Spherical roller bearings are double row, self-retaining units comprising solid outer rings with a concave raceway, solid inner rings and barrel rollers with cages. The inner rings have cylindrical or tapered bores.

The symmetrical barrel rollers orient themselves freely on the concave outer ring raceway. As a result, shaft flexing and misalignment of the bearing seats are compensated, see link.

Many sizes of spherical roller bearings are of an X-life design. These bearings have improved kinematics and optimised surfaces, are made from higher performance materials and do not have a rigid central rib. As a result, the basic dynamic load rating and, under identical operating conditions, the basic rating life of the bearings is significantly improved. In certain applications, this means that a smaller bearing arrangement can be designed.

X-life spherical roller bearings have the suffix E1 and are indicated in the dimension tables.

Spherical roller bearings can support axial forces in both directions and high radial forces. They are designed for very high load carrying capacity and, since they have the maximum possible number of large and particularly long barrel rollers, are also suitable for the heaviest loads.

Due to the narrow osculation between the rollers and raceways, uniform stress distribution is achieved in the bearing.

Spherical roller bearings compensate for angular misalignments. The permissible adjustment angle is stated for loads P ＜ 0,1 · C_r, see table.

These adjustment angles are permissible if:

• the angular deviation is constant (static angular misalignment)
• the rotating component is the inner ring.

If the rotating component is the outer ring, the inner ring undergoes tumbling motion or the adjustment angles are larger than stated in the table, the angular adjustment facility is smaller. If such applications are present, please contact us.

Spherical roller bearings of all series are available with inner rings having a cylindrical bore.

Spherical roller bearings are also available, with the exception of series 233..-A, with inner rings having a tapered bore.

Bearings with the suffix K have a bore taper 1:12, bearings of series 240 and 241 have a bore taper 1:30 and the suffix K30.

Bearings with a tapered bore are also available with an adapter sleeve, locknut and tab washer or with a withdrawal sleeve.

Adapter and withdrawal sleeves must be ordered in addition to the bearing.

We can by agreement supply sealed and greased bearings.

Open spherical roller bearings can be lubricated with oil or grease.

Most spherical roller bearings have a circumferential groove and three lubrication holes in the outer ring for lubrication. In bearings of series 239 with an outside diameter ＜ 320 mm, this is indicated by the suffix S.

Bearings of series 213 with a bore diameter up to 35 mm do not have a lubrication groove and lubrication hole.

If shafts with a vertical axis are supported using spherical roller bearings, particular attention must be paid to ensuring the reliable provision of lubricant. In such cases, oil lubrication should be used.

Spherical roller bearings are dimensionally stable up to +200 °C. Bearings with metal cages can be used at operating temperatures from –30 °C to +200 °C.

Bearings with cages made from glass fibre reinforced polyamide are suitable up to +120 °C.

The standard cages for spherical roller bearings are shown in the table and link.

Spherical roller bearings with a rigid central rib on the inner ring (design without suffix E1) have solid cages or sheet metal cages made from brass. Bearings with sheet metal cages do not have a cage suffix.

In bearings with the suffix MB, the solid brass cages are guided on the inner ring while, in bearings with the suffix MA, they are guided on the outer ring, Figure 2. Bearings with the suffix M have a roller-guided solid brass cage, Figure 2.

Bearings of series 213..-E1, 222..-E1, 223..-E1, 240..-E1 and 241..-E1 without a cage suffix have sheet steel cages. The two cage halves are retained by a guidance ring in the outer or inner ring, Figure 1.

In bearings of series 223..-E1, 240..-E1 and 241..-E1, all sheet steel cages have special protection against wear by means of surface hardening or coating.

The other bearings of E1 design have solid cages made from ­glass fibre reinforced polyamide 66 or solid brass cages (suffix TVPB or M), Figure 2.

Check the chemical resistance of polyamide to synthetic greases and lubricants with EP additives.

Aged oil and additives in the oil can impair the operating life of plastic cages at high temperatures.

The oil change intervals must be observed.

Suffixes for available designs: see table.