Getting to know a Roller Thrust Bearing from multiple angles

The most common form of bearings is that of ball bearings and roller bearings. Before knowing more about the same, it is important to know the common structure of a bearing. There is an outer raceway as well as an inner raceway, in between which there would be rolling elements placed for serving the purpose of the bearing. These rollers could be placed in a single row, double row or multiple rows as well.

Roller Thrust Bearing | Image Resource : indiamart.com

Now, the ball bearings would consist of tiny spheres as the rolling elements in the same. On the other hand, the roller bearings comprise of small cylinders as the rollers within the two raceways. These two categories are further classified into a number of other types of bearings which are put to use depending upon the end purpose for which the machine is getting built.

Thrust Roller Bearing

The most important role that a bearing plays in the smooth functioning of a machinery is by reducing the possibilities of friction between the parts adjacent to the same. This is done in the process of permitting rotation between the two or more other units of the same machine which are linked to the bearing. The loads involved in the procedure also help in determining which kind of a bearing element would be required in it.

Both ball bearings and roller bearings can also be found in the form of a thrust nature. The roller bearing of this category is called a thrust roller bearing and is known popularly for being able to accept heavy axial loads. The rolling elements in this classification of bearings are usually placed in a cage-like appearance, enabling a higher degree of stiffness through the bearing.

Important type of roller thrust bearing: Spherical Roller Thrust Bearing

There are many further classifications of a bearing which falls under the roller as well as thrust category. The most commonly found roller thrust bearing consists of cylindrical rolling elements and variants of the same. These are known to be able to take only axial loads and used in many ways. The classifications in this category include that of cylindrical thrust roller bearings, needle roller thrust bearings and tapered thrust roller bearings.

At the same time, there is also one another type of this bearing which is popularly known to be able to accept a combination of the radial and axial loads. A spherical roller thrust bearing is what is referred to here. The raceways and rollers in the same are specially designed in order to be able to carry a higher load as compared to the other kinds of the same category of bearings. Such a design enables them to accommodate misalignment as well.