Flange Block Bearings

A flange bearing is a type of mounted bearing in which the mounted shaft runs perpendicular to the mounting surface and the center line of the mounting holes. This is in contrast to a pillow block bearing, in which the mounted shaft runs parallel to the mounting surface.

Flange bearings consist of a flanged housing and an insert bearing. The housing is typically made from cast iron or cast steel while the bearing can be made from a wide variety of materials.

They incorprate a sealed bearing that is preassembled into a flanged housing.  The housing contains a precision ground surface perpendicular to the bearing axis and two, three or four mounting holes, depending on the style.  The bearing can be unbolted and removed, which makes bearing replacement easier and faster than traditional rotary beairngs that must be press fit into a housing.  Flange mounted bearings can also support heavy loads, which protects the shaft from deflection, which could cause vibration or other damage.