BEARING PROTECTOR

Abstract

A split bearing protector with a flexible design that adds improved moisture protection to a bearing and can be installed without removing the bearing from the machine in which it is installed.

Claims

1. A bearing protector comprising an annular cup-like structure having a front face defining an annular shaft contacting surface, and a side face, said side face comprising a locking collar portion, a flange portion, a shaft portion, and an outer race contact surface, wherein an inner diameter of the locking collar portion is configured to closely match a shape and outer diameter of a bearing locking collar, inner race extension, shaft or any combination thereof, wherein the flange portion extends down and away from the locking collar portion and terminates at the outer race contact surface, and wherein the annular shape of the bearing protector is interrupted by a slit which defines a first end and a second end of the annular cup-like structure.

2. The bearing protector of claim 1, wherein the annular cup-like structure is sufficiently flexible that it may be twisted so that said first and second ends may be displaced from one-another to allow passage of a shaft there-between.

3. The bearing protector of claim 1, further comprising means to securely fix said first end to said second end.

4. A method of protecting a shaft bearing, comprising: providing an open ring-shaped flexible bearing protector, deforming said open ring-shaped flexible bearing protector to separate first and second ends of said open ring shaped flexible bearing protector to allow passage of a shaft, snugly fitting said open-ring shaped flexible bearing protector about said shaft and said shaft bearing, abutting said first and second ends to one-another and affixing them to one-another to prevent movement of said open ring-shaped flexible bearing protector and to prevent leakage of lubricant from an interior thereof.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] The detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention refers to the attached drawings, wherein:

[0009] FIG. 1 shows a prior art rubber bearing flinger in a vertical shaft axial fan cooling tower.

[0010] FIG. 2 shows a prior art locking collar integrated bearing slinger.

[0011] FIG. 3 shows a prior art single piece locking collar mounted slinger.

[0012] FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of a bearing protector according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0013] FIG. 5 shows a first step in a method for installation of a bearing protector according to an embodiment of the invention by deforming and opening the slit construction.

[0014] FIG. 6 shows a second step in a method for the installation of a bearing protector according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0015] Features in the attached drawings are numbered with the following reference numerals:

TABLE-US-00001 1 Bearing Protector 3 Front Face 5 Shaft Contacting Surface 7 Side Face 9 Locking Collar Portion 11 Flange Portion 13 Outer Race Contact Surface 15 Slit/Opening 17 First End 19 Second End

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0016] Referring to FIG. 4, bearing protector 1 may be formed by an annular cup-like structure having a front face 3 defining an annular shaft contacting surface 5 and a side face 7, having a locking collar portion 9, a flange portion 11, and an outer race contact surface 11. The inner diameter of the locking collar portion 9 may be configured to closely match the shape and outer diameter of the bearing locking collar, inner race extension, and/or shaft so as to snugly fit over it during installation and use. The flange portion 11 extends down and away from the locking collar portion 9 and terminates at the outer race contact surface 13. The annular shape of the bearing protector 1 is interrupted by a slit or opening 15 bound by first and second ends 17, 19 of the annular bearing protector 1.

[0017] The bearing protector 1 of the invention is sufficiently flexible that it may be twisted so that first and second ends 17, 19 may be separated a distance sufficient to allow passage of the shaft there-between, permitting installation and removal of the bearing protector without separating the bearing from the shaft. See, FIG. 5. Once the protector 1 has been placed around the shaft with the shaft contact surface 5 snugly fitted around the shaft, it may be pressed down over the locking collar and outer race, as shown in FIG. 6.

[0018] First and second ends 17, 19 may be securely fixed to one-another by bold and nut, screw, snap fit or other known fixation method or structure. When installed about a shaft and bearing assembly, a cavity is formed between the bearing face and the inside surface of the flange portion 11. This cavity receives grease through the bearing primary seal which is located on the face of the bearing. This cavity is filled with grease expelled from the primary bearing seal and displaces water and/or contaminants that would normally be in contact with the primary bearing seal.