METHOD OF MAKING CAGES

• US 3,707,753 A
• Filed: 09/08/1971
• Issued: 01/02/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: SKF USA Incorporated (SKF)
• Original Assignee: Joseph K. Bailey Jr
• Inventors: Bailey, Joseph K. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Eager, Thomas H.
• Application Number:
  US05/178,717
• Time in Patent Office: 482 Days
• Field of Search: 29/148.4C,148.4R,DIG.26,558
• US Class Current: 29/898.067
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 19/163 with angular contact
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 19/26 with a single row of rollers
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 33/3831 with hybrid structure, i.e. with parts made of distinct materials
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 33/385 made from metal, e.g. cast or machined window cages
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 33/3887 Details of individual pockets, e.g. shape or ball retaining means
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 33/4629 made from metal, e.g. cast or machined window cages
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 33/467 Details of individual pockets, e.g. shape or roller retaining means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49691 Cage making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49996 Successive distinct removal operations

Abstract

An anti-friction rolling element cage having a plurality of circumferentially spaced ball receiving radially directed openings having integral tabs projecting radially inwardly at one end of the openings to prevent ball dropout in a radial direction, the tabs being formed solely by removal of metal from the cage ring blank.

Claims

1. The method of manufacturing an anti-friction roller element retainer cage which comprises the steps of:

a. Forming a ring of substantially rectangular cross-section, b. Forming a plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart pockets in said ring by material removal from the said ring, c. Forming opposed tangs in said pocket, said tangs formed solely by selected removal of material adjacent to said tangs whereby the said tangs are formed integrally with the said ring, the said tangs being circumferentially spaced apart by a distance less than the diameter of the rolling elements to be received in the pockets, and d. Forming the said tangs adjacent at least one of the diameters of the said ring, the said tangs projecting into the area of the said pockets.

2. The method of manufacturing a roller element retaining ring for anti-friction bearing assemblies which comprises the steps of:

forming a ring of substantially rectangular cross section, boring a plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart circular pockets radially through said ring, the full diameter of said pockets terminating within the said ring in a curved bottom wall, broaching the said pockets through the radial thickness of said ring with a notched rectangular cross-section broach providing the pockets with circumferentially spaced-apart tangs at the circumferential sides of the said pocket adjacent one diameter face of the said rings, the said tangs comprising only portions of the said curved bottom wall of said pocket formed by the said boring operation, left unremoved by the notches the bored pockets in the said ring having a major diameter greater than the side walls of the said notched broach whereby the said broached pockets have radially extending relieved areas on axial and circumferential side walls of the said pocket, the said curved bottom wall of the axial sides of the said pocket substantially removed by the broaching operation, and forming an interrupted tongue by metal removal from one diameter face of the ring to provide a centrally disposed interrupted circumferential tongue, the interruptions comprising the spaced apart distance between opposed tangs.

3. The method of manufacturing an anti-friction element retainer cage for anti-friction bearing assemblies which comprises the steps of:

Forming a ring blank of substantially rectangular cross section, boring a plurality of pilot holes through the said ring blank from the inner diameter to the outer diameter thereof, the diameter of the said pilot hole being less than the circumferential distance between opposed tangs to be formed, broaching the said pilot hole with a notched broach having a wide wall dimension greater than the diameter of the said pilot hole, the said notches providing circumferentially opposed ledges extending from the inner diameter to the outer diameter of the said notched hole, the said ledges circumferenTially spaced apart a distance greater than the diameter of the pilot hole whereby the said broached hole is substantially rectangular with circumferentially spaced apart opposed projecting ledges, removing metal from the said notched holes with a circular tool having a diameter greater than the sides of the said rectangular broached hole, the said metal removed from the ring to a depth less than the depth of the broached hole whereby portions of the ledges remain adjacent one diameter face of the ring, the metal removal forming relieved areas circumferentially behind and radially beyond the remaining areas of the ledges and forming relieved areas on the axial side walls of the pockets, the remaining areas of the opposed ledges forming tangs adjacent one diameter face of the ring.

4. The method of claim 3 including the further step of material removal from the one diameter face to either axial side of the tangs to provide a centrally disposed interrupted circumferential ledge, the interruptions comprising the spaced apart distance between opposed tangs in each pocket, the material removal from one diameter face opening the said diameter face to the bottoms of the relieved areas.

5. The method of manufacturing a retainer cage for anti-friction element bearing which comprises the steps of:

forming a substantially rectangular cross-section ring having an inner and outer diameter, providing a plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart pockets through said ring, the pockets extending from the inner to the outer diameter, the pockets formed by material removal from the said ring, the said pockets formed with a notched broach, the said notched broach leaving a plurality of axially spaced apart circumferentially inwardly projecting edges on each of the circumferential end walls of said pocket, the said ledges extending from the inner to the outer diameter of the said ring, the said ledges on opposed walls in opposed spaced apart relation, the said opposed ledges spaced apart by a distance less than the diameter of the anti-friction element to be received in the pocket, the said ledges integral with the said ring, removing material from the said ring in the area of the said pockets at the said ledges from one diameter face thereof by a milling cutter, the said milling cutter removing the said material to a radial depth less than the thickness of the said ring whereby portions of the said ledges remain adjacent one diameter face of the said ring, the said remaining portions forming tangs for retaining an anti-friction element in the said pocket, each of the said tangs formed by a separate operation of the milling cutter.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein radial portions of one diameter face of the said ring are removed adjacent and intermediate of the said tangs whereby the said tangs project beyond the said one diameter face and provide the circumferential ends of an interrupted circumferential radial projection on the one diameter face of the ring, the interruptions being the spaces between the opposed tangs for each pocket.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein additional material is removed from the axial side walls of the pocket to provide relieved areas at the axial side walls.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein four tangs are provided for each pocket, two tangs on each circumferential side wall of the pocket.

9. The method of manufacturing a retainer cage for anti-friction bearing elements which comprises the steps of:

forming a substantially rectangular cross-section ring having an inner and outer diameter and axial end walls, removing ring material from a plurality of circumferentially spaced points around said ring to form pockets through said ring, leaving ledges projecting into each of said pockets, at least one ledge projecting into the said pocket from the circumferentially fore and aft walls of the said pocket in a circumferential direction, the said ledges terminating in the said pocket in spaced-apart relation, spaced from one another in opposed relation a distancE less than the major diameter of the elements to be received in the retainer, the ledges extending from the inner diameter and to the outer diameter of the said ring, and removing an intermediate portion of the said ledges leaving circumferentially projecting tangs adjacent to the outer diameter and to the inner diameter of the said ring, the tangs projecting into the pockets, the tangs formed by the material of the ledges left unremoved.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein two ledges are provided in each of the circumferentially fore and aft sides of each pocket whereby eight tangs are formed for each pocket four adjacent to the inner diameter and four adjacent to the outer diameter.