Package sleeve bearing

Claim 2

A self-contained wick fed hydrodynamically lubricated, package sleeve bearing comprising an inner race having a cylindrical inner surface, an outer race encircling said inner race and having a cylindrical outer surface, bearing means between said inner and outer races and restrained against rotation about the axis of one of said races and adjustable relative to said one race in a manor to compensate for misalignment between said races, a sliding surface of said bearing means rotatably slidably engaging a sliding surface of the other of said races, one of the sliding surfaces comprising a cast aluminum metal surface, means for maintaining said inner and outer races and bearing means assembled and substantially coaxially aligned with one another, and wicking material impregnated with an aluminum bearing oil packed in said sleeve bearing in position to deliver the oil to said sliding surfaces.

Claim 3

The bearing as defined in claim 1 including means for retaining said wicking material and oil in said bearing and recirculating oil escaping from said sliding surfaces back into said wicking material.

Claim 4

The bearing as defined in claim 1 wherein said one sliding surface is on said bearing means and slidably engages the outer surface of said inner race.

Claim 5

The bearing as defined in claim 3 wherein said bearing means is made of cast aluminum metal.

Claim 6

The bearing as defined in claim 4 wherein said bearing means comprises a plurality of arcuate elements of aluminum metal.

Claim 7

The bearing as defined in claim 5 wherein said arcuate elements comprise short lengths of aluminum wire having a predetermined cross section and formed into an arcuate shape.

Claim 8

The bearing aS defined in claim 6 including a pair of axially spaced thrust surfaces on said inner race slidably engaging outwardly presenting thrust surfaces on said arcuate elements for locking the arcuate elements and inner race against axial movement relative to one another.

Claim 9

The bearing as defined in claim 7 wherein said bearing means comprises at least three arcuate elements.

Claim 10

The bearing as defined in claim 4 wherein said bearing means has at least one axially extending slot in the bearing surface thereof which is filled with said oil impregnating wicking material.

Claim 11

The bearing as defined in claim 9 wherein said bearing means comprises a plurality of arcuate pieces of aluminum metal with the ends of each of said pieces cooperating with the ends of adjacent pieces to define a plurality of said axially extending slots filled with said oil impregnated wicking material.

Claim 12

The bearing as defined in claim 9 wherein the sides of said bearing elements have arcuate recesses filled with said oil impregnating wicking material.

Claim 13

The bearing as defined in claim 10 wherein said oil impregnated wicking material forms a complete annulus on each side of said bearing means with each annulus contacting the oil impregnated wicking material in said axial slots.

Claim 14

The bearing as defined in claim 12 including a washer shaped oil cup fixed within each end of said outer race for enclosing said wicking material.

Claim 15

The bearing as defined in claim 4 wherein the inner surface of said outer race is spherical and the outer surfaces of said bearing elements have a corresponding spherical surface to provide limited universal movement of said bearing elements and inner race relative to said outer race.

Claim 16

The bearing as defined in claim 14 wherein said bearing means comprises at least three arcuate bearing elements.

Claim 17

A package sleeve bearing comprising an inner race having cylindrical inner and outer surfaces, an outer race having an outer cylindrical surface and an inner spherical surface, and a plurality of arcuate bearing elements between said inner and outer races, said bearing elements defining an inner cylindrical surface slidably engaging the outer cylindrical surface of said inner race and also defining an outer spherical surface fitted within said inner spherical surface for universal movement relative thereto, said bearing elements being arranged and constructed to be mechanically locked against disassembly from one another and from said outer race when the axis thereof is substantially concentric with the axis of said outer race and to be assembled within said outer race by forming the bearing elements into a ring with the axis of the ring at an angle relative to the axis of said outer race, said bearing elements having a clearance therebetween to enable each bearing element to shift its position slightly relative to the other bearing elements, and the inner and outer races, and means for resiliently biasing said bearing elements apart from one another in a manner to expand the major diameter thereof to press the outer spherical surface of each of the bearing elements against the inner spherical surface of the outer race.

Claim 18

A package sleeve bearing comprising an inner race having cylindrical inner and outer surfaces, an outer race having an outer cylindrical surface and an inner spherical surface, and a plurality of arcuate bearing elements between said inner and outer races, said bearing elements defining an inner cylindrical surface slidably engaging the outer cylindrical surface of said inner race and also defining an outer spherical surface fitted within said inner spherical surface for universal movement relative thereto, said bearing elements being arranged and constructed to be mechanically locked against disassembly from one another and from said outer race when the axis thereof is substantially concentric with the axis of said outer race and to be assembled within said outer race by forming the bearing elements into a ring with the axis of the ring at an angle relative to the axis of said outer race, said bearing elements having a clearance therebetween to enable each bearing element to shift its position slightly relative to the other bearing elements, and the inner and outer races, and means for resiliently biasing said bearing elements apart from one another in a manner to expand the major diameter thereof to press the outer spherical surface of each of the bearing elements against the inner spherical surface of the outer race.

Claim 19

The bearing as defined in claim 16 including means for limiting the universal movement between said bearing elements and said outer race to maintain said bearing elements locked together within said outer race.

Claim 20

The bearing as defined in claim 5 wherein said bearing elements having a clearance therebetween to enable each bearing element to shift its position slightly relative to the other bearing elements, and the inner and outer races, and means for resiliently biasing said bearing elements apart from one another in a manner to expand the major diameter thereof to press the outer surface of each of the bearing elements against the inner surface of the outer race.

Claim 21

The bearing as defined in claim 13 wherein said bearing elements having a clearance therebetween to enable each bearing element to shift its position slightly relative to the other bearing elements and the inner and outer races, and means for resiliently biasing said bearing elements apart from one another in a manner to expand the major diameter thereof to press the outer spherical surface of each of the bearing elements against the inner spherical surface of the outer race.

Claim 22

The bearing as defined in claim 15 wherein said bearing elements having a clearance therebetween to enable each bearing element to shift its position slightly relative to the other bearing elements and the inner and outer races, and means for resiliently biasing said bearing elements apart from one another in a manner to expand the major diameter thereof to press the outer spherical surface of each of the bearing elements against the inner spherical surface of the outer race.