Abstract: A heavy duty vehicle hubcap preferably made from a plastic material and having a sidewall, an end wall with a transparent window insert formed therein, and further including a radial mounting flange. The mounting flange is reinforced with a mounting ring insert made from a rigid, preferably metal body. The mounting flange and the ring insert include radially elongated bosses and openings. The hubcap also includes an access port formed in the hubcap body sidewall and a plug removably positioned in liquid tight relation within the access port. Preferably, the hubcap is vented to permit passage of gas and vapor therethrough without permitting liquid to pass into the sealed region. An insert molding method is described wherein the ring insert and the window are separately formed and then bonded to the hubcap body.

Abstract: The sealing device (8) for the passage of a fluid between a rotating race and a non-rotating race of a bearing each penetrated by channels (6, 7) for the passage of the fluid, comprises a one-piece annular central body (9) of elastic material having a circular shoulder (10) for fixing to one of the races (1), and two main sealing lips (12) which mutually form an annular intermediate chamber (13) and which are in friction contact with the other race (2). The central body (9) is penetrated by at least one channel (15) communicating with the channels (6) of the race associated with the circular fixing shoulder, and also with the intermediate chamber, which communicates with the channels (7) of the other race, so that the fluid introduced into the channels of one of the races of the bearing passes through the central body in a leaktight manner and exits through the channels of the other race.

Abstract: Device for load measurement in roller bearings whereby the measurement is carried out by sensors arranged to measure forces applied on a bearing, and which communicates with circuitry for recording, processing and evaluation of signals emitted from the sensors, which are representative of the bearing load. At least one roller body (4a, 4b) per roller body row is provided with at least one bore (7) in which is provided at least one sensor (8), as well as circuitry (9, 10) for amplification and transmission of signals emitted from said sensor to a receiver (11) provided at the non-rotating bearing ring of the bearing. From the receiver, these signals are conducted further to external circuitry for signal processing, and so on.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for rapidly determining the cure state of an annular rubber or elastomeric article is provided. The article is placed so that an inner hole portion fits over separable parts of a test fixture, and tension is induced in a stepwise manner by moving the separable parts apart in discrete incremental steps. The tension is allowed to relax between the steps. By generating a force/deflection curve in this way, the user may optimize the cure state of the tested articles by controlling the cure time and temperature of a manufacturing process in response to the measured data.

Abstract: A hub cap for heavy duty axles. The hub cap includes a breather vent disc made from a non-metallic material partially fused so as to permit air flow therethrough in both a grease-free and a greased condition, such vent disc being mechanically secured to a disc carrier, and the carrier being received in fluid-tight relation to the end wall portion of the hub cap body.

Abstract: A rolling element bearing system comprises at least one rolling element bearing with an outer race and an inner race which enclose a space containing rolling elements, which space is confined to the outside by sealing rings. At least one of the sealing rings and/or one of the races is provided with flow generating structure for feeding a lubricant into the space, as well as a filter for preventing the ingress of contaminations into the space with the lubricant. Preferably at least one of the sealing rings at its edge which slidably contacts one of the races has a shape which promotes the outflow out of the space towards the outside of the sealing ring during relative movement of the sealing ring and race.

Abstract: A bearing unit for a vehicle wheel comprises a three-point or four-point bearing with an inner and an outer race, each with a bearing groove containing a series of rolling elements, which inner race has means for fixing to the suspension construction for the wheel. At least the outer race has a radially inward pointing bearing flange, which outer race bearing flange is provided with means for fixing a wheel thereto. The bearing unit can also be used for a driven front wheel comprising a constant-velocity joint, in which the outer ring of the joint has an external diameter which is at most equal to the internal diameter of the outer race, and is smaller than the internal diameter of the inner race. Because the joint is situated in the bearing, the bearing unit is compact.

Abstract: The rolling-contact bearing comprises a rotating race and a non-rotating race through each of which there pass ducts (6, 7) for passage of fluid, rolling elements (3) between the rotating and non-rotating races, and a sealing device (8) fitted between the rotating and non-rotating races in order to form a leaktight intermediate chamber (14) communicating with the ducts (6, 7) for the passage of fluid. The intermediate chamber has two flexible walls (11) of which the free end parts form two sealing lips (12) in frictional contact with a contact surface (13) of one of the races (2) of the bearing. The frictional contact surfaces (13) are inclined with respect to the axis (XX') of rotation of the bearing. The flexible walls (11) extend substantially parallel to the contact surfaces so that the contact pressure between the sealing lips and the surfaces varies in the same direction as the pressure of the fluid in the intermediate chamber (14) of the sealing device.

Abstract: A multi-row spherical roller bearing includes an inner race ring, an outer race ring, two rows of rollers, a cage for each row of rollers and a guiding ring disposed between the rows of rollers. The guiding ring is arranged to be guided only by the outer race ring, and the cages are arranged to be guided only by the guiding ring.

Abstract: An axial rolling bearing including first and second bearing disks, a plurality of rolling members situated between bearing disks and a cage for maintaining rolling members in spaced relationship to each other, the improvement of a radial guidance system for cage comprising a plurality of bearing elements mounted to the cage and engaging at least one of the bearing disks, and adjusting each of the bearing elements in a radial direction for reducing friction between the cage and the bearing disk engaged by the bearing elements.

Abstract: A refrigerant device comprising at least one bearing disposed in a housing having a refrigerant flow path. The bearing is contacted with a lubricant charge of a small quantity of lubricant dissolved in liquid refrigerant. At least a portion of the liquid refrigerant proximate the bearing is vaporized to deposit lubricant on the bearing in sufficient quantity to provide for the lubrication thereof. The refrigerant may be vaporized by heat or by pressure drop, or by both. A sensor may be provided to monitor or control temperature and pressure conditions to insure that sufficient refrigerant is vaporized to form a lubricant liquid of at least about 75% lubricant by volume.

Abstract: Retaining bushing for securing bearing rings comprising a strip of sheet metal bent to form a cylinder having radially projecting retaining projections engaging in a positively locking fashion in grooves in the bearing rings, the retaining projections being distributed around the periphery and being raised up from the sheet material in the radial direction by deep-drawing and stamped out to the required width along a circumferential line around the retaining bushing.

Abstract: A tensioning device is provided with an adjusting element that is adapted to be affixed to the tensioning device after the tension spring therein has been tensioned. The tension can be adjusted to a desired work point after the tensioning element has been mounted on a motor frame or the like.

Abstract: A system for supporting a shaft member at one end of a support component, including a bearing inner ring and a bearing outer ring, a row of rolling elements in the space between the rings, characterized in that the bearing outer ring (1,27, 34) has a radially outwardly directed flange (2) which can be fastened to the support component (9), the bearing inner ring (3), (32) having a radially inwardly directed flange 4 which can be fastened to the end surface of the shaft member (11), a cylindrical centering surface (15) on the bearing outer ring (1), (27), (34) for centering guidance in a corresponding bore in the support component (9), a cylindrical centering surface (13) on the bearing inner ring for centering guidance on a corresponding section of the shaft member (11).

Abstract: A protective filter unit for use with a fluid seal assembly. The filter unit includes a screen positioning unit and a filter screen extending inwardly of portions of the positioning unit and terminating in an inner screen edge spaced just apart by a working clearance from a shaft forming a part of the sealed mechanism. The filter is associated in use with a seal having a seal casing which may be aligned with the screen positioning unit of the filter, and an elastomeric seal body having portions defining a seal band which engages the sealed shaft and another portion bonded to the seal casing. Preferably the screen positioning unit includes inner and outer support rings held apart by spacers, and the support rings, the spacers, and the screen are all made from plastic materials.

Abstract: Process for carbonitriding a steel comprising:0.75-1.1% by weight of C;up to 1.0% by weight of Si;less than 0.015% by weight of P;up to 0.5% by weight of Mo;up to 1.2% by weight of Mn;0.5-2% by weight of Cr,the remainder being Fe,by exposing it at elevated temperatures to an atmosphere comprising at least carbon monoxide, hydrogen, nitrogen and added ammonia. This is carried out by exposing it, between 780.degree. and 900.degree. C., for from 1 to 10 hours, to an atmosphere comprising at least carbon monoxide, hydrogen and ammonia with a carbon activity between 0.90 and 1.10 and a nitrogen potential between 0.10 and 0.60% N.

Abstract: A lock nut includes a nut body (10) having outer (12) and inner (14) circumferential surfaces. The inner surface (14) defines a screw-threaded axial through-hole that can be mounted on an externally threaded shaft. A plurality of blind bores (18) is formed in the nut body (10), each blind bore extending radially inwardly from the outer surface. Those blind bores (18) terminate short of the inner surface so that a plastically displaceable part (20) of the nut body remains between each blind bore and the inner surface to close-off a radial inner end of the blind bore (18). Locking screws (30) are mounted in respective blind bores (18). By tightening the locking screws (30), the displaceable portions (20) are pressed against the externally threaded shaft to frictionally grip the shaft.

Abstract: A lubricant container (1) for lubricating apparatus intended to be interconnected with and to cooperate with a valve adapted to govern an advance feed motion of a discharge device (3,4) present in the container, and where the lubricant container (1) is equipped with a gable (7) with a substantially tubular neck portion (8) intended to take up a portion of the valve, which can be pushed thereinto, whereby a radially circumferential flange (9) is provided in the neck portion (8), the flange (9) being adapted to engage in interconnection position into an annular groove on the envelope surface of the valve, whereby the annular groove and the flange (9) are situated at such a distance from one end of the valve, and from the free end of the neck portion respectively, that seat portions (10,11) in the neck portion (8) and in the valve, sealingly engage against each other in the interconnection position, and that the annular groove and flange (9) are designed thus, that the flange (9), when the valve is pushed in its

Abstract: A device for sensing the rotation speed of a bearing comprises an encoder member fastened to a rotating part of the bearing and a sensor assembly comprising a plastics material sensor support housing a sensor and a metal support for locating and fastening the sensor assembly on and to a non-rotating part of the bearing. The sensor support is overmolded onto the latter's outside surface. The sensor faces the encoder member in order to measure its rotation speed. The-metal support comprises a substantially axial centring portion adapted to cooperate removably with a bearing surface on the non-rotating part of the bearing and a washer-like plane radial portion adjacent the centring portion adapted to be clamped between a radial surface of the non-rotating part of the bearing and a radial surface of a non-rotating member. The device may be fitted to vehicle wheel hub assemblies.

Abstract: Bearing (14) of the type having a full complement of rollers incorporating an inner race ring (13), an outer race ring (14) and a row of rollers (15) provided between these rings, said rollers being axially moveable relative to the rings. The space between inner race ring (13) and outer race ring (14) is sealed off by means of sealing members (18) arranged on one hand to provide a sealing effect by frictional engagement against the inner race ring as well as against the outer race ring, and on the other hand to follow the rollers (15) in their axial movement.