Preloaded anti-friction bearing assembly

Claim 1

A preloaded angular contact anti-friction bearing assembly comprising coaxial relatively rotatable inner and outer races, two axially-spaced rows of a plurality of balls in a side-by-side relationship disposed between said inner race and said outer race, said inner race being radially segmented, said segments being axially spaced with respect to each other and including portions which extend between and separate said two rows of balls, each said segments including an inner surface defining a path for its respective one of said two rows of balls, said outer race having a generally concave inner surface for defining thereon a substantial number of paths for said balls, a substantially non-compressible, flowable, resilient ring capable of being deformed while retaining a substantially constant volume, said resilient ring being disposed between said segments and maintaining said axial spacing, an inner enclosing ring enclosing said inner race and coaxial with said races, and said enclosing ring supporting said resilient ring.