Foreword - Valley Spring

1 3 ForewordThe mid-nineteenth century saw the conception of a conical shaped Spring disc. This Spring disc wassubsequently termed a BELLEVILLE WASHER after the name of it s such as the internal combustion engine, turbine and jet systems, nuclear power, oil and gasexploration etc; have progressively advanced this simple Spring device to the sophisticated energy storagesystem that it is today. So much so, that with consideration to the extent of knowledge and data incorporated ina publication such as this, it is all too easy to overkill and thus confuse the this in mind, we have attempted to make this particular publication distinctly user friendly with a strongbias toward the practical aspects of the sincerely hope that you will agree that we have achieved our aim, and look forward to hearing from you inthe event that you require further springs are conical shaped washers, designed to be loaded in the axial direction F only.

2 They can bestatically loaded, either continuously or intermittently, or cyclically deflected dynamically variable Spring characteristics can be achieved by the arrangement of disc springs intostacked Spring without Bearing FlatsThe DIN 2093 specification classifies disc springs into three groups:-GROUP 1:- Under thickCold formed Radiused edges Without bearing 2:- thick up to and including 6mmCold formed-Machined (or fine blanked ) and radiused edges Without bearing 3:- Above 6mm machined from forged blanks With bearing flats and thickness Spring with Bearing FlatsThe larger diameter disc springs, in excess of 6mm thickness, of necessity have larger diametral clearances.

3 Tominimise the possibility of bearing point misalignment when disc springs are stacked in series back-to-back , flats are machined on the upper inside and lower outside diameter , the introduction of this bearing flat also moves the position of the points of contact, thus reducing theeffective radial width of the disc Spring and increasing it s ensure that disc springs with bearing flats have similar characteristics to the same size disc springs withoutflats, the nominal thickness is reduced (see table below).Given that the overall height of a disc Spring with or without bearing flats is the same, the cone height of thedisc Spring with bearing flats will be greater by the amount of the thickness :-The catalogued cone height dimensions (ho) do not include the appropriate increase for those discsprings in excess of 6mm thickness, which incorporate bearing t t x x x DiameterDimmInside DiametertmmThicknesshommCone HeightlommOverall HeightsmmDeflectionFNSpring Force (at deflection s)FcNSpring Force (at s = ho)En/mmModulus of Elasticitym Poisson s Ratioi No.

4 Of alternating discs (or clusters) in stacked columnn No. of discs arranged in parallel ( nested )t mmReduced Thickness With bearing flatsh ommIncreased cone height With bearing flats7 Calculation(Continued)NOTE:-(1) For disc springs without bearing flats K4= 1(2) For disc springs with bearing flats substitute t for t, h o for :-Positive stresses at points dand dare theoretical point (dOM), between these two points, is maintained within permissiblestress levels, to ensure that disc Spring designs are free from yield and set .Negative stresses at points dand dare tensile, and are the basis of fatigue life Fatigue life estimation which is applicable to disc springs subject to cyclic deflection, dynamic (Continued)

5 9 Disc Spring Characteristics1 Calculated Characteristic vs Actual Test ResultsThe example illustrated above is typical of most disc springs, and underlines the necessity of limiting maximumdeflection to 75% to avoid sharply increasing force and stress the compressed disc Spring nears it s flattened condition, the reducing cone angle results in the movementof bearing point toward the centre, thus effectively shortening the lever length and stiffening the of varying Cone Height/Thickness ratiosThe ability to change the force/deflection characteristic, by way of varying the cone height to thickness ratio, isa particularly useful feature of the disc above are some examples of different cone height to thickness ratios, and up to a ratio of the discsprings may safely be taken to flat or stacked in ratio the disc Spring will adopt a regressive characteristic, and is capable of push-thro.

6 If not fullysupported. Disc springs with cone height/thickness ratios above may invert when compressed toward the flat Disc Spring2 Disc Springs in ParallelTotal Force= Force of single disc springTotal Deflection= Deflection of single disc spring3 Disc Springs in SeriesTotal Force= Force of single disc springTotal Deflection= 2 x Deflection of single disc springTotal Force= 2 x Force of single disc springTotal Deflection= Deflection of single disc spring4 Disc Springs in Seriesand ParallelTotal Force= 2 x Force of single disc springTotal Deflection= 2 x Deflection of single disc springExample of Use of Fatigue Life DiagramDisc Spring 15 x x (lo = ) to DIN 2093 Specification Cycling from 50% to 75% 75% deflection, select the greater of tensile stress points dor d= 1002N/mm2(d).

7 2 Select the tensile stress value for 50% deflection at same stress point (d) by extrapolationof value for 45% Deflection = 735 735N/mm2on pre-stress axis and read vertically to the point of intersection with 1002N/mm2plotted horizontally from the upper-stress fatigue life = Considerably in excess of 2,000,000 Fatigue LifeDisc Springs to DIN 2093 Group 1 Thickness (t) up to Life Some rules of thumb 1 Pre-stress must be minimumof 15% of total available of total available deflection is a enhance fatigue life, (a) reduce upper-stress, (b) increase pre-stress, or fatigue life will be more meaningful if suitable lubrication is used, and the number of discsprings stacked in parallel or series formations should be kept to a Fatigue LifeDisc Springs to DIN 2093 Group 2 Thickness (t)

8 Up to and including 6mm13 Fatigue LifeThe fatigue life diagrams are an attempt to furnish the disc Spring user with a means of assessing disc springfatigue life using the data published in this , it cannot be too highly stressed that this data is relevant to standard disc springs to DIN 2093specification only, and is based on actual tests and extrapolated test results of this type of carbon steeldisc disc springs of a specialised nature, and those manufactured in any of the wide range of alternativecorrosion and heat resisting alloys, we recommend that you seek expert assistance from Fatigue LifeDisc Springs to DIN 2093 Group 3 Thickness (t) Above 6mm thick14 Disc Spring ApplicationSome Helpful Hints1 Selectiona)If the application involves large numbers of deflection cycles, dynamic application, or if therequired forces or deflections are of a critical nature, we strongly recommend that you select from therange of disc springs that conform to the DIN 2093 )F rom the range available, select the largest possible disc Spring compatible with the desire dcharacteristics.

9 This will assist in maintaining the lowest possible stresses, thus enhancing the fatiguelife, and in the case of stacked columns the greater deflection offered by the larger diameter springs willensure the shortest possible stack )For static, or dynamic applications, select a disc Spring that at 75% of its total available deflection offersthe maximum force and/or deflection 75% deflected and the flattened position, the actual force/stress characteristics becomeconsiderably greater than those )As a result of manufacturing processes, residual tensile stresses occur at d, the upper inside diameteredge, which will revert to normal compressive stresses when the disc Spring is deflected by up toapproximately 15% of its total fatigue life in applications involving large numbers of cyclic deflections, will be drastically reducedby these stress reversals.

10 For this reason alone, it is important that disc springs used in dynamicapplications are pre-loaded to a minimum of 15% of their total available )Proper guidance and location of disc springs is essential to their performance, and will ensure that thedesired characteristics and repeatability is guide clearances are shown in the tolerance tables, and it is also necessary to pay someattention to the nature of the guidance and seating depends upon the severity of duty in the application, if the disc is to be used as a means ofproviding a static clamping force on mild steel or cast/forged steel surfaces, this is probablysatisfactory. However, if the seating faces are in aluminium, copper, brass etc; then it is preferable toprovide a hardened thrust washer to alleviate face damage/indentation.