Lubrication arrangement

Abstract

A lubrication arrangement for interlocking gears 2, 3 is configured by a housing 1 which incorporates sections 1a, 1b of a snail cross-section. Thus, rotating gears 2, 3 are positioned to generate a centrifugal pumping effect between those gears 2, 3 and the housing sections 1a, 1b which drives scavenged oil flow into a volute 11 formed by the opposing surface of the housing 1a, 1b. The scavenged oil is driven in the direction 13 towards an off-take 12 configured such that there is a minimum available cross-sectional area 14 between the housing at the intermeshing of the gears 2, 3 at an interlocking location 4. In such circumstances the scavenged oil is driven at relatively high speed through the off-take 12. Such relatively high speed scavenged oil 15 can be used for displacement scavenging in other parts of an engine or machine where problems exist with oil residence.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.