Bearings – Linear bearing – Ball bearing
Patent
1985-03-25
1987-03-10
Footland, Lenard A.
Bearings
Linear bearing
Ball bearing
384507, 384906, F16C 2904
Patent
active
046487271
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates generally to ball bearing assemblies and more particularly to an improved ball bearing assembly for use in a die set, or other applications involving relatively reciprocable bushing and shaft members separated by an array of pressure-loaded ball bearings.
BACKGROUND ART
For many years, die sets of the type used in machine presses to mount and guide mating die parts for movement toward and from one another during reciprocation of the press have included a ball bearing retainer or cage arranged for telescoping reciprocation between relatively reciprocating shaft and bushing members. The balls carried by the retainer are slightly larger in diameter than the annular space between the shaft and bushing members, so that the balls are under a forced fit, or are compressed slightly, between the shaft and bushing members to thereby insure exact alignment of the die parts carried in the die set. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,422,774 issued June 24, 1947 to Conner.
While the so-called compression loaded ball bearing die sets were capable of excellent performance over an extended period of time, they were, nevertheless, subject to wear due to the tendency of the balls to track or form lines of wear on the relatively engaged surfaces of the shafts and bushings. Several attempts have been made to distribute the wear caused by the pressure engagement of the ball bearings with the opposing surfaces of the shafts and bushings. For example, the ball bearings were mounted in helical array within their retainer or cage, or in a pattern, so that no two balls followed the same track along the shaft and bushing during relative reciprocation thereof. Also, attempts were made to provide an assembly in which the ball bearing retainer was free to rotate as well as reciprocate on the shaft member upon removal of the shaft and retainer from the bushing. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,774,430 and 2,846,278 to William J. Blazek and No. 3,357,755 to Danly disclose reciprocating ball bearing assemblies for use in die sets, wherein the ball bearing retainers are free to rotate as well as to reciprocate with respect to the associated shaft and bushing components when the shaft is removed from the bushing. However, the constructions proposed by each of these prior art patents were comparatively complicated and greatly increased costs of production of the bearing assemblies.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides an improved ball bearing assembly for use between two relatively telescoping, reciprocable members, such as a guide post and bushing of a die set, in which provision is made for axial rotational adjustment of the ball bearing retainer element relative to the associated guide post and bushing when the balls of the assembly are not under compressive loading. According to this invention, a ball bearing retainer is carried in properly indexed relation to a pair of relatively spaced apart, telescoping shaft and bushing members by means of a key member which extends into a longitudinal guideway or groove formed in the shaft or bushing and into a circumferential slot or groove formed in the ball bearing retainer, thereby permitting the retainer to be rotatively adjusted and to reciprocate with respect to the shaft and the bushing to this distribute normal wear over larger areas of the shaft and bushing.
The primary object of this invention is to provide a ball bearing assembly in which the ball retainer is movably keyed to a shaft or bushing in a manner permitting the ball retainer to be rotationally adjusted as well as being properly indexed when it is initially telescoped between the shaft and bushing members.
Another object is to provide a bearing assembly having the foregoing qualities which is economical to manufacture.
Further objects and advantages of this invention will become more readily apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a die set embodying ball bearing
REFERENCES:
patent: 2422774 (1947-06-01), Conner
patent: 2624644 (1953-01-01), Bryant
patent: 2774430 (1956-12-01), Blazek
patent: 2846278 (1958-08-01), Blazek
patent: 2987348 (1961-06-01), Blazek
patent: 3092425 (1963-06-01), Conner
patent: 3155006 (1964-11-01), Schroeder
patent: 3514166 (1970-05-01), Coley
patent: 3752540 (1973-08-01), Bosworth
patent: 4312546 (1982-01-01), Blaurock et al.
O'Neil Junior
Plagens Leonard D.
Footland Lenard A.
Lempco Industries, Inc.
Rambo William S.
Rambo Wm. Cates
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