Linear recirculating roller bearing

Abstract

Abstract A BEARING FOR SUPPORTING A LOAD FOR RELATIVE MOVEMENT ALONG A SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT SURFACE. THE LOAD IS SUPPORTED BY MEANS OF A PLURALITY OF LOAD BEARING ROLLERS WHICH ARE MOUNTED BETWEEN BEARING RACES HAVING A PAIR OF STRAIGHT SECTIONS AND ARCUATE SECTIONS INTERCONNECTING THE ENDS OF THE STRAIGHT SECTIONS TO PROVIDE A CLOSED LOOP. SPACER ROLLERS ARE MOUNTED IN THE RACES BETWEEN THE BEARING ROLLERS. EACH ROLLER HAS A PAIR OF CIRCULAR BEARING SURFACES OF DIFFERENT DIAMETERS. THE BEARING RACES HAVING CORRESPONDING BEARING SURFACES WHICH ENGAGE THE RESPECTIVE ROLLER SURFACES TO CAUSE A SUBSTANTIALLY CONSTANT RATE OF PROGRESSION OF THE ROLLERS ALONG THE STRAIGHT SECTIONS AND THROUGH THE ARCUATE SECTIONS, SO THAT THE ROLLERS DO NOT SLIDE RELATIVE TO THE BEARING SURFACES OR RELATIVE TO EACH OTHER. THE PATH OF THE CENTRAL AXIS OF THE SPACER ROLLERS IS AT A GREATER DISTANCE FROM THE CENTER OF CURVATURE OF EACH ARCUATE SECTION THAN THE LOAD ROLLERS. THE CIRCULAR ROLLER SURFACES AND THE BEARING SURFACES OF EACH ARCUATE SECTION CAUSE THE VELOCITY OF THE CENTRAL AXIS OF THE LOAD ROLLERS TO BE LESS THAN ALONG THE STRAIGHT SECTIONS, WHILE THE VELOCITY OF THE CENTRAL AXIS OF THE SPACER ROLLERS IS GREATER THAN ALONG THE STRAIGHT SECTIONS. THIS IS ACCOMPLISHED WITHOUT CHANGING THE SPEED OF ROTATION OF THE RESPECTIVE ROLLERS. THE BEARING ALSO INCLUDES AN ADJUSTMENT FOR VARYING THE EFFECTIVE LENGTH OF THE BEARING RACES IN ORDER TO IMPOSE AN INITIAL LOAD BETWEEN THE ROLLERS AND THE BEARING SURFACES AND THEREBY TO PREVENT SLIDING AROUND THE ENTIRE LOOP. THE ROLLERS ARE MAINTAINED IN ALIGNMENT AS THEY PROGRESS AROUND THE BEARING RACES BY OPPOSED GUIDE SURFACES THAT ENGAGE CONICAL SURFACES ON THE ROLLERS ADJACENT THE CIRCULAR BEARING SURFACES.

Inventors

• 👤 Donald F Wilkes

Bibliographic Details