METHOD FOR ADJUSTING TAPERED ROLLER BEARINGS AND FOR ASSEMBLING DEVICES EMPLOYING SUCH BEARINGS AS JOURNALS

• US 3,785,023 A
• Filed: 03/23/1972
• Issued: 01/15/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: William E. Harbottle
• Original Assignee: William E. Harbottle
• Inventors: Harbottle, William E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Eager, Thomas H.
• Application Number:
  US05/237,462
• Time in Patent Office: 663 Days
• Field of Search: 29/148.4A,407,148.4R,201
• US Class Current: 29/898.09
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 19/54 Systems consisting of a plurality of bearings with rolling friction spindle bearings F16C35/08
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 25/06 Ball or roller bearings
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 35/061 mounting a plurality of bearings side by side
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/497 Pre-usage process, e.g., preloading, aligning
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49771 Quantitative measuring or gauging

Abstract

A shaft is journaled in a shaft housing by means of a pair of tapered roller bearings, and the assembly of the foregoing structure, including the adjustment of the tapered roller bearings, is performed on an assembly tool having a fixed anvil and a shiftable pilot base which moves against a spring load toward the anvil. In addition, the tool includes a carriage which shifts axially relative to the anvil against a spring bias and may be locked in a fixed axial position. To assemble the foregoing structure the cone assembly of one of the bearings is fitted against an abutment on the shaft, while the cup of that bearing is seated in the housing. Next the shaft is supported on the shiftable carriage of the tool and thereafter the housing is fitted over the shaft and supported on the pilot base, with its cup receiving the cone assembly. Next an axial force is applied to the housing in the direction which seats the rollers of the bearing, so that the force is transmitted to the shaft through the bearing. The force depresses the pilot base against the anvil while depressing the carriage in opposition to the spring load thereon. Once the pilot base engages the anvil, the carriage is locked in position, and the housing is allowed to return to its initial position so that a prescribed or working point clearance exists between the anvil and pilot base and likewise in the bearing. With the other cup seated in the housing, the remaining cone assembly, which is shiftable along the shaft to effect adjustment of the two bearings, is advanced along the shaft toward its cup, and when the rollers of that bearing seat, a portion of the axial force is transmitted to the housing, and the housing is again depressed along with the pilot base. The advancement is continued until the clearance in the first installed bearing reaches a prescribed value, and that clearance is ascertained by measuring the distance between the pilot base and the anvil. The shaft is rotated slowly as the rollers of the two bearings are seated against their respective cups and cones to insure proper seating.

Claims

1. A process for rotatively mounting a first member such as a shaft in a second member such as a housing with a pair of bearings capable of taking radial and thrust loading and having races sized for engagement with the first and second members and provided with opposed raceways along which rolling elements roll;

said process comprising positioning corresponding races of the bearing in a substantially predetermined position on one of the members, positioning the opposite race of only one of the bearings in a substantially predetermined position on the opposite member, inserting the first member into the second member and bringing the rolling elements of the said one bearing into engagement with and seating them against the raceways on the races of said one bearing, shifting the second member relative to the first member in the direction opposite to that which seats the bearing rollers so that a clearance is established in said one bearing, advancing the opposite race of the other bearing toward the positioned race of that other bearing, engaging the rolling elements of said other bearing with the raceways of its races so that those rolling elements seat against the raceways of the other bearing, advancing said opposite race of said other bearing still further so as to reduce the clearance in said one bearing, measuring the adjustment in said one bearing remote from the bearing, and terminating the further advance when the adjustment reaches a prescribed magnitude.

2. The process according to claim 1 and further characterized by rotating one of the members relative to the other member as the rolling elements of said one bearing are engaged with and seated against the raceways of the races for that bearing, and as the rolling elements of said other bearing are engaged with and seated against the raceways of the races for that other bearing.

3. The process according to claim 1 and further characterized by advancing the members axially against a spring resistance after the rolling elements of said one bearing engage and seat against the raceways of the races for that bearing, and thereafter holding one of the members fixed so that the spring Resistance shifts the other member in the opposite direction.

4. The process according to claim 3 wherein the member which is shifted in the opposite direction by the spring resistance is supported on a base element which is spring biased away from a fixed anvil but can shift toward the anvil;

and wherein the clearance in said one bearing is measured between the base element and the anvil.

5. The process according to claim 3 wherein the member which is shifted in the opposite direction by the spring resistance is supported on a base element which is spring biased away from a fixed anvil but can shift toward the anvil;

and wherein the bearing adjustment is measured by the measuring of the force with which the base element bears against the anvil.

6. The process according to claim 1 and further characterized by press fitting a retaining element onto said opposite member, and positioning that retaining element to prevent withdrawal of said opposite race of said other bearing from said opposite member.

7. A process for adjusting a bearing used between a shaft and a housing through which the shaft extends, the bearing being capable of accommodating thrust and radial loads and including an inner race on the shaft, an outer race on the housing, and a plurality of rolling elements between and engaged with the races;

said process comprising;

positioning the shaft against a spring loaded first member shiftable in the axial direction against the spring load thereon;

positioning the housing against a second spring loaded member shiftable in the axial direction against the spring load thereon;

applying an axial force to the housing, the force being of such direction and magnitude as to cause the second member to shift against its spring load, to cause the rolling elements to seat against the races and transmit the axial force to the shaft, and to cause the first member to shift against its spring load;

locking the first member in a fixed axial position while the axial force is maintained on housing;

releasing the axial force from the housing whereby the spring load on the second member will move the second member back toward its initial position and create a clearance between the rolling elements and races of the bearing;

advancing limiting means over the shaft to limit the movement of the shaft relative to the housing in the direction opposite to that which causes the rolling elements to seat against the raceways of the bearing;

engaging the limiting means with the housing so that the housing shifts relative to the shaft and advances with the limiting means;

measuring the adjustment of the bearing at the second member; and

terminating the advance of the limiting means and housing when the bearing adjustment reaches a selected value.

8. A process according to claim 7 wherein the first member is locked in position after the second member seats against a fixed reference surface;

and wherein the adjustment of the bearing is measured by measuring the distance between the second member and the fixed reference surface.

9. A process for rotatively mounting an inner member in an outer member with first and second bearings, each of the bearings being capable of taking radial and thrust loading and each having rolling elements arranged in a row around the inner member with the rolling elements contacting raceways carried by the inner and outer members, said process comprising:

fitting the inner member into the outer member;

installing the first bearing between the members;

causing the rolling elements of the first bearing to seat against the raceways for that bearing by applying a force to one of the members and an opposite reaction force to the other member so that the force is transmitted between the members through the rolling elements of the first bearing;

holding said other member in a fixed axial position with respect to a first reference means located remote from the first bearing while the rollers of the first bearing remain seated;

moving said one member with respect to Said other member in the axial direction opposite to that which causes the rolling elements of the first bearing to seat against its raceways while said other member is maintained in the fixed axial position with respect to the first reference means so that a clearance is established in the first bearing;

installing the second bearing between the members;

causing the rolling elements of the second bearing to seat against the raceways for that bearing;

moving the rolling elements of the second bearing in an axial direction to reduce the clearance in the first bearing;

measuring the adjustment of the first bearing at the first reference means; and

terminating axial movement of the rollers of the second bearing when the adjustment reaches a prescribed value.

10. A process according to claim 9 and further characterized by moving said one member with second reference means which remain in a fixed axial position with respect to said one member as said one member moves to change the clearance in the first bearing.

11. A process according to claim 10 wherein the adjustment of the first bearing is measured by comparing the relative positions of the first and second reference means at the time when the rolling elements of the first bearing are seated against their raceways, and at the time the rolling elements of the second bearing are moved axially to reduce the clearance in the first bearing.

12. A process according to claim 10 wherein the adjustment of the first bearing is measured by ascertaining the distance between the two reference means.

13. A process according to claim 12 wherein the second reference means seats against the first reference means when rollers of the first bearing are seated against their raceways and said other member is held in a fixed axial position with respect to the first reference means.

14. A process for rotatively mounting an inner member with first and second bearings, each bearing being capable of taking radial and thrust loading and each having rolling elements arranged in rows around the inner member with the rolling elements being engaged with raceways carried by the inner and outer members, said process comprising:

fitting the inner member into the outer member, installing the first bearing between the members;

causing the rolling elements of the first bearing to seat against the raceways of that bearing;

applying a force to one of the members in the direction which causes the force to be transferred to the other member through the seated rolling elements of the first bearing, the force being of sufficient magnitude to move the two members and the first bearing in unison in one axial direction against a spring-like reaction force applied to said other member;

thereafter holding said other member in a fixed axial position;

thereafter moving said one member in the axial direction opposite to that which caused the rolling elements to seat against its raceways, whereby a clearance is established in the first bearing;

fitting the second bearing between the members;

causing the rolling elements of second bearing to seat against the raceways of the second bearing, thereafter moving the rolling elements of the second bearing axially relative to said other member to cause said one member to move axially with respect to said other member in the direction which reduces the clearance in said first bearing;

measuring the adjustment of the first bearing remote from the first bearing; and

terminating the relative axial movement of the rolling elements of the second bearing when the adjustment reaches a prescribed magnitude.

15. The process according to claim 14 wherein said one member is positioned against and moves with a shiftable element, and wherein the bearing adjustment is measured at the shiftable element.

16. The process according to claim 14 wherein the shiftable element seats against an anvil when said other member is held in the fixed axial position and before said one member is moved in the opposite axial direction;

and wherein the adjUstment is measured by measuring the distance between the shiftable element and the anvil.