Ball slewing rings from Rodriguez also prove themselves in many rather unusual applications: For example, when renovating a lighthouse spotlight on the Shetland island of Bressay, the choice fell on a high-performance four-point bearing from the extensive range of the drive specialist. The slewing ring with an outside diameter of 948 mm was delivered at short notice.

Quality, resilience and a short delivery time: these were the requirements for the storage technology that was to be used in the lamp of the Bressay lighthouse. Ocean Kinetics, the market-leading marine technology specialist, approached RA Rodriguez (UK) Limited in this regard. "Our UK partner recommended a KDL-U series toughened ball slewing ring," said Martin Stremmel, Rodriguez Product Manager. "These are four-point bearings in flange design, which are also suitable for the toughest operating conditions."

The robust slewing ring could be delivered within two weeks and now replaces the old system, which no longer complies with today's technical standards and safety regulations: “The lighthouse's original lamp dates from 1858. It consisted of a basin filled with mercury in which the light floated to allow almost smooth rotation, "explains John Henderson, Founder and Managing Director of Ocean Kinetics." This enabled a very lightweight clockwork mechanism to be used to rotate the light. "

Ball slewing ring rotates optimally

The challenge was to replace the mercury and to ensure a continuous, even movement of the light despite the "difficult" conditions - the rotating part of the lamp weighs several hundred kilograms. The rotary ball joint was successfully installed in the slightly curved basin above the base and, thanks to its good workmanship, ensures an optimal rotary movement.

Robust and at the same time economic four-point bearings from Rodriguez prove themselves in numerous applications and also under difficult operating conditions. They can safely absorb axial and radial loads as well as tilting moments. The bearings are available with internal or external teeth and without teeth. The components are extremely easy to assemble and are particularly suitable for high-precision applications such as in the aviation industry or in special purpose machinery.