Thermally expansible bearing assembly

Claim 1

A bearing assembly for retaining an elongated shaft for rotation relative to a stator element including: an annular inner bearing race disposed for rotation with the shaft; an annular outer bearing race concentric with the inner bearing race and radially spaced apart therefrom; a plurality of rollers circumferentially disposed for rotation between the inner and outer bearing races; and an annular bearing support plate disposed between and fixedly connecting the outer race and stator element and having at least one area on the circumference of smaller radial expansion under thermal stress than generally found elsewhere on the circumference of the support plate, wherein the improvement comprises: a stress relief cut through the bearing support plate for uniform thermal radial expansion along the entire circumference of the outer bearing race, wherein the stress relief cut includes a generally circumferential cut through the area of smaller radial expansion and two generally radial cuts extending inward from the circumferential cut on opposing sides of the area of smaller radial expansion.