GB2171154A

GB2171154A - Bearing cover

Info

Publication number: GB2171154A
Application number: GB08603542A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Stephen Evans
Original assignee: Delfilt Ltd
Current assignee: Delfilt Ltd
Priority date: 1985-02-20
Filing date: 1986-02-13
Publication date: 1986-08-20
Also published as: GB8504335D0; GB2171154B; GB8603542D0

Abstract

A bearing for a rotatable shaft (24) is enshrouded by a housing (12, 14, 16, 18, 20). The housing has an aperture (22) in a side wall to receive the shaft, this being facilitated by a slit (26) which can be resiliently distorted to widen the opening. A sealing ring (28) is located on the shaft such that it provides a radial flange adjacent the outside surface of the apertured wall around the aperture. This limits the ingress of dust and liquid through the aperture and improves the protection for the bearing. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Bearing cover This invention relates to the field of engineering, and more particularly to the protection of bearings for rotatable shafts.

According to the present invention there is provided a bearing cover comprising a housing made of resiliently flexible material to shroud the bearing, the housing comprising side walls and a top wall, and being open at the bottom, one of the side walls having an aperture to receive the shaft and a slit extending from said aperture to the open bottom of the housing whereby the housing can be fitted over the bearing by distorting the apertured wall so as to open the slit sufficiently to allow the shaft to enter the aperture, and an annular sealing member to fit on the shaft and provide a radial flange projecting therefrom adjacent the outside surface of the apertured wall of the housing around the aperture.The annular sealing member preferably also has a sleeve portion which can extend into the aperture with a clearance so as to allow the sealing member to be rotatable relative to the housing. The sealing member is conveniently also made from resiliently flexible material. Suitably, the sealing member is bonded to the surface of the shaft. Alternatively, it could be of rigid material secured to the shaft e.g. by grub screws, for subsequent removal.

In order that the invention may be more clearly understood, one embodiment will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 shows a side view of the bearing cover on the line A of Figure 2; Figure 2 shows a cross-section through the bearing cover on the line B-B of Figure 1; Figure 3 shows an enlarged side view of the sealing ring; and Figure 4 shows a view on the sealing ring at right-angles to that of Figure 3.

Referring to the drawings; the bearing cover comprises a housing 10 made of natural or synthetic rubber or other resiliently flexible material. The housing has opposite side walls 12,14, end walls 16, a top wall 18, and is open at the bottom 20. The side wall 12 has a circular aperture 22 to receive a shaft 24 (which is of course not part of the cover, but is journalled in the bearing(not shown). The side wall 12 also has a slit 26 extending from the aperture 22 to the bottom of the housing. To fit the housing over the bearing, the side wall 12 adjacent the slit 26 is distorted so that the slit opens sufficiently to admit the shaft 24 until the shaft is located in the aperture 22, whereupon the side wall 12 adjacent the slit is released to allow it to resume its former planar configuration as shown in the drawings.The shaft 24 is fitted with a sealing ring 28, also made of resiliently flexible material such as natural or synthetic rubber (although it could be made of other material such as rigid polymer or metal). The sealing ring (as best seen in Figures 3 and 4) has a radially projecting annular flange portion 30 and an axially projecting sleeve portion 32. The outside diameter of the sleeve portion 32 is slightly less than the inside diameter of the aperture 22 (for example 2 mm smaller), whereas the overall diameter of the radial flange portion 30 is a little greater than the inside diameter of the aperture 22 (for example 3 mm greater).The inside diameter of the sealing ring 28 is selected so that it will fit on the shaft 24, as shown in Figure 2, at a position where the sleeve portion 32 extends into the aperture 22 in the housing, and the flange portion 30 lies adjacent the outside surface of the side wall 12 around the aperture, but is spaced from it by a small clearance (for example I mm). This latter clearance can be determined by means of location pins 34 on the flange portion 30. After fitting the sealing ring and the housing, the location pins can be cut away, or they will wear away in use.

Alternatively the location pins could be omitted, and the clearance determined by other means, e.g.

optically or by a feeler gauge. The sealing ring is suitably bonded by adhesive to the surface of the shaft, or it could be removably attached by e.g. grub screws.

The bearing cover provides protection for the bearing against dust and liquid, particularly where the bearing is part of machinery which works with dusty or liquid materials, for example in the case of belt conveyors. The sealing ring provides additional security against the ingress of dust or liquid into the cover where the shaft enters the housing. In particular, where the bearing is part of machinery which handles liquid, for example liquid filter equipment, there is a tendency for liquid to run along the shaft, and the radial flange of the sealing member should greatly reduce the risk of that liquid entering the housing by causing the liquid to fall from the shaft.

I. A bearing cover comprising a housing made of resiliently flexible material to shroud the bearing, the housing comprising side walls and a top wall and being open at the bottom, one of the side walls having an aperture to receive the shaft and a slit extending from side aperture to the open bottom of the housing, whereby the housing can be fitted over the bearing by distorting the apertured wall so as to open the slit sufficiently to allow the shaft to enter the aperture.

2. A bearing cover comprising a housing according to claim 1 in combination with an annular sealing member for fitting onto the shaft to provide a radial flange projecting therefrom adjacent the outside surface of the apertured wall of the housing around the aperture.

3. A bearing cover according to claim 2 wherein the sealing member has a sleeve portion for extending into the aperture with a clearance so as to allow the sealing member to be rotatable relative to the housing.

4. A bearing cover according to claim 2 or claim 3 wherein the sealing member is made from a resi lientlyflexible material.

5. A bearing cover according to claim 4 wherein the sealing member is bonded to the surface of the shaft.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **.

SPECIFICATION Bearing cover This invention relates to the field of engineering, and more particularly to the protection of bearings for rotatable shafts.

According to the present invention there is provided a bearing cover comprising a housing made of resiliently flexible material to shroud the bearing, the housing comprising side walls and a top wall, and being open at the bottom, one of the side walls having an aperture to receive the shaft and a slit extending from said aperture to the open bottom of the housing whereby the housing can be fitted over the bearing by distorting the apertured wall so as to open the slit sufficiently to allow the shaft to enter the aperture, and an annular sealing member to fit on the shaft and provide a radial flange projecting therefrom adjacent the outside surface of the apertured wall of the housing around the aperture.The annular sealing member preferably also has a sleeve portion which can extend into the aperture with a clearance so as to allow the sealing member to be rotatable relative to the housing. The sealing member is conveniently also made from resiliently flexible material. Suitably, the sealing member is bonded to the surface of the shaft. Alternatively, it could be of rigid material secured to the shaft e.g. by grub screws, for subsequent removal.

In order that the invention may be more clearly understood, one embodiment will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 shows a side view of the bearing cover on the line A of Figure 2; Figure 2 shows a cross-section through the bearing cover on the line B-B of Figure 1; Figure 3 shows an enlarged side view of the sealing ring; and Figure 4 shows a view on the sealing ring at right-angles to that of Figure 3.

Referring to the drawings; the bearing cover comprises a housing 10 made of natural or synthetic rubber or other resiliently flexible material. The housing has opposite side walls 12,14, end walls 16, a top wall 18, and is open at the bottom 20. The side wall 12 has a circular aperture 22 to receive a shaft 24 (which is of course not part of the cover, but is journalled in the bearing(not shown). The side wall 12 also has a slit 26 extending from the aperture 22 to the bottom of the housing. To fit the housing over the bearing, the side wall 12 adjacent the slit 26 is distorted so that the slit opens sufficiently to admit the shaft 24 until the shaft is located in the aperture 22, whereupon the side wall 12 adjacent the slit is released to allow it to resume its former planar configuration as shown in the drawings.The shaft 24 is fitted with a sealing ring 28, also made of resiliently flexible material such as natural or synthetic rubber (although it could be made of other material such as rigid polymer or metal). The sealing ring (as best seen in Figures 3 and 4) has a radially projecting annular flange portion 30 and an axially projecting sleeve portion 32. The outside diameter of the sleeve portion 32 is slightly less than the inside diameter of the aperture 22 (for example 2 mm smaller), whereas the overall diameter of the radial flange portion 30 is a little greater than the inside diameter of the aperture 22 (for example 3 mm greater).The inside diameter of the sealing ring 28 is selected so that it will fit on the shaft 24, as shown in Figure 2, at a position where the sleeve portion 32 extends into the aperture 22 in the housing, and the flange portion 30 lies adjacent the outside surface of the side wall 12 around the aperture, but is spaced from it by a small clearance (for example I mm). This latter clearance can be determined by means of location pins 34 on the flange portion 30. After fitting the sealing ring and the housing, the location pins can be cut away, or they will wear away in use.

Alternatively the location pins could be omitted, and the clearance determined by other means, e.g.

optically or by a feeler gauge. The sealing ring is suitably bonded by adhesive to the surface of the shaft, or it could be removably attached by e.g. grub screws.

The bearing cover provides protection for the bearing against dust and liquid, particularly where the bearing is part of machinery which works with dusty or liquid materials, for example in the case of belt conveyors. The sealing ring provides additional security against the ingress of dust or liquid into the cover where the shaft enters the housing. In particular, where the bearing is part of machinery which handles liquid, for example liquid filter equipment, there is a tendency for liquid to run along the shaft, and the radial flange of the sealing member should greatly reduce the risk of that liquid entering the housing by causing the liquid to fall from the shaft.

I. A bearing cover comprising a housing made of resiliently flexible material to shroud the bearing, the housing comprising side walls and a top wall and being open at the bottom, one of the side walls having an aperture to receive the shaft and a slit extending from side aperture to the open bottom of the housing, whereby the housing can be fitted over the bearing by distorting the apertured wall so as to open the slit sufficiently to allow the shaft to enter the aperture.
2. A bearing cover comprising a housing according to claim 1 in combination with an annular sealing member for fitting onto the shaft to provide a radial flange projecting therefrom adjacent the outside surface of the apertured wall of the housing around the aperture.
3. A bearing cover according to claim 2 wherein the sealing member has a sleeve portion for extending into the aperture with a clearance so as to allow the sealing member to be rotatable relative to the housing.
4. A bearing cover according to claim 2 or claim 3 wherein the sealing member is made from a resi lientlyflexible material.
5. A bearing cover according to claim 4 wherein the sealing member is bonded to the surface of the shaft.
6. A bearing cover according to claim 2 or claim 3 wherein the sealing member is made from a rigid material.
7. A bearing cover according to claim 6 wherein the sealing member is removably secured to the shaft.
8. A bearing cover according to any one of claims 2 to 7 wherein the sealing member is further provided with a means for spacing the sealing member from the apertured wall of the housing.
9. A bearing cover according to claim 8 wherein the spacing means are axially extending pins circumferentially spaced on the radially projecting flange of the sealing member.
10. A bearing cover substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.