US3704498A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method of welding bearing components
Assignee: Timken Co
•
Filing: 1971-07-26
•
Granted: 1972-12-05
•
Expires: 1991-07-26
Abstract
Abstract A thrust rib is welded to a bearing race by positioning the rib around one end of the race and then applying an outwardly directed force to the race. The force expands both the race and rib so as to pre-stress them. While the rib and race are prestressed they are welded together. The magnitude of the prestress is approximately equal to the amount of stress induced in the weld metal as that metal solidifies and cools so that when the pre-stress is released the race and rib shrink to their initial size and the metal of the weld area becomes substantially free of stress.
Inventors
- 👤 John W Rundt
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 01:19
CPC Classifications
F; F16; F16C; F16C19/00; F16C19/22; F16C19/34; F16C19/36; F16C19/364; F16C33/00; F16C33/30; F16C33/58; F16C33/60; F16C33/605; F16C33/64; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T29/00; Y10T29/49; Y10T29/49636; Y10T29/49643; Y10T29/49679; Y10T29/49682; Y10T29/49826; Y10T29/49863
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
43 words
A method of welding circular bearing components together; said method comprising expanding the bearing components, welding the components together while they are expanded, and allowing the bearing components to shrink back toward their initial size after the metal of the weld has solidified.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
43 words
A method of welding circular bearing components together; said method comprising expanding the bearing components, welding the components together while they are expanded, and allowing the bearing components to shrink back toward their initial size after the metal of the weld has solidified.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
53 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein the bearing components are expanded by the application of force thereto so as to pre-stress the components, and wherein the pre-stress remains within the elastic limits of the components so that the components will shrink back to substantially their initial size when the force is removed.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
52 words
A method according to claim 2 wherein the pre-stress is equal to at least approximately the stress induced in the metal of the weld area after that metal has solidified and cooled significantly whereby when the pre-stress is removed the weld area will shrink so as to be substantially relieved of stress.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method according to claim 3 wherein at least one of the bearing components is case hardened; and wherein the process further comprises removing the hardened case in the vicinity of the weld before the weld is made.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method according to claim 3 wherein the bearing components are annular in shape; and wherein the components are expanded by applying a radially and outwardly directed force to their inwardly presented surfaces.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
63 words
A method according to claim 3 wherein the bearing components are annular in shape; wherein one bearing component embraces the other bearing component; and wherein the components are expanded by applying an outwardly directed force to the inwardly presented surface of the embraced component, whereby the force is transmitted through the embraced component to the embracing component and both components are pre-stressed simultaneously.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
45 words
A method according to claim 5 wherein the radially and outwardly directed force is derived by moving a pair of frustoconical surfaces axially with respect to each other, the outer surface being segmented so that individual segments thereof are not significantly restrained by adjoining segments.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method according to claim 3 wherein one component is a race of a tapered roller bearing and the other component is a thrust rib.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method according to claim 6 wherein the embraced component is a cone of a tapered roller bearing and the embracing component is a thrust rib at one end of the cone.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
146 words
A method for unitizing a bearing including first and second races having opposed raceways and rolling elemeNts interposed between and engaged with the raceways, each race further having a thrust rib at least at one end of its raceway and at least the thrust rib on the first race being initially detached therefrom to enable insertion of the rolling elements between the raceways, said process comprising installing the rolling elements between the raceways, positioning the initially detached thrust rib against the first race after the rolling elements have been installed between the raceways, expanding both the first race and the thrust rib positioned against it within their elastic limits at the area of contact between them so that both the first race and the thrust rib are pre-stressed, welding the thrust rib and the first race together while they are pre-stressed, and thereafter relieving the pre-stress.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
146 words
A method for unitizing a bearing including first and second races having opposed raceways and rolling elemeNts interposed between and engaged with the raceways, each race further having a thrust rib at least at one end of its raceway and at least the thrust rib on the first race being initially detached therefrom to enable insertion of the rolling elements between the raceways, said process comprising installing the rolling elements between the raceways, positioning the initially detached thrust rib against the first race after the rolling elements have been installed between the raceways, expanding both the first race and the thrust rib positioned against it within their elastic limits at the area of contact between them so that both the first race and the thrust rib are pre-stressed, welding the thrust rib and the first race together while they are pre-stressed, and thereafter relieving the pre-stress.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
59 words
A method according to claim 2 wherein the pre-stress in the first race and thrust rib is equal at least approximately to the stress induced in the metal of the weld area after that metal has solidified and cooled significantly, whereby when the pre-stress is removed the weld area will shrink so as to be substantially relieved of stress.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
69 words
A method according to claim 11 wherein the first and second races are the cone and cup, respectively, of a tapered roller bearing; wherein the thrust rib on the cup is formed integral thereto at the large diameter end of the cup raceway; and wherein the initially detached rib is welded to the cone so that the rib is positioned adjacent the small diameter end of the cone raceway.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
55 words
A method according to claim 12 wherein the cone thrust rib embraces the end of the cone; and wherein the cone and embracing thrust rib are expanded by exerting an outwardly directed force on the cone at the portion thereof embraced by the thrust rib so that cone and embracing thrust rib are expanded simultaneously.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
45 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein the bearing components are annular, and are expanded by applying force thereto so as to impart a circumferential tensile stress, the tensile stress being within the elastic limits of the materials from which the bearing components are formed.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-12-05 | 1976-06-05 | 1976-12-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-12-05 | 1980-06-05 | 1980-12-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-12-05 | 1984-06-05 | 1984-12-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |