A Roller Bearing Nest for Shafts, Axles, Spindles and the like.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 25th May, 1899-Accepted, 22nd July, 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A Roller Bearing Nest for Shafts, Axles, Spindles and the like.
I, ROBERT FREDERICK HALL, of "Ferndale," Church Road, Moseley, near the
City of Birmingham, Engineer, 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 consists in a nest of roller bearings applicable for use in con-
nection with spindles, shafts, axles and other rotating bodies, and adapted to be
sold as a loose or separate and self-contained device or component part which may
be readily fitted in the axle boxes of cart and vehicle wheels, in various parts of
cycles and motor cars, in plummer blocks, brackets, hangers and other supports
for rotating shafting, in the supports of propellor shafts, and elsewhere in
machinery generally wherever an anti-friction bearing is required. The said nest
or fitting is interchangeable and a broken or damaged one can be readily removed
and replaced.
In antifriction bearing nests in which balls have been employed it has been
found that the balls, particularly when used to support a heavy shaft, are liable
to be cracked by the heavy crushing strains exerted upon the comparatively small
bearing surface, and further, it has been found that the balls are liable to wear
grooves around the shaft, but by the employment of a series of rollers as in the
device forming the subject of my invention, these defects are obviated and a
greater bearing surface is obtained.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawing represents a plan of a roller bearing
nest constructed according to my invention and consist of a ring or open-sided
body containing a series of anti-friction rollers kept in place circumferentially by
a spring and prevented from displacement laterally by a pair of removable or
detachable closure plates or rings, having lugs or other extensions adapted to be
engaged with suitable grooves in the body of the device and to be there locked
by means of dovetail key pieces, which said closures comprehend between them
an annular channel or race within which the rollers supporting a shaft passed
therethrough, work.
Figure 2 is an edge view of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a cross section of the device upon the dotted line a Figure 1.
Figure 4 is another edge view and Figure 5 is a horizontal section of Figure 4
upon the dotted line r¹.
Figure 6 shows a similar view to that represented by Figure 1, but with the end
closure ring removed.
Figure 7 is a section of Figure 3 upon the dotted line 2.
Figure 8 is a plan partly in section, of one of the end closure rings, showing
the lugs on the edges which engage within the grooves or under overhanging
edge parts of the body.
Figure 9 is an edge view of one of the said rings, Figure 10 is a section of the
body showing the grooves on the inside thereof and Figure 11 is a section of the
closure ring.

page_text: Figure 12 is a view of the carrier body part separately showing the gaps or
clearances into which the lugs on the closure ring are dropped prior to be engaged
with the grooves by an eighth of a turn.
Figure 13 is an elevation and an end view of one of the rollers.
Figure 14 represents the spring by which the series of rollers is kept in place
within the annular race.
Figure 15 shows an end view plan and outer edge view of the dovetail block
or key pieces by which the closure rings are locked in place.
The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures
of the drawings.
a is the body part or carrier ring of the bearing nest the opposite open ends
of which are partially closed by the removable rings or discs b, but leaving a
central clearance c, through which a shaft, spindle or rotating axle to be supported
passes. The annular space a¹, comprehended between the said rings constitutes
a race or channel within which a series of anti-friction rollers d, are located and
are permanently or temporily kept in position around the shaft clearance by
means of a wire ring e, which is sprung into place and lies out of contact with
the shaft within annular sinking made by forming a groove d¹, around the
middle of each roller. This spring, which may have more than one coil if neces-
sary, by tending to open out keeps the rollers within their race, and enables the
article to be put on sale as a complete and self-contained fitting.
The detachable closure rings by which the lateral displacement of the rollers
is prevented, are connected to the carrier ring by providing around their edges
a series of projections or lugs b¹, whilst each of the sides of the body is formed
with an annular recess or sinking a", with separated overhanging parts a², form-
ing grooves a³ adapted to receive the said lugs which are first dropped through
the clearances at, into the parts of the annular sinking between the overhanging
edges and then engaged under the said edges or into the grooves by giving an
eighth of a turn or partial rotation to the ring. To lock the ring in this position
one of the clearances is made deeper than the other and with overhanging sides,
thus constituting a she-dovetail gap a³, adapted to receive a he-dovetail block
or key e, which, when in position, comes between one pair of the ring lugs and
prevents the rotation of the said ring.
Instead of both end closures being removable, one of them may be permanently
affixed, or the body part may be of a circular box like construction with a clear-
ance in the bottom or in one end for the shaft to pass through whilst the other end
is fitted with a removable closure, and I wish it to be understood that instead of
providing the removable plates with four lugs and corresponding number of clear-
ances in the grooved carrier body, I may employ two, three or other number. Or
I may arrange for projections on the body to be introduced through clearances
in the ring and then engaged into grooves in the edges thereof.
The device may be made in, any dimensions with rollers of various sizes and
may be secured in place within a plummer block or other part of a machine, such
as a lathe stock or in the crank axle bracket of a cycle, in any convenient way.
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:
First: A self-contained roller-bearing nest in which a series of antifriction
rollers are located within an annular race or between a pair of end closures or rings
and there retained, so as to leave a clearance for the supported shaft, axle or
spindle, by means of a spring ring or equivalent substantially as described and
set forth.
Secondly-In a self-contained roller bearing nest retaining the rollers against
lateral displacement by removable closures, rings or equivalents, detachably se-
cured to the body or carrier part of the device by lugs or projections upon the one
part being introduced through clearances in the other part and then being engaged,

page_text: by a partial rotation, under or into overhanging parts or grooves, substantially
as described and set forth.
Thirdly; In a self-contained roller bearing nest as referred to in the preceed-
ing claim, locking the closure rings to the body part by means of dovetail or
equivalent blocks or keys which are introduced into a correspondingly shaped
gap in the said body and between a pair of the lugs or projections on the ring,
substantially as described and set forth.
Fourthly: A self-contained roller bearing nest consisting of a carrier or body
part provided with a series of anti-friction rollers which are retained within their
race by a spring coil or ring and prevented from being displaced laterally by
detachable end plates, connected to the carrier body by lugs upon the one engag-
ing grooves in the other and locked by dovetail key pieces, substantially as
described and set forth.
ROBERT FREDERICK HALL,
By Henry Skerrett,
24, Temple Row, Birmingham, Agent for Applicant.