Improved seal and bearing apparatus for bits.

摘要

A bearing and seal arrangement for a sealed bearing rock bit includes a helical spring bearing member (32) rotatably supporting each cutter (16) on a pin (14) of the bit. The axial resiliency of the spring bearing member (32) is utilized to bias an annular rotating seal member (56) in a direction to maintain a face-type seal with a fixed bearing member (62). The bearing member (56) is carried by a stop member (38) which is engaged by the bearing spring and is prevented from rotating relative to the cutter (16) by lugs (48) which engage in corresponding slots formed in an auxiliary seal member (44) which is pressed into the cutter mouth.