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Bearings – a Short ExcursusBicycle wheels, wheels for trucks, lawn mowers ... these and other everyday objects have something in common: bearings.
But what are bearings? And how do they work? Without giving too specific explanations, and without starting speaking about science and technology using terms that most people might not understand, we can say that bearings are mechanical devices that are used to reduce friction between two objects which rotate or move in a linear way. There are various types of bearings, depending on the type of application and on the way they are built. No wonder that the production of bearings has enormously developed and differentiated since the first bearings were patented in the 18th century. The first patent of a ball bearing dates back to 1794 and was registered by Philip Vaughan in Wales. Almost a century later, more precisely in 1896, it was French Jules Sururay that registered a second patent, but a type of bearing similar to the ones we know nowadays was presented only in 1883. These bearings were launched by Friedrich Fscher. Plastic bearings, bearings for showers and all the other kinds of bearings that are now an essential part of many objects can be considered as the modern descendants of those first models of bearings.
The bearings that you can find on the market do not
belong to only one category. On the contrary, the production of bearings has
undergone a great differentiation and development, and nowadays there are
various types of bearings, each one with specific peculiarities that make it
more suitable for specific uses and applications. When you are to choose a type
of bearing, you need to take many factors into consideration, and although
there are no fixed rules for the choice of the ideal bearing for each field,
still you can follow some general suggestions. First of all, you need to
consider some variables of the types of bearings, like space at disposal,
loads, speed, noiselessness, rigidness, any incorporated protective devices and
so on. Secondly, when you deal with a bearing system, you need to keep in mind
that there are other essential features apart from bearings. Choosing the right
type of bearing, considering also the most suitable size, is important but not
sufficient. You need to consider also the most suitable protective devices, the
type of lubricant, the methods of installation and disassembly and so on.
Lubricant is notably important, as it prevent the bearing from getting damaged
in a short time. Moreover, lubricant is important for other reasons: it reduces
friction making the movement of rollers easier; it protects the bearings from
external agents; it mitigates the heat caused by movement and friction. There
are two main types of bearing lubrication: grease and oil. The first one is
more common, as it has more advantages than the latter: grease, indeed
Taking all these and other variables into consideration you can choose the best bearings for any situation.
Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com
ABOUT THE AUTHORThis
article was written by Francesca Tessarollo with
help from bearings
manufacturer. For more information, please visit ball
bearings
manufacturer or linear
rails.
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