GB2136887A

GB2136887A - Bearing

Info

Publication number: GB2136887A
Application number: GB08333495A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Paul Brook
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1983-03-23
Filing date: 1983-12-15
Publication date: 1984-09-26
Also published as: GB8333495D0; GB2136887B

Abstract

Plastics matrix 13, of low friction (e.g. of PTFE) is accommodated in a tray-like support 10, surface 12 of which serves for a heavy object to be moved (such as a safe) to rest thereon. A plurality of spherical bodies 14 are accommodated in respective recesses 15 to protrude from the matrix 13 for engaging the ground or other surface over which the object is to be moved. In the minimum case there can be only a single body 14, as indicated at 30; and the bearing may be constructed in an annular or ring-like configuration for use with a shaft or spindle. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Bearing This invention relates to a bearing.

In the past, if a heavy object, such as a safe, has had to be moved, considerable difficulties have been encountered. If, for example, a series of rollers are used to move the object in a forwards direction, a person has to be available to pick up each successive roller as it is exposed behind the object and to reposition it at a small distance in front of the object so as to be available for the object to be moved further thereover. All of this is obviously inconvenient. Moreover, this procedure involves certain risks. For instance, if one of the rollers should be placed too far in front of the object being moved, the object may fall off the remaining rollers upon movement.

Another disadvantage lies in the fact that if the successive rollers are placed too near the front of the object being moved, more work than is absolutely necessary is involved in the repositioning of the rollers. Also, should the object have to be moved along a curved or angled path., considerable care and effort has to be expended.

In industry, a considerable amount of effort can be wasted if a shaft has to be removed from a piece of machinery. Moreover, in some instances the bearings on which such a shaft runs have to be dismantled to remove the shaft. Also, in cases where bearings supporting heavy shafts need constant lubrication to stop overheating, it is often the case that an operator has to keep a constant watch on the bearings and so cannot be efficient in his work.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved bearing which is of simple form and can be constructed so as to facilitate movement of heavy objects or to support a shaft in a simple and efficient manner.

With this object in view the present invention provides a bearing comprising a matrix of plastics material having a low coefficient of friction, one surface of which matrix is recessed to accommodate and retain one or a plurality of spherical bodies with a portion of the or each said body protruding from the matrix.

Preferably a substantially rigid or relatively non-yielding support is provided against a surface of the matrix opposed to that which is recessed. This support may be of metal, and preferably is a recessed component in which the matrix is located.

Where the bearing of the invention is required to be used for facilitating the movement of heavy objects, e.g. over the ground, it is advantageously of slab-like configuration for an object to be moved to rest thereon. For this purpose, the support may conveniently be in the form of a metal tray.

Where the bearing is of slab-like configuration it preferably comprises a plurality of the spherical bodies arranged in rows; the spherical bodies in adjacent rows may be staggered.

A bearing in accordance with the invention for use in supporting a shaft or the like, or enabling a component, such as a wheel, to rotate on a spindle or the like, will, of course, be of circular or ring-like configuration. In this instance, the matrix is preferably in the form of an annular or hollow cylinder and may have a support which extends around the outer periphery of the matrix, the spherical bodies protruding at the inner periphery of said matrix.

In this instance, the support, where provided, is preferably of channel shape in radial cross-section.

The bearing construction of the invention as applicable to a shaft or spindle will, of course, permit both rotational and axial movement of a shaft or spindle extending therethrough.

Advantageously the plastics matrix consists of polytetrafluoroethylene (P.T.F.E.), or similar self lubricating substance.

The invention will bedescribed further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is an inverted plan view illustrating a first embodiment of the bearing of the invention; Figure 2 is a section taken along the line X-X of Fig. 1; Figure 3 is a section through a second embodiment of the bearing of the invention; and Figure 4 is a side view taken in the direction indicated by the arrow A in Fig. 3.

A first embodiment of the bearing of the invention, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, is of slab-like configuration and comprises a support member in the form of an inverted tray 10 having a rim 11. Base 1 2 of the tray 10, which may be of metal, provides a top or loading surface of the bearing.

A plastics matrix 1 3 in the form of a block of polytetrafluoroethylene (P.T.F.E.) is accommodated in the tray 10, the block being of such diminsions as to be securely retained therein.

Recesses 1 5 formed in, and opening to the lower surface of, the matrix 1 3 (that is to say the surface facing away from the base 1 2 of the tray 10) each accommodate a respective spherical body i.e. a ball bearing 14. These recesses 1 5 are each of such dimensions that the ball bearings 14 all protrude equally below the lower surface of the matrix 13, as shown in Fig. 2.The material (P.T.F.E.) of the matrix 1 3 is, of course, sufficiently resilient to enable the ball bearings 14 to be snapped into and retained in their respective recesses 1 5. However, rotation of the ball bearings 14 is in no way restricted, the they are each freely rotatable upon application of an appropriate force to their respective exposed parts, i.e. the parts of the ball bearing 14 projecting from the matrix 13.

As the plastics matrix 1 3 is formed of polytetrafluoroethylene which characteristically has a low coefficient of friction and acts as a solid lubricant, the spherical bodies 14 accommodated in the recesses 1 5 rotate easily, and the entire bearing can be used to enable objects of considerable mass to be moved.

In one example of use, one or more of the bearings, as described with reference to Figs.

1 and 2, can be positioned such that the spherical bodies 14 rest on the ground or on a substantially horizontal surface and a heavy object (not shown) can then be manoeured into place, resting upon the loading surface 12 thereof. Alternatively, the object to be moved could be tilted or lifted slightly so as to allow one or more bearings to be introduced thereunder. Once the bearing is or the bearings are in place with the object supported thereon, the object can be moved in any desired direction over the ground or the like with considerable ease i.e. with minimum force. The bearing or bearings move, of course, with the object, the spherical bodies 14 rolling over the ground and rotating freely in their respective recesses 1 5.

In another way of using the bearing of Figs.

1 and 2, a plurality of the bearings are positioned on a substantially horizontal surface, at intervals therealong with the ball bearings 14 uppermost, so that an object may be moved along over the bearings whilst the bearings remain stationary. The object can, of course, move in any desired direction on each bearing, so that the path covered by such an arrangement may be curved or angled, if desired, without causing any difficulty. A permanent installation of such bearings can be used in the same way as a roller conveyer.

In a second embodimentof the bearing of the invention, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the bearing is of circular or ring-like configuration.

In this embodiment a metal cylindrical support 20 which is channel shaped in radial crosssection, encircles an annular or hollow cylindrically-formed plastics matrix 21 the configuration of the support 20 providing end flanges 22 which overlie the sides of the matrix 21 securely to retain the latter and impart structural strength to the bearing. A plurality of spherical bodies in the form of ball bearings 23 are accommodated in respective recesses on the inner circumferential surface of the matrix 21.

In this construction, a shaft or spindle (not shown) of substantially the same diameter as internal space 24 circumscribed by the bodies 23 of the bearing, can extend through the bearing. Since such a shaft or spindle comes into contact only with the ball bearings 23, it can be rotated with ease, and axial movement thereof is also possible.

The invention is not confined to the precise details of the illustrated examples, and variations may be made thereto. Thus, for example, in its simplest form the bearing of the invention may comprise a small unit having only one spherical mounted in the plastics matrix, as indicated in the region indicated by reference numeral 30 in Figs. 1 and 2. Other variations are possible.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A bearing comprising a matrix of plastics material having a low coefficient of friction, one surface of which matrix is recessed to accommodate and retain one or a plurality of spherical bodies with a portion of the or each said body protruding from the matrix. 2. A bearing as claimed in claim 1 wherein a substantially rigid or relatively nonyielding support is provided against a surface of the matrix opposed to that which is recessed. 3. A bearing as claimed in claim 2 wherein the support is of metal. 4. A bearing as claimed in claim 2 or 3 wherein the support is a recessed component in which the matrix is located. 5. Abearing as claimed in any preceding claim which is of slab-like configuration. 6. A bearing as claimed in claims 2 and 5 or in claims 2, 4 and 5 wherein support is in the form of a metal tray. 7. A bearing as claimed in claim 5 or 6 wherein there are a plurality of the spherical bodies arranged in rnws 8. A bearing as claimed in claim 7 wherein the spherical bodies in adjacent rows are staggered. 9. A bearing as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4 and which is of circular or ring-like configuration. 10. A bearing as claimed in claim 9 wherein the matrix is in the form of an annular or hollow cylinder. 11. A bearing as claimed in claims 2 and 10 wherein the support extends around the outer periphery of the matrix and the spherical bodies protrude at the inner periphery of said matrix.

1. A bearing comprising a matrix of plastics material having a low coefficient of friction, one surface of which matrix has one or a plurality of recesses, each recess being adapted to retain within it a spherical body with a portion of the said body protruding from the matrix.

1

2. A bearing as claimed in claim 11 where the support is of channel shape in radial cross-section.

13. A bearing as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the matrix is of PTFE.

14. A bearing substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and is illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 or in Figs. 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings.