Apparatus and method for withdrawal of a bearing from a gate mechanism

Abstract

There are disclosed apparatuses and methods for withdrawal of a bearing from a gate mechanism including a mechanism housing, a carrier assembly, and discrete fasteners. The mechanism housing includes a receiving bore as well as housing fasteners and housing surfaces located about a periphery of the receiving bore and offset from one another. The carrier assembly includes a carrier housing having a carrier support mating with the receiving bore and a carrier bearing supported for rotation within the carrier housing. The carrier housing has flange fasteners aligning with the housing fasteners and the housing surfaces when the carrier housing mates with the receiving bore. The carrier assembly withdraws from the mechanism housing in response to removing the discrete fasteners from a first group of the flange fasteners aligned with the housing fasteners and inserting the discrete fasteners to a second group of the flange fasteners aligned with the housing surfaces.

1 . An apparatus for withdrawal of a bearing from a gate mechanism, the gate mechanism comprising a mechanism housing of the gate mechanism including a receiving bore, a plurality of housing fasteners, and a plurality of housing surfaces, the plurality of housing fasteners being located about a periphery of the receiving bore, and the plurality of housing surfaces located about the periphery of the receiving bore offset from the plurality of housing fasteners, the apparatus comprising:
 a bearing carrier assembly including a carrier housing and a carrier bearing, the carrier bearing being supported within the carrier housing for rotation within the carrier housing, the carrier housing having a carrier support mating with the receiving bore, the carrier housing having a first group of a plurality of flange fasteners aligned with the plurality of housing fasteners and a second group of the plurality of flange fasteners aligned with the plurality of housing surfaces,   wherein the bearing carrier assembly is capable of displacing from the mechanism housing when and if a plurality of discrete fasteners are removed from the first group of the plurality of flange fasteners aligned with the plurality of housing fasteners and the plurality of discrete fasteners are inserted into the second group of the plurality of flange fasteners aligned with the plurality of housing surfaces.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus as described in  claim 1 , wherein the carrier housing includes a carrier flange, the carrier flange having the first and second groups of the plurality of flange fasteners. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus as described in  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of housing fasteners of the mechanism housing alternate in position with the plurality of housing surfaces of the mechanism housing. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus as described in  claim 1 , wherein the carrier housing includes a shoulder to maintain the carrier bearing on one side of the carrier housing, and the carrier housing includes a groove to support a removable retaining ring that maintains the carrier bearing on another side of the carrier housing. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus as described in  claim 1 , wherein:
 the plurality of discrete fasteners have external threads that align with internal threads of the plurality of housing fasteners of the mechanism housing; and   internal threads of at least one of the plurality of flange fasteners of the carrier housing are capable of aligning with the external threads of the plurality of discrete fasteners.   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus as described in  claim 1 , wherein each discrete fastener of the plurality of discrete fasteners has a fastener surface at a first end and a fastener head at a second end, wherein the fastener head subjects a linear force against the corresponding housing surface when the fastener head receives a rotational force. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus as described in  claim 1 , wherein each discrete fastener of the plurality of discrete fasteners has an end portion that may be positioned within a part of the corresponding housing fastener when aligned with the corresponding housing fastener and against the corresponding housing surface when aligned with the corresponding housing surface. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus as described in  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of discrete fasteners apply a first force against the plurality of housing surfaces and a second force to the plurality of flange fasteners, the first force being a linear force substantially opposite to the second force. 
     
     
         9 . A method of withdrawing of a bearing from a mechanism housing of a gate mechanism, the method comprising:
 establishing a mechanism housing of the gate mechanism including a receiving bore, a plurality of housing fasteners, and a plurality of housing surfaces, the plurality of housing fasteners being located about a periphery of the receiving bore, and the plurality of housing surfaces located about the periphery of the receiving bore offset from the plurality of housing fasteners;   establishing a bearing carrier assembly including a carrier housing and a carrier bearing, the carrier bearing being supported within the carrier housing for rotation within the carrier housing, the carrier housing having a carrier support mating with the receiving bore, the carrier housing having a plurality of flange fasteners aligning with the plurality of housing fasteners and the plurality of housing surfaces when the carrier housing mates with the receiving bore;   removing a plurality of discrete fasteners from a first group of the plurality of flange fasteners aligned with the plurality of housing fasteners;   inserting the plurality of discrete fasteners to a second group of the plurality of flange fasteners aligned with the plurality of housing surfaces; and   displacing the bearing carrier assembly from the mechanism housing.   
     
     
         10 . The method as described in  claim 9 , further comprising, before removing the plurality of discrete fasteners:
 mating the carrier housing with the receiving bore;   aligning the plurality of flange fasteners with the plurality of housing fasteners and the plurality of housing surfaces; and   inserting the plurality of discrete fasteners to the first group of the plurality of flange fasteners aligned with the plurality of housing fasteners.   
     
     
         11 . The method as described in  claim 9 , wherein establishing the mechanism housing includes alternating in position the plurality of housing fasteners with the plurality of housing surfaces. 
     
     
         12 . The method as described in  claim 9 , wherein establishing the bearing carrier assembly includes maintaining the carrier bearing with a shoulder of the carrier housing on one side of the carrier housing and a removable retaining ring supported by a groove of the carrier housing on another side of the carrier housing. 
     
     
         13 . The method as described in  claim 9 , wherein inserting the plurality of discrete fasteners includes aligning external threads of the plurality of discrete fasteners with internal threads of the plurality of housing fasteners of the mechanism housing and internal threads of at least one of the plurality of flange fasteners of the carrier housing. 
     
     
         14 . The method as described in  claim 9 , wherein inserting the plurality of discrete fasteners includes subjecting a linear force of a fastener surface of each discrete fastener against the corresponding housing surface when the fastener head of the discrete fastener receives a rotational force. 
     
     
         15 . The method as described in  claim 9 , wherein removing the plurality of discrete fasteners includes removing an end portion of each discrete fastener positioned within a part of the corresponding housing fastener, and inserting the plurality of discrete fasteners includes exerting the end portion against the corresponding housing surface. 
     
     
         16 . The method as described in  claim 9 , wherein inserting the plurality of discrete fasteners includes applying a first force by the plurality of discrete fasteners against the plurality of housing surfaces and a second force to the plurality of flange fasteners, the first force being a linear force substantially opposite to the second force.