Electric motor and higher speed fan assembly

Claim 2

An improved electric motor comprising: a housing, a stator within said housing, a rotor within said stator and including a main shaft, bearing means carried by said housing and supporting said main shaft for rotation thereof, a cooling fan disposed within said housing, a tubular hub member secured to said fan, said main shaft having an end portion extending through said hub member, bearing means mounted on said rotor shaft and rotatably supporting said hub member, transmission means within said housing and including a stub shaft positioned in substantially parallel spaced relation to said main shaft, a first set of drive wheels connecting said main shaft to said stub shaft, a second set of drive wheels connecting said stub shaft to said hub member, a flange projecting inwardly from said housing between said first and second sets of drive wheels, bearing means mounted on said flange and supporting said stub shaft between said set of drive wheels, and said transmission means being effective to rotate said cooling fan at a rate substantially higher than the rate of rotation of said main shaft to provide a more effective flow of cooling air within said housing.

Claim 3

An electric motor as defined in claim 1 wherein each said set of drive wheels comprise intermeshing gears.

Claim 4

An electric motor as defined in claim 1 wherein each said set of drive wheels comprise two intermeshing gears, one of said gears of said first set being secured to said main shaft, and one of said gears of said second set being an integral part of said hub member.

Claim 5

An electrIc motor as defined in claim 1 which includes means defining openings in said housing to provide for circulation of air through said housing in response to rotation of said cooling fan.

Claim 6

An improved electric motor comprising: a housing, a stator within said housing, a rotor within said stator and including a rotor shaft supporting a rotor body, bearing means carried by said housing and supporting said rotor shaft and said rotor body for rotation, a cooling fan disposed within said housing, an annular hub mounted on said rotor shaft for relative rotation and supporting said cooling fan, a transmission disposed within said housing between said cooling fan and said stator, said transmission including a first drive wheel mounted on said rotor shaft between said hub and said rotor body, a second drive wheel on said hub and positioned between said first drive wheel and said cooling fan, third and fourth drive wheels positioned between said cooling fan and said stator and engaging said first and second drive wheels respectively, an auxiliary shaft positioned between said stator and said cooling fan, a support member projecting generally radially inwardly from said housing between said stator and said cooling fan and supporting said auxiliary shaft, said auxiliary shaft supporting said second and third drive wheels for rotation as a unit on an offset axis extending parallel to the axis of said rotor shaft, and said transmission being effective to rotate said cooling fan at a rate substantially higher than the rate of rotation of said rotor shaft.

Claim 7

An improved electric motor comprising: a housing, a stator within said housing, a rotor within said stator and including a rotor shaft supporting a rotor body, bearing means carried by said housing and supporting said rotor shaft and said rotor body for rotation, a cooling fan disposed within said housing, an annular hub mounted on said rotor shaft for relative rotation and supporting said cooling fan, a transmission disposed within said housing between said cooling fan and said stator, said transmission including a first drive wheel mounted on said rotor shaft between said hub and said rotor body, a second drive wheel on said hub and positioned between said first drive wheel and said cooling fan, third and fourth drive wheels positioned between said cooling fan and said stator and engaging said first and second drive wheels respectively, an auxiliary shaft positioned between said stator and said cooling fan, a support member projecting generally radially inwardly from said housing between said stator and said cooling fan and supporting said auxiliary shaft, said auxiliary shaft supporting said second and third drive wheels for rotation as a unit on an offset axis extending parallel to the axis of said rotor shaft, and said transmission being effective to rotate said cooling fan at a rate substantially higher than the rate of rotation of said rotor shaft.

Claim 8

An improved electric motor comprising: a housing including a set of end walls connected by a generally cylindrical intermediate wall, a stator within said housing, a rotor within said stator and including a main shaft, bearing means carried by said housing and supporting said main shaft for rotation thereof, a cooling fan disposed within said housing, an annular hub member secured to said fan, said main shaft having an end portion extending through said hub member, bearing means mounted on said rotor shaft and rotatably supporting said hub member, transmission means within said housing and including an auxiliary shaft positioned in substantially parallel spaced relation to said main shaft, a first set of drive wheels connecting said main shaft to said auxiliary shaft, a second set of drive wheels connecting said auxiliary shaft to said hub member. said housing including a support member projecting generally radially inwardly from said housing intermediate said end walls and supporting said auxiliary shaft, and said transmission means being effective to rotate said cooling fan at a rate substantially higher than the rate of rotation of said main shaft to provide a more effective flow of cooling air within said housing.

Claim 9

An improved electric motor comprising: a housing including a set of end walls connected by a generally cylindrical intermediate wall, a stator within said housing, a rotor within said stator and including a main shaft, bearing means carried by said housing and supporting said main shaft for rotation thereof, a cooling fan disposed within said housing, an annular hub member secured to said fan, said main shaft having an end portion extending through said hub member, bearing means mounted on said rotor shaft and rotatably supporting said hub member, transmission means within said housing and including an auxiliary shaft positioned in substantially parallel spaced relation to said main shaft, a first set of drive wheels connecting said main shaft to said auxiliary shaft, a second set of drive wheels connecting said auxiliary shaft to said hub member. said housing including a support member projecting generally radially inwardly from said housing intermediate said end walls and supporting said auxiliary shaft, and said transmission means being effective to rotate said cooling fan at a rate substantially higher than the rate of rotation of said main shaft to provide a more effective flow of cooling air within said housing.