V E X Bearings

1. VEX Bearings Square Axles & Round Holes bearing block axle

2. Square Axles Spin Inside Circular Holes bearing flat axle Bearings have circular holes so axles can spin.

3. A square axle will spin inside a round hole. A square axle will not spin inside a square hole.

4. Square Axles Stick in Square Holes medium wheel lock-bars axle clutch Square axles don’t spin in square holes!

5. A square axle and a square hole stick together.

6. Attach bearings anywhere an axle needs to spin. square hole Axles must be supported by two bearings. round hole round hole

7. Use Rivets to Attach Bearings • Put the two pieces of the rivet together • Insert bearing rivets into holes from the metal side, not the rivet side (pictured above) • Push the rivet until the back of the rivet expands to hold the bearing in place

8. Your Turn What kind of hole would you use so an axle could spin in the hole? What kind of hole would you use to attach a gear to an axle so the gear would spin with the axle? ?

9. Your Turn What kind of hole would use so an axle could spin in the hole? What kind of hole would you use to attach a gear to an axle so the gear would spin with the axle? Bearing flats and pillow blocks have round holes so axles can turn in the holes. Gears and lock bars have square holes so they can turn with the axle.

10. Resources • Inventor’s Guide: 3·2 - 3·3