What Kind Of Bearing Is This?

omni_dilletante

omni_dilletante

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I have a Gyroscope from a WWII Japanese Torpedo that has a very simple bearing.

I would like to research the bearing geometry so I can use it in a project of mine. But I cannot find anything because I do not know what it is called.

Here is how I would describe it:
  • It is a combination of thrust and axial bearing.
  • The shaft supporting the flywheel is turned into a cone on each end.
  • The cone rides on 8 ball bearings.
  • The ball bearings appear to ride in a shallow flat bottomed hole.

bearing_zpsxxukdcsf.jpg

I don't want to dismantle the gyroscope to measure the angle of the cone and to see what the bottom of the bearing pocket is shaped like. I am hoping someone will know what it is called so Google can find the information for me.

So far the following Google searches have not been productive:
  • Primitive ball bearing
  • Simple ball bearing
  • Simple thrust bearing
  • Gyroscope bearing
  • Pointy shaft ball in pocket bearing
Here is another picture of the Gyroscope if it helps:

IMG_3751_zpscp6denij.jpg

Thanks for your help.
 
I think I would call that an angular contact bearing, even if the bearings run in a flat bottom cup. Given the use, it only had to work for a few minutes.

I'm thinking I saw something like that in a bicycle front wheel many years ago.
 
Last edited:
Try thrust ball bearing. I saw some similar applications but not an exact match.
 
jim18655 said:
Try thrust ball bearing. I saw some similar applications but not an exact match.
Click to expand...
+1. Ball thrust bearing.

Edit: Nice concept. Axial bore and squared face of the race, and a tapered cone seat on the inner race makes for a quick and cheap bearing that was only designed to live a very short life. I need to remember that for a quick and dirty anti friction bearing that can be knocked out pretty easily on simple tooling. Easy to take out all end play as well...
 
Last edited:
The same kind of setup is used today at the pivot points of a test indicator tip. The bearings are held inside the adjustment screws on either side of the tip. The biggest difference I see between this setup and angular contact bearings is that the cones are resting directly on the bearings themselves, not a race.
 
Prior to the use of tapered roller bearings, ball bearings of this type were used on automotive spindles. My '58 Buick and '56 Chevy both used them on the front end. My '63 Buick was the first car that I had that had roller bearings. Proper installation had a preload on the bearings whereas roller bearings were taken to snug and backed off slightly.

Tormach uses angular contact ball bearings for its ballscrew mounting and for the spindle on their CNC machines.
 
"Thrust ball bearings" did not seem to pan out. All examples did not have an axial component.

"Angular contact" and "cone and hub" came closer, but not quite a match.


My main question is how to calculate the angle of the cone?

Do I just make sure that the cone angle matches the angle in which the bearings contact the hub?

The consensus seems to be that this would be a short lived bearing. Would it be in inappropriate for a toy that would be run for a few minutes at a time?

I like its simplicity and it seems to have a very low rolling resistance.


gyro.bearing_zpsqnnyqill.png
 
JUST LIKE OLD SKATES./ BICYCLES....JUST NO AXEL

CUP AND CONE
 
Bob Korves said:
Edit: Nice concept. Axial bore and squared face of the race, and a tapered cone seat on the inner race makes for a quick and cheap bearing that was only designed to live a very short life. I need to remember that for a quick and dirty anti friction bearing that can be knocked out pretty easily on simple tooling. Easy to take out all end play as well...
Click to expand...

Pretty much what I was thinking. Was also wondering, where does one find a ww11 Japanese torpedo gyroscope. Found this. Mike
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Lot 101
A rare World War II Imperial Japanese Navy Torpedo Gyroscope
circa 1942 9 x 7 x 11-1/2 in. (22.8 x 17.7 x 29.2 cm.) the box.
Sold for US$ 1,375 inc. premium

World War II: The Pacific Theatre

13:00 EST

New York


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Lot Details

A rare World War II Imperial Japanese Navy Torpedo Gyroscope
Japanese, circa 1942
in bronze and steel, and marked with the serial number "16050" within the original war-time box, marked on the exterior with Japanese inscription.
9 x 7 x 11-1/2 in. (22.8 x 17.7 x 29.2 cm.) the box.
Footnotes
  • Provenance:
    The War Museum
 
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