Patent ID: 8794847

Claim:
A bearing assembly comprising: an outer ring having an inner circumferential surface and a generally annular recess extending radially outwardly from the inner surface; and an inner ring disposed at least partially within the outer ring so as to be rotatable about a substantially vertical central axis, the inner ring having an outer circumferential surface spaced radially inwardly from the outer ring inner surface and at least one integral shoulder extending radially outwardly from the outer surface so as to be disposed at least partially within the outer ring recess, the shoulder being engageable with the outer ring when the inner ring is subjected to an axial force so as to substantially prevent axial displacement of the inner ring relative to the outer ring; wherein the outer ring has a generally frustoconical, generally radial catch surface facing generally in a first, downward vertical direction and partially defining the annular recess, the inner ring shoulder has a generally frustoconical, generally radial retention surface facing in a second, upward vertical direction toward the outer ring catch surface, each one of the outer ring catch surface and the inner ring retention surface extending between an uppermost position at an outer diameter and a lowermost position at an inner diameter, the catch and retention surfaces being engageable when the inner ring is subjected to an amount of axial force sufficient to displace the inner ring into contact with the outer ring so as to substantially prevent axial displacement of the inner ring in the second, upward vertical direction and being generally axially spaced apart to minimize friction during rotation of the inner ring when axial force on the inner ring is lesser than the amount of force.