US 4,305,627 AGranted

Bearing housing and lubrication structure for concentric rotating members

AssigneeAmerican Hoist & Derrick Company

InventorZekeriya Yargici

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Abstract

An earth compacting machine includes a hollow drum rotatably mounted at each end to the machine frame to rotate on a horizontal axis, and a concentric vibratory shaft rotatably mounted at each end in a bearing which is mounted in a bearing housing fixedly mounted to the drum. A cylindrical oil sump mounted to rotate with the drum, surrounds the vibratory shaft and shaft bearings and encompasses the bearing housings. Lubrication oil in the sump covers a lower portion of the bearing housings but is below the lowest level reached by the vibratory shaft and its offset weight. Each bearing housing has a plurality of pockets provided therein open through oil access ports to the oil sump and through oil delivery ports to its associated bearing. Oil flows into a pocket when its oil access port is below the level of oil in the sump; and flows out of the pocket as the oil delivery port approaches and pass over the axis of horizontal rotation.

In a structure including a frame, a first rotatable member supported to rotate with respect to said frame on a substantially horizontal axis, and a second rotatable member supported to rotate with respect to said first member in concentric relation to said horizontal axis, the improvement including:

A. a first rotatable member;
B. means to rotatably support at least one end of said member with respect to said frame to rotate on a substantially horizontal axis;
C. a second rotatable member;
D. at least one bearing housing fixedly and concentrically mounted with respect to said first rotatable member to rotate with that member, said housing being defined partially by a face extending generally radially outwardly from said horizontal axis;
E. a first bearing mounted in each such bearing housing and rotatably supporting said second rotatable member for rotation with respect to said first rotatable member and with respect to said frame in concentric relation to said horizontal axis;
F. first means to rotate said first rotatable member with respect to said frame;
G. second means to rotate said second rotatable member with respect to said frame;
H. a lubrication oil sump circumscribing said second rotatable member and said bearing housing and mounted to rotate with said first rotatable member;
I. lubrication oil in said sump at a sufficient depth to inundate at least a substantial portion of said bearing housing lying vertically below the horizontal axis of rotation;
and
J. said bearing housing being provided with:
(1) at least one internal pocket extending generally radially outwardly from said first bearing,
(2) an oil access port open from the pocket through said face of said bearing housing in spaced relation to the radially outermost edge of the pocket and positioned to lie below the surface of the oil in said sump when passing vertically below the axis of rotation, and
(3) an oil delivery port open through the bearing housing from the edge of the pocket adjacent the first bearing in position to deliver oil to said first bearing as the delivery port approaches and passes vertically above the axis of rotation.

11 more elements

Abstract

Claims7