Systems and methods for preloading a bearing and aligning a lock nut

• US 9,908,223 B2
• Filed: 03/16/2016
• Issued: 03/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Temper AXLE Products Corporation
• Original Assignee: Temper AXLE Products Corporation
• Inventors: Rode, John E., Strait, Sean E.
• Primary Examiner(s): BESLER, CHRISTOPHER JAMES
• Application Number:
  US15/071,570
• Publication Number:
  US 20170266792A1
• Time in Patent Office: 720 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 19/10 Aligning parts to be fitted together
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 27/062 using screws
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 39/10 by a plate, spring, wire or ring immovable with regard to the bolt or object and mainly perpendicular to the axis of the boltF16B39/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 39/12 by means of locknuts
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 2226/80 with splines, serrations or similar profiles to prevent movement between joined parts
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 2229/00 Setting preload
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 2326/02 Wheel hubs or castors in general B60B
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 2361/31 Axle
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 25/06 Ball or roller bearings
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 43/04 Assembling rolling-contact bearings

Abstract

An apparatus for providing a load on a bearing mounted to a shaft includes an attaching member releasably connectable to the shaft. A press mechanism is coupled to the attaching member and is configured to provide a compressive load to the bearing. An optical sending unit is configured to output a high intensity light to allow a user to locate a shaft slot of the shaft to align the press mechanism relative to the shaft when the attaching member connects to the shaft.

Claims

1. A method for use in providing a load on a bearing mounted on a shaft, the method comprising:

releasably, threadably, and directly attaching an attaching member to a circumferential outside surface of an exposed end of a threaded shaft, the attaching member connected to a press mechanism;

wherein a proximal direction extends toward the press mechanism from the attaching member, and a distal direction is opposite from the proximal direction and extends toward the attaching member from the press mechanism;

applying a compressive load to the bearing mounted on the shaft via arms extending around a lock nut mounted on the shaft, the arms extending from the press mechanism in the distal direction past the attaching member to directly contact the bearing;

engaging a wrench of the press mechanism with the lock nut on the shaft, and the wrench rotating the nut; and

the engaging comprises extending the wrench of the press mechanism toward the nut in the distal direction and engaging teeth of the wrench with teeth of the nut to engage the wrench and the nut.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising a controller controlling a drive mechanism to cause a rotation of the wrench to rotate the nut on the shaft.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising extending the wrench toward the shaft and retracting the wrench away from the shaft.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the engaging the teeth of the nut with the teeth of the wrench comprises engaging radially external teeth of the wrench with internal nut teeth of the nut.