Apparatus and method for providing pockets in a roller cage of a bearing assembly and a roller cage produced by such an apparatus and method

US5899131A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• AKTIEBOLAGET SKF · SE

Inventors

• Peter Benkert · Schonungen, DE
• Berthold Beyfuss · Kaisten, DE
• Peter Horling · Schweinfurt, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 27, 1997
• Grant date: May 4, 1999
• Expiry date: Jun 27, 2017

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10T83/944
• WIPO field: Machine tools
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

An apparatus for punching out pockets in a roller cage for rollers is provided with two simultaneously movable male dies whose outer cutting edges in the circumferential direction are spaced apart from one another by at least about 0.4 times the cage diameter. These male dies are preferably operative from the interior of the cage and each punches slightly more than half the pocket width. By indexing the cage by one pocket division each time, the pockets are punched out completely. In each punching increment, they receive the runup face for the roller over their entire length, which runup face need not be further machined. The method involves punching out a portion of the roller cage forming a first pocket through use of one of the dies, indexing the roller cage so that the just punched portion of the roller cage is advanced to a position between the two male dies, punching out a portion of a second pocket with the same die, and then indexing the roller cage to a position where the other die is able to punch out the remaining portion of the first pocket.