GB2317423A - Sealed bearing - Google Patents

Abstract

A radial/dial bearing comprises two bearing discs 1,2 which define a bearing space and a retaining ring 4 which seals the bearing space; one of the discs is inserted in a recess 5 in the retaining ring and is attached thereto by means of an annular projection 8 which penetrates the retaining ring.

Description

BEARING The invention relates to a bearing, particularly a radial/axial bearing.

US 22 41 032 discloses a ball bearing ! which has a retraining ring, to prevent the balls from dropping out and to retain the lubricant in the bearing space during operation. The retaining ring also provides protection against the entry of dirt, etc., from the outside. The retaining ring engages in substantially L-shape around one of the bearing discs and is drawn up by one arm on the generated surface of the other bearing disc. For precise alignment, an annular recess having a radial surface for bearing purposes is provided into which the bearing disc is inserted.

The deformation of the free edge of the retaining ring produces an axially positive attachment on both sides.

However, if such a ball bearing is fairly large and runs at a fairly high speed, the high centrifugal forces cause a slow emergence of the lubricant on the path between the retaining means and the bearing disc, which are not connected with one another via the seat and the attachment in a manner which forms an effective seal. This applies more particularly to bearings in the proximity of dry clutches, whose operation is degraded by even the smallest quantity of lubricant between the friction surfaces.

It is an object of at least the preferred embodiments of the present invention to improve a radial/axial bearing so that the emergence of lubricant is reliably prevented even with high centrifugal forces.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a bearing comprising two bearing discs which define a bearing space containing rolling elements and a retaining ring which seals the bearing space, the retaining ring being attached to one bearing disc and enclosing the other, said one of the bearing discs having an annular projection penetrating the retaining ring to form a seal therewith.

Preferably, the annular projection is disposed in the zone of the generated surface of one of the bearing discs and which digs into the retaining ring during the deformation of the edge of the retaining ring to seal the bearing.

The construction of a sharp annular projection also produces a deformation of material between the projection and the retaining ring during attachment. The projection disposed on the bearing disc may take the form, for exampie, of burr and can be produced by the use of a suitably constructed cutting tool when the generated surface of the bearing disc formed from sheet metal is being machined to roundness. After the hardening of the bearing disc the projection is correspondingly harder than the retaining ring and during attachment digs under axial pressure into the material of the retaining ring and is itself slightly deformed at the sharp edge. Taking into account the residual elasticity of the materials, the result is a seal which is absolutely reliable even with changes in temperature.

Preferred features of the present invention will now be described, purely by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 a partial longitudinal section of a radial/axial bearing with retaining ring and annular projection axially outwards, and Fig. 2 the zone of the attachment between bearing disc and retaining ring with annular projection axially inwards.

Referring to Fig. 1, a radial/axial bearing consists af two bearing discs 1, 2 which are formed from sheet metal and have balls 3 disposed therebetween. Attached to the bearing disc I shown on the rigilt is a retaining ring 4 which engages in L-shape around the other bearing disc 2.

For attachment the retaining ring 4 is formed with an annular recess 5 having a radial surface 6 for bearing purposes. Edge 7, shown already deformed radially inwards in the draw1. ng, is initially a still cylindrical extension of the ring 4.

The right-hand. bearing disc 1 has an annular projection 8 which is formed out of the material of the disc and which tapers -to the external diameter of the generated surface 9 so as to form of a sharp burr. The projection 8 also has the hardness of the heat-treated bearing disc 1. The bearing disc 1 has a centring shoulder 10 on the axially opposite side of the projection 8.

When the bearing disc 1 has been inserted in the retaining ring 4 until it bears against the radial surface 6, the still free edge 7 is deformed radially inwards. At the same time the annular projection 8 is inclined to a small extent radially inwards and digs into the softer material of the retaining ring 4. This produces a sealing edge closed in a ring and having a sealing surface which continues on both sides around the burr.

As a result of the resilience inherent in the material compacted during deformation, the deformed edge 7 of the retaining ring 4 is prestressed in the zone of the projection 8 and forms an exemplarily durable seal against the passage of lubricant.

In the construction shown in Fig. 2 the annular projection 8 is directed axially inwards, so that as soon as the bearing disc 1 is pressed into the recess 5 in the retaining ring 4 is a digging-in takes place which is continued during the deformation of the edge 7.

Each feature disclosed in this specification (which term includes the claims) and/or shown in the drawings may be incorporated in the invention independently of other disclosed and/or illustrated features.

The text of the abstract filed herewith is repeated below as part of the specification.

A radial/axial bearing comprising two bearing discs which define a bearing space and a retaining ring which seals the bearing space, wherein one of the bearing discs is inserted in a recess in the retaining ring and is attached thereto, the other bearing disc being enclosed by the retaining ring with a gap therebetween said one of the bearing discs having an annular projection penetrating the retaining ring.

Claims (6)

1. CLAIMS 1. A bearing comprising two bearing discs which define a bearing space containing rolling elements and a retaining ring which seals the bearing space, the retaining ring being attached to one bearing disc and enclosing the other, said one of the bearing discs having an annular projection penetrating the retaining ring to form a seal therewith.
2. 2. A bearing according to Claim 1, wherein said projection is directed axially of the bearing.
3. 3. A bearing according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein said projection is directed away from the other bearing disc.
4. 4. A bearing according to any preceding claim, wherein the projection is burr-shaped.
5. 5. A bearing according to any preceding claim, being a radial/axial bearing.
6. 6. A bearing substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in Figure 1 or Figure 2 of the accompanying drawings.