Bearing support assembly for dynamoelectric machines and a method of manufacture therefor

Claim 2

In a dynamoelectric machine having a divided housing including a case part terminating in an extended end portion and a shaft for carrying a rotor assembly that is rotatable in said housing, a bearing support assembly, comprising: a lip portion extending radially over the inner opening of a recessed area formed by said extended end portion; a bearing rotatably mounted on one end of said shaft; a thrust collar secured to a terminal section of said shaft end and axially confining said bearing between said rotor assembly and said thrust collar; a first annular retaining spring including inner resilient fingers engaging the inner axial side of said bearing, and further including outer resilient fingers engaging the outer axial side of said lip portion; and a second annular retaining spring mounted within said recessed area, said second retaining spring including inner resilient fingers engaging the outer axial side of said bearing for supporting said bearing in a fixed axial position within said case part, whereby said shaft is rotatably mounted to said case part so as to limit axial shifting movement of said shaft.

Claim 3

In a dynamoelectric machine having a divided housing including a case part terminating in an extended end portion and a shaft for carrying A rotor assembly that is rotatable in said housing, a bearing support assembly comprising: an annular lip partially enclosing the inner opening of a recessed area formed by said extended end portion; a bearing rotatably mounted on one end of said shaft; a thrust collar secured to a terminal section of said one shaft end so as to define a predetermined axial clearance at the ends of said bearing between the end of said rotor assembly and said thrust collar; a first annular retaining spring including inner resilient fingers engaging the inner axial side of said bearing; said first retaining spring further including outer resilient fingers compressively insertable through said annular lip and engaging the outer axial side of said lip portion; and a second annular retaining spring mounted within recessed area, said second retaining spring including inner resilient fingers engaging the outer axial side of said bearing for supporting said bearing in a fixed axial position within said case part, whereby said shaft is rotatably mounted to said case part so as to have a limited axial movement relative to said housing determined by said predetermined axial clearance of said bearing.

Claim 4

In a dynamoelectric machine having a divided housing including a case part terminating in an extended end portion and a shaft for carrying A rotor assembly that is rotatable in said housing, a bearing support assembly comprising: an annular lip partially enclosing the inner opening of a recessed area formed by said extended end portion; a bearing rotatably mounted on one end of said shaft; a thrust collar secured to a terminal section of said one shaft end so as to define a predetermined axial clearance at the ends of said bearing between the end of said rotor assembly and said thrust collar; a first annular retaining spring including inner resilient fingers engaging the inner axial side of said bearing; said first retaining spring further including outer resilient fingers compressively insertable through said annular lip and engaging the outer axial side of said lip portion; and a second annular retaining spring mounted within recessed area, said second retaining spring including inner resilient fingers engaging the outer axial side of said bearing for supporting said bearing in a fixed axial position within said case part, whereby said shaft is rotatably mounted to said case part so as to have a limited axial movement relative to said housing determined by said predetermined axial clearance of said bearing.

Claim 5

In a dynamoelectric machine having a divided housing including a case part forming a radial mounting portion at one end and an extended end portion at the other end, a shaft carrying a rotor assembly including a commutator and an oil slinger adjacent said commutator, and a brush holder assembly supporting brushes engaging said commutator, a bearing support assembly comprising: a support plate of said brush holder assembly secured to said case part so as to form an annular lip around the opening of a recessed area formed by said extended end portion; a bearing rotatably mounted on one shaft end; a thrust collar secured to a terminal section of said one shaft end to limit axial shifting of said bearing between said oil slinger and the thrust collar; a first annular retaining spring including a circumferential series of inner resilient fingers engaging the inner axial side of said bearing, said first retaining spring further including a circumferential series of outer resilient fingers wherein the finger ends are insertable through said annular lip by being biased radially inward so as to engage the outer axial side of said lip portion when released to a radially extended position; and a second annular retaining spring having an outer rim supported by said extended end portion and secured axially by said outer axial side of said annular lip, said second retaining spring further including a circumferential series of inner resilient fingers opposingly complementary to said inner fingers of said first retaining spring and engaging the outer axial side of said bearing for supporting said bearing in a fixed axial position within said case part, whereby said shaft is rotatably mounted to said case part in a predetermined axial position with limited axial end play.

Claim 6

In a dynamoelectric machine having a divided housing including a case part forming a radial mounting portion at one end and an extended end portion at the other end, a shaft carrying a rotor assembly including a commutator and an oil slinger adjacent said commutator, and a brush holder assembly supporting brushes engaging said commutator, a bearing support assembly comprising: a support plate of said brush holder assembly secured to said case part so as to form an annular lip around the opening of a recessed area formed by said extended end portion; a bearing rotatably mounted on one shaft end; a thrust collar secured to a terminal section of said one shaft end to limit axial shifting of said bearing between said oil slinger and the thrust collar; a first annular retaining spring including a circumferential series of inner resilient fingers engaging the inner axial side of said bearing, said first retaining spring further including a circumferential series of outer resilient fingers wherein the finger ends are insertable through said annular lip by being biased radially inward so as to engage the outer axial side of said lip portion when released to a radially extended position; and a second annular retaining spring having an outer rim supported by said extended end portion and secured axially by said outer axial side of said annular lip, said second retaining spring further including a circumferential series of inner resilient fingers opposingly complementary to said inner fingers of said first retaining spring and engaging the outer axial side of said bearing for supporting said bearing in a fixed axial position within said case part, whereby said shaft is rotatably mounted to said case part in a predetermined axial position with limited axial end play.

Claim 7

In a method of manufacture for assembling the shaft of a dynamoelectric machine to a case part forming one end of a housing for said dynamoelectric machine, the steps comprising: inserting one end of said shaft through a first annular retaining spring having inner and outer radially extending resilient fingers; sliding a bearing on said shaft end and against said inner fingers of said first annular retaining spring; securing a thrust collar on a terminal section of said shaft end thereby limiting the axial shifting movement of said bearing on said shaft; mounting a second annular retaining spring having inner radially extending resilient fingers in a recessed area formed by said extended end portion of said housing case part; providing a lip portion extending radially over the opening to said recessed area; inserting said shaft end toward the inner side of said case part with said shaft end being directed into said recessed area so that the outer side of said bearing engages said inner resilient fingers of said second retaining spring and said outer Resilient fingers are compressed radially inward by said lip portion; and terminating the inserting of said shaft end when said outer resilient fingers are released to an uncompressed position on the outer side of said lip portion and said inner resilient fingers of said first and said second retaining springs support the bearing and are mutually biased apart by the ends of said bearing, whereby said shaft end is rotatably mounted to said case part with limited axial end play.

Claim 8

In a method of manufacture for assembling the shaft of a dynamoelectric machine to a case part forming one end of a housing for said dynamoelectric machine, the steps comprising: inserting one end of said shaft through a first annular retaining spring having inner and outer radially extending resilient fingers; sliding a bearing on said shaft end and against said inner fingers of said first annular retaining spring; securing a thrust collar on a terminal section of said shaft end thereby limiting the axial shifting movement of said bearing on said shaft; mounting a second annular retaining spring having inner radially extending resilient fingers in a recessed area formed by said extended end portion of said housing case part; providing a lip portion extending radially over the opening to said recessed area; inserting said shaft end toward the inner side of said case part with said shaft end being directed into said recessed area so that the outer side of said bearing engages said inner resilient fingers of said second retaining spring and said outer Resilient fingers are compressed radially inward by said lip portion; and terminating the inserting of said shaft end when said outer resilient fingers are released to an uncompressed position on the outer side of said lip portion and said inner resilient fingers of said first and said second retaining springs support the bearing and are mutually biased apart by the ends of said bearing, whereby said shaft end is rotatably mounted to said case part with limited axial end play.

Claim 9

In a method of manufacture for assembling one end of a shaft of a dynamoelectric machine carrying a commutator assembly to a bearing support assembly carried by an extended end portion of a housing case part, the steps comprising: placing said shaft end through a first annular retaining spring having inner and outer radially extending resilient fingers; mounting a bearing on said shaft end so that said shaft is rotatable therein; securing a thrust collar on a terminal section of said shaft end to define a predetermined axial clearance at the ends of said bearing; mounting a second annular retaining spring including an outer rim and inner radially extending resilient fingers in a recessed area formed by said extended end portion; axially securing said second annular retaining spring within said recessed area by a mounting ring part of a brush holder assembly fastened to said housing case part so as to form an annular lip extending radially over the opening to said recessed area; inserting said shaft end toward the inner side of said case part with said shaft end being directed into said recessed area so that the outer axial side of said bearing engages said inner resilient fingers of said second retaining spring, and said outer resilient fingers are compressed radially inward by said lip portion; and terminating the inserting of said shaft end when said outer resilient fingers are released to an uncompressed position for engaging the outer side of said annular lip with said inner resilient fingers of said first and said second retaining springs supporting said bearing in a fixed axial position by being biased outwardly from the ends of said bearing, whereby said shaft end is rotatably mounted to said case part so as to include a predetermined limit of axial end play.

Claim 10

In a method of manufacture for assembling one end of a shaft of a dynamoelectric machine carrying a commutator assembly to a bearing support assembly carried by an extended end portion of a housing case part, the steps comprising: placing said shaft end through a first annular retaining spring having inner and outer radially extending resilient fingers; mounting a bearing on said shaft end so that said shaft is rotatable therein; securing a thrust collar on a terminal section of said shaft end to define a predetermined axial clearance at the ends of said bearing; mounting a second annular retaining spring including an outer rim and inner radially extending resilient fingers in a recessed area formed by said extended end portion; axially securing said second annular retaining spring within said recessed area by a mounting ring part of a brush holder assembly fastened to said housing case part so as to form an annular lip extending radially over the opening to said recessed area; inserting said shaft end toward the inner side of said case part with said shaft end being directed into said recessed area so that the outer axial side of said bearing engages said inner resilient fingers of said second retaining spring, and said outer resilient fingers are compressed radially inward by said lip portion; and terminating the inserting of said shaft end when said outer resilient fingers are released to an uncompressed position for engaging the outer side of said annular lip with said inner resilient fingers of said first and said second retaining springs supporting said bearing in a fixed axial position by being biased outwardly from the ends of said bearing, whereby said shaft end is rotatably mounted to said case part so as to include a predetermined limit of axial end play.