Bearing assembly having flexible labyrinth enclosures

Claim 1

A bearing assembly comprising an outer bearing race, a shaft mounted inner bearing race in the outer race, rolling elements between the races, and enclosures at opposite ends of the bearing to cooperate with a circumferential surface on the shaft adjacent the ends of said inner bearing race, said closures being effective to retain a lubricant in the bearing assembly, and each enclosure comprising a rigid closure case positioned at the end of the outer race and an elastomeric closure member connected securely to the case, the closure member including a flexible sleeve encircling the circumferential surface and extending into the closure case, the sleeve being normally spaced outwardly from the circumferential surface whereby heat inducing friction is avoided and the elastomeric closure member does not overheat, and said flexible sleeve having a plurality of circumferential grooves spaced axially from one another and facing the circumferential surface so that turbulence will be generated in a lubricant encircled by the sleeve to retard movement of the lubricant axially along the circumferential surface, the enclosure cases and elastomeric closure members defining chambers for receiving lubricant under pressure with said flexible sleeves pressing against the circumferential surfaces on the shaft to prevent escape of the lubricant as the pressurized lubricant is introduced into the chambers.