Patent ID: 7007787

Claim:
An extended life ball transfer unit comprising: (a) a housing having a well of generally cup-shaped configuration with at least the lower portion of its surface being non-spheroidal and defined by a pair of radii mutually offset to opposite sides from its vertical axis to generate a gothic church arch cross section, said housing having a passage extending therethrough at the base of said well; (b) a spherical conveyor ball having a radius of smaller length than the radii defining the lower portion of the surface of said well, said well defining radii having their origins above the center of said conveyor ball; and (c) a multiplicity of spherical bearing balls disposed between said conveyor ball and at least the lower portion of the surface of said well, said bearing balls supporting said conveyor ball and transferring the load from said conveyer ball to said housing over an annular area defined by an arc of 5–15° with its center spaced about 30°–40° upwardly from said passage.