Tapered Roller Bearings

Tapered roller bearings are a type of bearing used in a wide variety of applications. They are usually suited for high axial rigidity applications and can withstand radial and axial loads. These bearings are also commonly used in gearboxes, wheel hubs and railroad axles. There are several parts that make up a tapered roller bearing, including an outer ring, an inner ring, a cage, a cup and a flange.

There are two basic types of tapered roller bearings. The first type is a single row, which consists of one cone and one cup, while the second type has two cones and two cups. Both of these types of bearings can support axial loads in both directions, although a single row bearing can only withstand radial loads.

Usually, tapered roller bearings are manufactured from either steel or chrome steel. However, other materials are available as well. A common metal is high carbon chrome steel. This is a heat treated material that gives the bearing a tough core. Another common material is a nonferrous metal.

To maintain high surface area contact, a tapered roller bearing's races are angled. This is similar to a cone assembly, but the raceways are angled so that the outer rollers are closer to the center than the inner ones. This prevents the rollers from sliding out of the raceway at high speed.

The outer ring of a tapered roller bearing is made of a high carbon steel. The inner ring is made of a lower carbon steel. Each outer ring contains a series of pins that thread into the rollers. An inner flange on the back of the outer ring helps guide the rollers. If the bearing is in an open configuration, the rollers can pop out at high speed.

Tapered roller bearings are often operated clearance-free. However, they can also be operated with preload. Preloads can increase the rigidity of a bearing and help it withstand high radial and axial loads.

For applications requiring high axial load capacity, a double-row tapered roller bearing can be employed. It includes a pair of cones with a larger half angle that increases the axial force. While the radial force produced by the bearing is limited by the number of rollers, the axial component generated by the bearing is significantly increased by the number of cones.

The most common configuration for tapered roller bearings is a single-row model. However, there are also unitized configurations. Unitized configurations are usually mounted within a housing, which allows for misalignment expansion capability.

In order to handle a variety of load types, a tapered roller bearing requires special lubrication. Lubricant is essential in any bearing, but it is even more important with these bearings. Lubricants can include petroleum-based oil or synthetic oil. Other types of lubricants can be silicone-based oils. Depending on the application, the type of lubricant should be determined.

The most commonly used tapered roller bearing is a single-row model, which consists of one cone and one or two cups. Although it can support both radial and axial loads, it is recommended that the bearing has at least two rows.