The SKF angular contact thrust ball bearings shown here were originally designed to support the rotary tables of drilling rigs but are also suitable for other applications where high load carrying capacity, high axial stiffness and low friction torque are important. In contrast to conventional thrust ball bearings, angular contact thrust ball bearings can accommodate radial loads in addition to axial loads and are able to operate at high speeds.
 Single direction angular contact ball bearings  are able to take up axial loads acting in one 

direction. They are of separable design, i.e. 
the washers and ball and cage assembly can be mounted individually. In the main
 application area for these bearings – rotary tables – two bearings are always adjusted against each other. The second bearing has to 
carry the weight of the drill when it is stationary and has 
a higher load load carrying capacity than the first bearing.

In bearings of the double direction design  the upper bearing with the higher load carrying capacity and the smaller bearing which locates in the opposite direction are combined together to form a unit. These bearings have low height and can accommodate axial loads acting in both directions as well as moment loads. A single bearing can therefore be used to support rotating machine components in relation to stationary components. These double direction bearings are also of separable design.