Bearing supported rotor shaft of a gas turbine engine

Abstract

A small gas turbine engine that operates at high rotational speeds and includes a rotor shaft that is supported on both ends by ball bearings. The aft end ball bearings includes an outer race mounted to the support structure in such a way that axial displacement of the outer race is allowed to prevent axial loads from damaging the ball bearing. The outer race of each bearing is supported by an O-ring to provide damping to the bearings. The O-ring is centered on the outer race, and the outer race is formed thicker than the inner race to provide for a better hoop surface. The outer race in the aft end is preloaded with a coil spring to maintain a load on the bearing during all phases of operation of the engine. The bearings are coated with a dry lubricant to eliminate the need for a liquid lubricant and its supply system.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.