Combination bearing seat for motors

Claim 2

A combination bearing seat structure for supporting a shaftjournalling bearing having either a spherically contoured outer periphery or a cylindrically contoured outer periphery, said combination bearing seat structure comprising surface means arranged to peripherally surround and support a shaft-journalling bearing, said surface means defining first and second axially spaced apart, annular-like spherically contoured bearing seats and an annular cylindrically contoured bearing seat disposed axially between said first and second seats, said first and second seats being contained in a substantially common envelope for engaging a bearing having a spherically contoured outer periphery, and said cylindrically contoured seat axially spanning the space between said first and second seats for engaging a bearing having a cylindrically contoured outer periphery.

Claim 3

The combination bearing seat structure defined in claim 1 wherein said first, second and cylindrically contoured seats are formed about a common longitudinal axis and wherein said surface means is stepped to recess said cylindrically contoured seat radially outwardly relative to said first and second seats and to provide a pair of axially opposed, spaced apart shoulders, one of said shoulders defining a juncture between said first seat and said cylindrically contoured seat, and the other of said shoulders defining a juncture between said second seat and said cylindrically contoured seat, said shoulders being disposed to abut and axially confine a bearing having a cylindrically contoured outer periphery when such a bearing is seated against said cylindrically contoured seat.

Claim 4

The combination bearing seat structure defined in claim 2 wherein said surface means is formed as a part of a power tool casing and defines an internal bearing-receiving socket in said casing.

Claim 5

The combination bearing seat structure defined in claim 3 wherein said casing is divided into a pair of complementary, separately formed shells at least in the region of said socket and along a plane containing said longitudinal axis, each of said shells defining segments of said first, second and cylindrically contoured seats, said shells being arranged to trap therebetween a bearing having either a spherically contoured outer periphery or a cylindrically contoured outer periphery, said shells confining one bearing with the spherically contoured outer periphery only by separable seating surface engagement of said first and second seats with said spherically contoured outer periphery of said one bearing, and said shells alternatively confining another bearing with the cylindrically contoured outer periphery only by separable seating surface engagement of said cylindrically contoured seat with said cylindrically contoured outer periphery and said shoulders with the opposite end faces of the bearing having the cylindrically contoured outer periphery.

Claim 6

A casing for a power-operated tool comprising interior surface means forming a socket for receiving a shaft-journalling bearing having either an outer spherically contoured bearing seat-engaging periphery or an outer cylindrically contoured bearing seat-engaging periphery, said surface means having first bearing seat means for engaging and supporting a shaft-journalling bearing having said outer spherically contoured bearing seat-engaging periphery and second bearing seat means for engaging and supporting a shaft-journalling bearing having said outer cylindrically contoured bearing seat-engaging periphery.

Claim 7

A casing for a power-operated tool comprising interior surface means forming a socket for receiving a shaft-journalling bearing having either an outer spherically contoured bearing seat-engaging periphery or an outer cylindrically contoured bearing seat-engaging periphery, said surface means having first bearing seat means for engaging and supporting a shaft-journalling bearing having said outer spherically contoured bearing seat-engaging periphery and second bearing seat means for engaging and supporting a shaft-journalling bearing having said outer cylindrically contoured bearing seat-engaging periphery.

Claim 8

The casing defined in claim 5 wherein at least that part of said casing containing said surface means and forming said socket is divided into a pair of separately formed, mating shells along a plane substantially containing the longitudinal axis of said socket, each of said shells defining segments of said first and second bearing seat means, said shells being rigidly secured together to trap between said segments a shaft-journalling bearing having either said spherically contoured bearing seat-engaging periphery or said cylindrically contoured bearing seat-engaging periphery.

Claim 9

The casing defined in claim 5 comprising a body portion, said surface means being formed interiorly on said body portion, at least said body portion being divided into a pair of mating, separately formed shells along a plane containing the longitudinal axis of said socket, each of said shells defining segments of said first and second bearing seat means, said shells being rigidly secured together to trap between said segments a shaft-journalling bearing having either said spherically contoured bearing seat-engaging periphery or said cylindrically contoured bearing seat-engaging periphery, said shells further defining complementary cavities that are configured to receive a drive mechanism that imparts motion to a tool.

Claim 10

The casing defined in claim 7 further comprising a handle portion to provide for the portable, hand-manipulation of said power-operated tool, at least a complementary pair of said cavities being configured to receive an electric motor having a shaft-mounted armature and a stator and forming a pair of said drive mechanism.

Claim 11

The casing defined in claim 8 wherein said at least a pair of said complementary cavities are configured to locate said motor in a position where the rotational axis of said motor substantially axially aligns with the longitudinal axis of said socket, said socket being arranged relative to said motor-receiving cavities to receive one of a plurality of bearings that journal an armature shaft on which said armature is mounted.

Claim 12

The casing defined in claim 5 wherein said first bearing seat means comprises first and second axially spaced apart, spherically contoured, annular-like bearing seats, and wherein said second bearing seat means comprises an annular cylindrically contoured bearing seat disposed axially between said first and second seats, said first and second seats being contained in a substantially common spherical envelope for engaging a bearing having said spherically contoured bearing seat-engaging periphery, and said cylindrically contoured bearing seat spanning the space between said first and second seats for engaging a bearing having said cylindrically conToured bearing seat-engaging periphery, said first, second and cylindrically contoured seats being formed along a common longitudinal axis.

Claim 13

The casing defined in claim 10 wherein said surface means is stepped to recess said cylindrically contoured seat radially outwardly relative to said first and second seats and to provide a pair of axially opposed, spaced apart shoulders, one of said shoulders defining a juncture between said first seat and said cylindrically contoured seat, and the other of said shoulders defining a juncture between said second seat and said cylindrically contoured seat, said shoulders being disposed to abut and axially confine a bearing having said cylindrically contoured bearing seat-engaging periphery when such a bearing is seated against said cylindrically contoured seat.

Claim 14

The casing defined in claim 11 comprising a body portion, said surface means being formed on said body portion, and at least said body portion being divided into a pair of separately formed complementary shells, each of said shells defining segments of said first, second and cylindrically contoured seats, and said shells further defining complementary cavities that are configured and arranged to receive an electric motor which forms a part of a drive mechanism for imparting motion to a tool, said socket being arranged relative to said cavities to receive one of a plurality of bearings that journals an armature shaft of said motor.

Claim 15

A combination bearing seat structure for supporting a shaft-journalling bearing having either one of two differently configured outer peripheral bearing seat-engaging surfaces, said combination bearing seat structure comprising surface means arranged to peripherally surround a shaft-journalling bearing having either one of said peripheral bearing seat-engaging surfaces, said surface means having first bearing seat means for engaging and supporting a bearing having one of said two differently configured outer peripheral bearing seat-engaging surfaces and second bearing seat means for engaging and supporting a bearing having the other of said two differently configured outer peripheral bearing seat engaging surfaces.

Claim 16

A combination bearing seat structure for supporting a shaft-journalling bearing having either one of two differently configured outer peripheral bearing seat-engaging surfaces, said combination bearing seat structure comprising surface means arranged to peripherally surround a shaft-journalling bearing having either one of said peripheral bearing seat-engaging surfaces, said surface means having first bearing seat means for engaging and supporting a bearing having one of said two differently configured outer peripheral bearing seat-engaging surfaces and second bearing seat means for engaging and supporting a bearing having the other of said two differently configured outer peripheral bearing seat engaging surfaces.

Claim 17

The combination bearing seat structure defined in claim 13 wherein said surface means defines a socket for receiving a shaft-journalling bearing having either one of said two differently configured outer peripheral bearing seat-engaging surfaces, said first bearing seat means being configured to interfit with said one of said two differently configured outer peripheral bearing seat-engaging surfaces, and said second bearing seat means being configured to interfit with said other of said two different configured outer peripheral bearing seat-engaging surfaces.

Claim 18

The combination bearing seat structure defined in claim 14 wherein said second bearing seat means is recessed relative to said first bearing seat means to be spaced from a bearing having said one of said two differently configured outer peripheral bearing seat-engaging surfaces.