Patents by Inventor Mark R. Grunze

Mark R. Grunze has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 6182353
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a tool for swaging a bearing into an opening in a bearing housing, which apparatus is operable in confined spaces, such as in an aircraft application. The tool has a threaded elongated member or bolt that extends through the bore of the bearing. The tool also has a roller fixture assembly adapted to be positioned on one side of the bearing and positioned on one end of the elongated member. The roller fixture assembly has a number of rollers and a roller fixture shell that supports the rollers for engagement with the bearing to swage the bearing against the bearing housing. The bearing swaging tool also has a locating fixture assembly adapted to be positioned on the opposite side of the bearing from the roller fixture assembly. The locating fixture assembly is supported on the other end of the elongated member and includes a locating fixture with a first side adapted to be positioned against the bearing and bearing housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2001
    Assignee: Rexnord Corporation
    Inventors: Mark R. Grunze, Robert E. Franzen
  • Patent number: 5667312
    Abstract: The invention provides a roller bearing apparatus including an inner ring member supported for rotation on a sleeve, an outer ring member, rollers in the raceway space defined between the inner and outer ring members, and a guide member having roller seats against which inboard end portions of the rollers are seated. To promote roller precession when the roller bearing apparatus is used in an oscillatory application, the roller seats are slanted or pitched in a circumferential direction and at least the inboard end portions of the rollers are provided with non-planar, and in one embodiment frustoconical, end faces. Cooperation between the non-planar end faces of the rollers and the pitched roller seats controls the mean skew axes of the rollers to promote consistent roller precession through the bearing load zone, and enables increased freedom of movement of the rollers to minimize friction. This increases the life of the roller bearing by reducing roller related failures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 16, 1997
    Assignee: Rexnord Corporation
    Inventors: Mark R. Grunze, Robert B. Warrick
  • Patent number: 5582483
    Abstract: A roller bearing apparatus including inner and outer rings defining a pair of raceway spaces, a plurality of rollers arranged in oppositely axially inclined rows each occupying one of the raceway spaces, and a guide member. The guide member includes a ring between the roller rows and oppositely extending shortened prongs or stubs extending only a short distance between the rollers so as not to take up space that otherwise could be used for one or more additional rollers. The pocket bottoms are angled to skew the rollers to promote roller precession or indexing. Alternatively, the guide member can include a reduced number of larger prongs to replace one or more of the stubs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 10, 1996
    Assignee: Rexnord Corporation
    Inventors: Mark R. Grunze, Robert B. Warrick
  • Patent number: 5441351
    Abstract: A retainerless self-aligning angular contact antifriction bearing apparatus including an inner race member having a spheroidal inner race surface, an outer race member including a pair of convex outer race surfaces opposing the inner race surface, and a plurality of rollers arranged in axially oppositely inclined rows. Each roller includes a concave longitudinal profile having a radius of curvature greater than the radius of curvature of each of the spheroidal inner race surface and the associated convex outer race surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 15, 1995
    Assignee: Rexnord Corporation
    Inventor: Mark R. Grunze
  • Patent number: 5413416
    Abstract: A roller bearing apparatus including inner and outer rings defining a pair of raceway spaces, a plurality of rollers arranged in oppositely axially inclined rows each occupying one of the raceway spaces, and a guide member. The guide member includes a ring between the roller rows and oppositely extending shortened prongs or stubs extending only a short distance between the rollers so as not to take up space that otherwise could be used for one or more additional rollers. The pocket bottoms are angled to skew the rollers to promote roller precession or indexing. Alternatively, the guide member can include a reduced number of larger prongs to replace one or more of the stubs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 9, 1995
    Assignee: Rexnord Corporation
    Inventors: Mark R. Grunze, Robert B. Warrick
  • Patent number: 5111575
    Abstract: An apparatus as provided for swaging a bearing lip into a bearing housing chamfer, which apparatus is operable in confined spaces, such as in an aircraft application. The apparatus is operable without requiring the use of clamps or power tools, wherein an axial swaging force is developed through the bearing bore. The apparatus includes miniature rollers that are supported obliquely for an improved swaging operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 1989
    Date of Patent: May 12, 1992
    Assignee: Rexnord Corporation
    Inventors: Mark R. Grunze, Robert E. Franzen