Bearing isolating seal

1. A roller, a spindle, a bearing interposed between the roller and the spindle in a bearing chamber, and a bearing-isolating seal sealing an annular space between the roller and the spindle, the roller rotating relative to the spindle;

wherein the seal comprises a metal seal member and a non-metal seal member;

wherein the metal seal member comprises:

a roller-side radial wall,

a spindle-side radial wall sized for attachment to the spindle,

an intermediate radial wall located radially between the roller-side radial wall and the spindle-side radial wall,

an axial wall from which the radial walls perpendicularly project in a bearing-side direction,

a roller-side slot between the roller-side radial wall and the intermediate radial wall, and

a spindle-side slot between the spindle-side radial wall and the intermediate radial wall;

wherein the non-metal seal member comprises:

a roller-side radial wall for attachment to the roller,

a spindle-side radial wall,

an axial wall from which the spindle-side radial wall and the roller-side radial wall perpendicularly project in an air-side direction, and

a slot between the roller-side radial wall and the spindle-side radial wall; and

wherein the intermediate radial wall of the metal seal member is situated within the slot of the non-metal seal member, and the spindle-side radial wall of the non-metal seal member is situated within the spindle-side slot of the metal seal member; and

wherein the metal seal member has a notch and the non-metal sealing member has a tab axially captured in the notch, whereby the metal seal member and non-metal seal member will held together against axial separation.

2. The roller, the spindle, the bearing, and the bearing-isolating seal as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the notch is on the roller-side surface of the spindle-side radial wall, and the tab extends radially inward from a spindle-side end of the axial wall of the non-metal seal member.

3. The roller, the spindle, the bearing, and the bearing-isolating seal as set forth in claim 2 , wherein the tab has a ramped edge that ramps radially inwardly in the bearing-side direction.

4. The roller, the spindle, the bearing, and the bearing-isolating seal as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the roller-side radial wall of the non-metal seal member has a flange extending radially outward from an air-side end of the roller-side radial wall; and

wherein the flange is situated within the roller-side slot of the metal seal member.

5. The roller, the spindle, the bearing, and the bearing-isolating seal as set forth in claim 4 , wherein the flange has a stepped profile.

6. The roller, the spindle, the bearing, and the bearing-isolating seal as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the axial wall of the non-metal seal assembly has a projection extending axially, in the bearing-side direction, from a roller-side end of the axial wall.

7. The roller, the spindle, the bearing, and the bearing-isolating seal as set forth in claim 6 , wherein the projection has rounded corners.

8. The roller, the spindle, the bearing, and the bearing-isolating seal as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the walls of the metal seal member have substantially the same and/or a constant thickness, except for the intermediate radial wall which tapers radially outward in the air-side direction.

9. The roller, the spindle, the bearing, and the bearing-isolating seal as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the radial walls of the metal seal member have different axial dimensions, with the spindle-side radial wall being the longest, the intermediate radial wall being slightly shorter, and the roller-side radial wall being substantially shorter than the other radial walls.

10. The roller, the spindle, the bearing, and the bearing-isolating seal as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the metal seal member is made from bronze.

11. The roller, the spindle, the bearing, and the bearing-isolating seal as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the metal seal member is made from a non-bronze metal.

12. The roller, the spindle, the bearing, and the bearing-isolating seal as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the metal seal member is made from aluminum, stainless steel, or tin.

13. The roller, the spindle, the bearing, and the bearing-isolating seal as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the metal seal member is made by a non-machining method.

14. The roller, the spindle, the bearing, and the bearing-isolating seal as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the metal seal member is made by stamping or molding.

15. The roller, the spindle, the bearing, and the bearing-isolating seal as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the non-metal seal member is made of a plastic material.

16. The roller, the spindle, the bearing, and the bearing-isolating seal as set forth in claim 15 , wherein the plastic seal member is made from a non-PTFE plastic.

17. The roller, the spindle, the bearing, and the bearing-isolating seal as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the non-metal seal member is made of rubber or nylon.

18. The roller, the spindle, the bearing, and the bearing-isolating seal as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the non-metal seal member is made by a non-machining method.

19. The roller, the spindle, the bearing, and the bearing-isolating seal as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the non-metal seal member is made by a molding method.

20. The roller, the spindle, the bearing, and the bearing-isolating seal as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the non-metal seal member is made by an injection molding method.

21. The roller, the spindle, the bearing, and the bearing-isolating seal as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the bearing comprises an inner race attached to the spindle and an outer race attached to the roller.