Improvements in Ball Bearings for Cycles, Motor Cars, and the like.
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Ball Bearings for Cycles, Motor Cars, and the like.
I GEORGE WEBB, Cycle Engineer, of Ganarew, Nr. Monmouth, in the County
of Hereford, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:--
A new or improved method consists in constructing the whole bearing inde-
pendant of the shell or outside caseing, so as to facilitate the introduction of new
bearings when necessary. at the same time making it a perfect oil retaining
bearing, having the balls at the lowest point with free access for the lubricant
to go direct to the aforesaid balls.
The accompanying drawing represents the principal of this improvement which
may be slightly modifyed to suit the several bearings in cycles motor cars and the
like.
Refering to the accompanying drawing A represents the outside shell or caseing
into which the bearing is to be inserted B the spindle or axle turned from one
piece. C disc cup, to be machined a little taper so as to wedge itself into A to
prevent turning round, C¹ to be parallel of the same dimensions as the small end
of C but to be threaded both inside and out as shewn; D is a tube to be threaded
at both ends to connect C and C also to allow of screwing closer together to tako
up wear; E is the balls; F is a lock nut or ring to fix the complete bearing in A;
G hole to admit lubricator.
Mode of manipulation having put balls E in C and C¹ insert B screw D into C
as far as it will go, then screw Con to D to the required distance, then slide B. C,
C, D, and E, complete into A and lock in position with F.
I GEORGE WEBB, Cycle Engineer, of Ganarew, Nr. Monmouth, in the County
of Hereford, 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 bearing parts of cycles, motor cars, and the like,
and consists in certain improvements in their construction which render the actual
parts of the bearing independent of and easily detachable from a shell or outer
casing, which may be either in the form of a stationary bracket or a rotating
wheel hub, which carries them, and also so that the bearing is a perfect oil
D
017

page_text: retaining one and more dust proof than ordinarily. Further, the improvemente
are such that the ball races wherein the balls roll are constantly below the level
of the enclosure or receptacle which receives the lubricant, and so are under oil;
this being a very important matter in the construction of a bearing such as the
one in the bottom bracket of a cycle, as the gravitating effect of the oil causes it
to find its way to the balls. Still further, by these improvements a rotating
part, such as a wheel, can be put into and taken out of a cycle's frame without
in any way interfering with the adjustment of the bearing.
This invention will now be particularly described in connection with the sheet of
drawing forming part of the Provisional Specification, the letters of reference
thereon being used to indicate various parts.
A is an outer hollow shell or tubular casing which may be either a stationary
.part, as the bottom bracket of a cycle frame, or a rotating part. as the hub of a
wheel, and it is adapted to constitute an enclosure or carrier to the bearing proper.
It has a perfectly smooth bore and its one end is bored taper for a short distance.
It has also a hole G disposed vertically through its walls for the affixment of an oil
cup or an oil hole cover.
An insertion comprising the parts of the bearing proper is adapted to be fixedly
but detachably connected to the shell or casing A so that the latter will enclose
it. The said insertion is built up of disc cups C, C, a tubular part D, a spindle
or axis B, and balls E. The disc cups C, C, are connected within the casing by
the tubular part D, and they fit within the ends of the casing A tight and
adjustably loose respectively, the first named disc cup being conical on its outside
and fitting immovably tight within the coned end of the casing, and the last-named
disc cup being parallel on its outside and fitting within the parallel end of the
casing so that it can travel upon its particular screwed end of the tubular part D
for adjusting the width of the ball races. The tubular part D is the receptacle
for the lubricating oil and has a hole through its walls to admit of the lubricant's
passage, and the diameter of its inside or bore is of a less size than the diameter of
the bottoms of the grooves or ball races of the disc cups C, C¹, so that the lubri-
cating oil must of necessity find its way from the part D to them.
In the drawing the disc cup C is shown connected to the tubular part D by
screwing: this is only for the purpose of manufacture, as the parts C and D are for
all practical purposes rigid and jammed within the coned end of the casing A, the
disc cup C being the adjustable part upon the tubular part D. The disc cup C¹
is externally screwed on its outer end for a short distance, and upon this screwed
part takes a locking ring or nut which screws up against the adjacent end of
the casing A as an abutment. This locking ring has two functions, it locks
the adjustable disc cup C to the tubular part D, and also holds the bearing insertion
rigidly within the casing A.
The spindle or axis B passes all through the bearing insertion in a manner well
known in connection with ordinary constructions of ball bearings, and its cones
which form parts of the ball races, are solid with it.
In the case of a hub of a cycle wheel, the ends of the spindle or axis are
shouldered to receive the termination of the branches of the forks, but in the case
of the bottom bracket the cranks are attached to the said ends; it being evident
in the first case that the terminations of the branches of the forks do not touch
the adjusting parts of the bearing.
To remove the bearing insertion it is only necessary to screw the locking ring F
off the disc cup C', when the said insertion can be knocked out from the casing
from the locking ring side. From this it will be evident how quickly a broken
bearing can be replaced within a machine's part.
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;-
First. A ball bearing characterized by a removable insertion built up of a pair

page_text: of ball cups and a tubular part, having an oil hole in it, which connects them, an
outer shell or casing carrying and enclosing the said insertion, and a spindle or
axis passing through the said insertion and having cones thereon to constituto
parts of the ball races, substantially as described.
Second. In a ball bearing, the combination of an outer shell or casing A, which
is a member either of the stationary or rotating part, ball cups, C, C', which are
adapted to fit tight and adjustably loose respectively within the casings ends, a tubu-
lar part D having an oil hole within it and which connects the ball cups within the
shell A so that one is a fixture upon the tubular part and the other adjustable, and
also so that the bottoms or lowest parts of the grooves of the cups which form parts
of the ball races are lower or of a larger diameter than the inside diameter of the
said tubular part, a spindle or axis passing through the ball cups and tubular part
and which has fixed cones to constitute parts of the ball races, and a lock ring
or nut F which affixes the bearings adjustment and also the insertion within the
casing, substantially as set forth.
Third. In a ball bearing, the combination of an outer shell or casing A having
its bore at one end coned and at the other parallel, ball cups C, C¹, fitting the said
casings ends plug-like and adjustably loose respectively, a tubular part, 1), with an
oil hole in it, connecting the ball cups within the shell A so that the adjustable
one shall travel upon a screwed portion and the other be rigid, and also so that the
bottoms of the cups or grooves shall be lower or of a larger diameter than that
of the tubular part, a spindle or axis passing through the ball cups and tubular
parts and having fixed cones thereon, and a screw up lock nut or ring I carried
upon the end of the adjustable cone C and taking its abutment against the end
of the casing, substantially as set forth.
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
11, Burlington Chambers, New Street, Birmingham,
Also of Liverpool, London & Manchester,
Patent Agents for the Applicant.