Engineers at The Timken Co., Canton, Ohio (www.timken.com), have designed a bearing housing, the spherical roller bearing (SRB) solid-block housing, for process equipment and bulk-material-handling machinery operating in environments where impacts, shaft misalignments, and contamination are common.
The units one-piece housing is rugged enough to withstand the impact of falling debris and operate with ±0.5° of shaft misalignment while keeping out debris and water. It is the only SRB with a standard cast-steel housing, making it tougher than cast-iron units which can break or pound out in tough applications.
The housing unit features machined feet to ensure precise housing location, six sealing options (three triple-lip, two double-lip, and one labyrinth), and 15 sealing variations. Abrasion-resistant DuPont Teflon labyrinth seals, for example, can operate at high temperatures in dirty and wet conditions and resist most chemicals. The space between the primary and secondary seals provides a cavity which can be filled with grease for more protection. Pressure-relief valves are standard on all units ordered with nonpurgeable seals to prevent overlubrication.
Built-to-order manufacturing offers customized configurations for specific applications. For example, five shaft-locking options are available, including both an eccentric lock series designed to stay tight in reversing situations on precision-ground shafts and a patented V-lock for extreme heavy-duty applications. And housing options accommodate shaft sizes from 35 to 180 mm. Auxiliary steel covers enhance performance with a black-oxide-treated coating that resists abrasions and corrosion. Covers can be open or closed-ended and filled with grease for another layer of protection.
