Abstract: A loader slot bearing includes a housing and a truncated ball. The housing has an interior area that is defined by an inner bearing surface which has a concave contour defining a circumference. A single slot extends axially partway into the inner bearing surface and has a slot arc section area extending axially inward. The slot arc section area has a first circumferential slot-end, a second circumferential slot-end, and a slot arc length measured between the first circumferential slot-end and the second circumferential slot-end. A ratio of the slot arc length to the circumference of the interior area is about 0.20 to 0.35. The truncated ball has a convex exterior surface. The truncated ball is positioned in the slot and rotated so that the truncated ball is rotatably retained by the inner bearing surface. The truncated ball is angularly misalignable relative to the annular housing.

Abstract: A wear resistant bearing system includes an inner member that has an internal core and a bearing surface which has a 50 Rockwell C scale hardness or greater. The inner member has a chemical composition that is uniform throughout the internal core and the bearings surface. The wear resistant bearing system includes an outer member that partially surrounds the inner member and includes a receiving surface that has liner system adhered thereto. The liner system includes a wear resistant matrix that has one or more reinforcing fiber systems and has one or more lubricative fibers system dispersed in the wear resistant matrix. The liner system has a wear surface that has portions of both the reinforcing fiber system and the lubricative fiber system. The wear surface is continuous.

Abstract: A coating composition includes an epoxy resin including an epoxy monomer, a toughener and one or more self-lubricating fillers. The coating composition can be employed in a bearing that has an outer member that has a radially inwardly facing surface that defines an interior area. An inner member is disposed in the interior area. The inner member has a radially outward facing bearing surface. The coating composition is disposed between the radially inwardly facing surface and the radially outward facing bearing surface.

Abstract: A cartridge seal assembly includes an outer housing including a first tubular segment having a first axial end and a second axial end, and a first flange extending radially inward from the second axial end; an inner housing including a second tubular segment having a third axial end and a fourth axial end, and a second flange extending radially inward from the fourth axial end; and a first seal ring having a first tapered inner circumferential surface that defines a first passage through the first seal ring. The inner housing is removably secured to the outer housing, and the first seal ring engages a portion of one of the inner housing and the outer housing.

Abstract: A piston assembly for a lead-lag damper for a blade mounted on a rotor of a helicopter includes a piston-rod that has an inside surface and a piston-head that extends radially outward therefrom. The piston-rod has two ports extending therethrough on opposing sides of the piston-head. A sleeve is positioned in the piston-rod and has two annular passages that communicate with the respective ports. A valve spool is disposed in and slidingly engages the sleeve. The valve spool has a channel which is in variable fluid communication with two passages. The piston assembly includes a biasing member that biases the valve spool axially away from it. The channel has an axial width configured to variably regulate fluid flow between the two ports to control dampening of the piston-rod in response to centrifugal forces applied to the valve spool.

Abstract: A spherical bearing includes an inner member that has an exterior surface extending a first width between axial ends thereof and having a first central plane located equidistant between the axial ends. The spherical bearing includes an outer member with a inner surface having a maximum inside diameter at an apex plane and extending a second width between opposing ends thereof and having second central plane located equidistant between the ends thereof. The inner member is disposed in an interior area of the outer member. The first central plane is coplanar with the apex plane and is axially offset from the second central plane. One of the opposing axial ends of the inner member is located entirely in the interior area and axially inward from ends of the outer member when the inner member is angularly misaligned relative to the outer member at non-zero angles up to 7 degrees.

Abstract: A light-weight bearing component for sliding or rolling engagement with a mating surface includes a core lattice structure that has a plurality of support members interconnected with one another and a plurality of spaces located between the support members. The bearing component includes a cover that has an interior surface and an exterior surface. The cover extends over a portion of or all of the core lattice structure.

Abstract: An axial retainment system for a shaft is provided. The axial retainment system includes a cylindrical body extending from an outboard end to an inboard end thereof, and a swaged ridge extending radially outward from the cylindrical body proximate the outboard end. The swaged ridge has an outboard axial surface facing toward the outboard end and extending radially outward and terminating at a radially outward facing circumferential surface. The swaged ridge has an inboard axial surface facing toward the inboard end and extending radially outward from the cylindrical body and terminating at the radially outward facing circumferential surface. The outboard axial surface of the swaged ridge is recessed axially inward from the outboard end of the shaft. The inboard axial surface of the swaged ridge is swaged against, conforms in shape to, and is compressed against a component to be axially retained on the shaft.

Abstract: A ball bearing and housing assembly includes a shaft having a stepped bore extending therethrough. The stepped bore is defined by a first bore segment having an inboard cylindrical interior surface that has a first bore diameter. The first bore segment extends from a shaft end and terminates at a shoulder. The shoulder is axially located between a first radial centerline of a plurality of balls and an inner axial end. The stepped bore is further defined by a second bore segment having an outboard cylindrical interior surface that has second bore diameter. The second bore segment extends axially from the inner axial end towards the shaft end and terminates at the shoulder. The second bore diameter is greater than the first bore diameter. A fastener is fitted through the first bore segment and threaded into a housing.

Abstract: A spherical plain bearing includes an outer ring having a concave interior spherical surface, and an inner member having a convex exterior spherical surface. The inner member is pivotally disposed in the outer ring such that the inner member and the outer ring are angularly misalignable relative to one another. The spherical plain bearing includes an angular misalignment restraint system which includes an inner member restraint feature on the inner member and an outer ring restraint feature on the outer member. The first and second portions are spaced apart when the inner member and the outer ring are angularly misaligned relative to one another by less than a predetermined maximum angle ?, and come into abutment when the inner member and the outer ring are angularly misaligned relative to one another by angle ?. The abutment prevents any further relative angular misalignment of the inner member and the outer ring.

Abstract: A wear resistant composite material includes a first thickness of material, a second thickness of material, and a thickness of wear indicator located between and engaging the first thickness of material and the second thickness of material. The thickness of wear indicator has a colorant therein.

Abstract: A composite material having an alloy matrix including titanium, aluminum, niobium, manganese, boron, and carbon is disclosed. The composite material includes, by atomic percentage, 40.0% to 50.0% Al, 1.0% to 8.0% Nb, 0.5% to 2.0% Mn, 0.1% to 2.0% B, and 0.01% to 0.2% C. The composite material is doped with a solid lubricant such as MoS2, ZnO, CuO, hexagonal boron nitride (hBN), WS2, AgTaO3, CuTaO3, CuTa2O6, or combinations thereof. Components composed of the composite material exhibit increased ductility at room temperature and reduced fracture tendency, resulting in improved durability.

Abstract: A linear guide mechanism includes a housing having an inside housing surface that defines a bore extending through the housing coaxial with a longitudinal axis. A shaft is disposed at least partially in the bore and is reciprocatably and linearly moveable in the bore along the longitudinal axis. The shaft has an exterior shaft surface. A self-lubricating liner is disposed in the bore between the inside housing surface and the exterior shaft surface. The self-lubricating liner has an inside liner surface that is in sliding engagement with the exterior shaft surface of the shaft. The self-lubricating liner has an exterior liner surface.

Abstract: A spherical plain bearing includes an outer ring and an inner ring that are each coaxial with a longitudinal axis of the bearing. The outer ring has a first axial outer ring end, a second axial outer ring end, and an interior spherical concave bearing surface extending therebetween. The inner ring has a first axial inner ring end, a second axial inner ring end, and an interior cylindrical bearing surface defining a bore and an exterior spherical convex bearing surface extending therebetween. The exterior spherical convex bearing surface is in interfacial sliding engagement with the interior spherical concave bearing surface. A plurality of circumferential lubrication grooves and one or more curved lubrication channels are in the exterior spherical convex bearing surface. The curved lubrication channels are positioned to intersect each of the circumferential lubrication grooves. A plurality of profiled annular lubrication grooves circumferentially extend into the interior cylindrical bearing surface.

Abstract: A roller hydraulic valve lifter includes a body having a longitudinal central axis and an interior area defined by an inside surface which has a pair of flat surfaces opposite one another and connected by a pair of walls. A first bore, essentially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, extends through the flat surfaces. A bearing is disposed partially in the interior area. The bearing includes an outer ring having substantially cylindrical exterior and interior bearing surfaces. A shaft extends through the first bore and the outer ring and between the pair of flat surfaces. A plurality of needle rollers is disposed between and rollingly engage the shaft and the cylindrical inner bearing surface. The shaft and the plurality of needle rollers are manufactured from an AISI 52100 alloy steel that is carbo-nitrided. The shaft and the plurality of needle rollers have a surface hardness of a minimum of HRc 65.

Abstract: A maintenance-free bearing system having self-lubricating features, seals, grooves and slots for use in a cushion hitch assembly for a hitch pull scraper vehicle. An interconnected bearing linkage system having two or more horizontal two-axis combined journal and thrust bearings with self-lubricating liners therein, two or more vertical single-axis sleeve bearings with self-lubricating liners therein and one or more vertical thrust bearing with self-lubricating liners therein, that cooperate with one another to accommodate vertical and horizontal angular movement relative to one another. The vertical thrust bearings incorporate an outer seal assembly and/or an inner seal assembly with a tapered configuration that improves retention of the seal assembly during rotation.

Abstract: A loader slot bearing includes an annular housing having first and second axial surfaces and an interior area extending therebetween. The interior area has a first inner surface that extends between the first and second axial surfaces. A portion of the inner surface is a first bearing surface that has a spherical contour. A slot extends partially into the first inner surface from the first axial surface. The slot has a first width. The annular housing is manufactured from a precipitation hardened corrosion resistant stainless steel. The loader slot bearing includes a truncated ball that is positioned in the slot and rotated so that the truncated ball is rotatably retained by the first bearing surface. The truncated ball is angularly misalignable relative to the housing and is manufactured from a 440C stainless steel. A dry lubricant is applied to the spherical exterior surface of the truncated ball.

Abstract: A loader slot bearing includes a housing and a truncated ball. The housing has an interior area that is defined by an inner bearing surface which has a concave contour defining a circumference. A single slot extends axially partway into the inner bearing surface and has a slot arc section area extending axially inward. The slot arc section area has a first circumferential slot-end, a second circumferential slot-end, and a slot arc length measured between the first circumferential slot-end and the second circumferential slot-end. A ratio of the slot arc length to the circumference of the interior area is about 0.20 to 0.35. The truncated ball has a convex exterior surface. The truncated ball is positioned in the slot and rotated so that the truncated ball is rotatably retained by the inner bearing surface. The truncated ball is angularly misalignable relative to the annular housing.

Abstract: A joint bushing that accommodates the dithering and sliding in multi segment wind turbines. The joint bushing includes a self-lubricating liner that is a composite system incorporating woven Polytetrafluoroethylene fibers intermixed with structural reinforcement fibers in a composite matrix. The composite system provides sufficient life without requiring relubrication.

Abstract: A joint bushing that accommodates the dithering and sliding in multi segment wind turbines. The joint bushing includes a self-lubricating liner that is a composite system incorporating woven Polytetrafluoroethylene fibers intermixed with structural reinforcement fibers in a composite matrix. The composite system provides sufficient life without requiring re-lubrication.