Linear slide bearing

Claim 1

A linear slide bearing comprising: a main body being an integral member constituted by right and left skirt portions defining a central cavity therebetween, each skirt portion being provided in its inner surface with a race-receiving groove opened to said central cavity, said race-receiving groove having a stopper projecting at its lower arcuate end, and each skirt portion further having a non-loaded ball passage bored therethrough; a pair of right and left bearing races each constituted by an arcuate member of semicircular cross-section having a barrel-like outer peripheral surface and rockably mounted within the corresponding race-receiving groove formed in said main body, said arcuate member being provided in its inner surface center with a loaded ball groove having a curvature center which is coincident with that of said race-receiving groove; a race-pressing member constituted by a wedge member adjustably screwed to the inner surface of a ceiling portion of said main body, said race-pressing member being adapted to press said bearing races toward said stoppers with its wedge surfaces which are simultaneously made to abut on one of the inner side surfaces of said bearing races; a track shaft adapted to be fitted in said central cavity of said main body and provided on its right and left side surfaces with loaded ball grooves each having a curvature center which is coincident with that of the corresponding loaded ball groove on each bearing race; a pair of front and rear end covers constituted by cover members adapted to be secured to the longitudinal end surfaces of said main body, each cover member being provided in its inner surfaces with ball turning grooves providing communication between loaded ball passages, which are defined by said loaded ball grooves on said bearing races and track shaft, and said non-loaded ball passages formed through said main body, as well as race retaining grooves for supporting one of the ends of said bearing races; and balls adapted to be recirculated through said loaded ball passages and non-loaded ball passages respectively communicated with each other.