Multiple Belleville spring assembly with even load distributio

Macglashan, W. F., Jr.

English

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REPLY 1 - 
ATTN OF: 
NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION 
WASHINGTON. D.C. 20546 
July 27, 1970 
TO: uSI/~cientific & Technical Information Division 
Attention: Miss Winnie M. Morgan 
FROM : G~/office of Assistant General 
Counsel for Patent Matters 
f 
SUBJECT: Announcement of NASA-Owned 
U.S. Patents in STAR 
In accordance with the procedures contained in the Code GP 
to Code US1 memorandum on this subject, dated June 8, 1970, 
the attached NASA-owned U.S, patent is being forwarded for 
abstracting and announcement in NASA STAR. 
The following information is provided: 
U.S. Patent No, 
Corporate Source : California Institute of Technoloqv 
Supplementary 
Corporate Source : Jet Propulsion Laboratory 
NASA Patent Case No.: XNP-00840 
Please note that this patent covers an invention made by an 
employee of a NASA contractor. Pursuant to Section 305(a) of 
the National Aeronautics and Space Act, the name of the 
Administrator of NASA appears on the first page of the patent; 
however, the name of the actual inventor (author) appears at 
the heading of Column No. 1 of the Specification, following the 
words ". . . with respect to an invention of. . . ." 
Gaylk Parker 
Enclosure: 
Copy of Patent E /' 
(NASA CR OR TMX OR AD NUMBER) 2 - (CATEGORY) I 
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19700028909 2020-03-17T02:15:19+00:00Z
March 31, 1964 JAMES E. WEBB 3,127,157 
ADMINISTRATOR OF THE NATIONAL AERONAUTICS 
AND SPACE ADMINISTRAT ION 
MULTIPLE BELLEVILLE SPRING ASSEhGBLY 
Filed March 29, 1963 
3,127,157 United States Patent OSce , ,,* ,, 
MULTIPLE BELLEVKLESPRING ASSEMBLY 
James E. Webb, Administrator of the National Aero- 
nautics and Space Administration, with respect to an 
invention of William F. MacGlashan, Jr. 
Filed Mar. 29,1963, Ser. No. 269,222 
4 Claims. (CI. 267-1) 
in their spread condition, so as to interlock the inner 
retainer 6 and the Belleville springs. One end of the pin 
8 is provided with a head 9. 
The multiple Belleville spring assembly is assembled 
as follows: 
The inner retainer 6 is inserted within the openings in 
a plurality of Belleville springs and the segments of the 
inner retainer 6 moved radiallv to interlock therewith. 
This invention relates to multiple Belleville spring as- whereupon the pin 8 is inserted: The three segments ok 
semblies. A Belleville spring is in the form of a slightly 10 the outer retainer 3 are then placed about the group of 
conical disk formed of spring metal, and resists axially Belleville springs in such a manner as to receive tbe outer 
opposite forces applied at its inner and outer peripheries. peripheries thereof, and then the outer shell 1 is slipped 
It is customary to stack several Belleville springs. In this over the outer retainer 3. 
case, the outer periphery of the disk at one end and the A shaft or bolt, or other means, whereby the assembly 
inner periphery of the disk at the other end of the stack 15 may be attached to other structures, may be substituted 
take the entire load, often causing plastic deformation of for the pin 8. Similarly, the outer shell 1 may form a part 
the end disks. The sliding friction between disks is sub- of the structure with which the Belleville spring is in- 
stantial, resulting in large hysteresis effects. Sometimes tended to cooperate, the essential feature being that there 
the disks are separated by rings located between their outer is provided a cylindrical receptacle for the segments of 
margins. This reduces, but does not eliminate, the hyster- 20 the outer retainer 3. 
esis effects; it does not cure the excess loads on the end With special reference to FIGURE 4, it should be noted 
disks. that the grooves 4 and 7 are, in fact, quite shallow, and 
A primary object of this invention is to provide a mul- that the peripheries of the Belleville springs are rounded 
tiple Belleville spring assembly wherein the forces are to the extent of a few thousandths of an inch at their 
essentially evenly distributed between a plurality of Belle- 25 corners and are loosely received. 
ville springs so that each spring carries only its share of While a particular embodiment of this invention has 
the load. been shown and described, it is not intended to limit the 
A further object of this invention is to provide a multiple same to the exact details of the construction set forth, and 
Belleville spring assembly which is particularly easy to it embraces such changes, modifications, and equivalents 
assemble and disassemble. 30 of the parts and their formation and arrangement as come 
A still further object is to provide a multiple Belleville within the purview of the appended claims. 
spring assembly wherein one or more springs may be What is claimed is: 
added or removed from the assembly to alter the resulting 1. A multiple Belleville spring assembly, comprising: 
spring force. ( a )  a plurality of annular, conical, Belleville springs; 
With the above and other objects in view, as may appear 35 ( 6 )  a segmental outer retainer having annular inturned 
hereinafter, reference is directed to the accompanying grooves receiving the outer peripheries of said springs; 
drawings in which: ( c )  removable means securing the segments of said 
FIGURE 1 is an exploded view of the multiple Belle- outer retainer against radial separation; 
ville spring assembly; (d) a segmental inner retainer having annular external 
FIGURE 2 is a transverse, sectional view thereof taken 40 grooves receiving the inner peripheries of said springs; 
through 2 - 2  of FIGURE 3; (e) and removable means securing the segments of 
FIGURE 3 is a longitudinal, sectional view thereof said inner retainer against radial contraction. 
taken through 3-3 of FIGURE 2; 2. A multiple Bellevi!le spring assembly, comprising: 
FIGURE 4 is a further enlarged, sectional view taken ( a )  a plurality of annular, conical, Belleville springs; 
within circle 4 of FIGURE 3. 45 ( b )  a segmental outer retainer having annular inturned 
The multiple Belleville spring assembly includes an outer grooves receiving the outer peripheries of said springs; 
cylindrical shell 1 having an inturned flange 2 at one end. ( c )  a sleeve surrounding said outer retainer securing 
Slidably Wing within the shell 1 is a segmental outer the segments thereof against radial separation; 
retainer 3 formed of three segments. The outer retainer ( d )  an annular segmental inner retainer having annu- 
3 is provided with a series of equally spaced annular 50 lar external grooves receiving the internal peripheries 
grooves 4. Each of the grooves 4 receives the outer of said springs; 
margin of a Belleville spring 5 which is in the form of a ( e )  and a central pin inserted within said inner retainer 
disk having a central aperture. securing the segments thereof against radial con- 
The apertures of a series of Bellevifle springs fitted traction. 
within the outer retainer 3 receive a segmental inner re- 55 3. A multiple Belleville spring assembly, comprising: 
tainer 6 formed of three segments. The dimensions of (a) a plurality of annular, conical, Belleville springs; 
the three segments are such that when in mutual contact ( b )  an annular outer retainer divided into complemen- 
they may be slipped axially through the series of Belleville tary segments for radial movement and having a 
springs. series of parallel internal grooves receiving freely 
The segments of the inner retainer 6 are provided with 60 the outer peripheries of said springs; 
a series of grooves 7 which, when the segments of the ( c )  a sleeve surrounding said outer retainer securing 
inner retainer 6 are spread, receive the inner margins of the segments thereof against radial separation; 
the Belleville springs. The segments of the inner retainer (d) an annular inner retainer divided into complemen- 
6 define a bore which receives a pin 8 to hold the segments tary segments for radial movement and having a 
5,127,157 
3 4 
series of parallel external grooves receiving freely series of parallel external grooves receiving freely the 
the inner peripheries of said springs; inner peripheries of said springs; 
(e)  and rcnlovnhle means securing the segments of (c) and a central pin insertable within said inner re- 
said inncr ret:~incr against radial contraction. tainer securing the segments thereof against radial 
4. A nlultiple Belleville spring assembly, comprising: 5 contraction. 
(a) a plurality of annular, conical, Belleville springs; 
( b )  an annular outer retainer divided into complemen- References Cited in the file of this patent 
tary segments for radial movement and having a UNITED STATES PATENTS 
series of parallel internal grooves receiving frGe1~ 3,098,643 Ondrejka -------------- July 23, 1963 
the outer peripheries of said springs; 10 
( c )  a sleeve surrounding said outer retainer securing FOREIGN PATENTS 
the segments thereof Gainst radial separation; 
-
539,327 France ---------------- Mar. 31, 1922 
(d) an annular inner retainer divided into complemen- 536,164 Italy ---,--------,---- Nov. 24, 1955 
tary segments for radial movement and having a 


Multiple Belleville spring assembly Patent

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