Talk:Bearing (mechanical)

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That figure title "An example of a radial ball bearing" is misleading... the image shows a Four-Point Contact Bearing with 2-piece Inner Race, sometimes called an "X Bearing with 2-piece Inner Race." The raceways are ogives in cross section. What is commonly called a "Radial Bearing" (also often called a "Deep Groove Bearing" or a "Conrad Bearing") has a semicircular raceway in cross section.


Should some mention be made of thrust bearings? -- Izuko, 8/13/05

Contents

[edit] Commercial external links removed

I've removed a number of commercial external links, see here, and discuss if anyone feels that some should be re-added. If there are a few really notable manufacturers, it would be okay to link to just those, but it would be far better to use internal links for them, to discourage further non-notable manufacturers from adding themselves. --Interiot 06:25, 1 March 2006 (UTC)


Why not include some information regarding bearing numbering systems. eg 6204.2ZR.C3 6= bearing type radial ball bearing, 2=width series, 04= inside diameter 20mm (4mm x 5), suffix 2zr (metal shields), C3 = internal radial clearance larger than normal

[edit] Definition of bearing

"A bearing is a component used to reduce friction in a machine."

Come again? Really?? No. Oil reduces friction in a machine, so it's a bearing?

A bearing is a joint union between two items, one being the load & the other being the support, the point of contact being "the bearing". this can be between solid constructions "as in buildings" or between moving objects as in machines. The medium used between the moving parts to allow movement might be more accurately described as the race, sleeve or shell depending on the medium used. This medium is purely a friction reducer at the point of contact between the moving objects. The description below defines it further. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 86.146.0.153 (talk) 08:44, 26 April 2008 (UTC)

It seems to me that a bearing is something that *constrains* motions of parts in a machine. A *good* bearing reduces friction over a worse bearing, but sleeve bearings are still bearings. Oiling a sleeve bearing reduces friction, but the oil used isn't a bearing!WolfKeeper 19:56, 14 August 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Illustrations

This article really could use some illustrations - there are very good ones at Commons:Category:Bearings, but I'm not knowledgeable enough to assign them. There are also good photographs used in the German version of this article. Sandstein 05:42, 18 August 2006 (UTC)

Wow, those commons images are great! I've added several to rolling-element bearing. This is a more general article though, so it should probably have two or three images, of very different kinds of bearings. (eg. maybe one rolling, one flexure, and one plain bearing?). --Interiot 08:15, 18 August 2006 (UTC)


[edit] Types of bearings

I know there are many many types of bearings, especially if you include different mountings, but a list would be educational of non-experts. (E.g" cutlass bearing, pillow block, etc...)24.225.51.32 17:19, 10 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Explain! Explain!

This article leaves out the nonobvious things about bearings that I'd like to see explained by a knowledgeable person:

  • What is a caged bearing? (Don't tell when it was invented and not what it is!)
  • If a caged bearing is what I think it is based on the figure of the 4-point-contact bearing, don't the balls slide against the cage? What good are they then?
  • Are there any bearings with no sliding contacts? How do they keep the balls/rollers apart?
  • Sometimes you hear about a sealed bearing. How does that work? It seems like sealing it tight enough to prevent leaking would lead to friction.

A caged bearing is a device that uses a "low contact point or low friction" metal cage that runs in the ball or roller track with the balls or rollers to keep them apart & maintains a preset distance between them. If the balls or rollers were to come into contact with each other, their contact point would be extremely small, their contact speed would be double that of the bearing speed, the result is that the rubbing together at such speeds on such small contact areas generates intense heat and completely wrecks the bearing. The vast majority of ball & roller bearings are caged for this reason. The cage can easily be seen in a non sealed ball bearing as spacers between the balls.

A sealed bearing is a normal ball bearing that has the addition of rubber or plastic seals each side of the bearing to prevent ingress of dust particles etc. and to keep its pre-filled lubricant within. The seal is fixed to the outer race and has a lubricated low friction lip running on the inner race. These bearings are used mainly in places where regular lubrication is impractical ie, small domestic & portable equipment (drills washing machines & the like). —Preceding unsigned comment added by 86.146.0.153 (talk) 09:05, 26 April 2008 (UTC) - Mark Foskey 20:17, 13 November 2007 (UTC)

Cages are only used on rolling element bearings in a different article.- (User) WolfKeeper (Talk) 12:58, 3 June 2008 (UTC)