The patented Locking Ring is designed to be a self-locking, vibration resistant installation for mounting ball bearings. For plane housing bores, the ring, which is threaded around the bearing's outer ring, has sawtooth-shaped asymmetrical threads which form a continuous helical inclined surface across the internal length of the ring. Using a "spanner" wrench, locking action is due to the wedging between the surfaces of the tapers on the inside of the ring against similar threads on the bearing's outer ring-the slotted locking ring then expands, fixing the bearing to the housing. Axial and torque loads are transmitted by clamping pressure and friction. A Locking Ring may also be used to clamp the bearing's inner race to the shaft on which it mounts. Advantages include saving installation/removal time and money, being self-centering and dynamically balanced, and relaxation of housing hole and shaft diameter tolerances. Alternatively, the asymmetric threads could be cut into the housing bore and mounting shaft, eliminating need for the intervening Locking Ring.

Tad Staniszewski, SHAP, Inc., 32 Canterbury La., Hackettstown, NJ 07840 Tel: (908) 684-4025; FAX: (908) 684-4027; E-mail: [email protected].

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