The present invention is broadly applicable to antifriction bearing assemblies and particularly to plastic bearing cages for retaining a plurality of antifriction bearing elements, such as rollers, in appropriate circumferentially spaced relationship and in quiet rolling contact between annular concentric inner and outer bearing races. It has been customary, in accordance with prior art practices, to employ metallic bearing cages which are usually quite expensive and difficult to fabricate and have in some instances resulted in premature bearing failure due to an abnormally high degree of wear and attendant temperature increases as a result of frictional contact between the antifriction elements and the associated bearing cages. Some of these problems have been overcome by molding bearing cages out of reinforced synthetic resins having lubricity properties, providing certain cost advantages as well as a reduction in noise and abrasion during bearing use. Typical of such plastic bearing retainers is that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,387,901, which is assigned to the assignee of the present invention.
The lower strength of plastic materials in comparison to metal has occasioned an increased need for plastic bearing cage constructions which provide for the necessary mechanical strength properties to provide for a long and satisfactory bearing service life, while at the same time enabling a simple and economical assembly of its component parts into a high-strength integral retainer. The weldable plastic bearing cage and its method of manufacture in accordance with the novel features of the present invention overcomes many of the problems and disadvantages associated with prior art practices and constitutes a still further improvement over the construction and method of fabrication as described in the aforementioned United States patent.
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