Springless self-aligning clutch release bearing assembly

Claim 1

An improved self-aligning clutch release bearing assembly for a friction clutch in a vehicle power train having release lever means rotatable about an input shaft axis of said clutch, a guide member disposed generally coaxially around a transmission shaft axis of said power train and actuating fork means, said bearing assembly comprising: a tubular bearing carrier slidably mounted on said guide member for reciprocable, translational movement therealong in response to actuation of said actuating fork means; a bearing including a plurality of anti-friction elements interposed between radially spaced inner and outer race members, one of said race members being adapted for rotation and having an annular radially extending bearing surface for engaging said clutch release lever means; said bearing being disposed substantially coaxially around said bearing carrier between said release lever means and said actuating fork means and formed to allow for a predetermined radial clearance for said bearing for permitting said bearing to shift radially with respect to said bearing carrier, so that said bearing may coaxially align itself with said clutch input axis under a dynamic force exerted on said bearing by said release lever means; a resilient retainer sleeve having an axially-extending portion thereof interposed radially between the other of said bearing race members and said bearing carrier; confronting surfaces of said bearing and said retainer sleeve being formed to define said predetermined radial clearance between said bearing and said retainer sleeve; radial projecting means for mechanically interlocking said retainer sleeve and said other race member of said bearing in an axially interfering relationship with one another in order to substantially retain said bearing in assembled relationship with said bearing carrier; first cooperating means for mechanically interlocking said retainer sleeve and said other of said bearing race member in a circumferentially interfering relationship with one another in order to substantially prevent relative rotation between said retainer sleeve and said other race member of said bearing; and second cooperating means for mechanically interlocking said retainer sleeve and said bearing carrier in a circumferentially interfering relationship with one another in order to substantially prevent relative rotation between said retainer sleeve and said bearing carrier.