Bearing seal means for an electrically driven fan

Claim 1

An electrically driven fan comprising: a frame an induction motor having a stator fixed to said frame and an annular-shaped rotor rotatable with respect to said stator and frame, a stationary shaft fixed at one end to said frame and projecting in cantilever fashion therefrom, a hollow, generally cylindrical ferrule fixed within said rotor and rotatable therewith, a cylindrical bearing fixed within said ferrule and rotatable with respect to said shaft, said rotor, ferrule, and bearing being rotated together when said motor is energized, a fan impeller fixed to said ferrule, and annular cuplike means carried by one end of said ferrule and rotatable therewith, said cuplike means extending beyond one end of said bearing and surrounding said shaft, the inner edge of said cuplike means closest to said bearing being spaced slightly from both said shaft and said bearing, said one end of said bearing communicating with the interior of said cuplike means through said spacing between said cup edge and said bearing end, whereby if a drop of oil lubricating the relatively moving shaft and bearing surfaces seeps past said one end of said bearing it will contact said inner edge of said cuplike means and be thrown radially outwardly by centrifugal force through said spacing between said cup edge and said bearing end and into said cuplike means.