Improvements in Ball Bearings.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Nov., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 2:th Aug., 1896-Accepted, 17th Oct., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Ball Bearings.
I, WILLIAM HENRY MUNNS, of 55 Chancery Lane, in the County of London,
Patent Agent, do hereby declare the. nature of this invention (a communication to
me from abroad by Thomas John Reid, of Washington Court House, and Jesse
Lyman Dann, of Columbus, both of Ohio, U.S.A., Inventors,) to be as follows:-
This invention relates to ball bearings for vehicle and other journals and its
objects are to provide bearings composed of few and strong pieces, to secure an
easy and convenient adjustment of the balls, and to provide means whereby the
dust and dirt are effectually excluded from the bearings, while at the same time
the lubricating material is prevented from escaping.
The invention comprises a journal box, consisting of a tubular-shaped forging
or casting through which the journal part of the axle is adapted to pass.
The forward end of the box is of slightly enlarged diameter and is interiorly
threaded to receive the outwardly screw-threaded part of a ball case, which is of
larger diameter still. The forward end of this case is interiorly screw-threaded to
receive a cap provided with an oil-hole fitted with a screw-plug.
Two, three or more annular grooves are formed on the interior surface of the
case to receive balls which run therein in contact with the outer surface of a cap
or collar screwed onto the screw-threaded extremity of the axle. This cap or
collar is also grooved for the balls, and is provided with a set-screw by which it
can be secured when adjusted in position.
The opposite or inner end of the axle-box is of enlarged diameter, and is
interiorly screw-threaded to receive a ball case which is formed with internal
annular grooves for the balls to run in, in contact with a grooved collar upon the
axle, and held thereon against a flange thereof. The outer periphery of the
collar is provided with a right-hand thread and the internal forward end of the case,
with a left-hand thread, or rice versa. The action of these threads is similar to
that of an endless screw-conveyer having a constant tendency to eject the dirt, as
regards the case, and to retain the oil, as regards the collar.
The space between the flange of the axle and the interior forward end of the
case is closed by a rubber ring which fits in an external grove upon the case.
In a modification of the forward end of the axle and journal box, the balls run
in grooves upon the outer surface of the cap or collar, as before described, but the
outer cap of the case is dispensed with, and the space between the case and the
cap or collar, closed by a rubber band as afore described. Moreover in this
form, the interior periphery of the case, and the outer periphery of the cap or
collar are screw-threaded for ejecting the dirt and retaining the oil, as afore
described.
Other small variations may be made in the construction of the bearing without
departing from the nature of this invention.
Dated this 25th day of November 1895.

page_text: I, WILLIAM HENRY MUNNS, of 55 Chancery Lane, in the County of London,
Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (a communication
to me from abroad by Thomas John Reid, of Washington Court House, and
Jesse Lyman Dann, of Columbus, both of Ohio, U.S.A., Inventors) and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to ball bearings for vehicle and other journals, and its
objects are to provide bearings composed of few and strong pieces, to ensure an
easy and secure adjustment of the balls, aud to provide means whereby the dirt
and dust are effectually excluded from the bearings, while at the same time the
lubricating material is prevented from escaping. In many forms of ball bearings
now in use, either no means at all are provided for insuring the exclusion of dirt
from the bearings, or it is found necessary to employ separate parts, distinct from
the bearings proper, consisting of bushings, plugs, or rings, in the attempt to retain
the lubricant in place and keep out the dirt. These additional pieces tend to
lessen the strength of the bearings, increase the cost of manufacture, render the
construction more complex and in some cases tend to bind the bearings.
My invention is designed to obviate these and other difficulties, and to this end
it consists of the parts and combinations of parts hereinafter described, and set
forth in the claims.
The device is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which :-
Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a journal box, journal, and bearings;
Fig. 2 a similar view of a modification of the outer end of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 a like
view of a modification of the same parts, and Figs. 4 and 5 sectional views shewing
modified constructions of the inner end of Fig. 1.
Referring to the drawings A is the journal part of an axle inclosed by the
journal box B. My invention can be used with straight or tapered journals, as
well as with shafting in hubs of loose pulleys, and other journals. The axle box B
is enlarged at its outer end, forming a flange b, which is threaded interiorly to
receive an exteriorly threaded flange c of a case C. The case C is also provided
with screw threads near its outer end upon its interior surface. A cap D is
threaded on the exterior of its inner end and screws into the case C and is
provided with a shoulder d, abutting against said case. E is a threaded nut or
sleeve adapted to be screwed onto the threaded end of the axle. This axle nut
is provided with a screw g, which passes into a threaded hole in the axle to lock
the nut in place. Just outside the screw g in the cap D is the screw plug f, closing
the oil hole through which, when the plug is removed, oil may be admitted to the
oil channel e'. The balle 1 and 2 have their bearings in case C and axle nut E,
raceways for the balls to run in being formed in and by said parts. It will thus
be seen that the incasements for the balls at the outer end is composed of three
parts the case C, the axle cap D and the adjusting axle-nut E. At the inner or
butt end of the axle journal the box is enlarged at in the same manner as at the
point or outer end, and is likewise threaded interiorly to receive a case C¹ threaded
exteriorly, the outer edge of which is flush with the outer edge of the axle
collar Abutting against this collar is the cone bearing H, with raceways
formed therein for the balls 3 and 4 to run in. This cone H is made to slide on
the axle and has a rib or feather on its interior surface which slides in a groove in
the axle. The case C' has opposite corresponding grooves to complete the ball
races.

page_text: On the inner surface of the case C, just above the axle collar, so as to clear
the game, are cut screw threads i, for the purpose hereinafter described. Cone H
is also provided with like threads ¹ on the edge of the flange h. The threads i
and are both either right hand or left hand threads, according to which side of the
vehicle they are on.
The cone H is screwed into the case C¹, and when the
threads are disengaged they overlap each other, and the cone H is caged with
the balls within the case C³, thus forming an independent ball incasement that
goes on and off with the wheel and can be detached from the box without
displacing the balls or disconnecting the incasement. When the wheel is in
motion, these threads i and act on the principle of an endless screw conveyer,
the threads constantly ejecting the dirt and dust which may have entered the
box, and the threads ", retaining the oil within the incasement and box.
J is a rubber cap bearing with a light tension on the axle collar and on the
case C₁. The case C₁ is provided with an annular groove c² to receive the
rounded part of this cap. The cap J serves as an additional guard against
the entrance of dust and dirt into the box and also serves to keep out the water
when the vehicle is being washed.
Fig. 2 is a modification in which the axle cap D of Fig. 1 is dispensed with and
in which the same arrangement of conveyer threads as appears in the butt
construction of Fig. 1 is shewn.
The case is provided with screw threads f³ near its outer end and on its
inner surface. The nut E¹ has like threads f, adapted to screw into and pass
beyond the threads f³. A rubber cap G' is sprung into the annular groove 92 in
the case C³, the inner edge of said cap bearing on the face of the nut E'. The
nut is provided with the usual locking screw, by removing which oil may be
admitted to the bearings. In this modification a groove may be cut longitudinally
through the screw threads on the axle in order to form an oil channel, or an oil
hole may be provided in the case C to admit the oil to the injecting threads.
The case C is shewn in Fig. 2 of the drawings in its preferable form, with screw
threads cut in the flange that fits under the box to engage the part 6 of the box;
but this flange may be, unthreaded, the nut E¹ being sufficient to retain the case
within the box. In such a construction means to prevent the case from turning,
such as a rib or feather thereon, would have to be employed.
It will be seen that in Fig. 2, by dispensing with the axle cap D, only two
pieces at either end are used to incase the balls and form complete bearings.
Fig. 3 is a modified construction of the outer end of my device, shewing the use
of but one row of balls at each end of the axle. The nut E' has a lateral flange k,
from which an inwardly projecting flange extends into a groove in the case C³.
A screw g¹, corresponding to screws g of the previous figures, occupies an eccentric
position in the nut E2. Its point is concave and bears against the end of the
journal. The same means for the admission of oil to the balls may be provided as
described, for the construction shewn in Fig. 2.
In Fig. 4 a slightly different construction from that of the butt or inner end of
Fig. 1 is shewn. The case C* extends under the box B for a greater length and is
provided with a narrow outward flange e³, which abuts against the end of the box
and locks the case firmly in the same.
The
Fig. 5 shews another modification of the butt of Fig. 1. In this case the
cone H' is provided with a flange m which fits loosely over the axle collar n.
case C³ and cone H are provided with converse threads. This modified con-
struction is intended especially for use in connection with the axles of buggies and
other vehicles now commonly employed wherein the axle collar of standard gauge
is of smaller diameter than the axle collars shewn in the other figures of the
drawings, so that if a standard axle collar is used in connection with the axle box
shewn in the drawings there will be a space between the collar and the threads on
the case C. The flange m fills up this space between the collar and case and
helps to prevent the entrance of dirt, dust etc.
The incasements for the balls in all the forms shewn are independent, they may

page_text: be removed from both the wheel and axle without removing or displacing the balls
in their bearings.
The manner of adjusting the balls is the same with all the constructions shewn.
The balls at both ends of the axle journal are adjusted simultaneously by screwing
up the nut E, which forms a cone bearing for the balls at the outer end. This nut
or cone adjusts the balls at the point, and these in turn bear on the case and carry
the wheel back on the axle causing the ring bearings in case C¹ to move on the
balls at the inner end and set the cone H in proper position.
With all the constructions in which four lines of balls are shown it will be
readily seen that two lines or three can be used without departing from the
principle of my invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be perforined, I declare that what I
claim is :-
(1.) The combination with the journal, of the axle-box enlarged at its outer
end, a case having a flange extending under said enlarged end, an internally
threaded nut screwed on and inclosing the threaded end of said journal, means
passing through said nut for locking it to the journal, said case and nut provided
with raceways for balls, and said balls substantially as described.
(2.) The combination with the journal, of the axle box enlarged and threaded
interiorly at its outer end, a case having a threaded flange extending under and
engaging said case, an internally threaded nut on the threaded end of said journal
and partially enclosed by said cap, said case and nut provided with raceways for
balls, and said balls substantially as described.
(3.) The combination with the journal, of the axle-box threaded interiorly at
its inner end, a case having at one end an externally threaded flange screwing
under the end of said box, said case provided with internal screw threads at its
other end, a cone on said journal abutting the axle collar, said cone having a flange
provided with screw threads upon its surface, said case and cone provided with
raceways for balls, and said balls substantially as described.
(4.) In combination with the journal, the axle box, a case having raceways for
balls, a journal cone provided with corresponding raceways for balls, balls in said
raceways, said case having conveyer threads upon its inner surface whereby when
the wheel is in motion said threads prevent dirt from entering the box, substan-
tially as described.
(5.) In combination with the journal and the axle-box enlarged at its outer end,
, a complete and independent incasement for the balls composed of a case, having
a flange extending under said enlarged end and an internally threaded nut on the
threaded end of said journal, said case and nut provided with conveyer threads,
said case and nut provided with raceways for balls, and said balls substantially as
described.
(6.) In combination with the journal, the axle-box a case having raceways
for balls, a journal cone provided with corresponding raceways, balls in said
raceways, said cone having conveyer threads on its outer surface, whereby when
the wheel is in motion said threads retain the oil within the box, substantially as
described.
(7.) In a ball bearing axle, the combination with the journal collar and the
case, said case provided with an exterior annular groove, of an external elastic
cap having an annular rounded portion adapted to be sprung into said groove,
said cap near its inner edge bearing with a slight tension upon said journal collar,
substantially as described.
Dated thin oath ICA 1000
W. H. MUNNS,
Applicant.