There is provided a sealing device (10) for a unitised grease-or oil-lubricated
package bearing assembly comprising a twin outer race (14) and two inner
races (15, 16) arranged next to each other on a shaft (12), with
their faces abutting. Typically, oil may be present between the said shaft (12)
and the bore surfaces of the bearing inner races (15, 16), for the purpose
of lubricating parts of the system adjacent to the bearing, but not the sealed,
lubricated bearing itself. The scaling device comprises a substantially annular
sealing portion (26) and the provision of a step (29) in the abutting
face of one of the inner races such that a substantially rectangular-section groove
(30) is created on the outside diameter of the abutting inner races (15,
16). Located in the groove (30) is the annular sealing portion (26)
of the annular sealing device (10) which is compressed between the side
walls of the groove (30) to provide a barrier to (a) ingress of any oil
or water present between the shaft (12) and the bores of the inner race
assemblies (15, 16), (b) loss of oil which is part of the lubricant sealed
within the bearing.
