US3601455A — Device for adjusting the size of a bearing cleara…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 220 words

A device for adjusting the size of a bearing clearance between two adjacEnt substantially straight parallel surfaces of a pair of elements one of which is normally slidable along the other, normally fixed, element, comprising a striplike key disposed between said surfaces and having a pair of opposite wider sides and transverse recesses extending in opposite directions to each other from said opposite sides and spaced from each other in the longitudinal direction of said key, each of said recesses in one side of said key being separated from an adjacent recess in the other side by a transverse web, each of said recesses having such a depth that the material remaining between the bottom of said recess in one side and the surface of the opposite side forms a slightly resilient joint the remainder of said opposite sides of said key being disposed at all times substantially plane and parallel to each other, means for releasably securing said key to one of said elements, and means for exerting a pressure at least upon the opposite ends of said key in opposite substantially longitudinal directions thereof so as to deform said key by bending said joints and thereby displacing said remaining outer surfaces in transverse directions relative to each other and thereby to vary the size of said bearing clearance.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 220 words

A device for adjusting the size of a bearing clearance between two adjacEnt substantially straight parallel surfaces of a pair of elements one of which is normally slidable along the other, normally fixed, element, comprising a striplike key disposed between said surfaces and having a pair of opposite wider sides and transverse recesses extending in opposite directions to each other from said opposite sides and spaced from each other in the longitudinal direction of said key, each of said recesses in one side of said key being separated from an adjacent recess in the other side by a transverse web, each of said recesses having such a depth that the material remaining between the bottom of said recess in one side and the surface of the opposite side forms a slightly resilient joint the remainder of said opposite sides of said key being disposed at all times substantially plane and parallel to each other, means for releasably securing said key to one of said elements, and means for exerting a pressure at least upon the opposite ends of said key in opposite substantially longitudinal directions thereof so as to deform said key by bending said joints and thereby displacing said remaining outer surfaces in transverse directions relative to each other and thereby to vary the size of said bearing clearance.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 39 words

A device as defined in claim 1, in which the remainder of said opposite sides of said key are disposed within two parallel straight planes as long as no forces are exerted upon said key to deform the same.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 64 words

A device as defined in claim 2, in which said key has a plurality of said transverse recesses in each of said sides so as to form at least two intermediate transverse webs which are spaced from each other at a distance greater than the width of the open end of each of two of said recesses in the other side of said key.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 39 words

A device as defined in claim 1, in which said pressure-exerting means are mounted on said slidable element and act upon said ends of said key at points laterally adjacent and spaced from the central axis of said key.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 99 words

A device as defined in claim 4, in which at least a part of each end of said key has an inclined surface, said pressure-exerting means comprising a pair of clamping plates each having an inclined surface part engaging upon one of said inclined surfaces of said key, and means for mounting said clamping plates on the opposite ends of said slidable element and for tightening at least one of said plates on one end of said slidable element and for thus pressing said inclined surface parts of said clamping plates against said inclined end surfaces of said key.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 108 words

A device as defined in claim 5, in which one of said clamping plates is removably secured to one of said ends of said slidable element and has said inclined surface adjacent to one lateral side thereof and projecting toward one end of said key so as to engage with the inclined end surface thereof said clamping plate having a projection adjacent to the other lateral side adapted to abut against one end of said slidable element when said clamping plate is tightened by said tightening means, said clamping plate then pressing its inclined projecting surface with a lever action against said inclined end surface of said key.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 35 words

A device as defined in claim 1, in which said key has a longitudinal bore substantially coaxial thereto said pressure-exerting means comprising a tightening screw extending through said bore and substantially transversely through said recesses.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 42 words

A device as defined in claim 1, further comprising sealing means at least partly filling at least some of said recesses in said of said key facing said surface of said fixed element for preventing a lubricant from escaping to the outside.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 41 words

A device as defined in claim 1, in which said recesses in a central part of said side of said key facing said slidable element have a greater length than those in the outer parts near the ends of said key.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 150 words

A device as defined in claim 1, in which said pressure-exerting means further comprise at least one locking element extending through a transverse aperture in said key intermediate and spaced at a considerable distance from its ends and also through an aperture extending transversely through said slidable element to the outer side thereof, said locking element having wedging surfaces adapted to engage upon the wall of said aperture in said key, and means on said locking element for tightening the same a said outer side of said slidable element and for thereby pressing said wedging surfaces against the wall of said key aperture so as to expand said key against said first pressure-exerting means acting upon the ends of said key, whereby as long as said locking element is tightened, said key is additionally deformed so as to lock said slidable element in a fixed position to said fixed element.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 159 words

A device as defined in claim 1, in which said key is divided transversely into at least two sections at a considerable distance from its outer ends, said pressure-exerting means further comprising a wedging member having inclined surfaces interposed between the adjacent inner ends of said key sections, a locking screw extending from the outer side of said slidable element through a transverse bore in said slidable element ad threaded into said wedging member, and means on the outer end of said locking screw for turning said screw and for thereby drawing said wedging member against said inner ends of said key sections and for thereby wedging said key sections further apart against said first pressure-exerting means acting upon the outer ends of said key sections, whereby as long as said wedging member is tightened by said locking screw, said key is additionally deformed so as to lock said slidable element in a fixed position to said fixed element.

Claim 13

Independent Claim 365 words

A device for adjusting the size of a bearing clearance between two adjacent substantially straight parallel surfaces of a pair of elements one of which is normally slideable along the other normally fixed, element, comprising, a striplike key disposed between said surfaces and having a pair of opposite wider sides and transverse recesses extending in opposite directions to each other from said opposite sides and spaced from each other in the longitudinal direction of said key, each of said recesses in one side of said key being separated from an adjacent recess in the other side by a transverse web, each of said recesses having such a depth that the material remaining between the bottom of said recess in one side and the surface of the opposite side forms a slightly resilient joint, the remainder of said opposite sides of said key being disposed at all times substantially plane and parallel to each other, said remainder of said opposite sides of said key being disposed within two parallel straight planes as long as no forces are exerted upon said key to deform the same, means for releasably securing said key to one of said elements, and means for exerting a pressure at least upon the opposite ends of said key in opposite substantially longitudinal directions thereof so as to deform said key by bending said joints and thereby displacing said remaining outer surfaces in transverse directions relative to each other and thereby to vary the size of said bearing clearance, said key having a plurality of said transverse recesses in each of said sides so as to form at least two intermediate transverse webs which are spaced from each other at a distance greater than the width of the open end of each of two of said recesses in the other side of said key, at least two of said transverse recesses being disposed adjacent to each other in a first of the two sides of said key, said adjacent recesses being spaced at a considerably distance from each other so that the intermediate part forms a solid supporting part which is not deformed when said pressure is exerted upon said ends of said key.

Claim 14

Independent Claim 365 words

A device for adjusting the size of a bearing clearance between two adjacent substantially straight parallel surfaces of a pair of elements one of which is normally slideable along the other normally fixed, element, comprising, a striplike key disposed between said surfaces and having a pair of opposite wider sides and transverse recesses extending in opposite directions to each other from said opposite sides and spaced from each other in the longitudinal direction of said key, each of said recesses in one side of said key being separated from an adjacent recess in the other side by a transverse web, each of said recesses having such a depth that the material remaining between the bottom of said recess in one side and the surface of the opposite side forms a slightly resilient joint, the remainder of said opposite sides of said key being disposed at all times substantially plane and parallel to each other, said remainder of said opposite sides of said key being disposed within two parallel straight planes as long as no forces are exerted upon said key to deform the same, means for releasably securing said key to one of said elements, and means for exerting a pressure at least upon the opposite ends of said key in opposite substantially longitudinal directions thereof so as to deform said key by bending said joints and thereby displacing said remaining outer surfaces in transverse directions relative to each other and thereby to vary the size of said bearing clearance, said key having a plurality of said transverse recesses in each of said sides so as to form at least two intermediate transverse webs which are spaced from each other at a distance greater than the width of the open end of each of two of said recesses in the other side of said key, at least two of said transverse recesses being disposed adjacent to each other in a first of the two sides of said key, said adjacent recesses being spaced at a considerably distance from each other so that the intermediate part forms a solid supporting part which is not deformed when said pressure is exerted upon said ends of said key.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 61 words

A device as defined in claim 12 in which said supporting part has a greater length than the other parts of said key which are separated from each other by transversE recesses, one side of said supporting part at the second side of said key having a plane surface facing and adapted to slide along said surface of said fixed element,

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 99 words

A device as defined in claim 13, in which said slidable side of said supporting part is likewise disposed between a pair of adjacent recesses which are spaced from each other at a distance greater than said adjacent recesses in said first side of said key, and connecting parts connecting the ends of said slidable side to the edges of the open ends of said last recesses, said connecting parts having at all times slightly inclined surfaces so that said edges are recessed from the plane of said slidable said and cannot scrape said surface of said fixed element

Claim 17

Independent Claim 311 words

A device for adjusting the size of a bearing clearance between two adjacent substantially straight parallel surfaces of a pair of elements one of which is normally slidable along the other, normally fixed, element, comprising a striplike key disposed between said surfaces and having a pair of opposite wider sides and transverse recesses extending in opposite direction to each other from said opposite sides and spaced from each other in the longitudinal direction of said key, each of said recesses in one side of said key being separated from an adjacent recess in the other side by a transverse web, each of said recesses having such a depth that the material remaining between the bottom of said recess in one side and the surface of the opposite side forms a slightly resilient joint, the remainder of said opposite sides of said key being disposed at all times substantially plane and parallel to each other, means for releasably securing said key to one of said elements, and means for exerting a pressure at least upon the opposite ends of said key in opposite substantially longitudinal directions thereof so as to deform said key be bending said joints and thereby displacing said remaining outer surfaces in transverse directions relative to each other and thereby to vary the size of said bearing clearance, said securing means being connnected to said slidable element and to said key at a substantially central part of its length, one side of said key facing said fixed element having a pair of said recesses adjacent to and at both lateral sides of said central part, and the other side of said key facing said slidable element also having a pair of recesses adjacent to but spaced at a greater distance from said central part, said two pairs of recesses defining two intermediate webs equally spaced from said central part.

Claim 18

Independent Claim 311 words

A device for adjusting the size of a bearing clearance between two adjacent substantially straight parallel surfaces of a pair of elements one of which is normally slidable along the other, normally fixed, element, comprising a striplike key disposed between said surfaces and having a pair of opposite wider sides and transverse recesses extending in opposite direction to each other from said opposite sides and spaced from each other in the longitudinal direction of said key, each of said recesses in one side of said key being separated from an adjacent recess in the other side by a transverse web, each of said recesses having such a depth that the material remaining between the bottom of said recess in one side and the surface of the opposite side forms a slightly resilient joint, the remainder of said opposite sides of said key being disposed at all times substantially plane and parallel to each other, means for releasably securing said key to one of said elements, and means for exerting a pressure at least upon the opposite ends of said key in opposite substantially longitudinal directions thereof so as to deform said key be bending said joints and thereby displacing said remaining outer surfaces in transverse directions relative to each other and thereby to vary the size of said bearing clearance, said securing means being connnected to said slidable element and to said key at a substantially central part of its length, one side of said key facing said fixed element having a pair of said recesses adjacent to and at both lateral sides of said central part, and the other side of said key facing said slidable element also having a pair of recesses adjacent to but spaced at a greater distance from said central part, said two pairs of recesses defining two intermediate webs equally spaced from said central part.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1974-08-23	1975-02-22	1975-08-24	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1978-08-23	1979-02-22	1979-08-24	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1982-08-23	1983-02-22	1983-08-24	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Device for adjusting the size of a bearing clearance between two elements

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