Bladed rotors

Claim 2

In combination, a bladed rotor whose blading is of flowvarying type, an engine adapted to drive said rotor, a lubrication system forming part of said engine and including a sump and a low pressure pump, drivable by the engine, which is connected to draw liquid from the sump and to deliver that liquid at low pressure, said bladed rotor comprising a hub and, carried within the hub, a high pressure pump with means fast with nonrotatable engine structure whereby the pump is driven upon rotation of the rotor, a fluid-pressure-operable actuator for adjusting the blading, and valve means for controlling the flow of pressure fluid from said pump to the actuator, conduit means for conducting fluid from said low pressure pump to the inlet of the high pressure pump, said conduit means comprising one part provided in non-rotatable engine structure and another part carried by the rotor and rotatable therewith, low pressure fluid transfer means associated with both said engine and said rotor and with which said one part and said other part of the conduit means are connected thereby to afford substantially sealed fluid connection of those parts whereby low pressure liquid from said low pressure pump can pass to the inlet of said high pressure pump, and further conduit means connected between said valve means and said sump by way of said low pressure fluid transfer means whereby liquid exhausting from the actuator can pass to said sump.

Claim 3

A bladed rotor as claimed in claim 1, wherein further conduit means are provided whereby fluid exhausting from said actuator can be directed through said fluid transfer means to said lubrication system.

Claim 4

A bladed rotor as claimed in claim 1, wherein said pump is of the internally-meshing lobed type, and the axis of its drive shaft is coincident with the axis of rotation of the rotor.

Claim 5

A bladed rotor as claimed in claim 1, wherein said actuator is of the vane-type.

Claim 6

A bladed rotor as claimed in claim 4, wherein drive means from the actuator for adjusting the blading includes a balanced bevel gear train.

Claim 7

A bladed rotor as claimed in claim 4, wherein the valve means is arranged coaxially with respect to the actuator and within a hub portion thereof.

Claim 8

A bladed rotor as claimed in claim 1, wherein said flow-varying blading is of variable-pitch.

Claim 9

A bladed rotor as claimed in claim 2, wherein said fluid transfer means comprises a sleeve fast with non-rotatable structure and supporting for rotation, with the drive shaft of said rotor, tubular members in part defining said conduit means and said further conduit means.

Claim 10

A bladed rotor as claimed in claim 8, wherein the parts of the conduit means and of the further conduit means defined by said tubular members are placed in communication with ducts, in said structure, which form the other parts of said conduit means, through respective annular recesses and porting formed in said sleeve.

Claim 11

In combination, a bladed rotor whose blading is of flow-varying type, an engine having a drive shaft upon which said rotor is mounted, a lubrication system forming part of said engine and including a sump and a low pressure pump, drivable by the engine, which is connected to draw liquid from the sump and to deliver that liquid at low pressure, said bladed rotor comprising a hub and, carried within the hub, a high pressure pump with mEans fast with non-rotatable engine structure whereby the pump is driven upon rotation of the rotor, a fluid-pressure-operable actuator for adjusting the blading, and valve means for controlling the flow of pressure fluid from said pump to the actuator, conduit means for conducting fluid from said low pressure pump to the inlet of the high pressure pump, said conduit means comprising one part provided in non-rotatable engine structure and another part in the form of a first tubular member carried by the rotor being rotatable therewith and extending into said drive shaft coaxially thereof, low pressure fluid transfer means associated with both said drive shaft and said rotor with which said one part and said first tubular member are connected thereby to afford substantially sealed fluid connection of those parts whereby low pressure liquid from said low pressure pump can pass to the inlet of said high pressure pump, and further conduit means, including a second tubular member coaxial with said first tubular member and also extending from said rotor into said drive shaft coaxially thereof, which are connected between said valve means and said sump by way of said low pressure fluid transfer means whereby liquid exhausting from the actuator can pass to said sump.

Claim 12

In combination, a bladed rotor whose blading is of flow-varying type, an engine having a drive shaft upon which said rotor is mounted, a lubrication system forming part of said engine and including a sump and a low pressure pump, drivable by the engine, which is connected to draw liquid from the sump and to deliver that liquid at low pressure, said bladed rotor comprising a hub and, carried within the hub, a high pressure pump with mEans fast with non-rotatable engine structure whereby the pump is driven upon rotation of the rotor, a fluid-pressure-operable actuator for adjusting the blading, and valve means for controlling the flow of pressure fluid from said pump to the actuator, conduit means for conducting fluid from said low pressure pump to the inlet of the high pressure pump, said conduit means comprising one part provided in non-rotatable engine structure and another part in the form of a first tubular member carried by the rotor being rotatable therewith and extending into said drive shaft coaxially thereof, low pressure fluid transfer means associated with both said drive shaft and said rotor with which said one part and said first tubular member are connected thereby to afford substantially sealed fluid connection of those parts whereby low pressure liquid from said low pressure pump can pass to the inlet of said high pressure pump, and further conduit means, including a second tubular member coaxial with said first tubular member and also extending from said rotor into said drive shaft coaxially thereof, which are connected between said valve means and said sump by way of said low pressure fluid transfer means whereby liquid exhausting from the actuator can pass to said sump.