Abstract: A friction drive (10) having a plurality of planet assemblies (24A, 24B, 24C) pivotally mounted to a carrier (12), a sun shaft (14) rotatably mounted with the carrier (12) and having a first raceway (16), and an outer ring member (18) having a second raceway (22) concentric to the first raceway (16) and having a ring shaft (20). The plurality of planet assemblies (24A, 24B, 24C) frictionally engaged with the first raceway (16) and the second raceway (22) for transferring power between the sun shaft (14) and the outer ring member (18).

Abstract: A spherical outer diameter tapered roller bearing pillow block system (100) for supporting the rotating main shaft of a wind turbine. The bearing system is configured with a unitized construction and factory set preload bearing settings to facilitate installation and setup. A spherical outer diameter surface (114) is formed on the outer race (116) of a tapered roller bearing assembly disposed about the rotating main shaft of the wind turbine. The bearing assembly is secured to a stationary support structure of the wind turbine through a pillow block housing assembly (102) providing a matching spherical housing seat (112) to form a ball and socket interface between the tapered roller bearing assembly (118) and the pillow block housing assembly (102). The ball and socket interface accommodates static and dynamic misalignments between the wind turbine main shaft and the supporting structure, while the bearing assembly (118) accommodates radial and axial loads.

Abstract: A friction drive (10) having a plurality of planet assemblies (24A, 24B, 24C) pivotally mounted to a carrier (12), a sun shaft (14) rotatably mounted with the carrier (12) and having a first raceway (16), and an outer ring member (18) having a second raceway (22) concentric to the first raceway (16) and having a ring shaft (20). The plurality of planet assemblies (24A, 24B, 24C) frictionally engaged with the first raceway (16) and the second raceway (22) for transferring power between the sun shaft (14) and the outer ring member (18).

Abstract: A spherical outer diameter tapered roller bearing pillow block system (100) for supporting the rotating main shaft of a wind turbine. The bearing system is configured with a unitized construction and factory set preload bearing settings to facilitate installation and setup. A spherical outer diameter surface (114) is formed on the Outer race (116) of a tapered roller bearing assembly disposed about the rotating main shaft of the wind turbine. The bearing assembly is secured to a stationary support structure of the wind turbine through a pillow block housing assembly (102) providing a matching spherical housing scat (112) to form a ball and socket interface between the tapered roller bearing assembly (118) and the pillow block housing assembly (102). The ball and socket interface accommodates static and dynamic misalignments between the wind turbine main shaft and the supporting structure, while the bearing assembly (118) accommodates radial and axial loads.

Abstract: A locating bearing assembly (10) is provided that optimizes load distribution between bearing rows and for all rolling elements within the rows in either positive or negative torque conditions, by combining a single row tapered roller bearing with an angular contact ball bearing. The outer race (60) for the ball bearing is preloaded by a spring element (72) to prevent the balls (26) from floating freely between the ball bearing's inner and outer raceways (16, 64). This will insure that the balls (26) are always sufficiently loaded to roll along a single axis which is off set from the radial direction. The use of the single row tapered bearing and the preloaded angular contact ball bearing provides for a locating bearing assembly (“LBA”) in which the ball bearing supports only reversing axial loads. All radial loads are borne by the tapered roller bearing and transmitted to the bearing assembly housing (30).

Abstract: A bearing assembly (A-H) enables one member (4) to rotate relative to another member (2) about an axis (X). It includes a bearing (6) having an inner race (54) on one of the members, an outer race (74, 126, 164, 250) in the other member, and rolling elements (58) between raceways on the two races. A seal (10, 180, 210, 256) excludes contaminants from the interior of the bearing, and it includes a wear ring (92, 184, 214, 276) carried by an extension (80, 128, 144, 168, 252) on the outer race beyond the raceway of that race, a contacting wear ring (90, 182, 212, 278) carried by the member on which the inner race is located or else by a can (110, 230, 254) that is fitted to the inner race. The seal also includes backing elements (94, 96, 192, 194, 216, 218, 294) for supporting the wear rings on that which carries them, and in most instances the backing elements exert a biasing force on the wear rings to maintain them in contact, so that they establish a dynamic fluid barrier.

Abstract: A transmission for a wind turbine includes a housing (20) in which two shafts (26, 28) rotate, each being supported on a locating bearing (50, 60) which transmits thrust loads to the housing as well as radial loads and on a nonlocating bearing (48, 58) which transmits only radial loads to the housing. The shafts carry helical gears (52, 52, 62) which induce thrust loads in the shafts when the shafts transmit torque. The locating bearings are unitized single row tapered roller bearings which are oriented to transmit thrust loads in the primary direction through their raceways (132, 138) and in the secondary direction through ribs (134, 144) at the ends of their rollers (146). The nonlocating bearings take the form of a single row cylindrical roller bearings which accommodate differential thermal expansion and contraction between the shafts and housing.

Abstract: An epicyclic gear system (A, B), which is highly compact, yet capable of transferring substantial torque, includes a sun gear (2, 62), a ring gear (4, 64) around the sun gear, and planet gears (6, 8, 66, 68) organized in two rows between the sun and ring gears. In addition, the gear system has a carrier (10, 70) provided with one or two flanges (14, 72, 74) and flexible pins (20, 22, 80, 82) around which the planet gears revolve. The planet gears are mounted on the pins in a double cantilever arrangement to improve the mesh with the sun and ring gears and achieve better load distribution.

Abstract: An epicyclic gear system (A) has a sun gear (2), a ring gear (4) located around the sun gear, and planet gears (6) located between and engaged with sun and ring gears. In addition, it has a carrier (8) including a carrier flange (30) offset axial from the planet gears, carrier pins (34) projecting from the carrier flange into the planet gears, and bearings (72) between the planet gears and the carrier pins so that the planet gears rotate on the pins. Each bearing includes an inner race (46) having tapered raceways (56) presented away from the carrier pin, opposing tapered raceways (24) on the ring gear, and tapered rollers (70) organized rows between the raceways. Whereas the carrier pin is cantilevered from the carrier flange, the inner race is cantilevered from the carrier pin remote from the carrier flange, and this insures that the axes (Y) about which the planet gears rotate remain parallel to the central axis (X) of the system.

Abstract: An epicyclic gear system has a sun gear, a ring gear, and planet gears between the sun and ring gears. In addition, it has a carrier including a carrier flange offset axially from the planet gears and carrier pins that project from the flange into the planet gears, each with a shank anchored to the flange, a head remote from the flange, and a groove between the shank and head. Between the planet gears and the carrier pins are bearings, each including an inner race and rollers between the inner race and planet gear. Whereas the carrier pins are cantilevered from the carrier flange, the inner races are cantilevered from the heads of the carrier pins. The grooves in the pins enhance pin deflection, so that the axes about which the planet gears rotate remain parallel to the central axis of the system.

Abstract: An epicyclic drive has its planet gears integrated into separately built planet assemblies. Each planet assembly, in addition to its planet gear, includes a pin which extends through the planet gear and an antifriction bearing located between the gear and the pin. The outer raceways for the bearing are machined into the gear, whereas the inner raceways are machined into the pin. The bearing also has rolling elements organized in two rows between the inner and outer raceways. The pins have mounting ends which lie beyond the ends of the planet gear to anchor the planet assembly in a carrier. Seals fit into the planet gear and around the pin and retain grease within the bearing and prevent oil that lubricates the teeth of the gears from entering the bearing and deteriorating the grease.

Abstract: An epicyclic gear system has a sun gear, a ring gear located around the sun gear, and planet gears located between and engaged with sun and ring gears. In addition, it has a carrier including a carrier flange offset axially from the planet gears, carrier pins projecting from the carrier flange into the planet gears, and bearings between the planet gears and the carrier pins so that the planet gears rotate on the pins. Each bearing includes an inner race having tapered raceways presented away from the carrier pin, opposing tapered raceways on the ring gear, and tapered rollers organized in two rows between the raceways. Whereas the carrier pin is cantilevered from the carrier flange, the inner race is cantilevered from the carrier pin remote from the carrier flange, and this insures that the axes about which the planet gears rotate remain parallel to the central axis of the system.