U.S. patent number RE31,525 [Application Number 06/188,526] was granted by the patent office on 1984-02-28 for adaptable resilient motor mounting.
This patent grant is currently assigned to General Electric Company. Invention is credited to John H. Boyd, Jr., Don C. Nelson, Jr..
United States Patent |
RE31,525 |
Boyd, Jr. , et al. |
February 28, 1984 |
Adaptable resilient motor mounting
Abstract
Method and apparatus for supporting a motor having cradle
engageable rings at opposite ends thereof in the arms of a selected
one of a plurality of different size support or cradle bases is
disclosed wherein the motor has at least one end shield with an
axially extending hub and a resilient mounting ring embracing that
hub and movable axially therealong. A support base has a cradle
portion for engaging the mounting ring to support the hub and a
clamp arrangement for securing the ring to the cradle portion. The
opposite motor end may have a similar axially extending hub on the
opposite motor end shield embraced by another mounting ring
clampable in a second similar cradle portion. To adapt the mounting
arrangement to a selected cradle base, a cradle engaging mounting
ring is slid axially along the motor hub until the separation
between the rings is appropriate for positioning the motor adjacent
to the base with the rings in registry with corresponding base
cradle portions whereupon the base and rings are engaged and the
rings secured, for example by clamping to the respective base
cradle portion. Annular adapters may additionally be provided to
conform the radius of a ring to the radius of curvature of the
particular ring engaging cradle portion. A motor mounting
arrangement adaptable to various size cradle bases is thereby
provided.
Inventors: |
Boyd, Jr.; John H. (DeKalb,
IL), Nelson, Jr.; Don C. (Fort Wayne, IN) |
Assignee: |
General Electric Company (Fort
Wayne, IN)
|
Family
ID: |
26884172 |
Appl.
No.: |
06/188,526 |
Filed: |
September 18, 1980 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
|
Reissue of: |
800418 |
May 25, 1977 |
04116410 |
Sep 26, 1978 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
248/581;
310/91 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F16M
1/04 (20130101); H02K 5/00 (20130101); F16M
5/00 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
F16M
5/00 (20060101); F16M 1/00 (20060101); F16M
1/04 (20060101); H02K 5/00 (20060101); F16M
013/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;248/606,558,544,671,581
;310/91 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Other References
General Electric Publication No. 723-42, May 15, 1961. .
General Electric Bulletin No. GEZ-3156(p.3), Mar., 1961. .
General Electric Bulletin No. GEC-1041B-Dec. 1960..
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Primary Examiner: Foss; J. Franklin
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Papin; Joseph E.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. The method of supporting a motor having cradle engageable rings
each mounted on a hub at opposite ends thereof in the arms of a
selected one of a plurality of different size cradle bases
comprising the steps of:
sliding at least one of the cradle engaging rings.Iadd., having a
deviation from a circular configuration generally mating with
respect to its associated motor hub and being substantially less in
axial dimension than the associated motor hub, .Iaddend.axially
along the .Iadd.associated .Iaddend.motor hub until the separation
between the rings is appropriate for positioning the motor adjacent
the selected base with the rings in registry with corresponding
base arms;
engaging the base arms with the corresponding rings; and
securing the rings to the base.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of engaging includes
providing an annular filler strip to conform the radius of a
circular ring and the radius of a circular segment of a base arm
mating with the ring.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of securing includes
clampingly engaging the periphery of each ring.
4. The method of mounting an electric motor having resilient
mounting members disposed on motor end .[.shield.]. .Iadd.shields
including .Iaddend.hubs at opposite motor ends generally coaxial
with the motor rotor axis in a support bracket having generally
parallel extending arms, the extremities of which are contoured to
mate with the mounting members comprising the steps of:
axially displacing one of the mounting members on the pertaining
hub .Iadd.with the one mounting member and its pertaining hub
having generally mating deviations from a circular configuration
and with the pertaining hub being a number of times greater in
axial length than the one mounting member to provide a number of
different relative axial positions therebetween .Iaddend.to
position the mounting members axially in alignment with their
respective arm extremities .Iadd.at one of such relative axial
positions.Iaddend.;
juxtaposing the mounting members and their respective arm
extremities; and
securing the mounting members to their respective arms.
5. The method of claim 4 wherein the step of juxtaposing includes
providing an adapter strip about the periphery of each mounting
member to accommodate the member to the corresponding arm extremity
contour.
6. The method of claim 4 wherein the step of securing includes
clamping the mounting members to their respective arms.
7. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of clamping includes for
each mounting member: providing a clamping band, passing that band
from an arm extremity around the mounting member and back to the
arm extremity, and tightening the clamping band about the mounting
member to firmly urge the mounting member into engagement with the
corresponding contoured arm extremity.
8. A resilient mounting arrangement for a rotating machine having a
pair of opposed end shields with hubs axially extending therefrom
in opposite directions comprising:
a first resilient annulus having an interior .Iadd.generally
.Iaddend.conforming to a first hub peripheral surface;
a second resilient annulus .[.having an interior conforming to
the.]. .Iadd.and a .Iaddend.second hub peripheral surface .[.and.].
.Iadd.including generally mating deviations from a circular
configuration, with said second resilient annulus having a width
substantially less than the axial length of the associated second
hub and with the second resilient annulus being .Iaddend.axially
movable along that surface to vary the axial separation of the
resilient annuli to accommodate differing machine mounting
brackets.
9. The mounting arrangement of claim 8 wherein the second hub
periphery and second resilient annulus interior include mating
deviations from circular for preventing rotation of the second
annulus relative to the second hub.
10. The mounting arrangement of claim 9 wherein the deviations
comprise splines on the second hub and corresponding axially
extending grooves along the annulus interior.
11. The mounting arrangement of claim 8 wherein the first resilient
annulus is axially fixed relative to the first hub.
12. The mounting arrangement of claim 8 further including first and
second adapter rings selectively disposable about the outer
periphery of the respective annuli to provide further mounting
bracket adaptability.
13. An electric motor having a frame with an axially extending hub,
a ring embracing the hub, the ring and hub including mating
portions .Iadd.deviating from a circular configuration with the
axial width of the ring portion being substantially less than the
axial length of the associated hub portion .Iaddend.for allowing
axial movement of the ring on the hub while preventing relative
rotation of the ring and hub, a support base with a cradle portion
for engaging the ring to support the hub, and means for securing
the ring to the cradle portion.
14. The electric motor of claim 13 further comprising means
connecting the motor frame and the support base for precluding
further relative axial movement between the ring and hub.
15. The electric motor of claim 13 wherein the ring includes an
inner annular resilent member and an outer annular adapter member,
the adapter member being selectively removable to conform the ring
to a cradle portion having a lesser radius of curvature.
16. In a resiliently mounted motor, a motor end shield having an
axially extending hub, a mounting ring embracing the hub and
movable axially therealong, .Iadd.said mounting ring and hub
including generally mating deviations from a circular
configuration, with said mounting ring having an axial dimension
substantially less than that of the associated hub to permit the
ring and hub to include a number of different relative axial
positions, .Iaddend.a support base with a cradle portion for
engaging the mounting ring to support the hub, means for securing
the ring to the cradle portion, and means connecting the motor and
the support base for fixing the relative axial position of the ring
and hub at a preferred location and precluding further axial motion
therebetween.
17. The mounted motor of claim 16 including means associated with
the ring and hub for preventing relative rotation therebetween.
18. The mounted motor of claim 16 wherein the ring includes an
inner annular resilient member and an outer annular adapter member,
the adapter member being selectively removable to conform the ring
to a cradle portion having a lesser radius of curvature.
19. The mounted motor of claim 16 wherein the support base includes
a second cradle portion and the motor has a second end shield with
an axially extending hub, the means connecting comprising a second
mounting ring embracing and axially fixed to the second end shield
hub, and means securing the second mounting ring to the second
cradle portion. .Iadd.
20. The mounted motor of claim 16 in which the mounting ring is
adapted to have the same side facing the motor end shield when the
mounting ring and hub are disposed in any one of the different
relative axial positions. .Iaddend. .Iadd.21. The method of claim 4
in which during the step of axially displacing one of the mounting
members on the pertaining hub, the one mounting member has the same
side facing an associated end shield at the relative axial
positions. .Iaddend.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to mounting arrangements for
rotating machines and more particularly to a resilient mounting
arrangement adaptable to varying size bases and therefore
particularly suited for an aftermarket or replacement motor
mounting arrangement.
A commonly used resilient mounting arrangement for rotating
machines, such as fractional horsepower motors, utilizes a pair of
cushion rings disposed on hubs at opposite ends of the motor and
engageable with corresponding cradle portions of a U-shaped cradle
base with the rings being clamped to the pertaining cradle portions
or arms of the base. The resilient rings themselves may be toroidal
in form or may be axially slotted, fluted or otherwise irregularly
configured around their inner or outer periphery to prevent
rotation of the machine relative to the mounting base, for example
due to starting torque of the machine. Regardless of the peripheral
configuration of the mounting rings, such rings are typically
located in a fixed axial position for engagement with the arms of
the associated machine mounting brackets.
In the fractional horsepower motor industry there is little
uniformity in the dimensions of the cradle bases and motor
replacement frequently requires replacement of the cradle base
along with the motor or extensive stocking or searching for an
appropriate replacement motor to fit the existing base.
One approach to providing a replacement motor to fit a number of
different size cradle bases has been to provide motor through-bolts
of a length in excess of that required to pass from one end shield
to the other and to clamp, for example, between a pair of nuts on
each such extended through-bolt, a bracket arrangement for
supporting a resilient mounting ring. Such a bracket and ring might
be complementarily contoured to prevent relative rotation, however,
the axial position of the mounting ring relative to the bracket is
fixed and to adjust the bracket to suit a particular cradle base
requires the loosening and retightening of pairs of nuts on each
through-bolt. The adapting of such an arrangement to a particular
cradle base is therefore somewhat time consuming and the structure
itself adds to the cost of the motor.
Due to the variations mainly in axial length of such motors,
replacement motors are frequently sold with a U-shaped cradle base
attached thereto and the provision of a replacement motor easily
adapted to a variety of existing bases would elminate the base cost
from the cost of the replacement motor as well as easing the burden
of removing the old base and installing the new base at the time of
replacement.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Among the several objects of this invention may be noted the
provision of a method of readily adapting a replacement motor to a
selected one of a plurality of different size bases; the provision
of a replacement motor not requiring a new mounting base; the
provision of a resilient mounting arrangement having first and
second hub embracing annuli, at least one of which is axially
movable to accommodate different machine mounting brackets; the
provision of an aftermarket motor characterized by its economy of
manufacture, and ease of installation; and the provision of a
unique end shield which facilitates adapting a replacement motor to
existing cradle bases.
In general and in one form of the invention, a resiliently mounted
motor has an end shield with an axially extending hub and a
mounting ring .Iadd.including a deviation from a circular
configuration generally mating and .Iaddend.embracing that .[.hub
and.]. .Iadd.hub. The ring has an axial dimension substantially
less than that of the associated hub and is .Iaddend.movable
axially therealong to a preferred position for engaging a cradle
portion of a support base. The ring is then secured to that cradle
portion and the motor otherwise connected to the support base for
fixing the relative axial position of the ring and hub at the
preferred location and precluding further axial motion
therebetween.
.[.Also in general, an electrical motor has an axially extending
hub and a ring embracing that hub with the ring and hub including
mating portions for allowing axial movement of the ring on the hub
while preventing relative rotation therebetween. A support base
with a cradle portion is provided for engaging the ring to support
the hub including means for securing the ring to the cradle
portion..].
Further in general and in one form of the invention, a method of
supporting a motor having cradle engageable rings at opposite ends
thereof, in the arms of a selected one of a plurality of different
size cradle bases, includes sliding at least one of the rings
axially along the motor hub until the separation between the rings
is appropriate for positioning the motor with the rings in registry
with corresponding base arms, whereupon the base arms and
corresponding rings are engaged and respectively secured .
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cradle base supported motor
according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a side view of the motor of FIG. 1, illustrating
alternate alignment with cradle bases of differing axial length;
and
FIG. 3 is an end view illustrating the manner of clamping one
cushion ring to the cradle portion of the mounting base of FIG.
1.
Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts
throughout the several views of the drawing.
The exemplification set out herein illustrates an embodiment of the
invention in one form thereof and such exemplification is not to be
construed as limiting in any manner the scope of the invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now to the drawing and more particularly to the
perspective view of FIG. 1, an electric motor or other rotating
machine 11 has a housing or frame including a generally cylindrical
shell or sleeve 13, having end shields 15 and 17 at opposite ends
thereof. The motor housing may, for example, include a conventional
stator and rotor with the rotor journaled in bearings within the
end shields 15 and 17 and having an axially extending shaft 19 for
coupling to pulleys, fans and the like. The end structures or
shields 15 and 17 may for example be die cast aluminum alloy
structures which are connected to the opposed ends of the sleeve 13
by through-bolts or otherwise as is conventional in motor
construction. A mounting bracket 21 supports the motor frame and
may for example be a cradle base type mounting arrangement having
an arm 23, the extremity 25 of which is contoured to mate with
mounting member 27. The opposite end of the motor may of course be
similarly supported.
The frame of the motor 11 has an axially extending hub 29 generally
coaxial with the motor rotor axis 31 and extending a substantial
distance therealong. The resilient mounting member or cushion ring
27 embraces the hub 29 and the ring and hub include mating portions
such as the axially extending projections or splines 33 which mate
with corresponding axially extending grooves in the annular ring 27
so as to allow axial movement of the ring 27 on the hub while
preventing relative rotation between the ring and hub. The arm 23
of the support base of course engages the ring 27 to support the
hub and the ring 27 is secured to the cradle base by a clamping
arrangement 35.
As thus far described the hub 29 is still free to move axially
within the ring 27 and completion of the mounting desirably
includes some further connection between the motor frame and the
support base to preclude further relative axial movement between
the ring and hub. This may be accomplished by a second similar ring
on the axially extending hub of end shield 17 as more clearly
depicted in FIG. 2.
The resilient mounting arrangement for the rotating machine 11
illustrated in FIG. 2 includes the pair of opposed end shields 15
and 17 with hubs 29 and 37 extending therefrom in opposite
directions and generally along the machine axis 31. A resilient
annulus 39 conforms to the peripheral surface of hub 37 and may be
axially fixed relative to that hub 37. The other resilient annulus
27 has its interior conforming to the periphery of hub 29 and is,
as previously described, axially movable along that surface to vary
the axial separation between the two resilient annuli to thereby
accommodate differing machine mounting brackets such as 21 and 41.
As previously described, the periphery of hub 29 and the resilient
annulus 27 include mating deviations from a circular configuration
so as to prevent rotation of that annulus relative to the second
hub 29 and these deviations may include splines on the hub 29 and
corresponding axially extending grooves along the annulus interior.
Other deviations from a circular configuration could of course be
employed such as forming the hub in a polygonal shape or forming
that hub with grooves and the ring with interior mating projections
and even a simple keyway in each of the hub and ring along with a
key interconnecting the two members could be employed.
Adapting the mounting arrangement illustrated in FIG. 2 to a
selected one of a plurality of different size cradle bases should
now be readily understood. The axial separation between the cushion
rings 27 and 39 is appropriate for engagement with the cradle base
21 as illustrated, however, if it is desired to support the motor
in cradle base 41, the cushion ring or mounting member 27 is
axially displaced on its pertaining hub 29 to position the mounting
members or rings 39 and 27 axially in alignment with the respective
extremities of the arms 43 and 45 of cradle base 41. The mounting
members 39 and 27 with ring 27 now in the position illustrated in
dotted lines as 47 are juxtaposed with the respective arm
extremities and the mounting members secured to those arms. The
respective arms 43 and 45 extend generally parallel to one another
and the axial separation between these two arms varies from
manufacturer to manufacturer. The hub 29 extends from the motor end
shield 15 for about one and one-half inches while the width of the
annulus 27 in the direction of the axis 31 is about three-eighths
of an inch.Iadd., a dimension which is substantially less than the
axial length of the associated hub 29, about a 1 to 4 ratio in the
exemplification, .Iaddend.thereby allowing the motor mounting
arrangement to accommodate .Iadd.a number of .Iaddend.cradle bases
varying in length by as much as one and one-eighth inches. .Iadd.As
best seen in FIG. 2, the axial length of hub 29 is a number of
times greater than that for annulus 27 and the same side of annulus
27 is adapted to face the end shield 15 for each of the different
cradle bases which may be utilized with the annulus. .Iaddend.The
particular contour of the cradle portion of arms, such as 43 and 45
is also variable among manufacturers, being typically a radius of
curvature which is circular and adapted to cushion ring diameters
of either two and one-quarter or two and one-half inches. The
securing of the mounting members to their respective arms as well
as the adapting of the mounting members to varying radii of
curvature in the cradle portion is illustrated in FIG. 3.
In FIG. 3 an annular filler strip 49 is employed to conform the
base arm 23 radius of curvature 51 to the radius of curvature 53 of
the cushion ring 27. This annular filler strip 49 provides further
adaptability of the mounting arrangement of the present invention
and may be slotted, for example at 55, to collapse somewhat when
the clamping band 35 urges the filler strip 49 into engagement with
arm 23 and annulus 27. The clamping band 35 may be in two parts
joinable by a tightening screw 57 with each part including a slot
59 and 61 which may be hooked over corresponding tangs or
projections 63 and 65 whereupon the tightening screw 57 is
tightened to securely clamp the cushion ring 27 to the arm 23. An
arrangement as illustrated in FIG. 3 may be used at each motor end
for clamping both cushion ring 27 and cushion ring 39 firmly in the
cradle base.
From the foregoing it is now apparent that a novel method and
apparatus for supporting a motor having cradle engageable rings at
opposite ends in the arms of a selected one of a plurality of
different size cradle bases has been presented meeting the objects
and advantageous features set out hereinbefore as well as others.
Modifications may be made by those having ordinary skill in the art
without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope
thereof as illustrated by the claims which follow.
* * * * *