Structure and history of tapered roller bearings

Do you have work or projects that require heavy parts and equipment to complete? You need the right parts to ensure that the work is completed correctly. When looking for bearings that can withstand large radial forces while withstanding large axial forces, you will most likely need tapered roller bearings. Here, we break down the basics and history of tapered roller bearings.

Components

Tapered roller bearings consist of four components. They are the inner ring, the outer ring, the tapered rollers and the cage. The cone containing the inner ring, rollers and cage can be separated from the outer ring or the outer ring.

The roller is designed with taper, and the inner and outer ring raceway is a tapered section, so that the tapered surface of the raceway and the roller axis meet at a point on the bearing spindle line. This special design keeps the movement of the cone coaxial while eliminating any sliding movement in the bearing.

Their special design allows tapered roller bearings to carry greater loads than ball bearings without the differential scrubbing that occurs when the rollers slip instead of rolling. The rollers are guided by flanges on the inner ring to prevent them from sliding out at high speed. The greater the half angle of the cone, the greater the axial force that the bearing can withstand.

History

Tapered roller bearings are an American innovation, patented by Henry Timken in 1898. Timken, the St. Louis carriage manufacturer, was looking for a bearing that could handle radial and thrust roads because his heavy trucks had difficulty making sharp turns. The result is that tapered roller bearings immediately prove to be beneficial. Tapered roller bearings not only reduce maintenance, but also allow the truck to be pulled with fewer mules.

Timken recognized that tapered roller bearings greatly reduce the friction on the shaft bearing through rolling, while transferring the load evenly from the shaft to the frame, so Timken knew that his new bearing could have multiple successful applications. Within a few months, he and his sons founded the Timken Roller Bearing and Axle Company.

Application

Today, tapered roller bearings are manufactured by many companies and used in many different applications. Many times, tapered roller bearings are used in pairs to allow axial forces to be equally supported in either direction. These tapered roller bearing pairs are usually found in wheel bearings that need to withstand large radial and axial forces at the same time. Other applications include agricultural, construction and mining equipment.

Their use is growing every day as people discover their numerous advantages. Even in contaminated lubricants, tapered roller bearings have dimensional stability and a long service life. They offer durable steel cages and are dimensionally interchangeable with other bearing manufacturers.

However, tapered ball bearings also have their disadvantages. When dynamic dislocation occurs, the result can be irreversible damage. If the possibility of misalignment is high, spherical roller bearings are a better choice. Tapered roller bearings also suffer from static misalignment limitations, however, the housing can help alleviate these problems by allowing the bearing to self-align. Another major disadvantage is speed. Tapered roller bearings can run at higher speeds, but if you worry, ball bearings generate less heat when running at high speeds.