Improvements' in Ball and similar Bearings.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Oct., 1894-Accepted, 17th Nov., 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated. from abroad by ANDREW CONNOR FARNSWORTH, ADDISON
DAY KELLEY, and HARRY GRANT LEE, .all of No. 184, Lake Street,
Chicago, Gentlemen, and LOUISA MARY SENDELBACH, of Ravenswood,
Married Woman, both in the County of Cook, State of Illinois, United
States of America.]
Improvements' in Ball and similar Bearings.
J, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent
Agents, 45 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 :—
My invention relates to improvements in journal bearings generally, in which
anti-friction devices such as balls, cones or rollers are. interposed between the
wearing parts; but is more particularly designed for use in connection with the
journals or axles of vehicles, and it is shown in the accompanying drawings as
applied to the hub and axle of an ordinary carriage or buggy wheel.
:
The improvements have more especial reference to features of construction in
the means for holding the shells for the anti-friction balls, in the hub and also to
the means for holding such balls in their said shells and providing the same with
proper bearing surfaces. The improvements relate further to the provision of
proper bearings for the balls on the axle or journal; to means for taking up wear.
and guarding against undue tightening of the bearings, and to means for relieving
the shock on the bearing surfaces.
One of the objects of our invention is to tighten the bearings.by the direct
pressure of the cap nut and to provide improved means for limiting the inward
movement of such nut, which may not be tampered with and will not work loose
or produce torsional strain on the threads of the nut or the axle.
And a still further object is to provide an improved form of cushion in the
line of shock between the balls and their shells, whereby danger of breakage of
the anti-friction devices will be avoided.
With these ends in view our invention consists in certain features of novelty
hereinafter more fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings, and
particularly pointed out in the claims.
In the said drawings,
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a hub and axle provided with our
improvements.
Figure 2 is an end view thereof.
Figure 3 is a transverse section taken on the line 3-3 Figure 1.
Figure 4 is an enlarged detail view of the inner end of the hub and other parts
in section illustrating certain modifications hereinafter described, and
Figure 5 is a detail sectional view of the outer end of the hub illustrating
modified means for securing the removable shell in place.
Like signs of reference indicate like parts in all the views.
In applying our improvements to an ordinary carriage or buggy wheel, the
hub 1 is provided with the usual bore which heretofore served for the reception of
the ordinary axle box, excepting that in our invention such bore is enlarged at
each end for the reception of the shells for the balls or anti-friction devices as will
be described further on. Within this bore is arranged the axle box 2 which is
conical, and terminates at the smaller end in a reduced portion 3 on the exterior of

page_text: с
which are formed screw threads for the engagement of an interiorly threaded
neck 4 projecting inwardly from the outer shell which fits in one of the outer
recesses in the end of the hub. The peripheries of the neck 4 and the box 2 are
flush or coincident as 'shown and the box is provided with a shoulder 6 against
which the end of the neok 4 firmly, abuts when screwed into place, and thus checks
the turning of the shell and prevents injury to the threads while at the same time
forming a stop for gauging the protrusion of a flange 7' formed on the extreme
end of the threaded portion 3, and which constitutes means for holding the balls 8
in place on one side.
A
The inner end of the box 2 is provided with a shell 9 preferably formed
integrally with the box, and is likewise let into a complementary recess in the rear
end of the hub and under normal conditions its outer edge is flush with the end
of the hub. The box 2 is provided with a pair of fins 10 which engage in
countersinks formed in the hub so as to prevent the box from turning within the
hub when the shell 5 is being screwed on.
The bore in the hub and the axle box being conical in form, such box may be
readily inserted almost to the limit of its movement within the hub and then by
means of a suitable wrench applied in the sockets 11 formed in the outer end of
the shell 5, the axle box may be forced home into the hub with any desired degree
of pressure. In the event it should become loose it would only be necessary to
remove the end shell and dress off the inner end of the neck 4 so as to permit the
shell to be screwed further onto the box and thus pull the box further into the
bore.
Arranged at the inner end of each of the shells is a steel or other suitable
race 12 whose outer surface is approximately circular and forms a seat for the
balls 8. These races are annular in form so that the one in the outer shell 5 will
surround the projection 7 on the axle box while the one in the rear shell 9 will
surround a similar projection 13 formed on the end of the box and serving to hold
the rear balle 13 from displacement on one side, while at the same time the
projections 7-13 serve to hold the races in place in the event they should crack.
Each of the races 12 is held against outward movement when the hub is off the
axle, by means of a ring 15 jammed into the shell and bearing against the race as
shown. This ring is of sufficient width to also project partly over the balls and
thus, in conjunction with the projections 7-13 hold the balls against displacement
when the wheel is off. In order that the shock may be deadened and the liability
of breakage of the halls avoided we interpose between the shell and the race 12
a rubber cushion 16 which is held in place by the race and will permit the latter
to yield slightly with reference to the shell and being thus interposed directly
between the race and the shell, the race will be better able to yield to the shock,
and the races being separate from the shells they will be capable of independent
inovement both with reference to each other and the shells. The oushions 16 are
arranged around the projections or flanges 7-13 respectively, and are thus
prevented from oozing out between the parts when compressed. They are confined
at their outer edges by means of the retaining rings 15.
The end of the axle 17 is provided with a threaded portion 18 as usual, only it
is the same in diameter as the adjoining portion of the axle so that the formatiou
of the usual shoulder against which the cap nut ordinarily abuts, is avoided, and
the bearing cone 19 may be readily inserted over the threaded portion and onto
the plain portion of the axle without obstruction.
The bearing cone 19 is. held up to its work against the balls 8, and the hub
forced onto the axle with the balls 14 in firm engagement with the inner bearing
cone 21 by means of the cap nut 20, which bears directly against the outer face
of the cone 19. The cone 19 however is sleeved loosely upon the axle and is
prevented from rotation with the balls by means of a lug 22 engaging in a groove 23
formed in the end of the axle.
In order that the bearings may not be too severely tightened by the nut 20 and
at the same time the nut may be screwed up with sufficient force to prevent it from
T

page_text: turning off, we provide the extreme end of the axle with a rigid integral nib 24
against which the end of the nut abuts. This nib 24 is so proportioned in length
that. when the inner end of the nut comes in contact with it the cones will be
adjusted to their proper position; but in order that further movement of the nut,
may be accomplished for taking up, lost motion resulting from the bearings wearing.
away, the nib is made of considerably reduced diameter so that by a stroke of the
file the length of the nib may be reduced and the nut permitted to move fürther
inward. The nib 24 should be of reduced diameter for the further reason that a.
projection of considerable cross area could not readily be reduced in length evenly
all over and consequently the nut when screwed on would be subjected to torsional
strain resulting in injury to the threads; and this is of considerable importance
because the threads are very fine and easily injured, it being desirable to make them
fine and of slight pitch so that the nut which is preferably made round may be
readily turned up with sufficient force to prevent its working loose; without marring
or defacing the outer surface of the nut. The nib 24 is also located directly in the
centre of the axle so as to avoid the torsional strain before referred to..
The axle is provided with the usual flange 25 at its rear end, and the rear cone 21
is provided with a recess into which the flange is seated, the cone being shrunk on
the axle and over the flange with its face flush with the flange and also with the
end of the hub and shell 9. An advantage in having these surfaces flush..as
described is that dust and mud will have less opportunity of collecting on the axle
and finding their way up over the edge of the cone 21 and into the bearings.
Each of the cones 19-21 is provided with a flange 26 which fits within its shell,
with a slight space between it and the latter; and in the periphery of each of these
flanges is formed a dovetailed groove into which is forced a cushion 27 which bears
against the inner surface of the shell and constitutes at once means for deadening
the shock between the shell and the flange and excluding dust and grit from the
bearings while also preventing the escape of oil.
Referring now to Figure 4 which illustrates a double row of balls in each of the
shells, as is sometimes desirable on heavy vehicles used largely on rough roadways,
it will be seen that we employ two races 12, the face of each being so curved as
to hold its respective set of balls substantially in its centre and away from the other
set. In order that the inner set of balls may have means on their outer sides for
holding them in place and the outer set of balls have means on their inner sides for
holding them'in place, we interpose between the two races a retaining ring 28 which
is held in place by the two races. The outer edge of the ring 28 is provided with-
salient sides or edges as clearly shown so as to partially overlap the balls in each
set on their inner sides, thus holding the inuer set of balls in place on one side while
the flange 13 holds them in place on the other side; and the outer set of balls in
place on their inner side while the ring 15 holds the outer race in place and also
holds the outer set of balls in place on their outer side. In the drawing we have
shown the double set of balls as applied to the rear or inner end of the hub, but it
will of course be understood that the same construction may be applied to the outer
end as well.
In the modified means of holding the outer shell in place, shown in Figure 5, we
may if desired, do away with the threads on the reduced portion 3 as the same are
liable to injury, but it should be understood nevertheless that the latch or catch
which we will now describe for holding the outer shell on the end of the axle.box
may be employed as auxiliary to the threads on the reduced portion 3, for preventing
retrograde movement of the shell which is liable to result from the severe agitation
or jarring to which the hub is subjected. In Figure 5 however, we have shown the
reduced portion 3 without the threads and the neck 4 of the shell simply slipped
thereover and abutting against the shoulder 6. Secured to the inner side of the
axle box 2 is a spring 29 having a lug or pin 30 passing through the reduced portion 3
and engaging in a socket or perforation 31 formed in each side of the neck 4, thus
bolding the shell from being pulled off until the springs 29 are deflected inward
sufficiently to withdraw the pins 30. This may be conveniently accomplished by

page_text: providing the springs 20 with inturned ends 32 over which any suitable instrument
may be inserted for forcing the springs towards each other.
$1
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 correspondents, I declare that what I claim is:
1. The herein described means for limiting the onward movement of the cap nut
and regulating its pressure against the end bearing cone, constructed, combined and
arranged substantially as shown and set forth.
2. The herein described means for limiting the onward movement of the shell 5
and varying the extent of protrusion of the flange 7 for holding the anti-friction]
balls in place, constructed, combined and arranged substantially as shown and
set forth.
.
•
3. The herein described means for holding the anti-friction balls in place when
the hub is off the axle, constructed, combined, and arranged substantially as shown
and set forth..
4. A journal bearing having the independent races in combination with the shelle,
and the cushions arranged directly between the shells and the races, constructed,
combined and arranged substantially as shown and set forth.
5. The herein described improvements having flanges 7-13 and rings 15 80
arranged in combination with the shells as to hold the races, the cushions and the
balls in place, all constructed, combined and arranged substantially. as shown
and set forth.
6. The rear bearing cone having a recess fitting over and being shrunk upon the
flange 25 of the axle and such, flange, cone and hub being flush with one another,
substantially as shown and set forth.
7. The herein described new and improved means for detachably securing the
shell to the axle box, constructed, combined and arranged substantially as shown
and set forth.
Dated this 20ů day, of October 1894.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.