Method of axially positioning a rotating annular member supporting shaft within a support

Claim 3

The method of claim 1 wherein the first mentioned imparting step includes maintaining the shaft position while engaging and moving a portion of the support distinct from the portion initially engaged in a direction opposite the direction in which the shaft was originally moved.

Claim 4

The method of claim 2 wherein the compressing step includes engaging the support and the shaft to preclude movement of either in the direction of initial axial shaft motion, and forcing a portion of the support distinct from the above mentioned portions in the direction of initial shaft motion.

Claim 5

The method of claim 3 wherein the second mentioned imparting step includes moving the shaft a predetermined distance in a direction opposite the direction in which the shaft was originally moved.

Claim 6

The method of claim 1 wherein the support comprises a housing and a pair of axially aligned sleeves with the first and second deformable spacers captive inwardly of the sleeves, the step of axially positioning including translating the shaft axially in a first direction relative to the housing, the first mentioned imparting step including translating one sleeve opposite said one direction, the step of compressing including translating the other sleeve in the first direction and toward the one spacer, and the second mentioned step of imparting including translating the shaft opposite said one direction.

Claim 7

The method of claim 5 wherein the translation of the one sleeve and the translation of the shaft opposite said one direction are by fixed distances.

Claim 8

The method of claim 5 including the further steps of limiting each of the sleeves in axial movement in said one direction by engagement with the housing.

Claim 9

The method of claim 7 including the final step of fastening the said other sleeve to the housing.

Claim 10

The method of claim 1 wherein the support comprises a housing and a pair of axially aligned sleeves with the first and second deformable spacers captive inwardly of the sleeves, the step of axially positioning including translating the shaft axially in a first direction relative to the housing, the first mentioned imparting step including translating one sleeve opposite said one direction, the step of compressing including translating the other sleeve in the first direction toward the one spacer, and the second mentioned step of imparting including translating the other sleeve an additional distance in the first direction.

Claim 11

The method of claim 9 wherein the translation of the one sleeve and the additional distance translation of the other sleeve are by fixed distances.

Claim 12

In a device where a rotatable member is journalled within a support having at least one bearing and at least one deformable spacer captive between an axially depressible shoulder associated with the support and a rotatable member shoulder, the method of accurately and quickly axially positioning the member within the support for rotation therein with predetermined axial bearing clearance independent of member and support dimensional variations comprising the steps of axially positioning the member in the desired final location relative to the support and by so doing, compressing the deformable spacer to its desired final axial dimension, and imparting an additional predetermined axial compression to the deformable spacer to relieve the stress therein by depressing the shoulder, the support being in the form of a housing with the rotatable member journalled near the opposite ends thereof for rotation therein by two bearings, each bearing being positioned adjacent a corresponding deformable spacer and each bearing and adjacent spacer captive between respective axially depressible support shoulders and corresponding rotatable member shoulders, one spacer being compressed to its desired final axial dimension by the said axially positioning step, the method including the further step of compressing the other spacer beyond its desired final axial dimension a predetermined amount subsequent to the axially positioning step.

Claim 13

In a device where a rotatable member is journalled within a support having at least one bearing and at least one deformable spacer captive between an axially depressible shoulder associated with the support and a rotatable member shoulder, the method of accurately and quickly axially positioning the member within the support for rotation therein with predetermined axial bearing clearance independent of member and support dimensional variations comprising the steps of axially positioning the member in the desired final location relative to the support and by so doing, compressing the deformable spacer to its desired final axial dimension, and imparting an additional predetermined axial compression to the deformable spacer to relieve the stress therein by depressing the shoulder, the support being in the form of a housing with the rotatable member journalled near the opposite ends thereof for rotation therein by two bearings, each bearing being positioned adjacent a corresponding deformable spacer and each bearing and adjacent spacer captive between respective axially depressible support shoulders and corresponding rotatable member shoulders, one spacer being compressed to its desired final axial dimension by the said axially positioning step, the method including the further step of compressing the other spacer beyond its desired final axial dimension a predetermined amount subsequent to the axially positioning step.

Claim 14

The method of claim 11 wherein said other spacer is compressed by moving its associated depressible shoulder toward said one spacer while maintaining the position of the rotatable member relative to the support.

Claim 15

The method of claim 11 wherein at least a pair of the axially depressible shoulder, deformable spacer and bearing are preformed together as a single element prior to the positioning step.

Claim 16

The method of claim 11 including the preliminary step of forming a sealing surface on the axially depressible shoulder.