Lubrication of a centrifugal pump bearing

A lubrication system for the lubrication of an upper and a lower bearing each mounted on a rotatable vertical shaft, comprising:

• reservoir means for holding a quantity of lubricant,
• means for withdrawing lubricant from said reservoir means,
• said withdrawing means including a rotor connected to the shaft and a stator encircling said rotor,
• said stator extending axially into said reservoir means,
• a first passageway means for communicating lubricant from said reservoir means to the bearings,
• a second passageway means for returning lubricant from the bearings to said reservoir means,
• whereby said stator minimizes vortexing and churning of the lubricant in said reservoir means during rotation of said rotor.

A centrifugal pump, comprising:

• a rotatable vertical shaft,
• a bearing mounted around said shaft,
• an annular reservoir for holding a quantity of lubricant,
• said reservoir mounted around said shaft below said bearing,
• means for withdrawing lubricant from said reservoir,
• said withdrawing means including a rotor connected to said shaft,
• a stator encircling said rotor and extending axially into said reservoir,
• a first passageway for communicating lubricant from said reservoir to said bearing,
• a second passageway for returning lubricant from said bearing to said reservoir,
• whereby said stator minimizes vortexing and churning of the lubricant in said reservoir during rotation of said rotor.

A centrifugal pump, comprising:

• a rotatable vertical shaft,
• an upper bearing and a lower bearing each mounted around said shaft,
• said upper bearing including a double row of thrust ball bearings and said lower bearing including a single row of radial ball bearings,
• reservoirs for holding a quantity of lubricant,
• one of said reservoirs positioned below each of said bearings,
• means for withdrawing lubricant from each of said reservoirs,
• each of said withdrawing means including a rotor connected to said shaft,
• a stator encircling each said rotor and extending axially into each said reservoir,
• first passageways for communicating lubricant from each of said reservoirs to said bearings,
• second passageways for returning lubricant from each of said bearings to said reservoirs,
• said first passageway of said upper bearing including a radial channel for communicating lubricant to a vertically extending channel,
• said vertically extending channel for communicating lubricant to a point above said upper bearing to prevent flooding of said thrust ball bearings,
• whereby said stators minimize vortexing and churning of the lubricant in said reservoirs during rotation of said rotors.

A lubrication system for the lubrication of a bearing mounted on

• a rotatable vertical shaft, comprising:
• a reservoir for holding a quantity of lubricant,
• the bearing including a double row of ball bearings,
• means for withdrawing lubricant from said reservoir,
• said withdrawing means including a rotor connected to the shaft and a stator encircling said rotor,
• said stator extending axially into said reservoir,
• a first passageway for communicating lubricant from said reservoir to the bearing,
• a second passageway for returning lubricant from the bearing to said reservoir,
• whereby said stator minimizes vortexing and churning of the lubricant in said reservoir during rotation of said rotor.