BEARING RETAINER ASSEMBLY

• US 20120132737A1
• Filed: 11/30/2011
• Published: 05/31/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Joy Global Surface Mining Inc. (Mitsui & Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Harnischfeger Technologies Inc. (Mitsui & Company Limited)
• Inventors: Pusheck, Bernard
• Granted Patent: US 8,956,053 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 241/68
• CPC Class Codes: B02C 4/28 Details
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 19/364 with tapered rollers, i.e. rollers having essentially the shape of a truncated cone
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 19/386 in O-arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 19/548 in O-arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 2226/60 with threaded parts, e.g. bolt and nut connections in general F16B23/00 - F16B43/00
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 35/073 between shaft and inner race ring
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49948 Multipart cooperating fastener [e.g., bolt and nut]

Abstract

A retainer assembly for securing a bearing relative to a shaft in a first axial direction. The retainer assembly includes a collar, a lock ring, and a retaining nut. The collar includes a first portion, a second portion, and a bore extending through the first portion and the second portion. The first portion includes external threads, and the second portion includes an internal recess extending circumferentially around the bore. The lock ring is located within the internal recess such that the lock ring is positioned between the second portion of the collar and the shaft and is removably coupled to the shaft. The retaining nut includes internal threads that threadingly engage the external threads of the first portion.

Claims

1. A retainer assembly mounted on a shaft, the shaft defining an axis, the retainer assembly positioned adjacent a bearing mounted on the shaft and securing the bearing against movement relative to the shaft in a first axial direction, the retainer assembly comprising:

a collar including a first portion, a second portion, and a bore extending through the first portion and the second portion, the first portion including external threads, the second portion including an internal recess extending circumferentially around the bore;

a lock ring located within the internal recess such that the lock ring is positioned between the second portion of the collar and the shaft and is removably coupled to the shaft; and

a retaining nut including internal threads that threadingly engage the external threads on the first portion.

2. The retainer assembly of claim 1, wherein the retaining nut abuts the bearing and exerts an axial force on the bearing in a second axial direction opposite the first axial direction.

3. The retainer assembly of claim 2, wherein tightening and loosening the retaining nut adjusts the axial force on the bearing.

4. The retainer assembly of claim 1, further comprising a lock plate for securing the retaining nut against rotation about the external threads.

5. The retainer assembly of claim 4, the collar further including a plurality of axial slots positioned in the external threads at regular angular intervals, the lock plate further including a tab, wherein the lock plate is positioned such that the tab is located within one of the axial slots in the external threads.

6. The retainer assembly of claim 5, the retaining nut further including a first end surface adjacent the shaft bearing, a second end surface opposite the first end surface, and a plurality of holes located on the second end surface and extending axially through the retaining nut, the lock plate including at least one hole for receiving a fastener, and the lock plate is fastened to the retaining nut by passing a fastener through the lock plate hole and into one of the retaining nut holes.

7. The retainer assembly of claim 1, the lock ring further including an inner ring, an outer ring, and a plurality of holes extending axially through the lock ring, the inner ring being located adjacent the shaft, the holes being positioned circumferentially around the first end surface, wherein inserting a fastener into each of the holes tightens the inner ring, exerting a radial compressive force on the shaft.

8. The retainer assembly of claim 7, wherein inserting a fastener into each of the holes of the lock ring causes the outer ring to exert a radial tension force on the collar.

9. A sizer for a mining crusher, the sizer comprising:

a crushing chamber;

at least one rotating shaft extending through the crushing chamber, the shaft defining an axis, the shaft including a first end and a second end;

at least one bearing for rotatably supporting the shaft; and

a retainer assembly for securing the bearing against movement in a first axial direction, the retainer assembly including;

a collar including a first portion, a second portion, and a bore extending through the first portion and the second portion, the first portion including external threads, the second portion including an internal recess extending circumferentially around the bore;

a lock ring located within the internal recess such that the lock ring is positioned between the second portion of the collar and the shaft and is removably coupled to the shaft; and

a retaining nut including internal threads that threadingly engage the external threads.

10. The sizer of claim 9, wherein the retaining nut abuts the bearing and exerts an axial force on the bearing in a second axial direction opposite the first axial direction.

11. The sizer of claim 10, wherein tightening and loosening the retaining nut adjusts the axial force on the bearing.

12. The sizer of claim 9, the retainer assembly further including a lock plate for securing the retaining nut against rotation about the external threads.

13. The sizer of claim 12, the collar further including a plurality of axial slots positioned in the external threads at regular angular intervals, the lock plate further including a tab, wherein the lock plate is positioned such that the tab is located within one of the axial slots in the external threads.

14. The sizer of claim 13, the retaining nut further including a first end surface adjacent the bearing, a second end surface opposite the first end surface, and a plurality of holes located on the second end surface and extending axially through the retaining nut, the lock plate including at least one hole for receiving a fastener, and the lock plate is fastened to the retaining nut by passing a fastener through the lock plate hole and into one of the retaining nut holes.

15. The sizer of claim 9, the lock ring further including an inner ring, an outer ring, and a plurality of holes extending axially through the lock ring, the inner ring being located adjacent the shaft, the holes being positioned circumferentially around the first end surface, wherein inserting a fastener into each of the holes tightens the inner ring, exerting a radial compressive force on the shaft.

16. The sizer of claim 15, wherein inserting a fastener into each of the holes of the lock ring causes the outer ring to exert a radial tension force on the collar.

17. A method for securing a bearing relative to a shaft, the shaft defining an axis, the method comprising:

providing a shaft including a first end and a second end, the shaft defining an axis such that a line drawn from the second end toward the first end defines a first axial direction, and a line drawn from the first end toward the second end defines a second axial direction;

mounting the bearing on the shaft proximate the first end;

inserting a retaining nut onto the shaft between the first end of the shaft and the bearing, the retaining nut including a first end adjacent the bearing, a second end opposite the first end, and internal threads;

inserting a collar onto the shaft adjacent to the retaining nut, the collar including a first portion, a second portion, and a bore extending through the first portion and the second portion, the first portion including external threads, the second portion including an internal recess extending circumferentially around the bore;

threading the retaining nut onto the external threads on the second portion of the collar;

inserting a lock ring around the shaft outer surface and positioning the lock ring within the internal recess;

removably coupling the lock ring to the shaft, such that the lock ring prevents movement of the collar in the first axial direction; and

adjusting the position of the retaining nut on the external threads to abut the bearing,

wherein the retaining nut exerts an axial force on the bearing in the second axial direction, securing the bearing against movement in the first axial direction.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein tightening and loosening the retaining nut adjusts the axial force on the bearing.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising removably coupling a lock plate to the retaining nut to prevent rotation of the retaining nut.

20. The method of claim 19, the collar further including a plurality of axial slots positioned in the external threads at regular angular intervals, the lock plate further including a tab, wherein removably coupling the lock plate includes positioning the tab within one of the axial slots.

21. The method of claim 17, removably coupling the lock ring further including an inner ring, an outer ring, and a plurality of holes extending axially through the lock ring, the inner ring being located adjacent the shaft, the holes being positioned circumferentially around the first end surface, wherein inserting a fastener into each of the holes tightens the inner ring, exerting a radial compressive force on the shaft.

22. A retainer assembly for securing a bearing mounted on a shaft, the shaft defining an axis, the retainer assembly securing the bearing against movement in a first axial direction, the retainer assembly comprising:

a collar including a first portion, a second portion, a bore extending through the first portion and the second portion;

a means for removably coupling the collar to the shaft adjacent the bearing such that the collar is secured against movement relative to the shaft; and

a means for applying a retaining force on the bearing.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising a means for adjusting the retaining force applied on the bearing.