Rolling Bearings: Terminology

To better understand frequently used bearing terms, definitions are provided below and explained with the help of drawings. A detailed collection of bearing specific terms and definitions can be found in ISO 5593:1997: Rolling bearings – Vocabulary.

Bearing arrangement

1. Cylindrical roller bearing
2. Four-point contact ball bearing
3. Housing
4. Shaft
5. Shaft abutment shoulder
6. Shaft diameter
7. Locking plate
8. Radial shaft seal
9. Distance ring
10. Housing bore diameter
11. Housing bore
12. Housing cover
13. Snap ring

Following terminology is used for the different parts of a rolling bearing.

Radial bearings

   

1. Inner ring
2. Outer ring
3. Rolling element: ball, cylindrical roller, needle roller, tapered roller, spherical roller
4. Cage
5. Capping device
• Seal � made of elastomer, contact (shown in figure) or non-contact
• Shield � made of sheet steel, non-contact
6. Outer ring outside diameter
7. Inner ring bore
8. Inner ring shoulder diameter
9. Outer ring shoulder diameter
10. Snap ring groove
11. Snap ring
12. Outer ring side face
13. Seal anchorage groove
14. Outer ring raceway
15. Inner ring raceway
16. Sealing groove
17. Inner ring side face
18. Chamfer
19. Mean bearing diameter
20. Total bearing width
21. Guiding flange
22. Retaining flange
23. Contact angle

Thrust bearings


24. 24 Shaft washer
25. 25 Rolling element and cage assembly
26. 26 Housing washer
27. 27 Housing washer with sphered seat surface
28. 28 Sphered seat washer

Principles of bearing selection and application | Bearing terminology | Bearing types | Selection of bearing type | Available space | Loads | Misalignment | Precision | Speed | Quiet running | Stiffness | Axial displacement | Mounting and dismounting | Integral seals

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