Patent US3583775A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3583775A
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Spherical bearing and method of making the same
Assignee: Torrington Co Ltd
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Filing: 1968-06-20
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Granted: 1971-06-08
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Expires: 1988-06-20
Abstract
Abstract A spherical bearing is described wherein a ball member is retained and supported by a hardened spherical seat, the latter being defined by an insert bushing that is integrated into a socket structure. The bushing with a truncated bearing ball nested by the inner bushing surface is fusion welded around the outer periphery of the bushing to a housing to form an integral load-carrying part thereof. The fusion weld also extends a substantial axial distance or depth and is preferably made with an energized beam such as a beam of electrons. In the formation of a spherical bearing for a rod end, a pair of annular bushings is formed with each bushing welded to the rod end housing to form an integral load-carrying part of the rod end.
Inventors
- 👤 Howell L Potter
- 👤 Richard J Matt
- 👤 Ronald E Restelli
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 09:45
CPC Classifications
F; F16; F16C; F16C23/00; F16C23/02; F16C23/04; F16C23/043; F16C23/045; F16C11/00; F16C11/04; F16C11/06; F16C11/0614; F16C11/0685; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T29/00; Y10T29/49; Y10T29/49636; Y10T29/49643; Y10T29/49647; Y10T29/49648; Y10T29/49657; Y10T29/49663
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
73 words
A self-aligning spherical bearing assembly comprising a metallic load-carrying housing having a bore, a bearing ball, an annular metallic bushing mounted within the bore and provided at the inner surface thereof about an axis with a truncated spherically shaped raceway sized to snugly nest the ball, said bushing having a substantial axial portion of its peripheral side fused to the wall of the bore to form an integral load-carrying part of the housing.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
73 words
A self-aligning spherical bearing assembly comprising a metallic load-carrying housing having a bore, a bearing ball, an annular metallic bushing mounted within the bore and provided at the inner surface thereof about an axis with a truncated spherically shaped raceway sized to snugly nest the ball, said bushing having a substantial axial portion of its peripheral side fused to the wall of the bore to form an integral load-carrying part of the housing.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
A bearing assembly according to claim 1, wherein at least the raceway portion of said bushing is relatively hard and nonductile.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
110 words
A self-aligning spherical bearing assembly a truncated bearing ball having a continuous hardened running surface, a metallic rod end housing having a bore, a pair of like metallic bushings each having at its inner surface a half portion of a truncated spherically shaped raceway sized to snugly nest the bearing ball, said bushings having a combined axial width less than the ball diameter for axial protrusion thereof, said bushings further being mounted in the bore with said ball nested in the raceway, the peripheral outer side of each bushing being fused to the bore wall along a substantial axial portion to form an integral load-carrying part of the rod end.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
110 words
A self-aligning spherical bearing assembly a truncated bearing ball having a continuous hardened running surface, a metallic rod end housing having a bore, a pair of like metallic bushings each having at its inner surface a half portion of a truncated spherically shaped raceway sized to snugly nest the bearing ball, said bushings having a combined axial width less than the ball diameter for axial protrusion thereof, said bushings further being mounted in the bore with said ball nested in the raceway, the peripheral outer side of each bushing being fused to the bore wall along a substantial axial portion to form an integral load-carrying part of the rod end.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
13 words
The device as recited in claim 3, wherein the bore is straight-cylindrically shaped.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
21 words
The device as recited in claim 3, wherein each of said race surfaces of said bushings is provided with a liner.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
26 words
The device as recited in claim 3, wherein each of said race surfaces of said bushings is provided with a nondeformable, brittle, high-temperature-resistant hardened surface material.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
127 words
A metallic method for making a self-aligning spherical bearing comprising selecting a bearing ball, forming a metallic load-carrying housing having a bore, forming an annular metallic bushing with a truncated spherically shaped inner raceway and an outer peripheral wall sized to fit within the bore, said inner raceway being sized to snugly nest the ball, placing the bushing within the bore with the ball nested in the raceway, the peripheral wall of the bushing and the bore wall forming an axially extending annular seam, directing an energized beam generally at the seam to melt adjacent sides thereof to an axIal depth extending to a substantial portion of the axial width of the bushing to weld said bushing to the load-carrying housing and form an integral part thereof.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
127 words
A metallic method for making a self-aligning spherical bearing comprising selecting a bearing ball, forming a metallic load-carrying housing having a bore, forming an annular metallic bushing with a truncated spherically shaped inner raceway and an outer peripheral wall sized to fit within the bore, said inner raceway being sized to snugly nest the ball, placing the bushing within the bore with the ball nested in the raceway, the peripheral wall of the bushing and the bore wall forming an axially extending annular seam, directing an energized beam generally at the seam to melt adjacent sides thereof to an axIal depth extending to a substantial portion of the axial width of the bushing to weld said bushing to the load-carrying housing and form an integral part thereof.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method as recited in claim 7, wherein said seam-welding step further comprises directing a focused beam of electrons generally at said seam to fuse said adjacent seam walls to a preselected depth.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method as recited in claim 7, wherein said bushing-forming step further includes coating the spherically formed inner surface of the bushing with a brittle, high-temperature-resistant hardened material.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
171 words
A method of making a self-aligning spherical bearing comprising selecting a truncated bearing ball having a continuous hardened running surface, forming a metallic load-carrying housing of preselected width with a bore extending through the width dimension thereof, forming a pair of like metallic bushings with annular inner surfaces thereof provided with mating halves of a truncated spherically shaped hardened raceway sized to snugly nest the selected ball between the annular raceway portions, with the axial width of the bushings less than the diameter of the ball, and the peripheral outer surfaces of the bushings sized to snugly fit within the bore, placing said bushings within the bore with the ball nested within the annular raceway formed by the mated raceway portions, and with the peripheral outer walls of the bushings forming a seam with the inner surface of the bore, and directing an energized beam generally at the seam to fuse said bushings to the bore along a substantial axial length thereof to form an integral load-carrying part of the housing.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
171 words
A method of making a self-aligning spherical bearing comprising selecting a truncated bearing ball having a continuous hardened running surface, forming a metallic load-carrying housing of preselected width with a bore extending through the width dimension thereof, forming a pair of like metallic bushings with annular inner surfaces thereof provided with mating halves of a truncated spherically shaped hardened raceway sized to snugly nest the selected ball between the annular raceway portions, with the axial width of the bushings less than the diameter of the ball, and the peripheral outer surfaces of the bushings sized to snugly fit within the bore, placing said bushings within the bore with the ball nested within the annular raceway formed by the mated raceway portions, and with the peripheral outer walls of the bushings forming a seam with the inner surface of the bore, and directing an energized beam generally at the seam to fuse said bushings to the bore along a substantial axial length thereof to form an integral load-carrying part of the housing.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
66 words
The method as recited in claim 10, wherein the bushing, forming step further includes forming the spherical raceway portions with a diameter slightly less than said ball diameter to provide a slight interference fit between said ball and said bushings, and freeing said ball within the spherical raceway with a preselected tolerance of radial clearance by controlling the width of the fusion zone along said seams.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method as recited in claim 10, wherein the fusion step further comprises directing a focused beam of electrons at the seam to fuse the sides thereof to preselected depth.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
97 words
The method as recited in claim 12, wherein said fusion step still further comprises directing the beam of electrons along a first axial direction at the seam formed by a first of said bushings and the bore wall and fusing the peripheral outer wall of the first bushing to a substantial axial depth, and directing the beam of electrons along a second axial direction opposite said first direction at the seam formed by the second of said bushings and the bore wall and fusing the peripheral outer wall of the second bushing to a substantial axial depth.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method as recited in claim 12, wherein said beam of electrons fuses the seams to a depth extending to about 80 percent of the axial widths of said bushings.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method as recited in claim 9, wherein said bushing-forming step further includes coating said truncated spherically shaped raceways with a liner material.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method as recited in claim 15, wherein said bushing-forming step further includes hardening said raceways by coating thereon a nondeformable, brittle, high-temperature-resistant, hardened material.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method as recited in claim 16, wherein said coated material is selected from the group consisting of tungsten carbide, chrome carbide and aluminum oxide.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
46 words
A bearing assembly according to claim 1, in which the bore and the outer surface of said bushing are both cylindrical and snugly nested, and wherein the axial extent of fusion of said surfaces is less than the full extent of axial overlap of said surfaces.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-06-07 | 1974-12-07 | 1975-06-08 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-06-07 | 1978-12-07 | 1979-06-08 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-06-07 | 1982-12-07 | 1983-06-08 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |