Radial assembly-tire spring retaining rings

Claim 1

A clip-type retaining ring designed for radial assembly in the groove of a shaft and the like and when so assembled being capable of providing an effectively uniform-height shoulder for retaining and/or locating a machine part thereon comprising: diametrically opposed ring segments providing clip jaws and a bending arm integral with and extending between corresponding one ends of said ring segments and connecting same in operative relation, the other ends of said ring segments being free of one another and being spaced a predetermined distance apart as provides a ring gap of width less than the diameter of the groove-bottom circle, the inner edges of said ring segments extending along arcs of a circle having a diameter substantially equal to that of the groove-bottom circle, the outer edges of said ring segments and of said bending arm being arcuate and cooperating to define a ring body having a generally circular outer perimeter capable when assembled of forming an effectively uniform-height shoulder, said outer perimeter being interrupted by two notches disposed at equal arcuate distances to the sides of the ring centerline and which extend generally radially into the ring body and determine the arcuate length of said bending arm and said notches being so shaped as to provide a bending arm with outer edge extremity portions which curve inwardly towards one another by a predetermined amOunt and thereby substantially extend the length of said outer edge of said bending arm, the inner edge of said bending arm being constituted by the defining edge of an elongate C-shaped recess formed in the inner perimeter portion of the ring body lying opposite said ring gap and which extends equal distances and symmetrically to the sides of the ring body centerline and is turned on its side and with its opening facing said gap, said outer and inner edges of the bending arm being so related one to the other that said bending arm itself has elongated C-shaped configuration.