What can you do with a ball bearing?
A ball bearing is a type of rolling-element bearing that serves three main functions while it facilitates motion: it carries loads, reduces friction and positions moving machine parts. Ball bearings use balls to separate two “races,” or bearing rings, to reduce surface contact and friction across moving planes.
Who really invented the ball bearing?
Philip VaughanBall bearing / Inventor
The first modern recorded patent on ball bearings was awarded to British inventor and iron-master Philip Vaughan. He patented the first design for ball bearings in 1794, which were designed to support a carriage axle.
Where is ball bearing used?
Ball bearings are the most common bearing type and can be found in many every day objects, such skateboards, blenders, bicycles, DVD players and photocopiers. This type of bearing is typically used in applications which have a high speed and a low load.
Why are ball bearings important?
The purpose of a ball bearing is to reduce rotational friction and support radial and axial loads. It achieves this by using at least two races to contain the balls and transmit the loads through the balls.
Who painted the first ball bearing?
Leonardo da Vinci was a brilliant artist from Italy, and one of the archetypal “Renaissance men”. It would not be an overstatement to call him the “father” of the modern bearing.
Why are they called ball bearings?
A ball bearing is a type of rolling-element bearing that uses balls to maintain the separation between the bearing races.
What is the purpose of a bearing?
Nowadays, bearings are one of the most commonly used machine parts because their rolling motion make almost all movements easier and they help reduce friction. Bearings have two key functions: They transfer motion, i.e. they support and guide components which turn relative to one another. They transmit forces.
What is ball bearing made of?
Materials. Common materials include carbon steel, stainless steel, chrome steel, brass, aluminium, tungsten carbide, platinum, gold, titanium, plastic. Other less common materials include copper, monel, k-monel, lead, silver, glass, and niobium.
What is a ball bearing made of?
Three main types of ball bearings are steel, ceramic and plastic. While every ball bearing is comprised of four main parts—an outer race, an inner race, a cage and balls—each has its own set of characteristics and benefits.
Where was the ball bearing invented?
Carmarthen
History. Although bearings had been developed since ancient times, the first modern recorded patent on ball bearings was awarded to Philip Vaughan, a Welsh inventor and ironmaster who created the first design for a ball bearing in Carmarthen in 1794.
Why is it called a bearing?
The term “bearing” is derived from the verb “to bear”; a bearing being a machine element that allows one part to bear (i.e., to support) another. The simplest bearings are bearing surfaces, cut or formed into a part, with varying degrees of control over the form, size, roughness, and location of the surface.
How important are ball bearings?