Method for mounting bearings with tapered bore and bearing constructed to achieve desired internal bearing clearance

• US 5,685,068 A
• Filed: 06/21/1995
• Issued: 11/11/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ABet SKF
• Original Assignee: ABet SKF
• Inventors: Bankestrom, Jan Olof, Gothberg, Sven
• Primary Examiner(s): Schwartz, Larry I.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BUTLER, MARC WINSTON
• Application Number:
  US08/493,091
• Time in Patent Office: 874 Days
• Field of Search: 29/898.07, 29/434, 29/464, 29/898.09, 29/407.08, 29/407.05, 29/407.01, 384/548
• US Class Current: 29/898.07
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 2229/00 Setting preload
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 25/06 Ball or roller bearings
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 35/063 Fixing them on the shaft with interposition of an element F16C35/07
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 35/078 using pressure fluid as mounting aid
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 1/092 the pair of conical mating surfaces being provided on the coupled hub and shaft
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2001/0906 using a hydraulic fluid to clamp or disconnect, not provided for in F16D1/091
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49696 Mounting
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/497 Pre-usage process, e.g., preloading, aligning
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49776 Pressure, force, or weight determining
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4984 Retaining clearance for motion between assembled parts

Abstract

A method and device for establishing the correct amount that a bearing should be driven up a shaft involves measuring the strain on at least one of the side faces of the bearing ring through use of a sensor arranged on the side face of the bearing ring. The strain is measured while the bearing is being driven or moved along the shaft. The instantaneous bearing internal clearance reduction in the bearing can then be calculated from the measured instantaneous strain and the value for the known initial bearing internal clearance of the bearing.

Claims

1. A method for establishing, in connection with mounting a bearing having a bearing ring on an elongated mounting member, a correct amount that the bearing should be driven along the mounting member, comprising

placing a bearing on an elongated mounting member, said bearing having associated therewith an initial bearing internal clearance, said bearing including a bearing ring which has a tapered bore and oppositely positioned side faces;

moving the bearing along the elongated mounting member;

measuring strain at at least one of the side faces of the bearing ring while the bearing is positioned on the elongated mounting member; and

calculating a bearing internal clearance reduction for the bearing based on the strain measured and the initial bearing internal clearance, the bearing internal clearance reduction being used to determine the amount that the bearing should be driven along the mounting member.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said step of measuring strain includes measuring strain through use of a sensor positioned at at least one of the side faces of the bearing ring.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said step of measuring strain includes measuring strain through use of a strain gauge.

4. The method according to claim 1, including the step of determining the initial bearing clearance of the bearing by reading a marking on the bearing that is indicative of the initial bearing internal clearance.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said step of measuring strain produces signals representative of the measured strain that are sent to a calculator, the calculator also being provided with a value representative of the initial bearing internal clearance, said step of calculating the clearance reduction being performed by said calculator.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said step of measuring strain includes continuously measuring the strain at at least one of the side faces of the bearing ring, and said step of calculating the bearing internal clearance reduction including continuously calculating the bearing internal clearance reduction to assess an instantaneous bearing internal clearance reduction in the bearing.

7. A method for establishing an amount that a bearing mounted on an elongated mounting member and including a bearing ring having a tapered bore should be moved along the elongated mounting member, wherein the bearing has a known initial bearing internal clearance, comprising measuring strain at at least one side face of the bearing ring while the bearing is being driven along the elongated mounting member to obtain a measured instantaneous strain, and calculating an instantaneous bearing internal clearance reduction in the bearing based on the measured instantaneous strain and the known initial bearing internal clearance, the instantaneous bearing internal clearance reduction being used to establish the amount that the bearing should be moved along the elongated mounting member.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein said step of measuring strain includes continuously measuring the strain by way of a strain gauge disposed at at least one side face of the bearing ring.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein said step of measuring strain produces signals representative of the instantaneous strain, and including sending said signals to a calculator which is also provided with a value representative of the known initial bearing internal clearance, said calculator calculating the bearing internal clearance reduction based on said signals and said value.