Abstract: A roller clutch cage includes two mirror image sections that press fit together to create a series of roller pockets with full profile side rails that fit closely between the races, filling up essentially the entire radial space between the races. The side rails and cross bars that form the pockets are radially solid and uninterrupted, providing full load support between the races. Each cage section is designed to be by pass molded, with slots in the cross bars that also give the cage both contractive and expansive flexibility. The cage flexibility allows it to be installed easily, and also allows it to conform better to and between the races during clutch operation. While the radially uninterrupted and complete side rails retain lubricant around the rollers more completely, the slots allow it to drain in a controlled manner.

Abstract: A simplified method of manufacturing and assembling a unitized seal uses only three basic components, and no steps involving direct molding of elastomer to casings, or gluing or otherwise securing elastomer to the casings. Two simple, inner and outer casings have axially opposed, radially overlapping annular webs, and radially opposed, oppositely axially extending seal walls. An integral seal unit has coplanar, inner and outer disks joined at a frangible central seam. Each disk has a pair of converging seal lips disposed symmetrically to either sid of a respective seal wall. When the unit is squeezed axially between the casings during assembly, the seal walls enter between the seal lips, bottom out on the disks, break the seam, and embed the disks automatically into the casings, with no other assembly steps needed.

Abstract: A wheel spindle and bearing assembly for either a non-drive or driven wheel of a vehicle includes a unitary spindle of substantially constant diameter along the bearing section which includes dual raceways formed in the outer surface. Dual annular arrays of antifriction elements are seated in the raceways and are held captive by dual outer support rings, thus providing relative rotation between the spindle and the rings. The support rings are preferably mounted for telescoping movement relative to each other between a retracted position in the direction of the axis of the spindle to allow loading of the antifriction elements and an axially extended position for applying an opposed, axial preload force to the bearing assembly. In the axially extended position the rings form a gap between opposed faces and a split, annular keeper is positioned in the gap and held in compression to secure the entire assembly. The cross section area of the keeper is slightly larger than the gap to establish the preload force.

Abstract: A seal assembly for a vehicle wheel assembly is provided for use between its two relatively rotatable, coaxial parts to seal the inner bearing chamber. The seal assembly includes a pair of nested casings forming an S-shaped recess in cross section defining inner and outer annular C-shaped concavities. Each casing has a peripheral seal extending radially from a peripheral edge and flexing against the inside sealing surface of the opposite casing to form a seal interface along the circular line of contact. Inner and outer annular floating wafer seals are disposed within the recess formed by the two casings and are pressed against the adjacent sealing surface within their respective concavities. The opposite edges of each independent wafer seal form additional seal interfaces making six total. Each wafer seal is self centering within its respective concavity.

Abstract: A seal assembly for a vehicle wheel assembly is provided for use between its two relatively rotatable coaxial parts, to seal the bearing chamber. The seal assembly includes a pair of nested casings forming a C-shaped recess in cross section. An annular wafer seal is disposed within the recess and pressed firmly against the adjacent sealing surface by inside and outside frustoconical springs. The inner and outer peripheral edges of the wafer seal form two seal interfaces along circular lines of contact. In addition, the center ring section of the wafer seal is attached by adhesive to a generally flat, annular face of one of the casings. In accordance with the method of assembly/installation, the springs are first installed and retained on the casing to which the seal is attached, thereby urging the peripheral edges of the wafer seal away from it. The casings are then pressed together, flexing the peripheral edges in the opposite direction and forming the circular lines of contact for sealing.

Abstract: A seal assembly for a wheel spindle bearing is provided for use between its two relatively rotatable coaxial parts, and thus to seal the bearing chamber. The seal assembly includes an inner and outer annular casing, with at least one of the casings including a contact land. An annular sealing disk forms an extended area slip sealing interface against the contact land. The sealing disk is cross sectionally flat or L-shaped, and is urged into sealing contact with the contact land by an annular elastomeric spring defining a channel in cross section. The channel of the spring is formed by inner and outer axially extending resilient rings. The seal assembly can also include a second annular sealing disk that is urged into cooperating sealing contact with a second contact land.

Abstract: A combined steering knuckle and wheel ball bearing assembly has a double row, externally convergent design with a pair of separate, outer bearing races and inner pathways integrally ground into a rotating spindle. The outer races are assembled to the steering knuckle in such a way as to create a hub that is effectively integrated to the knuckle, but without requiring a complexly shaped knuckle. The knuckle has a central opening defined by a simple cylindrical edge and two bordering annular faces, all of which have clear access to be accurately machined. With the spindle, one ball row and one outer race in place, the other outer race can slide into the knuckle far enough to create a large enough radial clearance to load in the other ball row. Then, the remaining outer race is pulled back and locked in place by C shaped rings pressed between it and one face of the knuckle.

Abstract: A design for a plastic bearing ball separator is moldable by a true, axial draw technique, which provides no resistance to mold parting, but which also provides complete, gripping ball pockets without limiting the degree to which the ball row can be closely packed. Each ball is gripped between a pair of hook shaped fingers which have ball contact zones facing in one direction, and a ball seat between them that faces in the opposite direction. The ball contact zones touch one side of the ball, and since the fingers wrap around the ball in such a way as to miss the centers of the balls, the ball packing or spacing is not restricted. The ball seats touch the other side of the balls, and have no circumferential overlap with the ball contact zones, so the cage may be molded by molds that form the oppositely axially facing surfaces without conflict, and without restriction as the molds are parted.

Abstract: An end cap for sealing one side of the bearing space of a non powered vehicle wheel bearing having an inner spindle and a surrounding, outer hub. The outermost perimeter of the cap is securely latched to the outer surface of the edge of the hub. A concave channel molded integrally to the cap fits snugly inside the inner surface of the hub and has a base wall that is not square to the hub axis, but sloped slightly in a radially outward, axially inward orientation. The center cup section of the cap forms the inner wall of the concave channel. Inward pressure on the cap causes the base wall to flatten and the cylindrical wall to tend to diverge, tightening it seal against the inner surface of the hub. Outward pressure creates the opposite effect, as the cylindrical sealing wall converges and allows pressure to leak out, despite the lack of discrete venting openings.

Abstract: An improved overrunning clutch roller energizing spring of the type that has a series of flat leaves forming V's with energy storing folds or pleats at the peak of each V. The front and rear leaves of the spring each have an integrally formed end loop with a diameter greater than the height beyond which the spring should not be compressed. The loop diameter is less than the space differential available between the spring pleats and the side rails. When the spring compresses back toward the roller pocket base, the loops hit on each side of the spring, preventing the spring from compressing further than its solid height. The end loops do not hit or rub on the spring pleats, and prevent the spring pleats from rubbing on the pocket side rails.

Abstract: A unitized seal incorporates two nested steel casing, a PTFE disk with two edges in sealing contact with one casing, and an elastomer seal with two lips in sealing contact with the back of the PTFE disk. The PTFE disk provides two primary, low friction sealing barriers. The elastomer seal provides two additional barriers, which comply more readily than the edges of the stiffer PTFE disk to radial eccentricity and axial run out. The elastomer seal lips run with reduced friction because of the fact that they contact the PTFE disk.

Abstract: A wick feed oil lubrication system for a bearing has a special wick element that is self-supporting and wear compensating. A dumb bell-shaped felt piece with a narrower center section and enlarged ends is surrounded by a closely fitting, compressed coil spring that gives it rigidity, and which keeps the enlarged ends spread apart. When installed, the wick element and supporting spring are compressed between the bearing spindle and bottom wall of the oil reservoir, running through a loosely fitting passage in the surrounding hub. Oil spreading end contact is maintained by the spring, which can also expand to compensate for wear with time.

Abstract: A unitized seal uses two casings and two attached disks of sealing material to provide four total lines of sealing contact. The casings have interleaved, axially and radially overlapping walls, the inner two of which carry the sealing disks. Radial overlap between the sealing disks, which flex easily past one another as the casings are assembled together, prevents casing pull apart during shipping and handling.

Abstract: A wheel bearing end cap is integrally molded from plastic, and is vented so that it will not be blown out of the wheel hub due to pressure fluctuations. A conical depression in the center section of the cap includes an integral fracture line that breaks and vents upon the first experience fluctuation, and thereafter. The vent is protected by its inset, sheltered location. The molded depression is also sheltered within a tail stock hole in the center of the bearing spindle, so that the extra space necessary for the molded in depression does not add to the overall size of the package.

Abstract: A venting feature is incorporated integrally into a molded plastic wheel bearing end cap. The cap is flexible, and responds to pressure changes by bulging out or contracting in. As it does so, an internal sealing lip is either bent away, or pulled away, from the inner surface of the bearing hub, thereby opening up venting ports to the outside. After the pressure equalizes, the cap returns to its free state, and the lip again blocks off the ports.

Abstract: An improved cable retainer for a motion transmitting remote control assembly that can be installed in either direction. The retainer can also be easily molded. A generally elliptical and symmetrical shape is defined by two flexible side walls, which merge to form two rounded ends. Either end can be pushed down into a panel aperture, flexing the side walls in. A cable passage is formed in each end, so that two cables, or different parts of the same cable, can be supported by only one retainer. The retainer has a fail safe feature so that the cable will always stay with the panel, even if it slips out of the passage. In addition, no surface of the retainer has any concavities relative to a central axis, so that it may be axial draw molded with only two molds.

Abstract: A stacked seal is built up from an integral unit that consists of annular rings molded together in a coplanar, non overlapping series by plurality of alternately facing live hinges. The hinges are wide enough to establish a straight folding axis between adjacent pairs of rings so that they can be serially folded, one concentrically on the other, and the proper length to assure that the rings fold flat. Integral latch means self retain the rings in a stack so as to be easily installed.

Abstract: A shiftable roller clutch to replace the standard disk pack clutch in an automatic transmission is specifically designed to act cooperatively with the planet carrier, and to occupy a minimum of axial space within the transmission housing. The cage pilots on the outer surface of the cam race as it is shifted back and forth, and the actuator that moves the cage is axially aligned with the cam race, so that the total axial space taken up is minimized. The cam race also pilots on part of the planet carrier so as to maintain its concentricity therefrom.

Abstract: A bearing seal assembly has a flexible radial and axial seal lip, each of which is paired with a stiff locating register. The body of the seal is molded to a metal casing indirectly, by a hinge that is flexible, but still stiffer than the seal lips. The seal casing is installed to one of the bearing races, and another seal casing is installed to the other bearing race to provide sealing surfaces that engaged by the sealing lips and abutted by the locating registers. The hinge assures that the more flexible seal lips are deflected into the sealing surfaces, but the stiffer registers flex the hinge to assure that the lips are not deflected more than desired when the seal casings are closer together.

Abstract: A dual roller clutch assembly with cages and cam races that cooperate to assure both that the cages are properly installed to the cam races and that the cam races are properly assembled relative to each other. The same structure also retains the cam races and cages together as a secure subassembly. Stops molded to the cages prevent incorrect installation of the cages to the cam races by blocking axial insertion in the incorrect direction. Locating notches in selected cam race end faces prevent incorrect relative positioning of the cam race-roller cage subassemblies by engaging a two-sided rib on the cages only when the cam races are properly oriented. The same two-sided rib retains the cam races axially together.