Linear motion anti-friction bearings

Claim 1

The method of making a linear motion bearing which comprises the steps of providing a substantially tubular housing member, broaching the interior of the housing member to form a plurality of circumferentially spaced axially extending grooves defining unloaded ball pathways, the inner diameter of said housing between the said grooves defining axially extended ball loading lands, machining grooves in the inner diameter of said housing adjacent either end thereof, providing an elongated sheet, stamping a plurality of oval ball pathways in said sheet, said ball pathways spaced from one another, the major axis of the said pathways extending transversely of the sheet, the said pathways longitudinally separated from one another, the said pathways having unloaded ball paths comprising stamped bottomed grooves in said sheet and loaded ball paths comprising stamped bottomless grooves in said sheet, each pathway having a loaded ball path and an unloaded ball path, the said ball passageways having transverse ends terminating in spaced relation from the side edges of the said sheet, forming corrugated portions between the said transverse ends and the said sides of the said sheet, said corrugated portions having corrugations extending the longitudinal length of the sheet aNd terminating in spaced relation from the said sides of the said sheet, bending the said sides of the said sheet in a direction opposite the depth of the said grooves formed to provide the said pathways to provide an out-turned flange at the said sides of the said sheet, rolling the said sheet end to end to provide a tubular retainer with the said flanges extending radially outwardly, filling the said pathways with balls, inserting the said retainer with the said balls into the said housing with the said loaded ball paths radially aligned with the said ball loading lands and the balls in said paths in contact with the said ball loading lands, expanding the said retainer until the said flanges are seated in the said grooves adjacent the ends of the said housing and the said corrugated portions of the said retainer are indexed with the circumferential corrugations of the housing formed by broaching whereby the said retainer is restrained against axial and radial movement within the said housing.

Claim 2

The method of making a linear motion bearing which comprises the steps of providing a substantially tubular housing member, broaching the interior of the housing member to form a plurality of circumferentially spaced axially extending grooves defining unloaded ball pathways, the inner diameter of said housing between the said grooves defining axially extended ball loading lands, machining grooves in the inner diameter of said housing adjacent either end thereof, providing an elongated sheet, stamping a plurality of oval ball pathways in said sheet, said ball pathways spaced from one another, the major axis of the said pathways extending transversely of the sheet, the said pathways longitudinally separated from one another, the said pathways having unloaded ball paths comprising stamped bottomed grooves in said sheet and loaded ball paths comprising stamped bottomless grooves in said sheet, each pathway having a loaded ball path and an unloaded ball path, the said ball passageways having transverse ends terminating in spaced relation from the side edges of the said sheet, forming corrugated portions between the said transverse ends and the said sides of the said sheet, said corrugated portions having corrugations extending the longitudinal length of the sheet aNd terminating in spaced relation from the said sides of the said sheet, bending the said sides of the said sheet in a direction opposite the depth of the said grooves formed to provide the said pathways to provide an out-turned flange at the said sides of the said sheet, rolling the said sheet end to end to provide a tubular retainer with the said flanges extending radially outwardly, filling the said pathways with balls, inserting the said retainer with the said balls into the said housing with the said loaded ball paths radially aligned with the said ball loading lands and the balls in said paths in contact with the said ball loading lands, expanding the said retainer until the said flanges are seated in the said grooves adjacent the ends of the said housing and the said corrugated portions of the said retainer are indexed with the circumferential corrugations of the housing formed by broaching whereby the said retainer is restrained against axial and radial movement within the said housing.

Claim 3

The method of making a linear motion bearing which comprises the steps of providing a substantially tubular housing member, broaching the interior of the housing member to form a plurality of circumferentially spaced axially extending grooves defining unloaded ball pathways, the inner diameter of said housing between the said grooves defining axially extended ball loading lands, machining grooves in the inner diameter of said housing adjacent either end thereof, providing an elongated sheet, stamping a plurality of oval ball pathways in said sheet, said ball pathways spaced from one another, the major axis of the said pathways extending transversely of the sheet, the said pathways longitudinally separated from one another, the said pathways having unloaded ball paths comprising stamped bottomed grooves in said sheet and loaded ball paths comprising stamped bottomless grooves in said sheet, each pathway having a loaded ball path and an unloaded ball path, the said ball passageways having transverse ends terminating in spaced relation from the side edges of the said sheet, forming corrugated portions between the said transverse ends and the said sides of the said sheet, said corrugated portions having corrugations extending the longitudinal length of the sheet aNd terminating in spaced relation from the said sides of the said sheet, bending the said sides of the said sheet in a direction opposite the depth of the said grooves formed to provide the said pathways to provide an out-turned flange at the said sides of the said sheet, rolling the said sheet end to end to provide a tubular retainer with the said flanges extending radially outwardly, filling the said pathways with balls, inserting the said retainer with the said balls into the said housing with the said loaded ball paths radially aligned with the said ball loading lands and the balls in said paths in contact with the said ball loading lands, expanding the said retainer until the said flanges are seated in the said grooves adjacent the ends of the said housing and the said corrugated portions of the said retainer are indexed with the circumferential corrugations of the housing formed by broaching whereby the said retainer is restrained against axial and radial movement within the said housing.

Claim 4

The method of making a linear motion bearing which comprises the steps of providing a substantially tubular housing member, broaching the interior of the housing member to form a plurality of circumferentially spaced axially extending grooves defining unloaded ball pathways, the inner diameter of said housing between the said grooves defining axially extended ball loading lands, machining grooves in the inner diameter of said housing adjacent either end thereof, providing an elongated sheet, stamping a plurality of oval ball pathways in said sheet, said ball pathways spaced from one another, the major axis of the said pathways extending transversely of the sheet, the said pathways longitudinally separated from one another, the said pathways having unloaded ball paths comprising stamped bottomed grooves in said sheet and loaded ball paths comprising stamped bottomless grooves in said sheet, each pathway having a loaded ball path and an unloaded ball path, the said ball passageways having transverse ends terminating in spaced relation from the side edges of the said sheet, forming corrugated portions between the said transverse ends and the said sides of the said sheet, said corrugated portions having corrugations extending the longitudinal length of the sheet aNd terminating in spaced relation from the said sides of the said sheet, bending the said sides of the said sheet in a direction opposite the depth of the said grooves formed to provide the said pathways to provide an out-turned flange at the said sides of the said sheet, rolling the said sheet end to end to provide a tubular retainer with the said flanges extending radially outwardly, filling the said pathways with balls, inserting the said retainer with the said balls into the said housing with the said loaded ball paths radially aligned with the said ball loading lands and the balls in said paths in contact with the said ball loading lands, expanding the said retainer until the said flanges are seated in the said grooves adjacent the ends of the said housing and the said corrugated portions of the said retainer are indexed with the circumferential corrugations of the housing formed by broaching whereby the said retainer is restrained against axial and radial movement within the said housing.

Claim 5

A method of making a linear motion bearing which comprises the steps of: forming a housing having an axial bore, the bore defined by varying radius inner diameter on the housing, the varying radii continuing the axial length of the housing, the radii being equal axially and varying circumferentially, forming a retainer having an axial opening, a circumferential wall, an outer surface, and an axial length, forming ballways in said outer surface, parts of said ballways open through said wall, said ballways terminating in spaced relation to axial ends of said wall, forming portions of said wall axially beyond said ballways with a varying radius outer diameter, the varying radius outer diameter matable with the varying radius inner diameter of the housing, forming an intermediate portion of said wall between the said portions substantially tubular except for said ballways, substantially filling said ballways with anti-friction elements, and inserting said retainer in said housing with said portions mating with the inner diameter of the housing.

Claim 6

A method of making a linear motion bearing which comprises the steps of: forming a housing having an axial bore, the bore defined by varying radius inner diameter on the housing, the varying radii continuing the axial length of the housing, the radii being equal axially and varying circumferentially, forming a retainer having an axial opening, a circumferential wall, an outer surface, and an axial length, forming ballways in said outer surface, parts of said ballways open through said wall, said ballways terminating in spaced relation to axial ends of said wall, forming portions of said wall axially beyond said ballways with a varying radius outer diameter, the varying radius outer diameter matable with the varying radius inner diameter of the housing, forming an intermediate portion of said wall between the said portions substantially tubular except for said ballways, substantially filling said ballways with anti-friction elements, and inserting said retainer in said housing with said portions mating with the inner diameter of the housing.