Perhaps no item is as much used in machinery and as little recognized as bearings. A bearing is used to enable movement while reducing friction on the moving part and handling any stress loads. While there are many different kinds of bearings and they are used in a variety of functions, pillow block bearings are a very specific type.
Pillow block bearings in Louisiana are used in a variety of applications where it is necessary for the bearing is mounted in such a way as to hold the shaft being rotated perpendicular to the centerline of the mounting hole. The bearing is included with the housing or “pillow block” and is thus distinguishable from the Plummer Block type where the housing and the bearing are separate pieces.
Typically, pillow block bearings in Louisiana contains a single bearing element which may have any of several varieties of rolling elements which serve to reduce the friction and allow free turning of the shaft. These rolling elements may be ball types, cylindrical tapered or spherical and may be manufactured out of either metal or a synthetic material so long as the material is smooth and subject to lubrication without any breakdown.
The general purpose of the pillow block is not only to lift the bearing to a higher level and maintain a perpendicular alignment of the shaft but also, in part, to protect the bearing itself from contaminants while retaining lubricants and allowing the bearing to have a longer life.
Pillow block bearing housings may be made of many materials, the most common being cast iron, but stainless steel, alloys, plastic, bronze, or some type of composite can also be used. In addition, the housing or pillow block may be constructed as one single piece or two pieces held together with some type of fasteners, such as bolts and nuts.
