Apparatus for preloading a bearing

• US 10,436,247 B2
• Filed: 03/22/2018
• Issued: 10/08/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Temper AXLE Products Corporation
• Original Assignee: Temper AXLE Products Corporation
• Inventors: Rode, John E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Afzali, Sarang
• Application Number:
  US15/928,965
• Publication Number:
  US 20180223901A1
• Time in Patent Office: 565 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 19/06 Screw or nut setting or loosening machines
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 19/065 Arrangements for torque limiters or torque indicators in screw or nut setting machines for hand tools B25B23/14
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 27/062 using screws
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 31/043 Prestressed connections tensioned by means of liquid, grease, rubber, explosive charge, or the like hydraulic bolt tensioners B25B29/02
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 39/12 by means of locknuts
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 39/14 made of thin sheet material or formed as spring-washers locknuts per se made of thin sheet metal F16B37/02
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 39/28 by special members on, or shape of, the nut or bolt F16B39/26 takes precedence; locknuts F16B39/12
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 39/32 Locking by means of a pawl or pawl-like tongue
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 19/364 with tapered rollers, i.e. rollers having essentially the shape of a truncated cone
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 19/54 Systems consisting of a plurality of bearings with rolling friction spindle bearings F16C35/08
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 19/548 in O-arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 2229/00 Setting preload
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 2326/02 Wheel hubs or castors in general B60B
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 25/06 Ball or roller bearings
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 33/30 Parts of ball or roller bearings
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 43/04 Assembling rolling-contact bearings
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/497 Pre-usage process, e.g., preloading, aligning
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53091 for work-holder for assembly or disassembly
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53104 Roller or ball bearing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/5383 having fluid operator

Abstract

A lock nut system includes a nut threadably engageable with a shaft and a keeper having a projection configured to fit within a slot of the shaft to engage the shaft. A retaining member is formed separate from the keeper and the nut. The retaining member is receivable within a slot of the nut to engage the nut. A portion of the retaining member engages the keeper by extending into a keeper cavity within the keeper. The nut is lockable onto the shaft when the projection of the keeper is fit within the slot and the keeper is abutted and supported by an inner shoulder of the nut and the retaining member engages the nut and the portion of the retaining member extends into the cavity within the keeper.

Claims

1. A lock nut system comprising:

a nut having interior threads, a circumferentially aligned slot, an outer surface axially closest to said slot, an inner shoulder extending around an entire circumference of said nut, said shoulder spaced from said outer surface, said slot located axially between said shoulder and said outer surface;

said nut threadably engageable with a threaded shaft;

said keeper having a projection which fits within a slot of said shaft to engage the shaft;

a retaining member formed separate from the keeper and the nut, the retaining member receivable within the circumferentially aligned slot of the nut to engage the nut, and a portion of the retaining member extends into a cavity within the keeper when the retaining member engages the keeper; and

wherein the nut is lockable onto the shaft when the projection of the keeper is fit within the slot of the shaft, the retaining member engages the nut and the portion of the retaining member extends into the cavity within the keeper;

wherein said shoulder abuts and supports said keeper when said nut threadably engages the threaded shaft and said keeper engages the shaft;

wherein when said retaining member is engaged to the keeper, the retaining member inhibits movement of the keeper relative to the retaining member and inhibits rotational and axial movement of the nut relative to said shaft.

2. The lock nut system of claim 1 wherein when said retaining member is engaged to the keeper, the retaining member inhibits axial movement of the keeper relative to the retaining member.

3. The lock nut system of claim 2 wherein the retaining member is more flexible than the keeper.

4. The lock nut system of claim 3 wherein the retaining member comprises at least one leg configured to be received within the slot.

5. The lock nut system of claim 4 wherein the at least one leg comprises two legs elastically deformable to allow the retaining member to be engaged to the nut by inserting the two legs in the slot.

6. The lock nut system of claim 1 wherein the retaining member comprises at least one leg configured to be received within the slot.

7. The lock nut system of claim 6 wherein the at least one leg comprises two legs elastically deformable to allow the retaining member to be engaged to the nut by inserting the two legs in the slot.

8. The lock nut system of claim 1 wherein the cavity comprises a second slot.

9. The lock nut system of claim 8 wherein the second slot extends between opposite edges of the keeper.

10. The lock nut system of claim 1 wherein the keeper is non-circular.

11. The lock nut system of claim 1 wherein the retaining member is more flexible than the keeper.

12. The lock nut system of claim 1 wherein the recess extends axially within the shaft.

13. The lock nut system of claim 1 wherein the retaining member is formed of a material different than the keeper.

14. A lock nut system comprising:

a nut having interior threads, a circumferentially aligned slot, an outer surface axially closest to said slot, an inner shoulder extending around an entire circumference of said nut and abutting and supporting a keeper, said shoulder spaced from said outer surface, said slot located axially between said shoulder and said outer surface;

said nut threadably engaged with a threaded shaft;

said keeper having a projection fit within a slot of said shaft to engage the shaft;

a retaining member formed separate from the keeper and the nut, the retaining member received within a circumferentially aligned slot of the nut to engage the nut, and a portion of the retaining member engaging the keeper by extending into a cavity within the keeper; and

wherein the nut is locked onto the shaft by the projection of the keeper being fit within the slot of the shaft and the retaining member engaging the nut and the portion of the retaining member extending into the cavity within the keeper;

wherein when said retaining member is engaged to the keeper, the retaining member inhibits movement of the keeper relative to the retaining member and inhibits rotational and axial movement of the nut relative to said shaft.

15. The lock nut system of claim 14 wherein when said retaining member is engaged to the keeper, the retaining member inhibits axial movement of the keeper relative to the retaining member.