Abstract:
A lubricated bearing assembly with rollable elements such as balls is disclosed. The rollable elements may be in a bearing cage and disposed between inner and outer races as in typical ball bearing unit. The inner race is secured to a rotatable shaft and the outer race is mounted in a frame of a machine. A first grease cavity is provided on one axial side of the rollable elements and a second grease cavity is provided on the opposite axial side of the rollable elements. The grease is introduced into one of the cavities, for example, the first cavity and is directed in an axial direction toward the rollable elements and to the spaces between such rollable elements to make sure that grease is provided in such spaces. The opposite grease cavity, for example, the second grease cavity, is provided with walls forming vanes in a radial direction. The action of the vane walls together with the revolution of the rollable elements during rotation of the shaft and inner race provide a small pumping action to locally pressurize the grease and force it from the second cavity through the spaces between the rollable elements into the first cavity.