Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
227 words
In a sealed bearing comprising an inner member having a peripheral surface of regular predetermined contour, a tubular housing, a bearing ring disposed in said housing and having a bearing surface in sliding engagement with the peripheral surface of said inner member, said bearing ring having a peripheral surface generally conforming to the inner surface of said housing and fitting in said housing, a pair of resiliently deformable rings each made of elastomeric material and each disposed on one side of said bearing ring, means in said housing holding said deformable rings under compression such as to firmly engage said deformable rings with a portion of said bearing ring towards the peripheral surface of said inner member, an elastomeric bellows seal having a flange at an end held by one of said means in said housing for holding one of said deformable rings under compression, said bellows seal having a garter flange at its other end in firm elastic engagement with a portion of the peripheral surface of said inner member, and sealing means at the other end of said housing sealing the interior of said housing and said bearing surfaces from the ambient, the improvement comprising a groove in the inner surface of said housing and one of said holding means being in the form of a springingly expandable removable retaining ring disposed in said groove.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
227 words
In a sealed bearing comprising an inner member having a peripheral surface of regular predetermined contour, a tubular housing, a bearing ring disposed in said housing and having a bearing surface in sliding engagement with the peripheral surface of said inner member, said bearing ring having a peripheral surface generally conforming to the inner surface of said housing and fitting in said housing, a pair of resiliently deformable rings each made of elastomeric material and each disposed on one side of said bearing ring, means in said housing holding said deformable rings under compression such as to firmly engage said deformable rings with a portion of said bearing ring towards the peripheral surface of said inner member, an elastomeric bellows seal having a flange at an end held by one of said means in said housing for holding one of said deformable rings under compression, said bellows seal having a garter flange at its other end in firm elastic engagement with a portion of the peripheral surface of said inner member, and sealing means at the other end of said housing sealing the interior of said housing and said bearing surfaces from the ambient, the improvement comprising a groove in the inner surface of said housing and one of said holding means being in the form of a springingly expandable removable retaining ring disposed in said groove.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
63 words
The improvement of claim 1 wherein said sealing means is a second elastomeric bellows seal having a flange at an end held by the other of said means in said housing holding said deformable rings under compression, said bellows seal having a garter flange at its other end in firm elastic engagement with a portion of the peripheral surface of said inner member.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
The improvement of claim 2 wherein one of said resiliently deformable rings is an annular integral flange of said bellows seal.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
30 words
The improvement of claim 3 further comprising a second groove in the inner surface of said housing, and a second springably expandable removable retaining ring disposed in said second groove.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
30 words
The improvement of claim 1 further comprising a second groove in the inner surface of said housing, and a second springably expandable removable retaining ring disposed in said second groove.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
The improvement of claim 2 further comprising a second groove in the inner surface of said housing, and a second springably expandable removable retaining ring disposed in said second groove.