Method and apparatus for determining the thickness of shim required for properly loading and positioning the bearing assembly of a marine propulsion device drive shaft
First Claim
1. An apparatus for use with a device including a wall surface, and a removable, rotatable shaft having thereon a reference point and a bearing assembly, the bearing assembly including a surface supported by the wall surface with a shim between the bearing assembly surface and the wall surface, and with a fixed distance between the wall surface and the reference point when the bearing assembly is axially loaded in the device, said apparatus measuring the required thickness of the shim without inserting the shaft into the device, and said apparatus comprising a frame, means on said frame for axially loading the bearing assembly with the shaft out of the device, and means on said frame for measuring the existing distance between the bearing assembly surface and the reference point, whereby the thickness of the shim is determined by comparing said existing distance to the fixed distance.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus for use with a device including a wall surface, and a removable, rotatable shaft having thereon a reference point and a bearing assembly, the bearing assembly including a surface supported by the wall surface with a shim between the bearing assembly surface and the wall surface, and with a fixed distance between the wall surface and the reference point when the bearing assembly is axially loaded in the device, the apparatus being for measuring the required thickness of the shim without inserting the shaft into the device, and the apparatus comprising a mechanism for axially loading the bearing assembly with the shaft out of the device, and a gauge rod for measuring the existing distance between the bearing assembly surface and the reference point.
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Citations
26 Claims
- 1. An apparatus for use with a device including a wall surface, and a removable, rotatable shaft having thereon a reference point and a bearing assembly, the bearing assembly including a surface supported by the wall surface with a shim between the bearing assembly surface and the wall surface, and with a fixed distance between the wall surface and the reference point when the bearing assembly is axially loaded in the device, said apparatus measuring the required thickness of the shim without inserting the shaft into the device, and said apparatus comprising a frame, means on said frame for axially loading the bearing assembly with the shaft out of the device, and means on said frame for measuring the existing distance between the bearing assembly surface and the reference point, whereby the thickness of the shim is determined by comparing said existing distance to the fixed distance.
- 16. An apparatus for use with a device including a first wall surface, a second wall surface, and a removable, rotatable shaft having thereon a reference point, the shaft also having thereon a first bearing assembly including a first surface supported by the first wall surface with a first shim between the first bearing assembly surface and the first wall surface, and with a first fixed distance between the first wall surface and the reference point when the first bearing assembly is axially loaded in the device, and the shaft further having thereon a second bearing assembly including a second surface supported by the second wall surface with a second shim between the second bearing assembly surface and the second wall surface, and with a second fixed distance between the first wall surface and the second bearing assembly surface when the second bearing assembly is axially loaded in the device, said apparatus measuring the required thicknesses of the first and second shims without inserting the shaft into the device, and said apparatus comprising a frame, first means connectable to said frame for axially loading the first bearing asembly with the shaft out of the device, second means connectable to said frame for axially loading the second bearing assembly with the shaft out of the device, third means connectable to said frame for measuring the first existing distance between the first bearing assembly surface and the reference point, and fourth means connectable to said frame for measuring the second existing distance between the first bearing assembly surface and the second bearing assembly surface, whereby the thickness of the first shim is determined by comparing said first existing distance to the first fixed distance, and whereby the thickness of the second shim is determined by comparing said second existing distance to the second fixed distance, and, if the second wall surface faces in the same direction as the first wall surface, adding the thickness of the first shim, or, if the second wall surface faces in the opposite direction from the first wall surface, subtracting the thickness of the first shim.
- 19. A method for use with a device including a wall surface, and a removable, rotatable shaft having thereon a reference point and a bearing assembly, the bearing assembly having a surface supported by the wall surface with a shim between the bearing assembly surface and the wall surface, and with a fixed distance between the wall surface and the reference point when the bearing assembly is axially loaded in the device, said method measuring the required thickness of the shim without inserting the shaft into the device, and said method comprising the steps of axially loading the bearing assembly with the shaft out of the device, and measuring the existing distance between the bearing assembly surface and the reference point, whereby the thickness of the shim is determined by comparing said existing distance to the fixed distance.
- 24. A method for use with a device including a first wall surface, a second wall surface, and a removable, rotatable shaft having thereon a reference point, the shaft also having thereon a first bearing assembly including a first surface supported by the first wall surface with a first shim between the first bearing assembly surface and the first wall surface, and with a first fixed distance between the first wall surface and the reference point when the first bearing assembly is axially loaded in the device, and the shaft further having thereon a second bearing assembly including a second surface supported by the second wall surface with a second shim between the second bearing assembly surface and the second wall surface, and with a second fixed distance between the first wall surface and the second bearing assembly surface when the second bearing assembly is axially loaded in the device, said method measuring the required thicknesses of the first and second shims without inserting the shaft into the device, and said method comprising the steps of axially loading the first bearing assembly with the shaft out of the device, axially loading the second bearing assembly with the shaft out of the device, measuring the first existing distance between the first bearing assembly surface and the reference point, and measuring the second existing distance between the first bearing assembly surface and the second bearing assembly surface, whereby the thickness of the first shim is determined by comparing said first existing distance to the first fixed distance, and whereby the thickness of the second shim is determined by comparing said second existing distance to the second fixed distance, and, if the second wall surface faces in the same direction as the first wall surface, adding the thickness of the first shim, or, if the second wall surface faces in the opposite direction from the first wall surface, subtracting the thickness of the first shim.
Specification