Carrier bearing assembly

Claim 1

A carrier bearing assembly adapted to be connected to a vehicle for use in supporting and interconnecting a pair of drive shaft sections, said carrier bearing assembly including: a first casing having an annular member and a wall extending from said annular member, said annular member defining a bore, said first casing also having a port and a recess defined by said annular member and said wall; a grease fitting received in said port of said first casing and connected thereto; a second casing, non-integral with and separate from said first casing, said second casing having an annular member and a wall extending from said annular member, said annular member defining a bore, a recess being defined by said annular member and said wall; race means having a first portion and a second portion, a first portion of said race means being received into said recess of said first casing and said second portion of said race means being received into said recess of said second casing; bearing means located adjacent to said race means; at least a first sleeve member disposed adjacent to said race means for receiving at least one of the drive shaft sections; and sealing means disposed between said sleeve member and one of said first casing or second casing for use in preventing contaminants from entering past said one casing and for use in containing a lubricant used by said bearing means.

Claim 9

An apparatus used with a vehicle, comprising: a clamp assembly adapted to be connected to the frame of a vehicle; an elastic mounting assembly including an opening and having at least portions thereof in engagement with portions of said clamp assembly; a carrier bearing assembly positioned in said opening of said rubber mounting, comprising: a first casing having a wall and an annular member connected to said wall, said annular member defining a bore formed through said first casing, said first casing further having a port formed through said annular member, and a recess being defined by said annular member and said wall, a grease fitting held in said port of said annular member for receiving lubricant, a second casing, separate from and non-integral with said first casing, said second casing having a wall and an annular member and a wall connected to said wall, said annular member defining a bore formed through said second casing, and a recess being defined by said wall and said annular member, a first sleeve member having a diameter of a size to receive a first drive shaft section, said first sleeve member including an outer element and an inner element, said outer element being thicker than said inner element, an outer race having a first portion received by said recess of said first casing and a second portion received by said recess of said second casing, an inner race concentric with and spaced from said outer race, a second sleeve member having a diameter of a size to receive a second drive shaft section, ball bearing means disposed between said outer race and said inner race and having a number of ball bearings for contacting and movement along surfaces of said outer race and said inner race, sealing means held adjacent to said first casing and said second casing for use in preventing contaminants from entering said ball bearing means and for securing the containment of the lubricant in the carrier bearing assembly; a first drive shaft section received and supported by said first sleeve member; and a second drive shaft section received and supported by said second sleeve member.

Claim 10

An apparatus used with a vehicle, comprising: a clamp assembly adapted to be connected to the frame of a vehicle; an elastic mounting assembly including an opening and having at least portions thereof in engagement with portions of said clamp assembly; a carrier bearing assembly positioned in said opening of said rubber mounting, comprising: a first casing having a wall and an annular member connected to said wall, said annular member defining a bore formed through said first casing, said first casing further having a port formed through said annular member, and a recess being defined by said annular member and said wall, a grease fitting held in said port of said annular member for receiving lubricant, a second casing, separate from and non-integral with said first casing, said second casing having a wall and an annular member and a wall connected to said wall, said annular member defining a bore formed through said second casing, and a recess being defined by said wall and said annular member, a first sleeve member having a diameter of a size to receive a first drive shaft section, said first sleeve member including an outer element and an inner element, said outer element being thicker than said inner element, an outer race having a first portion received by said recess of said first casing and a second portion received by said recess of said second casing, an inner race concentric with and spaced from said outer race, a second sleeve member having a diameter of a size to receive a second drive shaft section, ball bearing means disposed between said outer race and said inner race and having a number of ball bearings for contacting and movement along surfaces of said outer race and said inner race, sealing means held adjacent to said first casing and said second casing for use in preventing contaminants from entering said ball bearing means and for securing the containment of the lubricant in the carrier bearing assembly; a first drive shaft section received and supported by said first sleeve member; and a second drive shaft section received and supported by said second sleeve member.