This invention relates to a device (hereinafter referred to as a “support adaptor assembly”) which can be fitted to a pressing device (hereinafter referred to as a “bearing press”) used for removing or for fitting press-fitted components such as bearings, gears, pulleys, pins, bushes and seals.
Conventional bearing presses comprise a support frame having a base section, two spaced apart elongate side members extending upwards from the base section, and a fixed mounting member to which is connected a mechanically or hydraulically operated pressing device. Attached to the elongate side members of the support frame by pins or bolts, are two parallel, horizontal, spaced apart support members used to support a component to which pressure is applied by operation of the pressing device.
There are many variations of this configuration, but all known prior art bearing presses have two parallel, horizontal, spaced apart support members, above which is mounted a pressing device.
In use, an object requiring assembly or dismantling of press-fitted components, is placed on the support members of the bearing press, or on plates supported by the support members of the bearing press, so that the pressing device can be operated to apply vertical, downward pressure on the object to remove or replace the press fitted components. In order to prevent damage to components and injury to the operator of the bearing press, the component to which pressure is applied must be on a horizontal plane relative to the vertical direction of the downward pressing force.
There are, however, some objects with press-fitted components, which cannot be correctly aligned with a horizontal plane or supported on the support members of a bearing press for the following reasons:                a) the object may be too long to fit between the pressing device and the horizontal support members of the bearing press. Even when the support members have a means of height adjustment, this is often a difficult and time consuming process;        b) the object may be too wide to fit between the horizontal support members of the bearing press;        c) the object may be of an irregular shape which does not allow it to be supported in such a way that places the component to be fitted or removed with a horizontal plane relative to the vertical direction of the downward pressing force;        d) the object may comprise two components of similar width or diameter which are press fitted together and must be separated by use of a pressing force for repairs.