Improvements in or connected with Ball Bearings.
Year: 1899

page_text: Improvements in or connected with Ball Bearings.
I, ANDREAS HOFMANN, of Schwabach, in the Empire of Germany, Machine
Maker, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object a ball bearing which is so constructed that
not only can an automatic adjustment of the axle centre take place, but also
should any jamming of the bearing balls take place between the axle and the
ball-race the latter being firmly connected with the axle, may rotate in a spherical
bearing surface formed of one of the bearing cups.
On the journal of the axle a hard steel ring is fixed, which has two or more
grooves for receiving the bearing balls. The latter run in suitable ball races
formed by said grooves and by other grooves in another hard bearing ring which
is made in one or more parts, and which surrounds the first named ring. The
outer surface of the second ring has a spherical or partly spherical form and is
mounted and guided in outer cups having a corresponding internal form.
The arrangement of the bearing balls between the ring fixed on the journal (or
the axle itself) and the ring having a spherical external surface, which is mounted
in a similarly formed channel or recess formed by the outer cups or similar part
permitting of rotation, allows the bearing, as such, to be still capable of move-
inent if through overloading or the like the ball bearings be destroyed, and
thereby any interruption of working is avoided. By the jamming of the ball-
fractions between the journal or the inner ring and the second ring having a
spherical exterior, there is in fact formed a rigid series composed of the journal,
the balls and the second ring, which can rotate by means of the spherical outer
surface of the second ring within the spherical hollow ring formed by the outer
cups or similar part. The ball bearing is thus not rendered useless by the frac-
ture, of one or more balls, but may on the other hand be still used without objec-
tion, at least until a place is reached where the damage can be repaired.
The second or spherical ring which in its combination with the spherical bear-
ing surface or recess is in a position to thus execute the above named action, also
serves by its universal mounting in the said recess to allow the axle to yield to
oscillating movements which result in consequence of any bending of the shaft
which may take place, and thus to utilise always all the balls as carrying elements
and to equally distribute the pressure at the bearings over all the balls.
Dated this 7th day of September 1899

page_text: same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement:-
This invention has for its object a ball bearing which is so constructed that
not only can an automatic adjustment of the axle centre take place, but also
should any jamming of the bearing balls take place between the axle and the
ball-race the latter being thereby firmly connected with the axle, may rotate in
a spherical bearing surface formed of one of the bearing cups.
In the accompanying drawings, two vertical sections of a bearing suitable for
the axle of a railway carriage are shown as an example of the invention.
On the journal a of the axle w a hard steel ring is fixed which has two or more
grooves for receiving the bearing balls ². The latter run in suitable ball races
formed by said grooves and by other grooves in another hard bearing ring d
which is made in one or more parts, and which surrounds, the first named ring.
The outer surface of the second ring d has a spherical or partly spherical form
and is mounted and guided in outer cups f having a corresponding internal form.
The arrangement of the bearing balls between the ring fixed on the
journal (or the axle itself) and the ring d having a spherical external surface
which is mounted in a similarly formed channel or recess fi formed by the outer
cups or similar part of permitting of rotation, allows the bearing, as such, to be
still capable of movement if through overloading or the like the ball bearings be
destroyed, and thereby any interruption of working is avoided. By the jamming
of the ball-fractions between the journal a or the inner ring and the second
ring d which has a spherical exterior, there is in fact formed a rigid series com-
posed of the journal a, the balls and the second ring & which can rotate by
means of the spherical outer surface of the second ring d within the spherical hol-
low ring formed by the outer cups or similar part f. The ball bearing is thus
not rendered useless by the fracture of one or more balls, but may on the other
hand be still used without objection, at least until a place is reached where the
damage can be repaired.
The second or spherical ring & which in its combination with the spherical bear-
ing surface or recess f¹ is in a position to thus execute the above named action,
also serves by its universal mounting in the said recess f¹ to allow the axle to yield
to oscillating movements which result in consequence of any bending of the axle
which may take place, and thus to utilise always all the balls as carrying elements
and to equally distribute the pressure at the bearings over all the balls."
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
A ball bearing in which the ball race (de) of the bearing balls (el c³) is so located
in a hollow cup (f) of the body of the bearing that not only can an automatic
adjustment of the centre line of the journal take place, but when the balls jam
between the journal and the ball race the latter being thus firmly connected with
the journal can rotate in the recess (f) formed by the bearing cups, substantially
as described.
L 1
. 32
1000
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lard Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicant.