Auger car bearing support

1. An auger shaft bearing support for use in auger cars used in high wall mining, comprising:

a radially split inner bearing including at least first and second inner bearing portions each having a partial cylindrical inner surface defining an axial direction for mounting to the auger shaft and a partial spherical outer surface;

a radially split outer bearing including at least first and second outer bearing portions, each having a partial reverse-spherical inner surface which closely matches and provides rotational support for the outer surface of said inner bearing; and

a bearing housing including at least first and second housing portions defining a saddle which supports said outer bearing, wherein said inner bearing is harder than said outer bearing.

2. An auger shaft bearing support for use in auger cars used in high wall mining, as recited in claim 1 , wherein said inner bearing has a Rockwell hardness of at least 50C, and said outer bearing is made from spinodal bronze with a Rockwell hardness of approximately 30C.

3. An auger shaft bearing support for use in auger cars used in high wall mining, as recited in claim 2 , wherein said inner bearing is a heat treated low alloy steel.

4. An auger shaft bearing support for use in auger cars used in high wall mining, as recited in claim 3 , wherein said inner bearing is polymer-coated.

5. An auger car used in high wall mining, comprising:

an auger car structure having a front and back and defining an elongated passage extending from the front to the back;

an auger shaft extending along said passage and having a projection at said front end and a receptacle at said rear end;

a radially split inner bearing including at least first and second inner bearing portions secured to said auger shaft for rotation with said auger shaft, said inner bearing defining a partial spherical outer surface;

a radially split outer bearing including at least first and second outer bearing portions, said outer bearing defining a partial reverse-spherical inner surface which closely matches and rotationally supports said partial spherical outer surface of said inner bearing; and

a bearing housing including at least first and second bearing housing portions, said housing defining a saddle which supports said outer bearing, and said bearing housing being mounted on said auger car structure, wherein said inner bearing is harder than said outer bearing.

6. An auger car as recited in claim 5 , wherein said outer bearing is made of spinodal bronze.

7. An auger car as recited in claim 6 , wherein said inner bearing is polymer-coated.

8. An auger car as recited in claim 7 , wherein said outer bearing consists of two identical outer bearing halves and said inner bearing consists of two identical inner bearing halves.

9. An auger car as recited in claim 8 , and further comprising a second auger shaft and a second inner bearing; second outer bearing; and second bearing housing supporting said second auger shaft on said auger car.

10. An auger car as recited in claim 8 , and further comprising lubrication grooves on said outer surface of said inner bearing; and a lubrication passage defined through said bearing housing and through said outer bearing, wherein said grooves are in fluid communication with said lubrication passages.

11. An auger shaft bearing support for use in auger cars used in high wall mining, comprising:

a radially split inner bearing including at least first and second inner bearing portions each having a partial cylindrical inner surface defining an axial direction for mounting to the auger shaft and a partial spherical outer surface;

a radially split outer bearing including at least first and second outer bearing portions, each having a partial reverse-spherical inner surface which closely matches and provides rotational support for the outer surface of said inner bearing;

a bearing housing including at least first and second housing portions defining a saddle which supports said outer bearing;

means for preventing rotation of said outer bearing relative to said housing, including flats on said outer bearing and cap bolts which secure said first and second housing portions together and abut said flats;

wherein said outer bearing defines a projection between said flats, said cap bolts straddling said projection with a clearance between said cap bolts and said projection, wherein said clearance between said cap bolts and said projection allows an axial movement of approximately 0.25 inches of said outer bearing relative to said bearing housing.