Gyrostabiliser assembly

A gyrostabiliser assembly for a marine vessel comprising:

• a housing defining a chamber for supporting at least a partial vacuum;
• a flywheel mounted within the chamber for rotation about a spin axis at the partial vacuum;
• a flywheel shaft upon which the flywheel is supported and mounted in the housing for rotation of the flywheel about the spin axis, the flywheel shaft being rotatably supported by a first rotary bearing located at one end region of the shaft and a second rotary bearing located at an opposite end region of the shaft, each of the first and second rotary bearings including rolling elements or sliding elements;
• and
• a lubrication system configured to supply lubricant to the first and second rotary bearings from a lubricant reservoir, wherein the reservoir is arranged in or on the housing to be under the partial vacuum and to collect lubricant from the first and second rotary bearings under gravity, wherein the first and second rotary bearings are arranged in the housing for operation under the partial vacuum with the first and second rotary bearings open to the chamber so that lubricant from the first and second rotary bearings contacts the flywheel, and wherein the lubrication system includes a jetting outlet directed at the rolling elements or sliding elements in each of the first and second rotary bearings for targeted delivery of the lubricant directly to the rolling elements or sliding elements in the first and second rotary bearings.

A marine vessel, especially a boat or motor yacht, comprising a gyrostabiliser assembly including:

• a housing defining a chamber for supporting an operating pressure of less than 0.5 bar;
• a flywheel mounted within the chamber for rotation about a spin axis at the operating pressure;
• a flywheel shaft upon which the flywheel is supported and mounted in the housing by first and second spin bearings located at opposite end regions of the shaft for rotation of the flywheel about the spin axis, each of the first and second spin bearings including rolling elements or sliding elements;
• and
• a lubrication system for the first and second spin bearings configured to supply lubricant to the first and second spin bearings from a reservoir,
• wherein the reservoir is arranged in or on the housing to be at the operating pressure in use and to collect the lubricant from the first and second spin bearings under gravity, and wherein the first and second spin bearings are arranged in the housing to be at the operating pressure, with the first and second spin bearings being open to the chamber so that lubricant from the first and second rotary bearings contacts the flywheel, and
• wherein the lubrication system includes a jetting outlet arranged at each of the first and second spin bearings for targeted delivery of the lubricant jetted directly at the rolling elements or sliding elements in each of the first and second spin bearings.