Improvements in Bearings.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 6th July, 1894-Accepted, 11th Aug., 1894
Improvements in Bearings.
I, FRANZ EWALD THORMEYER of No. 3 Grosse Allee, Hamburg, in the
German Empire, Merchant do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement :-
The subject of this invention is a bearing so constructed as to reduce to a
minimum the friction between it and the shaft or spindle which it supports, so that
its employment enables a considerable saving of power to be realised.
The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings,
in which :-
Fig. 1 shows a series of ordinary revolving bars or rods placed side by side.
Fig. 2 represents one of the many forms in which the revolving bars or rods may
be produced;
Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a steel bushing or box;
Fig. 4 is a top view or plan of several rollers with their boxes in juxtaposition;
Fig. 5 is a side-elevation corresponding to Fig. 4.
Fig. 6 is a cross section, showing the arrangement of a series of revolving bars
in the shape of a bearing.
The revolving bars or rods herein referred to are ordinary metal bars or rods a of
cylindrical or other shape, rounded off at the ends, as shown in Fig. 1; or they
may, if required be turned off in the shape of pins or journals b at their ends, as
represented in Fig. 2. These rods are so arranged that the said pins or journals
enter the apertures e provided for their reception in the box d (Figs. 3, 4 & 5).
The said boxes consist of polygonal prisms the sides e of which are of rectangular
shape.
The mode of employment or operation of the revolving bars is illustrated in
Fig. 6, it being optional to employ either such bars as are shown in Fig. 1, or such
rods, fitted with boxes, as are represented in Figs. 4 & 5. The thickness or
diameter of the bars may vary in accordance with the resistance of the material to
pressing or pushing strains, and other circumstances or requirements. The shape of
the bars depends on the forms of the spindles or shafts to be supported and of the
bearings to be formed.
When the shaft or spindle revolves, instead of performing a sliding frictional
motion, the friction extending over the whole portion of its surface confined in
the bearing, it rolls, and such rolling motion takes place only at the points of
contact of the said shaft or spindle with the bearing. Owing to the resulting
diminution of friction, it will be understood that a considerable amount of power,
which would otherwise be expended, is saved.
In the arrangement represented in Figs. 4 & 5, the box or bushing, inserted
between each pair of rolled bars, prevents adjacent bars from coming into contact
with each other, and results in a still further saving of power.
It will be understood that the principle of construction of the improved bearing
is applicable also to the naves or hubs of wheels.
The most important features of the bearings of this improved construction
are:
(1) That the shafts or spindles are thereby prevented from being heated by
friction and that the formation of burrs is avoided ;
(2) That full advantage is taken of the lubricant employed, since it is not wasted,
as hitherto, by being forced out of the bearing unused;
(3) That the improved bearing may be employed even in those cases where,―

page_text: on account of the high temperature, for example,—the bearing cannot be lubricated;
and
(4) That as a considerable amount of power is saved, the useful effect of the
driving medium is increased.
Having now particularly described and ascertained my said invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
(1) A bearing mainly consisting of a series of cylindrical metal bars or rods a,
rounded off at the ends, and surrounding the spindle or shaft.
(2) In the bearing referred to in the first claim, a modificated form of bars or
rods a,
the main feature of the modification being, that the said rods are provided
with pins or journals b at their ends, which pins are fitted in bushings or boxes
adapted to keep the rods a out of contact with each other; all substantially as
described and illustrated in the drawings.
MARKS & CLERK,
18, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents.
MARKS & CLERK,
18, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents.