from a lubricator with wick
fastened to the frame at the top of the block and at other suitable points if
desired, and direct it into the central passage.
The block is constructed in four main parts, bolted together and fixed on a
bed plate in the usual manner, the rotating frames being placed around an annular
projecting part on each vertical half of the block, so that it can rotate on it, the
This surface
weight being borne however by the bearing surface for the rollers.
on the block and on the shaft collar is bevelled, and the rollers have a corre-
sponding bevel, so they can rotate around the shaft without slipping on the
surface.
As the rollers rotate around their pins and roll on the block surface, the frame
will rotate at half the speed of the shaft. The friction of the block will thus be
considerably lessened, and the thrust, in the case of a screw shaft, will be received
on a rolling surface.
In order that the invention may be more clearly understood, reference is had to
the accompanying two sheets of drawings in which
Fig. 1 is a cross section and Fig. 2 a longitudinal section of the general arrange-
ment, and Fig. 3 a detail view of one of the rollers.
A is the shaft, having the collar or annular projection A¹ upon it. B, B¹ are
the lower and upper parts of the block, bolted together in the usual manner,
leaving a central hole through which the shaft passes, the collar A¹ being situated
between the two vertical parts, which are also bolted together at the sides. The
loose rotating frame C is situated on each side of the collar A', and is preferably
made in sections, bolted together, as shown in Fig. 1. This frame carries a number
of rollers D of conical form, the sides sloping to a point situated at about the
centre of the shaft. These rollers are supported by pins E fixed in the frame C,
the rollers rotating freely on them. The collar A and the blocks are furnished
with bevelled bearing surfaces a and b, corresponding to the bevel of the rollers,
so that the collar will roll freely on the surfaces of the rollers, which in their turn
roll on the bearing surface of the block. The block is also furnished with the
annular projecting pieces 61, around which the rotating frames revolve.
Across the top of the block is fixed the bar B2 which serves to connect the parts
together and carries the lubricators F which serve to lubricate both the pins E
and the bearing surfaces a and b by means of wicks.

page_text: Fig. 3 shows a method of lubricating the pins E by the central passage e with
branches e leading to the periphery.
A
On the top of the pin is fixed the guide e³ which leads the oil from the
lubricators fixed on the block to the passage e. The passage e may also continue
to the bottom of the pin in order to lubricate the revolving frame if desired.
small pin e³ is furnished, which passes through the boss on the frame C and the side
of the pin E, in order to prevent the latter turning and becoming loosened. Under-
neath the collar and partly around it a cavity is formed by the sides of the block,
in which water or other liquid can be placed for the purpose of keeping the parts
cool.
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 bearing for shafts, consisting of a block B, B', supporting a rotating
frame C, carrying rollers D, the shaft A being provided with a collar A', bearing
against the rollers, which roll on a surface of the block, substantially as
described.
(2) In a bearing block for shafts, the combination of two rotating frames C
carrying rollers D, having the form of truncated cones, turning on pins E, having
lubricating holes e and e and bearing on the surfaces of the block, the shaft A
having a collar A¹ supported on both sides by the rollers, substantially as described
and shown.
(3) The improved bearing for shafts, constructed and operating substantially as
described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings and for the purposes
specified.
Dated this 6th day of January 1893.
GEO. H. RAYNER,
37, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.