Retaining spring stays in place

Narrow-width retaining springs developed by Schwab-Koplin, Port St. Lucie, Fla., and distributed by De-Sta-Co Manufacturing, Troy, Mich. (www.cloverspring.com), will grip any cylinder or shaft without the need to machine a groove in the shaft. They precisely position and lock into place ball bearings or other components. Once pushed on, the CloverRetainer stays on, withstanding high axial loads without slipping. The retainer has a cone-shaped cross section, letting it deflect sideways to absorb tolerance buildups, expansion, or contraction. They are made of carbon or high-grade steel and give assemblers and designers an alternative to "E" clips and conventional retaining rings that mount in a groove. And while conventional rings are pushed on perpendicular to the shaft axis, CloverRetainers are pushed on along the axis, letting them be applied using simple presses and single-axis robots.