Improvements in Bearings for High Speed Spindles and the like.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Nov., 1899-Accepted, 3rd Feb., 1900
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Communicated from abroad by FRANCIS JAMES RABBETH, of 1020, Exchange
Buildings, Boston, in the State of Massachusetts, United States of America,
Inventor.
Improvements in Bearings for High Speed Spindles and the like.
I, 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:-
The present invention relates to a high speed bearing, such as those used for
spindles, emery-wheels and the like, where the bearing proper is supported in
a casing and cushioned with relation thereto to prevent vibration and to insure
smooth and easy running; the cushion employed being of novel construction,
and entering into combination with the other elements of the bearing.
The cushion aforesaid, which in itself forms a feature of the invention, com-
prises a spiral spring, having convolutions of maximum diameter and convolu-
tions of minimum diameter between which are one or more intermediate convolu-
tions, the diameter of which is less than the maximum and greater than the
minimum, so that the outer surface of the spring as a whole is corrugated, it
being practicable to form such a spring by winding the spring wire upon a
corrugated arbor. The said spring is interposed between the bearing and its
support; the coils of largest diameter engaging snugly with the inner walls of
the support, and the coils of smallest diameter engaging with the outer walls
of the bearing, so that the latter is centered and snugly held with relation to
the former, while the intermediate coils of the spring which are not in contact
with either member afford an elastic cushion. By making the coils of largest
diameter somewhat larger than the inside diameter of the bearing support, and
the coils of smallest diameter somewhat smaller than the outside diameter of
the bearing, the two parts may be held together so as to substantially prevent
the rotation of the bearing itself with relation to its support without affecting
the elasticity of the cushion; and in some instances the ends of the spring may
be positively connected with said bearing and support respectively, to thereby
lock the said parts one with relation to the other."
The invention further relates to certain novel details of construction and
arrangement of the bearing and cushion as applied to a spindle, in which the
cushion enters into combination with the bolster, bolster-support and step, as
will be hereinafter more fully described.
Figure 1 is an elevation of a cushion embodying the invention; Fig. 2 is
a longitudinal section of a bearing and bearing support, having the said cushion
applied thereto; Fig. 3 is a similar section showing a modification; and Fig. 4
is a vertical section of a spindle having the bearing embodying the invention.
applied thereto.
The cushion a comprises a spiral spring, which may be formed in any suit-
able or usual way, preferably by winding wire upon a corrugated or otherwise

page_text: suitably shaped arbor, the said spring having a number of convolutions a² of
maximum diameter and a number or convolutions a' of minimum diameter;
the diameter of the intermediate convolutions being less than the maximum and
greater than the minimum, and herein shown as progressively decreasing in
diameter from the convolutions a². to the convolutions a³, and then increasing
from the latter to the former, so that the longitudinal outline of the spring forms
a series of curves or corrugations.
The bearing as, a whole comprises, a bearing sleeve b, adapted to afford the
direct bearing support for the rotary member d, the said sleeve being centered in
a supporting member c by means of the cushion , which is interposed between
the inner surface of the supporting member and the outer surface of the bear-
ing sleeve. The bearing member corresponds to what is known as the boister
of a spindle, and the support e corresponds to the bolster support, and; the parts
are so shown in Fig. 4, it being obvious, however, that the cushion a is appli-
cable not only to bearings for spindles, but also to any high speed bearings where
a slight variation in position between the. mechanical center and the balanced
centre of the rotary member has a tendency to set up objectionable vibrations.
As shown in Fig. 2, the coils of smallest diameter fit snugly upon the outer
surface of the member 6, and the coils of largest diameter nt snugly upon the
inner surface of the supporting member c, while the intermediate coils are out
of contact with either member and consequently retain all their freedom of
movement and elasticity.
It is obvious, moreover, that the spring cushion may be arranged to fit. snugly
between the two parts so that the coils which are respectively in contact there-
wich will have a strong frictional hold thereon, thus preventing the rotation of
the bearing member with relation to its support. This tendency may be increased
by so arranging the spring that the tendency of the bearing to rotate will have
a corresponding tendency to unwind the spring, thus spreading the coils and
increasing the frictional bearing thereof on the support. The intermediate coils
will in any event be out of contact with both parts so that the cushion will have
free play.
As shown in Fig. 3, the ends of the spring may be arranged to positively engage
the bearing and bearing support, respectively, the ends of said spring being
bent or off-set and entering openings 62 and in the bearing and supporting
member respectively, the opening being indicated in dotted lines.
"
In Fig. 4 the bearing is shown as applied to a spindle, the spindle do corre-
sponding to the rotating member d shown in the other figures. The bearing
portion or blade of said spindle is tapered as indicated, and fits in the
bolster which corresponds to the part 6 herein before described, the said
bolster in turn being enclosed and supported in the bolster support c¹º.
The cushion a is interposed between the bolster and the bolster support, the
former having a loose fit in the latter so as to allow the play necessary to permit
the spindle to find its balanced centre upon the step or support e upon which it
spins. The said cushion a in this instance, as in the construction heretofore
described, yieldingly centers the bolster in the bolster support and properly
cushions the bearing. The cushion in this instance is shown as frictionally
engaging the bolster at one end so as to prevent the rotation thereof with the
spindle, the said spring having a portion of its coils of substantially uniform
diameter, as indicated at a', the said coils being adapted to fit snugly upon the
outer surface of the bolster 10.
To facilitate the insertion of the bolster into the spring, the said bolster is
shown as enlarged at 612 so that the enlarged portion will be frictionally engaged
by the coils a, while the parts may be easily assembled, since the smaller por-
tion of the bolster will pass readily through the main portion of the spring.
While the opposite end of the said spring cushion might be connected or
frictionally engaged with the bolster support 10 after the manner of the construc-
tion shown in Fig. 3, it is preferably also utilized to perform an additional

page_text: function by frictionally fitting the portion of its coils indicated by the reference
letter as upon the step e, which is shown as prevented from rotation by means
of a projection from the inner wall of the bolster support to which projection
enters a slot 2 cut in the said step.
The bolster 610 is connected by an internal screw thread with an external.
screw thread e3 upon the step e, so that the said bolster can be raised or lowered
with relation to said step by turning the same upon said screw thread.
The spindle do and the bolster being tapered, it is obvious that the proper
bearing fit can be obtained by a vertical adjustment of the bolster with relation:
to the step, and the said screw thread e is so arranged that by turning the bolster
in the direction of rotation of the spindle the said bolster will be screwed down-
ward along the screw thread so that the body of the bolster is lowered with
relation to the step, thereby loosening the fit between the bolster and the spindle.
If, therefore, when the spindle is started there is a frictional fit between the
said spindle and the bolster, it will cause the bolster to turn until the spindle
rotates freely therein, so that the bearing becomes self-adjusting. It is essen-
tial, however, that the bolster should not rotate too far, and also that it should
have a tendency to move to a position where the fit is approximately perfect.
To this end, therefore, the spring cushion a is arranged to engage at one end
with the step e, the said spring which is engaged at its other end with the
bolster thus resisting the tendency of the spindie to turn said bolster, so that
as soon as the said bolster is turned far enough to relieve the friction developed
between it and the spindle, it will cease turning, thereby maintaining a sub-
stantially perfect adjustment.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is:
1. A cushion for high speed bearings comprising a spiral spring having a
plurality of coils of maximum diameter and a plurality of coils of minimum
diameter, said coils being arranged to alternately engage the parts to be
cushioned; and intermediate coils of a mean diameter to afford the cushion
proper, as set forth.
2. A high speed bearing comprising a bearing member to afford the direct
bearing support for the rotary member; a support for said bearing member;
and a cushion interposed between said bearing member and support, said
cushion comprising a spiral spring having coils of such diameter as to closely
engage the bearing member; and coils of such diameter as to closely engage
the support, the said coils being alternately arranged so as to engage said parts
respectively at a number of points; and intermediate coils of a mean diameter
to afford the cushion proper, as set forth.
3. In a high speed bearing, the combination with a bearing support, of the
bearing proper, and means for cushioning said bearing in said support and pre-
venting rotation thereof relative to said support, said means consisting of a
coiled spring interposed between said support and said bearing, said spring
having coils of such diameter as to conform to and frictionally engage the bear-
ing member, and coils of such diameter as to conform to and frictionally
engage the support, the said coils being alternately arranged so as to engage
said parts respectively at a number of points; and intermediate coils of a mean
diameter to afford the cushion proper, as set forth.
4. In a high speed bearing, the combination with the bearing proper, of a
support therefor, a cushion interposed between said bearing and said support
comprising a spiral spring having a plurality of coils of such diameter as to
conform to and fit the bearing member; and coils of such diameter as to con-
form to and fit the support, the said coils being alternately arranged so as to
engage said parts respectively at a number of points; intermediate coils of a
mean diameter to afford the cushion proper; and means for connecting one end

page_text: of said spring with the bearing proper and the other end with the support,
substantially as described.
5. In a spindle, the combination with the tapered spindle blade, of the corre-
spondingly tapered bolster; the bolster support; the spindle step non-rotatably
secured in said bolster-support and provided with a screw-threaded portion co-
operating with a corresponding screw-thread in the bolster, and a cushion spring
interposed between said bolster and bolster-support, and extending beyond said
bolster to engage said step; a portion of said spring frictionally engaging said
bolster and a portion thereof extending beyond said bolster and frictionally
engaging said step, substantially as described.
Dated this 24th day of November 1899.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.