Abstract: A seal for a bearing includes a first annular retaining ring defining a first radially outermost portion and a second annular retaining ring defining a second radially outermost portion. The seal includes a resilient ring defining a third radially outermost portion. The resilient ring is disposed between the first annular retaining ring and the second annular retaining ring. The first radially outermost portion, the second radially outermost portion and the third radially outermost portion are aligned with one another. The resilient ring projects radially inward from the first annular retaining ring and the second annular retaining ring. The resilient ring is more compressible and flexible than the first annular retaining ring and the second annular retaining ring.

Abstract: A bearing is provided that includes a first ring having at least one first raceway defined by a radially inward facing surface of the first ring; and a second ring concentric with the first ring and having at least one second raceway defined by a radially outward facing surface of the second ring. The bearing includes a plurality of rolling elements disposed between the first and second rings. The rolling elements rollingly engage the first and second raceways. The first ring has a first gap therein and the second ring has a second gap therein. One or more race reliefs extend into the first raceway and/or the second raceway.

Abstract: A ball bearing for a cryogenic application including an inner ring and an outer ring positioned around the inner ring. The inner ring and the outer ring define a raceway therebetween. The ball bearing includes a plurality of rolling balls disposed in the raceway and a slug separator positioned between and slidingly engaging each of adjacent pairs the rolling balls. The slug separator defines an exterior surface thereon, which has a recess extending at least partially into the slug separator. The recess is configured to flow cryogenic fluid therethrough.

Abstract: A bearing for a hub-mounted vibration suppression system includes an outer ring defining a first outer race and a second outer race. A first inner ring and a second inner ring are disposed in the outer ring. A plurality of rolling elements is disposed between the first inner race and the first outer race. A slug separator separates each adjacent pair of the plurality of the rolling elements. Another plurality of rolling elements is disposed between the second inner race and the second outer race. Another slug separator separates each adjacent pair of the other rolling elements. Each of the plurality rolling elements have first centers that are spaced apart from one another by no more than 15 degrees and/or each of the plurality other rolling elements have second centers that are spaced apart from one another by no more than 15 degrees.

Abstract: A swash plate assembly includes a mounting flange. A center ring is disposed in the mounting flange and is rotatable relative to the mounting flange about a center ring axis of rotation. A swash plate is disposed in the center ring and is rotatable relative to the center ring about a swash plate axis of rotation. The swash plate assembly includes a first plurality of balls disposed between the mounting flange and the center ring and a second plurality of balls disposed between the center ring and the swash plate. The center ring defines an inner raceway adapted to receive the first plurality of balls and the center ring defines an outer raceway adapted to receive the second plurality of balls.

Abstract: A tandem set of angular contact ball bearings each having an inner ring, an outer ring and balls therebetween, wherein each bearing contains balls that are spaced from each other by slug ball separators. A rotary wing aircraft rotor head assembly includes a rotor head member, a plurality of spindles attached to the head member at equal interval around the center of the head member, and a stack of ball bearings mounted on each spindle. Each bearing has an inner ring, an outer ring, and a plurality of balls between the inner ring and the outer ring, and slug ball separators between adjacent balls, and there is a mounting collar on the ball bearings.

Abstract: A bearing is provided that includes a first ring having at least one first raceway defined by a radially inward facing surface of the first ring; and a second ring concentric with the first ring and having at least one second raceway defined by a radially outward facing surface of the second ring. The bearing includes a plurality of rolling elements disposed between the first and second rings. The rolling elements rollingly engage the first and second raceways. The first ring has a first gap therein and the second ring has a second gap therein. One or more race reliefs extend into the first raceway and/or the second raceway.

Abstract: An improved swashplate assembly of the main rotor of an AH-64 Apache helicopter includes a stationary swashplate and a rotating swashplate and a ball bearing between the swashplates, the ball bearing having an outer ring, an inner ring, two sets of balls between the inner ring and the outer ring, and a wire loop cage between the inner ring and the outer ring. The improvement includes that the inner ring, the outer ring and the balls are formed from an M50 alloy.

Abstract: In a rotary wing aircraft tail rotor head assembly having a ball bearing on a spindle at the head of a rotor wing, the ball bearing contains slug ball separators between the balls in the bearing. The separator may be made from PEEK, PTFE, or polyimide. The ball-to-ball separation between two balls of like diameter provided by the separator may about 3.2 to about 64% of the diameter of one of the balls. A separator may have an annular configuration that defines a passage therethrough, the passage having two ends and the interior of the separator being tapered to define a maximum diameter at each end and a minimum diameter therebetween. The taper of the chamfered surface of the slug ball separator may define a conical angle of about 75° to about 120°. A ball bearing as described herein may also be used in a rotary wing aircraft swashplate having a stationary plate, a rotating plate; and a thrust bearing between the stationary plate and the rotating plate.

Abstract: A ball bearing for a cryogenic application including an inner ring and an outer ring positioned around the inner ring. The inner ring and the outer ring define a raceway therebetween. The ball bearing includes a plurality of rolling balls disposed in the raceway and a slug separator positioned between and slidingly engaging each of adjacent pairs the rolling balls. The slug separator defines an exterior surface thereon, which has a recess extending at least partially into the slug separator. The recess is configured to flow cryogenic fluid therethrough.

Abstract: A hot gas valving system for a ground-based power generation system includes a gas flow conduit having a wall and defining a path for fluid flow and a butterfly valve located in the wall and transversely across the path for fluid flow. The butterfly valve includes a first raceway defined by an inner ring and an outer ring, a second raceway defined by an inner ring and an outer ring, a combination of ball bearings and roller bearings retained in each raceway, an axle rotatably mounted in the inner rings of each raceway and cooperably rotatable therewith, and a baffle mounted longitudinally along the axle and extending from the axle into the path of fluid flow. Upon rotation of the axle, the baffle restricts or permits fluid flow.

Abstract: A method for treating bearing components includes treating the bearing components in a tumbling-type cutting surface treatment; treating the bearing components in a tumbling-type burnishing treatment; and treating the bearing components in a tumbling-type cleaning and polishing treatment, to provide finished components.

Abstract: A ball bearing for use in cryogenic applications has an inner ring and an outer ring that define a raceway between them, and there is a set of rolling balls in the raceway with slug ball separators between adjacent rolling balls. The bearing may be used in a pump for cryogenic fluids such as LNG, LOX, LH2, etc.

Abstract: An improved swashplate assembly of the main rotor of an AH-64 Apache helicopter includes a stationary swashplate and a rotating swashplate and a ball bearing between the swashplates, the ball bearing having an outer ring, an inner ring, two sets of balls between the inner ring and the outer ring, and a wire loop cage between the inner ring and the outer ring. The improvement includes that the inner ring, the outer ring and the balls are formed from an M50 alloy.

Abstract: A ground-based power generator that produces hot gas and that has a hot gas valving system includes a butterfly valve in a gas flow conduit. The generator is improved in that the butterfly valve is mounted in the conduit by a ball-roller bearing.

Abstract: A rolling bearing has a first ring, a second ring concentric with the first ring, and a plurality of rolling elements disposed between the first and second rings, the first ring and the second ring both being generally annular and having gaps therein. A rotating mechanism has a support structure, a rotating structure, and a rolling bearing as described herein mounted on the support structure and engaging the rotating structure. A rotating mechanism having a CTE and a non-split ring bearing having a bearing CTE that is significantly less than the mechanism CTE can be improved by replacing the non-split ring bearing with a bearing having a similar CTE and a gap in the inner ring and in the outer ring.

Abstract: A tandem set of angular contact ball bearings each having an inner ring, an outer ring and balls therebetween, wherein each bearing contains balls that are spaced from each other by slug ball separators. A rotary wing aircraft rotor head assembly includes a rotor head member, a plurality of spindles attached to the head member at equal interval around the center of the head member, and a stack of ball bearings mounted on each spindle. Each bearing has an inner ring, an outer ring, and a plurality of balls between the inner ring and the outer ring, and slug ball separators between adjacent balls, and there is a mounting collar on the ball bearings.

Abstract: In a rotary wing aircraft tail rotor head assembly having a ball bearing on a spindle at the head of a rotor wing, the ball bearing contains slug ball separators between the balls in the bearing. The separator may be made from PEEK, PTFE, or polyimide. The ball-to-ball separation between two balls of like diameter provided by the separator may about 3.2 to about 64% of the diameter of one of the balls. A separator may have an annular configuration that defines a passage therethrough, the passage having two ends and the interior of the separator being tapered to define a maximum diameter at each end and a minimum diameter therebetween. The taper of the chamfered surface of the slug ball separator may define a conical angle of about 75° to about 120°. A ball bearing as described herein may also be used in a rotary wing aircraft swashplate having a stationary plate, a rotating plate; and a thrust bearing between the stationary plate and the rotating plate.

Abstract: A trunnion bearing has a generally cylindrical trunnion member that defines two inner ring raceways. A mounting pin is disposed within the trunnion member and an outer ring encircles the inner ring raceways. The outer ring defines raceways that are aligned with respective inner ring raceways. There is a row of balls between each inner ring raceway and a respective outer ring raceway. A bearing is assembled by placing a mounting pin within a trunnion member. An outer ring having raceways on its interior surface is placed eccentrically around the trunnion member. Each outer ring raceway is aligned with an inner ring raceway. The eccentricity creates an insertion opening for balls. Balls are inserted between the inner ring raceways and their respective outer ring raceways via the insertion opening. The balls are distributed around the trunnion member, and the outer ring moves into concentric relation with the trunnion member.