Pressure compensated lube oil system

A pressure compensated wheel spindle and hub assembly including a sealed bearing assembly that is conjoined with a lubricant cavity, the wheel spindle and hub assembly comprising:

• a spindle;
• at least one bearing mounted on the spindle;
• a hub supported about the spindle by the at least one bearing thereby adapting the hub for rotation about the spindle;
• at least one seal disposed between the hub and the spindle to thereby establish both the sealed bearing assembly and the lubricant cavity;
• and
• a lube oil system that includes:
• a) a conduit having an open first end located in the lubricant cavity, and having an open second end located outside the lubricant cavity;
• b) a lube oil reservoir;
• c) a length of tubing connected at a first end to the second end of the conduit and at a second end to the lube oil reservoir, the lube oil reservoir and the tubing being adapted for supplying lube oil to the lubricant cavity;
• d) a pressure inducing bell having an open lower end, the open lower end of the pressure inducing bell being located no higher than the lubricant cavity;
• and
• e) a passage connected between the pressure inducing bell and the lube oil reservoir for coupling the pressure inducing bell to the lube oil reservoir whereby upon immersion of the open lower end of the pressure inducing bell in water hydraulic pressure of the water is coupled:
• i. from the pressure inducing bell to the lube oil reservoir via the passage;
• and
• ii. from the lube oil reservoir to the lubricant cavity via the tubing and the conduit,
• to thereby pressurize the lubricant cavity in opposition to hydraulic pressure of water around the sealed bearing assembly that energizes infusion of water into the lubricant cavity without using any moving parts.

A trailer comprising:

• a) a trailer frame;
• b) at least two pressure compensated wheel spindle and hub assemblies coupled to the trailer frame, each wheel spindle and hub assembly having a sealed bearing assembly that is conjoined with a lubricant cavity and including:
• i. a spindle;
• ii. at least one bearing mounted on the spindle;
• iii. a hub supported about the spindle by the at least one bearing thereby adapting the hub for rotation about the spindle;
• and
• iv. at least one seal disposed between the hub and the spindle to thereby establish both the sealed bearing assembly and the lubricant cavity;
• and
• c) a lube oil system for the wheel spindle and hub assemblies that includes:
• i. a conduit having an open first end located in the lubricant cavity, and having an open second end located outside the lubricant cavity;
• ii. a lube oil reservoir;
• iii. a length of tubing connected at a first end to the second end of the conduit and at a second end to the lube oil reservoir, the lube oil reservoir and the tubing being adapted for supplying lube oil to the lubricant cavity;
• iv. a pressure inducing bell having an open lower end, the open lower end of the pressure inducing bell being located no higher than the lubricant cavity;
• and
• v. a passage connected between the pressure inducing bell and the lube oil reservoir for coupling the pressure inducing bell to the lube oil reservoir whereby upon immersion of the open lower end of the pressure inducing bell in water hydraulic pressure of the water is coupled:
• 1) from the pressure inducing bell to the lube oil reservoir via the passage;
• and
• 2) from the lube oil reservoir to the lubricant cavity via the tubing and the conduit,
• to thereby pressurize the lubricant cavity in opposition to hydraulic pressure of water around the sealed bearing assembly that energizes infusion of water into the lubricant cavity without using any moving parts.