Method of axially positioning a rotating annular member supporting shaft within a support
First Claim
1. The method of accurately and quickly axially positioning a rotating annular member supporting shaft within a support for rotation therein with predetermined axial bearing clearance independent of member and support dimensional variations and with the annular member axial location relative to the support being a critical dimension comprising the steps of:
- correctly axially positioning the member relative to the support by engaging the support and moving the shaft axially to properly position the annular member in the support in accordance with the critical dimension and by doing so, compressing a first deformable spacer to its desired final axial dimension;
imparting an additional predetermined axial compression to the first spacer to relieve the stress therein;
compressing a second deformable spacer to its desired final axial dimension;
imparting an additional predetermined axial compression to the second spacer to relieve the stress therein; and
precluding further deformation of the first spacer while deforming the second spacer.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A scheme for accurately and quickly axially positioning a rotatable member such as the axles of a differential or a shaft supported impeller of a centrifugal pump within a housing or similar support for rotation therein with predetermined axial bearing clearance which is independent of the dimensional variations of the member and support is disclosed wherein a deformable spacing element is associated with each thrust carrying bearing with the adjacent bearing and spacing element being held axially captive between the shaft and a corresponding disc which is slidable relative to the housing and with one disc axially aligned and limited in sliding movement on one common direction opposite the direction from which the rotatable member is positioned by engagement with the housing. Typically there are two discs, one limited in movement toward the interior of the housing and the other limited in movement by the means of encapturing the rotating assembly. The deformation of the spacing elements is then accomplished by a series of displacements of the discs and shaft relative to the housing.
40 Citations
14 Claims
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1. The method of accurately and quickly axially positioning a rotating annular member supporting shaft within a support for rotation therein with predetermined axial bearing clearance independent of member and support dimensional variations and with the annular member axial location relative to the support being a critical dimension comprising the steps of:
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correctly axially positioning the member relative to the support by engaging the support and moving the shaft axially to properly position the annular member in the support in accordance with the critical dimension and by doing so, compressing a first deformable spacer to its desired final axial dimension; imparting an additional predetermined axial compression to the first spacer to relieve the stress therein; compressing a second deformable spacer to its desired final axial dimension; imparting an additional predetermined axial compression to the second spacer to relieve the stress therein; and precluding further deformation of the first spacer while deforming the second spacer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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- 11. In a device where a rotatable member is journalled within a support having at least one bearing and at least one deformable spacer captive between an axially depressible shoulder associated with the support and a rotatable member shoulder, the method of accurately and quickly axially positioning the member within the support for rotation therein with predetermined axial bearing clearance independent of member and support dimensional variations comprising the steps of axially positioning the member in the desired final location relative to the support and by so doing, compressing the deformable spacer to its desired final axial dimension, and imparting an additional predetermined axial compression to the deformable spacer to relieve the stress therein by depressing the shoulder, the support being in the form of a housing with the rotatable member journalled near the opposite ends thereof for rotation therein by two bearings, each bearing being positioned adjacent a corresponding deformable spacer and each bearing and adjacent spacer captive between respective axially depressible support shoulders and corresponding rotatable member shoulders, one spacer being compressed to its desired final axial dimension by the said axially positioning step, the method including the further step of compressing the other spacer beyond its desired final axial dimension a predetermined amount subsequent to the axially positioning step.
Specification