Abstract: A seal for separating a viscous lubricant, such as grease, from contaminants in the surrounding environment, includes case having axial and radial walls, a shield located in the case and also having axial and radial walls, a primary seal element attached to the radial wall of the case and establishing two fluid barriers along the axial wall of the shield, and a secondary seal element attached to the radial wall of the shield and establishing another fluid barrier along the axial wall of the case. The primary seal element includes a labyrinth which is spaced slightly away from the axial wall of the shield and contains pumping cavities which drive the lubricant away from the primary seal element when relative rotation exists between the primary seal element and the shield. The primary seal element also has a contact lip provided with inside and outside beveled surfaces which converge toward a band along which the contact lip bears against the axial wall of the shield.

Abstract: A multibarrier seal having outer and inner cases fitted to the outer and inner races of a bearing respectively. The outer case carries a primary lip which bears against an axial wall on the inner case. The inner case carries a secondary lip which bears against an axial wall on the outer case. The outer case also carries a tertiary lip which bears against a radial sealing surface which may be on a carrier fitted to the inner case. All three lips are inclined with respect to the surfaces against which they bear, and have back faces which are presented away from the interior of the bearing. Initially atmospheric air bears against the back face of the primary lip and urges it with greater force against the axial wall of the inner case to hold a vacuum within the interior of the bearing. Should the primary lip fail, the secondary lip will serve to hold the vacuum in the same way, with atmospheric air urging it with greater force against the axial wall of the outer case.

Abstract: A seal suitable for closing the annular space between the races of an antifriction bearing includes a case which fits into the outer race and a shield that fits over the inner race. Both the case and shield have axial and radial walls that enclose a cavity within the seal. The seal also includes an elastomeric seal element which is bonded to the radial wall of the case and includes a lip which extends obliquely into the cavity and toward the axial wall of the case which it contacts to create a dynamic barrier. The shield also has an outer radial wall that encircles the inner radial wall and extends along the axial wall of the case such that a small gap exists between the outer axial wall of the shield and the axial wall of the case. The outer axial wall of the shield is either out of round or eccentric with respect to the inner axial wall, so that the size of gap varies circumferentially along the gap. As a consequence of this variance, the seal will pump fluent contaminants, such as water.

Abstract: A hub rotates around the end of an axle housing on a tapered roller bearing which is packed with grease. The axle housing, which is part of a drive axle, conveys lubricating oil to the interior of the hub, but the oil does not encounter the grease, for a seal, which is fitted into the end of the bearing, separates the oil from the grease. The seal pumps the grease back to the interior of the bearing and the oil away from the interior of the bearing.

Abstract: A seal for an antifriction bearing having a fixed inner race and a rotating outer race includes inner and outer seal cases which are pressed over cylindrical mounting surfaces on the inner and outer races, respectively. To this end, the seal cases have extended axial walls which actually fit over the mounting surfaces in the bearing races and radial walls, connected to the extended axial walls. The radial walls of the two cases are spaced apart so that an annular chamber exists between the two radial walls. Each seal case has an elastomeric seal element supported by its radial wall remote from its extended axial wall and that seal element establishes a fluid barrier along the other seal case, so that the two seal elements isolate the chamber from the interior of the bearing and from the environment at the exterior of the bearing. The inner case carries a sensor having a head that is located in the annular chamber between the two axial walls.

Abstract: A seal for a bearing having a rotating outer race and fixed inner race, closes the annular space between the two races and further excites a sensor which delivers a signal that reflects the angular velocity of the outer race. The seal has outer and inner cases and elastomeric sealing elements bonded to the cases. The outer race fits into a bore that opens out of the outer race and its seal element contacts the inner case along the inner race. The inner case fits over the inner race and its seal element is directed outwardly toward the outer case and outer race. In addition, the seal has an encoder ring which is secured to the outer case and presents a radial wall containing disruptions which excite the sensor when the disruptions move past the sensor as the encoder ring rotates with the outer race.

Abstract: A package bearing includes outer and inner rings, provided with opposing raceways, and rolling elements located between the raceways. The inner ring has a flange which projects outwardly past one end of the outer ring and is provided with a radially directed sealing surface that is located opposite the end of the outer ring. Here the outer ring is fitted with a seal including a case that is pressed over the outer surface of the outer ring and an elastomeric seal element having lips that bear against the sealing surface on the flange of the inner ring to establish a dynamic fluid barrier. The case surrounds the seal element to protect it from stone impingement. The seal is large enough to pass over the nearby set of rolling elements in the bearing and thus does not interfere with assembly of the bearing.

Abstract: A seal for a roll neck bearing has a two interlocked components - a rotating component fitted to the inner race of the bearing and a stationary component fitted to the outer race. The rotating component includes a shield which fits around the end of the inner race, and, while it establishes a static barrier along the inner race, it can float or be displaced axially on the inner race. The stationary component has a seal case which fits snugly in a bore that opens out of the end of the outer race, it being trapped in that bore by a chock into which the bearing fits. Both the shield and case have axial walls and radial walls, and at the ends of their radial walls carry elastomeric seal elements. The seal element of the shield contacts the axial wall of the seal case, whereas the seal element of the seal case contacts the axial wall of the shield and further establishes a labyrinth along the shield.

Abstract: A multirow bearing assembly for the roll neck of a working rolling mill in which the bearing is composed of rolling elements between outer and inner members in which the inner members are positioned in axial endwise abutment and are formed with undercut counterbore formations facings the roll neck. The bearing assembly includes sealing components operative in the counterbore cavity formations to exclude water and contaminants getting into the endwise abutment of the inner members. In addition, the sealing components include one or more devices to adjust the effect of the wear on the seal in the event that water and contaminants get into the sealing components.

Abstract: A seal is particularly suited for closing the ends of an antifriction bearing which is located on a journal where its inner races are captured between wear rings and backing elements having overhangs which are directed back toward the end of the bearings and, as such, encircle the wear rings. Indeed, a seal exists at each end of the bearing for isolating the annular space between the inner and outer races of the bearing. Each seal includes a case that is fitted into the end of the outer race and projects axially from that race as well as radially inwardly toward the wear ring. In addition, it has two elastomeric lips which are presented toward the wear ring, one being configured primarily to retain lubricant in the annular space between the two races of the bearing and the other to exclude contaminants from that space. The seal also has an elastomeric spray shield which is attached to the case and projects radially outwardly from it toward the overhang.

Abstract: A seal assembly for antifriction bearings in which a cone and a cup have raceways for roller bearings, a seal case carried by the cone and by the cup for supporting a seal element on each of the seal cases to provide a space therebetween for retention of a body of lubricant in position to create a barrier for blocking the ingress of contaminants from the exterior. One of the seals is positioned to be exposed to the outside to have a lip operative on one of the seal cases to preclude the ingress of contaminants, and the other one of the seals is exposed to the bearing interior to allow lubricant to pass into the cavity between the seals and also to assure the presence of lubricant to the interior of the bearing assembly.

Abstract: The interior of an antifriction bearing is isolated with an enclosure having a case which fits into the outer race of the bearing and primary and secondary lips which establish a barrier along a sealing surface that is located beyond the inner face of the bearing. The primary lip, which is presented toward the interior of the bearing, does not actually contact the sealing surface, but does have pumping cavities which direct lubricant, that migrates along the sealing surface, back toward the interior of the bearing. The secondary lip projects away from the primary lip and actually contacts the sealing surface. The case, primary lip and sealing lip are all molded from a common polymer as an integral unit. Where the journal around which the bearing fits ends beyond one end of the bearing, a polymer cover may be snapped over the enclosure at that end of the bearing to provide an extra measure of isolation.

Abstract: A seal assembly for closing the end of a bearing includes a seal and a shield on which the seal is captured. The shield has an axially directed mounting portion, an axially directed overhang and a radial end wall between the mounting portion and overhang. The seal has a pumping labyrinth presented toward the mounting portion, yet spaced from it, a dirt lip directed obliquely toward and contacting the mounting portion, and a secondary lip directed obliquely toward, yet normally spaced from, the overhang, with the dirt lip being between the labyrinth and the secondary lip. The labyrinth is exposed toward the interior of the bearing and has pumping cavities which impel lubricant back into the bearing. Between the dirt and secondary lip is a groove which opens toward the radial wall of the shield, and this groove contains a ring of grease-type lubricant which extends to and adheres against the radial wall, thus forming a barrier to the ingress of contaminants.

Abstract: A flap seal assembly for anti-friction bearings wherein the seal components function to retain the lubricant against leakage to the outside and to function to prevent contaminants entering the bearing from the outside. The seal assembly may have a single set of flaps in combination with a dust lip type seal in one form and it may have a double set of flaps in another form. The seal assembly reduces torque drag on the bearing in the dust lip type seal and is torque free in the double flap seal form.

Abstract: A compact seal assembly fits into the end of a bearing and effectively retains grease within the bearing while excluding contaminants, notwithstanding operation of the bearing within a hostile environment. The seal assembly includes a shield having an axial mounting portion which fits over the inner race of the bearing and an outwardly directed flange, as well as a smooth sealing surface on both. The seal has a case which fits into the outer face of the bearing and an elastomeric sealing element which establishes several barriers along the sealing surface of the shield. The first barrier exists at a pumping labyrinth which encircles, but is spaced outwardly from the axial segment of the sealing surface where it is exposed to the interior of the bearing. The labyrinth contains wedge-shaped cavities which pump the grease back toward the interior of the bearing.

Abstract: A seal that is suited for use in the ends of a double row bearing for front wheel drive automobiles has a seal case which is pressed into the end of the outer race for the bearing. The case carries a seal element, which is formed from an elastomer or some other flexible material, and this element cooperates with a shield that is carried by the inner race of the bearing, all to establish a barrier that retains a grease-type lubricant in the bearing and excludes water and other contaminants. The seal element actually creates three barriers along the sealing surface which has both axially and radially directed portions. The first is as a primary labyrinth which encircles the axial portion of the sealing surface and contains pumping cavities which direct lubricant that enters then back toward the interior of the bearing. The second is along a dirt lip that extends toward and contacts the axial portion of the sealing surface at an oblique angle.

Abstract: A hydrodynamic seal suitable for closing the end of a tapered roller bearing includes a seal case which is pressed into a counterbore at the end of the bearing cup and an elastomeric sealing element having a primary lip and secondary lip which cooperate with a sealing surface on the thrust rib of the bearing cone to effect a live seal along that surface. The primary lip is spaced from the sealing surface of the cone thrust rib and has pumping cavities which open both toward the sealing surface and toward the interior of the bearing. Moreover, they are configured to pump lubricant that enters them back toward the interior of the bearing. An annular space exists between the primary and secondary lips and the pumping cavities also open into this space at small vent apertures, so that any increase in pressure within the interior of the bearing is transmitted through the pumping cavitis to the annular space.

Abstract: A seal having an exterior seal casing which includes a mounting surface and a seal lip body bonded to a portion of the casing, with the seal lip body comprising annular surfaces defining the air and oil side portions of a primary lip which meet along a generally cylindrical locus of measurable axial extent to provide a primary seal band with a plurality of spaced apart hydrodynamic pumping elements located on this seal band. An auxiliary lip is defined by a pair of frusto-conical surfaces meeting along a generally circular locus to provide an auxiliary or excluder lip portion. Said primary and secondary lips are spaced apart by an annular region of generally V-shaped cross-section, and the primary lip dimension or the pumping elements serve to maintain the primary lip seal band spaced just apart from an associated shaft, at least in the regions of the elements. Said auxiliary lip is of reduced diameter in relation to said seal band dimension in the relaxed condition of the seal.

Abstract: An oil or like fluid seal having a rigid exterior casing, a primary lip and an auxillary lip, with the primary or axially inner lip having a primary seal band surface which is generally cylindrical in its relaxed condition and which includes at least one hydrodynamic pumping element on its shaft contact surface, with the auxillary lip, in its relaxed condition, being of greater inside diameter than the primary lip, with the primary and secondary lips being spaced apart so as to define an intermediate annular groove of generally V-shaped cross-sections between them, with the pumping element acting to space portions of the primary lip apart from the associated shaft so as to provide initial venting of gas and vapors from the sealed cavity into the intermediate region and beneath the auxillary lip as cavity pressure increases so as avoid excessive pressure build up in the sealed region or sudden or erratic venting of such pressure.

Abstract: A seal for closing a bearing cavity that has a bore and a wear surface at its end includes an elastomeric retaining band that fits snugly against the wall of the bore, an elastomeric seal lip that contacts the wear surface and creates a barrier to the passage of fluid along that surface as the surface rotates relative to the seal or vice-versa, and an impervious connecting section that extends between the retaining band and the seal lip. The retaining band contains several axially directed channels that communicate with the bearing cavity and are normally closed and isolated from the ambient atmosphere by flaps which are formed integral with the band and are highly flexible. As a consequence, the flaps will flex when subjected to a slight increase in pressure within the bearing cavity so as to expose the channels to the ambient atmosphere and thereby vent the bearing cavity.