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History of Ball Bearings and Da Vinci

Bearings have been used for thousands of years in important structures, with the Ancient Egyptians using early forms of roller bearings to help construct the pyramids in 2600 BC. Key developments included Leonardo da Vinci describing a type of ball bearing in 1500 AD, Galileo describing caged ball bearings in 1600, and the first patent for a ball race by Philip Vaughn in 1794. The modern self-aligning ball bearing was invented by Sven Wingquist of SKF in 1907, leading to advances in precision manufacturing that enabled the space program and other technologies. Major bearing manufacturers continue to innovate and consolidate, impacting the global bearing market.

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Jose Shaw
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148 views3 pages

History of Ball Bearings and Da Vinci

Bearings have been used for thousands of years in important structures, with the Ancient Egyptians using early forms of roller bearings to help construct the pyramids in 2600 BC. Key developments included Leonardo da Vinci describing a type of ball bearing in 1500 AD, Galileo describing caged ball bearings in 1600, and the first patent for a ball race by Philip Vaughn in 1794. The modern self-aligning ball bearing was invented by Sven Wingquist of SKF in 1907, leading to advances in precision manufacturing that enabled the space program and other technologies. Major bearing manufacturers continue to innovate and consolidate, impacting the global bearing market.

Uploaded by

Jose Shaw
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

The use of has a long and storied history, having been used to build some of history's most important

structures. Read below for a brief history of the bearing industry.


2600 BC – The Ancient Egyptians use a form of roller bearings to help move massive bricks during
construction of the Pyramids.
40 BC - Early example of a wooden ball bearing supporting a rotating table was retrieved from the
remains of a Roman ship in Lake Nemi, Italy.
1500 AD – Leonardo da Vinci described a type of ball bearing.
1600 – Galileo describes caged ball bearing to prevent friction.
1794 – First patent for ball race by Philip Vaughn of Carmarthen, Wales.
1866 – The Torrington Company (under the name Excelsior Needle Company) s
needles and the machinery to produce the same.
1880 – Rockwell Automation (under the name DODGE Manufacturing Company
manufacture of wood hardware specialties.

Leonardo da Vinci

1883 – FAG begins grinding balls of equal size and roundness forming the creation of an independent bearing industry.
1898 – First patent issued for Timken Tapered roller bearings.
1907 – Sven Wingquist of SKF invents the modern self-aligning ball bearing.
1907 – Sven Wingquist of SKF invents the modern self-aligning ba
1912 – FAG originates single-row, barrel type, and spherical roller b
1913 – Hoover Steel Ball Company is founded by Leander J. Hoov
1916 – NSK inaugurated its business in 1916 and produced the firs

Swedish postage stamp


featuring Sven ingquist

1917 – U.S. Bearing Manufacturers create an informal group to aid bearing manufacturing for World War
I, which led to the founding of ABMA.
1927 – NTN Mfg. Co., Ltd. established with capital of 50,000 yen.
1928 – Fujikoshi Steel Industry Co, Ltd., (Nachi) was founded in Toyama City, Japan, to manufacture
cutting and machine tools.
1933 – Articles of Incorporation ratified by United States bearing manufacturers to create AFBMA (Anti-
Friction Bearing Manufacturers Association).
1934 – AFBMA is incorporated as an organization in the State of New York.
1960 – Elasto-hydro-dynamic theory explains the mechanism of why bearings and gears work led to
advances in grindings precision and ultrasonic equipment.

1969 –Three astronauts in a North American Rockwell "Apollo" spacecraft are launche
1970 – Intel invents the microprocessor and consistent precision control of machine too
1980s – Torrington bearings are used in the space shuttle and robot arm to launch and r

1992 – ABMA celebrates its 75th anniversary.


1993 – ABMA officially changes its name from the AFBMA (Anti-Friction Bearing M

Apollo 11
1993 – Leading bearing manufacturers from throughout the world meet for the first time in Key Largo, Florida.
2001 – The Schaeffler Group (INA) acquires FAG.
2002 – Timken Company acquires Torrington Company impacting the global bearing market with a variety of bearing products includi
2006 – ABMA partners with the American Gear Manufacturers Association (AGMA) for Joint Meeting in Tucson, AZ.
2006 – ABMA, the Japanese Bearing Industrial Association (JBIA) and the Federation of European Bearing Manufacturers Association
on issues affecting the global bearing industry.

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