Patent US4862738A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
← Back to Patent Explorer
US4862738A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Test system for wheel bearings

Assignee: Honeywell International Inc
•
Filing: 1987-08-20
•
Granted: 1989-09-05
•
Expires: 2007-08-20
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract The wheel bearing test system (10) comprises a wheel (20) and bearings (40) mounted on an axle mechanism in order to effect realistic testing of the bearings (40). The axle mechanism (30) comprises a mandrel assembly (30) which is attached to a T-shaped connecting member (50). An axial load application mechanism (60) is disposed substantially coaxially with the axle mechanism (30), and is attached to one leg (52) of the T-shaped connecting member (50). A pair of radial and moment load application mechanisms (72, 74) are attached to the top legs (54, 56) of the T-shaped connecting member (50) and disposed substantially orthogonally relative to the axle mechanism (30). A motor (12) is connected with a wheel attachment fixture (18), the attachment fixture (18) fixed to the wheel (20) in order to effect rotation thereof. Operation of the wheel bearing test system (10) imposes realistic axial, radial, and moment loading upon the bearings (40) in their intended operational environment.

Inventors

  • 👤 Richard B. Jankowski

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-30 02:28
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01M; G01M13/00; G01M13/04

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim 151 words
A wheel bearing testing system, comprising motor means connected with a fixed support, a wheel connected with the motor means and rotatable by the motor means, multi-planar movable axle means upon which the wheel is mounted via wheel bearings, an axial load application mechanism disposed substantially coaxially with said axle means, a radial and moment load application mechanism, a multi-planar movable connecting member connecting together the axial load application mechanism, radial and moment load application mechanism, and multi-planar movable axle means, the axle means attached fixedly to the connecting member, load sensing devices associated with the load application mechanisms, and control means, so that activation of the respective load application mechanisms effects through the multi-planar movable axle means the selective imposition of multi-planar loading upon the bearings so that the bearings experience realistic operating conditions during rotation of the wheel by the motor means and when the wheel is at rest.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 151 words
A wheel bearing testing system, comprising motor means connected with a fixed support, a wheel connected with the motor means and rotatable by the motor means, multi-planar movable axle means upon which the wheel is mounted via wheel bearings, an axial load application mechanism disposed substantially coaxially with said axle means, a radial and moment load application mechanism, a multi-planar movable connecting member connecting together the axial load application mechanism, radial and moment load application mechanism, and multi-planar movable axle means, the axle means attached fixedly to the connecting member, load sensing devices associated with the load application mechanisms, and control means, so that activation of the respective load application mechanisms effects through the multi-planar movable axle means the selective imposition of multi-planar loading upon the bearings so that the bearings experience realistic operating conditions during rotation of the wheel by the motor means and when the wheel is at rest.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 43 words
The bearing testing system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the connecting member comprises a generally T-shaped member having the axial load application mechanism attached at one leg, and the radial and movement load application mechanism attached to the other two legs thereof.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 38 words
The bearing testing system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the radial and moment load application mechanism comprises a pair of radial and moment load cylinders, each load cylinder attached to a respective leg of the T-shaped member.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 22 words
The bearing testing system in accordance with claim 3, wherein the load cylinders are disposed substantially orthogonally relative to the axle means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 31 words
The bearing testing system in accordance with claim 4, wherein the axial load aplication mechanism comprises an axial hydraulic load cylinder disposed substantially in linear alignment relative to the axle means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 22 words
The bearing testing system in accordance with claim 5, wherein the axle means comprises a mandrel onto which the wheel is mounted.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 33 words
The bearing testing system in accordance with claim 6, wherein the motor means includes a support structure to which the wheel is affixed, rotation of the support structure effecting rotation of the wheel.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 27 words
The bearing testing system in accordance with claim 7, wherein the axial load application mechanism is disposed substantially perpendicular relative to the radial and moment load cylinders.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 62 words
The bearing testing system in accordance with claim 8, wherein the radial and moment load cylinders are attached to legs comprising two legs aligned in linear alignment with one another and perpendicular to the one leg to which the axial load application mechanism is attached, actuation of the radial and moment load cylinders effecting, selectively, radial and moment loading upon said bearings.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 27 words
The bearing testing system in accordance with claim 9, wherein selective actuation of the radial and moment load cylinders effects a net radial load upon the bearings.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 26 words
The bearing testing system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the wheel bearings comprise aircraft wheel bearings and the wheel comprises wheel means for an aircraft.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 31 words
The bearing testing system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the load sensing devices communicate to the control means the magnitudes of loads applied by the mechanisms to the axle means.
Claim 14
Independent Claim 187 words
A method for testing bearings by a testing system, comprising the steps of (a) disposing a wheel on multi-planar movable axle means via bearings, (b) connecting the wheel with motor means for rotation of the wheel, (c) attaching an axial load mechanism to a multi-planar movable connecting member connected fixedly with the multi-planar movable axle means so that the axial load mechanism is disposed substantially coaxial relative to the multi-planar movable axle means, (d) attaching a radial and moment load mechanism to the multi-planar movable connecting member so that the radial and moment load mechanism is disposed substantially orthogonal relative to the multi-planar movable axle means, (e) providing control means for controlling operation of the testing system, (f) providing load sensing devices for sensing loads imposed by the mechanisms on the bearings, and (g) activating selectively, via the control means, the respective load mechanisms in order to effect through the multi-planar movable axle means the selective imposition of multi-planar loading upon the bearings so that the bearings experience realistic operating conditions when the wheel is at rest and during rotation of the wheel by the motor means.
Claim 15
Independent Claim 187 words
A method for testing bearings by a testing system, comprising the steps of (a) disposing a wheel on multi-planar movable axle means via bearings, (b) connecting the wheel with motor means for rotation of the wheel, (c) attaching an axial load mechanism to a multi-planar movable connecting member connected fixedly with the multi-planar movable axle means so that the axial load mechanism is disposed substantially coaxial relative to the multi-planar movable axle means, (d) attaching a radial and moment load mechanism to the multi-planar movable connecting member so that the radial and moment load mechanism is disposed substantially orthogonal relative to the multi-planar movable axle means, (e) providing control means for controlling operation of the testing system, (f) providing load sensing devices for sensing loads imposed by the mechanisms on the bearings, and (g) activating selectively, via the control means, the respective load mechanisms in order to effect through the multi-planar movable axle means the selective imposition of multi-planar loading upon the bearings so that the bearings experience realistic operating conditions when the wheel is at rest and during rotation of the wheel by the motor means.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 20 words
The method in accordance with claim 13, further comprising the step of attaching each load mechanism to a pivotable mounting.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 24 words
The method in accordance with claim 13, further comprising the step of attaching each load mechanism to a pivotable connection on the connecting member.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 24 words
The method in accordance with claim 15, wherein the radial and moment load mechanism comprises a pair of radial and moment load hydraulic cylinders.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 26 words
The method in accordance with claim 16, further comprising the step of disposing the radial and moment load hydraulic cylinders in parallel alignment with one another.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 52 words
The method in accordance with claim 17, further comprising the step of the connecting member being provided as a generally T-shaped member having the axial load mechanism attached to one leg thereof and the radial and moment load hydraulic cylinders attached along a second leg disposed perpendicular relative to the one leg.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 31 words
The method in accordance with claim 18, further comprising the step of providing load reaction bearings for an output shaft of the motor, the output shaft being connected with the wheel.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 22 words
The method in accordance with claim 19, wherein the wheel bearings comprise aircraft wheel bearings upon which is mounted an aircraft wheel.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US2033588A Cited
US2957335A Cited
US2872805A Cited
US3152468A Cited
US3529783A Cited
US3715909A Cited
US3821893A Cited
US3913394A Cited
US3946593A Cited
US4000656A Cited
US4133201A Cited
US4501139A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1992-09-04 1993-03-06 1993-09-05 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1996-09-04 1997-03-06 1997-09-05 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2000-09-04 2001-03-06 2001-09-05 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag