Bottom bearing
First Claim
1. A bottom bearing configured to bear the weight of a vertical shaft, the bottom bearing comprising:
- a first half-cylinder including a first shoulder and a first inside surface; and
a second half-cylinder including a second shoulder and a second inside surface, wherein each of the first and second half-cylinders comprises first and second end surfaces, and wherein, when assembled, the first end surface of the first half-cylinder faces the second end surface of the second half-cylinder and the second end surface of the first half-cylinder faces the first end surface of the second half-cylinder; and
a first spacer and a second spacer, wherein the first spacer is positioned between the first end surface of the first half-cylinder and the second end surface of the second half-cylinder,wherein the second spacer is positioned between the second end surface of the first half-cylinder and the first end surface of the second half-cylinder, andwherein the first shoulder and second shoulder are configured to bear the weight of the vertical shaft by exerting an upward force on a sleeve in mechanical communication with the vertical shaft.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Bottom bearings may be configured to bear the weight of a vertical shaft. In some implementations, a bottom bearing may include a first half-cylinder including a first shoulder and a first inside surface. The bottom bearing may also include a second half-cylinder including a second shoulder and a second inside surface. The first shoulder and second shoulder are configured to bear the weight of the vertical shaft by exerting an upward force on a sleeve affixed to the vertical shaft. A method of manufacturing a bottom bearing may include the steps of forming a cylinder from an ultra-high-molecular-weight (UHMW) polyethylene, wherein the cylinder includes a shoulder, an inside surface, and a central axis. The method may further include cutting the cylinder along the central axis to form the first half-cylinder and the second half-cylinder.
23 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A bottom bearing configured to bear the weight of a vertical shaft, the bottom bearing comprising:
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a first half-cylinder including a first shoulder and a first inside surface; and a second half-cylinder including a second shoulder and a second inside surface, wherein each of the first and second half-cylinders comprises first and second end surfaces, and wherein, when assembled, the first end surface of the first half-cylinder faces the second end surface of the second half-cylinder and the second end surface of the first half-cylinder faces the first end surface of the second half-cylinder; and a first spacer and a second spacer, wherein the first spacer is positioned between the first end surface of the first half-cylinder and the second end surface of the second half-cylinder, wherein the second spacer is positioned between the second end surface of the first half-cylinder and the first end surface of the second half-cylinder, and wherein the first shoulder and second shoulder are configured to bear the weight of the vertical shaft by exerting an upward force on a sleeve in mechanical communication with the vertical shaft. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A bottom bearing configured to bear the weight of a vertical shaft, the bottom bearing comprising:
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a first half-cylinder including a first shoulder and a first inside surface; and a second half-cylinder including a second shoulder and a second inside surface, wherein the first and second half-cylinders are separate from and are removably attached to each other, wherein the first shoulder and second shoulder are configured to bear the weight of the vertical shaft by exerting an upward force on a sleeve affixed to the vertical shaft, the sleeve extending along the vertical shaft in an axial direction of the vertical shaft, wherein the first and second inside surfaces are configured to surround a portion of the vertical shaft enabling rotation of the vertical shaft; a housing that surrounds the first and second half-cylinders and exerts an inward force on outside surfaces of the first and second half-cylinders to maintain a substantially constant spacing between the vertical shaft and the first and second inside surfaces; and a plurality of anti-spin blocks, wherein the housing includes a first half-tube and a second half-tube, wherein, when installed in openings in the outside surfaces of the first and second half-cylinders and openings in the first and second half-tubes, the anti-spin blocks are configured to prevent the first half-cylinder from rotating with respect to the first half-tube and to prevent the second half-cylinder from rotating with respect to the second half-tube.
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Specification