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US 4,429,587 AGranted
Attitude insensitive lubrication systems
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsGeorge A. Finn, III, James E. Kuneman, Keith E. Lawrence
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A lubrication system for a gearbox having a forced flow of lubricant around one or more flow loops using dynamic forces imparted to the lubricant by a major element, preferably one primarily serving another function, which acts as a pump and cooperates with the gearbox casing to provide a dynamic reservoir. The primary lubrication flow loop includes an efficient flow diverter to feed a lubricant distribution reservoir, dispensers, predetermined regulated flow paths to critical items and a centrifugal separator built into the pump to deaerate the lubricant.
Claims6
In a gearbox, an improved lubrication system comprising:
- a centrifugal pump component composed of the combination of:
- (a) a rotating drumlike element of the included gear train surrounding other active gear train elements and receiving lubricant centrifugally discharged by rotation of those other elements,
- (b) the portion of the gearbox casing surrounding said rotating portion and
- (c) the annular space defined between said drumlike element and said portion constituting a lubricant collection reservoir and a dynamic annulus within said casing partially separated from each other by a portion of said drumlike element which also imparts a circular flow of lubricant in said dynamic annulus, said drumlike element also having a plurality of fluid flow passages there through to cause said drumlike portion to act as a centrifugal separator to deaerate a contained lubricant and to fill and pressurize said collection reservoir with deaerated lubricant when said gear train is operating to cause said dynamic annulus to be charged with lubricant under pressure;
- an additional pressurized reservoir separated from said dynamic annulus by portions of said casing;
- at least one flow diverter in said casing for shunting flow of a contained fluid lubricant from said dynamic annulus to said additional pressurized reservoir as flow of said lubricant in said annulus is caused by rotation of said gear train elements;
- one or more fluid dispensers inside said casing having at least one fluid spray outlet fed from said additional pressurized reservoir, said outlets metering and directing flow of said lubricant to elements of said gear train;
- and
- flow paths in said gear train for continued flow of fluid dispensed from said outlets to critical elements in response to rotational forces;
- whereby said dynamic pump and other rotating elements set up fluid flow patterns which overcome gravitational forces to provide flow patterns irrespective of attitude.
7 more elements
A self-lubricating universal attitude gearbox comprising:
- a gear train including a ring gear;
- a drum axially extending said ring gear and surrounding other gear train components, said drum having an open end terminating in a rim and a web end for connecting said ring gear to another element and having conduits through said drum for lubricant to escape as a result of centrifugal acceleration imparted by the rotation of the ring gear;
- a casing having two end portions connected by a cylindrical portion surrounding said drum to form an annular sump between it and said drum, one said end portion being proximate and parallel to the rim of the open end of said drum, said one end portion containing a reservoir and defining with the rim of said open end of said drum a dynamic annulus for lubricant flowing under the influence of rotating gear train components;
- flow diverter means on said one end portion for diverting lubricant flowing in said dynamic annulus into said reservoir to fill and pressurize said reservoir;
- and
- lubricant dispensing means also on said one end portion for metering and spraying lubricant from said reservoir onto said other gear train elements within said drum;
- whereby movement of said gear train causes said drum to rotate and act as a dynamic pump and also to cause lubricant within said casing to flow in said dynamic annulus circumferentially of said cylindrical portion of said casing, through said flow diverter means, said pressurized reservoir and said lubricant dispensing means and over said other gear train elements with sufficient momentum to overcome gravitational forces.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.