GB2327469A

GB2327469A - Lubricant distributor for spindle bearings

Info

Publication number: GB2327469A
Application number: GB9715121A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Anthony Thomas Synnott
Original assignee: NSK European Technology Co Ltd; RHP Bearings Ltd
Current assignee: NSK European Technology Co Ltd; RHP Bearings Ltd
Priority date: 1997-07-17
Filing date: 1997-07-17
Publication date: 1999-01-27
Anticipated expiration: 2017-07-17
Also published as: GB9715121D0; GB2327469B

Abstract

A distributor (16) serves to introduce lubricant and air into a rolling element bearing (10) supporting a spindle (13). The distributor (16) employs an annular housing (17) with a radial end wall (18). Within the housing (17) there are two further components (20, 25). The first outer component (20) has a recess (29) facing the interior of the bearing (10) and engages between the radial end wall (18) of the housing (17) and the outer ring (14) of the bearing (10). The outer component (20) has another recess (28) adjacent the end wall (18) which receives a radial projection (27) of the inner annular component (25). A chamber (38) is established between confronting axial faces of the annular members (20, 28) and the chamber (38) leads through radial borings (32, 31, 33, 34) in the annular members (20, 25). The chamber (38) opens into the interior of the bearing (10) adjacent the recess (29) and provides a continuous ring of lubricant and air directly into the bearing (10) during use.

Description

LUBRICANT DISTRIBUTOR FOR SPINDLE BEARINGS The present invention relates in general to rolling-element bearings used to support a shaft or spindle for rotation. More particularly, the invention relates to a distributor usable with such a bearing to introduce lubricant into the bearing and to a method of supplying lubricant.

A known distributor employs a housing mounted onto the stationary outer ring of the bearing which emits a jet of lubricant and air through a small nozzle of, typically 1-2mm diameter. With large bearings several nozzles have to be used to provide adequate lubricant.

A general object of the present invention is to provide an improved distributor for a rolling-element bearing.

In one aspect the present invention provides a distributor for introducing lubricant and air into a rolling-element bearing, said distributor comprising a housing for mounting onto an outer ring of the bearing and having a passageway for admitting the lubricant and air and means within the housing for defining an annular chamber for receiving the lubricant and air from the housing passageway which the lubricant and air can be discharged from. and passed into the bearing as a continuous ring of lubricant and air.

In another aspect the present invention provides a method of lubricating a rollingelement bearing by introducing a mixture of lubricant and air into an annular chamber open to the interior of the bearing so that the lubricant and air is discharged from the chamber as a continuous ring.

The provision of the annular chamber and the creation of the continuous vapour ring of lubricant and air is particularly effective in lubricating and cooling the bearing. It is desirable to position the annular chamber so that the vapour or mist ring is forced into the bearing beneath the cage and adjacent the inner ring of the bearing seated onto a shaft or spindle rotatably supported by the bearing.

The means for defining the chamber can be composed of a pair of annular members which fit snugly into the housing and engage on a radial end wall of the housing remote from the bearing. The outermost annular member may serve to locate the outer bearing ring. The chamber can be defined between peripheral surfaces of the annular members and conveniently at least one of these surfaces is relieved to produce a radial shoulder at the inner end of the chamber. This shoulder may adjoin a radial projection and recess found on the annular members adjacent the housing and wall providing a seal for the chamber.

The chamber may communicate with circumferential grooves in the outermost annular member which are connected with radial borings. The outermost groove in the outermost annular member may communicate with a feed bore in the housing for receiving the lubricant and air.

The invention may be understood more readily, and various other aspects and features of the invention may become apparent, from consideration of the following description.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawing, which is a schematic sectional side view of part of a lubrication distributor constructed in accordance with the invention.

As shown in the drawing a conventional angular-contact ball bearing 10 with ball 9 has an inner ring 11 mounted against a shoulder 12 on a spindle 13. The bearing 10 has an outer ring 14 and a cage 15 to space the balls apart. A distributor 16 constructed in accordance with the invention serves to supply lubricant to the bearing 10.

The distributor 16 is composed of an annular housing 17 with a radial end wall 18 opposite the bearing 10. A location ring 19 is mounted at one end of the housing 17 opposite the end wall 18 to locate the bearing ring 14. A first or outer annular member 20 is located within the housing 17. The member 20 has end faces 21, 22 which engage on the outer bearing ring 14 and the end wall 18 respectively. The member 20 also has axial inner and outer faces 23, 24. A second or inner annular member 25 has a short axial contact face 26 which engages the inner face 23 of the outer member 20. The inner member 25 has a radial projection 27 which fits into a recess 28 in the inner face 23 of the outer member 20 adjacent the housing end wall 18 and engages with its inner end face on the end wall 18. The outer member 20 has a recess 29 in the end face 21 facing the interior of the bearing 10. The axial outer face 24 of the member 20 engages on an inner axial face 30 of the housing 17. The face 24 contains a circumferential groove 31 which communicates with a bore 32 in the housing 17. The groove 31 leads through a radial boring 33 in the member 20 into an annular groove 34 in the inner face 23 of the member 20. A chamber 38 is present between the inner face 23 of the member 20 and a confronting outer face 35 of the member 25. Conveniently the chamber 38 is created by relief of the member 25 on the outer face 35 to produce a shoulder 36 at the end of the contact surface 26 and at the inner end of the chamber 34. The chamber 38 communicates with the groove 34 and opens into the interior of the bearing 10 at zone A. The projection 27 and recess 28 and the associated contact surfaces between the members 20, 25 and the housing end wall 18 seal against leakage of lubricant. The housing end wall 18 and the annular member 25 are spaced from the spindle 13 and the member 25 is fixed in position by any appropriate means. Lubricant and air is forced under pressure through the feed bore 32 into the groove 31 and thence through the borings 33 and the groove 34 into the chamber 34 which directs the lubricant and air into the bearing radially inwardly of the cage 15. The chamber 34 ensures the pressure is evenly distributed and the lubricant/air mixture enters the bearing 10 as a thin annular vapour or mist ring.

Claims

1. A distributor for introducing lubricant and air into a rolling-element bearing; said distributor comprising a housing for mounting onto an outer ring of the bearing and having a passageway for admitting the lubricant and air and means within the housing for defining an annular chamber for receiving the lubricant and air from the housing passageway and from which the lubricant and air can be discharged from. and passed into the bearing as a continuous ring of lubricant and air.

2. A distributor according to claim 1 wherein the chamber-defining means is composed of a pair of annular members which engage on an end wall of the housing and define the chamber therebetween.

3. A distributor according to claim 2 wherein the passageway in the housing communicates with a first outer circumferential groove in a first annular member, the chamber communicates with a second inner circumferential groove in the first annular member and radial borings in the first annular member interconnect the first and second grooves.

4. A distributor according to claim 3, wherein the annular members have an interengaging projection and recess adjacent the end wall which seal the chamber.

5. A distributor according to claim 3 or 4 wherein the chamber extends axially of the annular members and the grooves and the passageway extend radially of the annular member.

6. A distributor according to claim 2, 3, 4 or 5 wherein the chamber is located between adjacent peripeheral surfaces of the annular members at least one of the surfaces being relieved and having a radial shoulder at an inner end of the chamber.

7. A distributor according to any one of claims 2 to 6 wherein one of the annular members located radially outwardly of the other has a recess in an end face open in a direction towards the bearing.

8. A distributor according to any one of claims 2 to 7 wherein one of the annular members located radially outwardly of the other has an axial projection which serves to locate against the outer ring of the bearing.

9. In combination a rolling-element bearing and a lubricant distributor according to any one of the preceding claims.

10. A lubricant distributor or a combination of a distributor and rolling-element bearing substantially as described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

11. A method of lubricating a rolling-element bearing by introducing a mixture of lubricant and air into an annular chamber open to the interior of the bearing so that the lubricant and air is discharged from the chamber as a continuous ring.

12. A method of lubricating a rolling-element bearing substantially as hereinbefore described.