Belleville spring-loaded taper roller bearing support system for a hydrodynamic retarder

摘要

A hydrodynamic retarder has an outer housing and an inner housing. A planetary carrier shaft member is rotatably supported on taper roller bearings located in the outer housing. The taper roller bearings are positioned between a shoulder on the shaft and a retaining nut or fastener which is threadably secured to the shaft. A Belleville or Belleville spring is positioned between the retaining nut and the inner race of one of the roller bearings. The retaining nut is secured such that the Belleville spring is flattened thereby applying maximum force to the inner race. The force is transmitted through the first roller bearing, the outer housing, the outer race of a second roller bearing, the second rollers and the second inner race. The Belleville spring will accommodate axial movement between the retaining nut and the bearing. The axial movement might be occasioned by internal forces of the hydrodynamic retarder or external forces that are initiated by a hydraulic piston associated with the hydrodynamic retarder. The retaining nut force might also be reduced due to the expanding and contraction of internal components, such as gaskets, seals and seating surfaces. The Belleville spring accommodates these movements and retains a substantially constant axial seating force for the taper roller bearings and a substantially constant normal force on the retaining nut.