Lubrication arrangement

Abstract

A lubrication arrangement for interlocking gears 2, 3 is configured by a housing 1 which incorporates sections 1 a, 1 b 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 1 a, 1 b which drives scavenged oil flow into a volute 11 formed by the opposing surface of the housing 1 a, 1 b. 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.

1 . A lubrication arrangement for a gear combination, the arrangement comprising a housing for positioning about inter-locking gears, the housing including a scavenge off-take position substantially where the inter-locking gears come together at a mesh location and substantially tangential to the outer diameter of those inter-locking gears for scavenging oil at that mesh position.  
   
   
       2 . An arrangement as claimed in  claim 1  wherein an oil injector is positioned immediately after the mesh location.  
   
   
       3 . An arrangement as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the scavenge off-take has a maximised chordal cross-sectional area towards the centre of the interlocking gears to improve oil scavenging effect.  
   
   
       4 . An arrangement as claimed in  claim 2  wherein the oil injector is perpendicular to and directed towards the centre of the inter-locking gears.  
   
   
       5 . An arrangement as claimed in  claim 2  wherein the oil injector is positioned at a location for minimised cross-sectional area between the housing and the oil injector.  
   
   
       6 . An arrangement as claimed in  claim 1  arranged such that in use rotation of the inter-locking gears creates an oil pressure directing scavenged oil flow towards the off-take.  
   
   
       7 . An arrangement as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the inter-locking gears are bevel gears.  
   
   
       8 . An arrangement as claimed in  claim 7  wherein the bevel gears are arranged perpendicular to each other.  
   
   
       9 . A housing for a gear combination, the housing including a scavenge off-take positioned in use relative to inter-locking gears where those inter-locking gears come together at a mesh position and substantially tangential to the outer diameter of those inter-locking gears for scavenging oil at that mesh location.  
   
   
       10 . A housing as claimed in  claim 9  wherein the housing has a spiral cross-section whereby in use variation in the available cross-sectional area between the inter-locking gears and the housing creates an effective centrifugal pump facilitating oil scavenging in use towards the scavenge off-take.