Improvements in Anti-friction Bearings.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Jan., 1890-Accepted, 15th Mar., 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by WILLIAM E. ELLIOTT, of Chicago, Illinois, United
States of America.]
Improvements in Anti-friction Bearings.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, 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 :-
This invention relates to anti-friction journal bearings in which the series of bearing
cylinders have heretofore been held out of frictional contact with each other by means
of intermediate separating cylinders alternating with the bearing cylinders, and
having in turn a bearing on the casing within which the bearing cylinders work.
The prime object of this invention is to dispense with the employment of the
separating cylinders, and to separate the bearing cylinders by means of devices
travelling therewith and bearing thereon, and not upon the casing, in such manner
as to offer the minimum frictional resistance to the rotation of said rollers.
Another object is to maintain a fixed relative distance between the bearing
cylinders at all times, and to have the separating devices of such a character that the
weight of the parts tending to separate the cylinders will be equally distributed
between the bearings of the adjacent cylinders which thereby equalize each other
without affecting the remaining cylinders.
A further object is to have the end bearing surfaces of the bearing cylinders upon
the casing, and separating devices of such a character as to reduce the friction
resulting from an endwise movement of the parts to the minimum.
I attain these objects by the devices illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in
which-
Figure 1 represents an end elevation of a journal bearing embodying my invention,
with the end plate of the casing removed showing the separating ring working within
the circle traversed by the axes of the bearing cylinders.
Figure 2 a longitudinal section thereof on the line 2, 2 of Figure 1 showing the
journal and the bearing cylinders in elevation.
Figure 3 an enlarged detail section of the journal and of the bearing cylinders
and the separating devices, more clearly showing the anti-friction bearing between the
parts for reducing the friction resulting from end wise movement.
Figure 4, a view similar to Figure 1, showing the separating ring working outside
the circle traversed by the axes of the bearing cylinders.
Figures 5 and 6 detail face views respectively of a portion of the separating rings
illustrated in Figures 1 and 4, more clearly showing bearing sockets for the cylinder
journals.
Similar letters of reference indicate the same parts in the several Figures of the
drawing.
Referring by letter to the accompanying drawing, A indicates the journal, Ba
hollow cylindrical casing surrounding the same, provided with removable end caps (
and D a series of bearing cylinders confined and working within the casing between
it and the journal, there being just sufficient space between the interior or bearing
wall of the casing and the journal for the insertion of these bearing cylinders.
Each cylinder has the ends rounded as shown at E opposing the inclined annular
bearings F upon the end caps of the casing, the said cylinder being slightly shorter
than the distance between the bearings, so that the ends thereof will not be constantly
in engagement with the shoulders, but only when the casing is caused to have an
endwise movement, at which time the bearing of the convex or curved surface of the
roller end upon the straight inclined face of the bearing, will present the minimum

page_text: frictional contacting surface and I may here add, that if desired the bearings might
be rounded, and the ends of the cylinders bevelled, without departing from the spirit
of my invention.
From each end of the rollers, beyond the bearings thereof, project contracted
journals G each provided with an annular groove H, the bottom of which is preferably
parallel with the periphery of the journal, but the side walls I of which incline toward
the bottom of the groove.
These contracted journals are designed to bear in sockets J, provided in annular
separating rings K, at each end of the casing, which rings do not have any bearing
upon or engagement with the casing, being carried upon and moving with the
journals of the bearing cylinders, while at the same time serving to effectually separate
the cylinders from each other.
may here state that it is immaterial whether these separating rings work and lie
just within the circle traversed by the axes of the bearing cylinders, as shown
in Figure 1 with the bearing sockets J in the outer periphery thereof, or whether they
lio outside of such circle, as illustrated in Figure 4, with the bearing sockets upon
the inner periphery thereof for the result would he substantially the same in either
case.
The peripheral recesses J correspond in number and location with the bearing
cylinders, and as illustrated in Figures 5 and 6 may be of any desired shape, either
semi-circular, square or angular, so as to constitute bearings for the contracted journals
of said cylinders the recesses being of such diameter, and the ring of such width as
to receive the groove portion H, of the journals of the cylinders.
The edges of the bearing recesses J in the separating rings are rounded as more
clearly shown at L, in Figure so that the rounded portions will bear upon the
bevelled or inclined side walls I of the groove H, in the journal, and thus reduce
friction between the parts, for the cylinder has an axial rotation within this recess
independent of the bodily travel of the separating ring with the cylinder.
The bearing of the grooved portions of the journals of all the bearing cylinders,
within the recesses in the separating rings, not only serves to impart to the ring a
bodily rotation about the journal A, simultaneously with the bearing cylinders, but
also serves to prevent any lateral movement of the rings relative to the said cylinders,
and hence maintains the rings in an upright position at all times, notwithstanding
their rotation about the journal, with which they have no contact, and obviously no
other support for these rings is necessary.
But in practice, for convenience in inserting the parts in the shell or casing I
prefer to employ the separating rings illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 and connect the
rings by means of a series of tie rods lying between the bearing cylinders, and out of
contact therewith, for by this arrangement the rings are connected into a frame, in
which the cylinders may be more readily inserted, and the whole bearing slipped
into the casing at once, thus rendering the parts much easier and more convenient
to handle, and requiring less time to be placed in operative position.
From the foregoing it will be understood that each of the bearing cylinders has
an independent but fixed bearing upon the separating ring, which serves to maintain
the cylinders in fixed relative position to each other at all times, said separating
rings being free to revolve within the casing in unison with the cylinders, between
which latter and the rings there is only the friction of the contracted journals of the
cylinders, which is limited to the weight of the rings, and partially of the cylinders
not actually supporting the weight of the journal and so divided between the several
adjacent cylinders carrying the weight placed upon the bearings as not only to be
equalized therebetween, and the other cylinders correspondingly relieved but reduced
to such an extent as to be practically immaterial in the operation of the bearing.
Another important feature of the preferred construction is that the bearing
cylinders and separating devices do not depend in the slightest degree upon the
journal for their maintenance in proper relative position to each other, for the
journal may be withdrawn entirely from the bearing without anywise affecting
the same, and as a result of this arrangement the bearings may be made and kept

page_text: in stock in sizes to fit journals of varying diameter, from which the orders may be
filled without further fitting, and which bearings may be as easily applied as any
plain hub, requiring not the slightest skill for their attachment to a journal or for
the insertion of a journal therein.
So also may the casing or shell and the separating rings be made in halves or
sections, for greater convenience in applying to, and removing the bearing from, a
shaft, for by so doing the shaft and its connecting or operating mechanism need
not be disturbed when the bearing is removed or substituted by another.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent I declare that what claim is :-
First. In an antifriction journal bearing, the combination with the journal, and a
casing encompassing the same, provided with inclined annular end bearings, of a
series of bearing cylinders interposed between and working upon said journal and
casing, the ends of which cylinders are rounded so as to oppose and bear upon the
inclined bearings on the casing, and separating rings travelling with, and in which
each of said cylinders has a bearing, substantially as described.
Second. In an anti-friction bearing, the combination with the journal, and a casing
encompassing the same, of a series of bearing cylinders interposed between and
working upon said journal and casing, the said cylinders having contracted journal
ends provided with annular peripheral grooves having inclined side walls, and
separating rings provided with peripheral recesses having rounded edges in which
the journals of the bearing cylinders work, substantially as described.
Third. In an anti-friction bearing, the combination with the journal, and a casing
encompassing the same, provided with inclined annular end bearings, of a series of
bearing cylinders interposed between and working upon said journal and casing,
and having rounded ends opposing and bearing upon the inclined hearings on the
casing, the contracted journal ends of said cylinders provided with annular peripheral
grooves having inclined side walls, and separating rings provided with peripheral
recesses having rounded edges in which said journal ends bear, substantially as
described.
DL:
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.