Bearing supported coupling for turbochargers

Claim 1

A bearing supported coupling arrangement between the turbine wheel and compressor wheel of a radial flow turbocharger comprising: a. a turbine housing in which the turbine wheel is supported, b. a compressor housing in which the compressor wheel is supported, said housings having opposed engaged portions, c. a rotatable tubular support shaft defining an axis of rotation connecting said turbine wheel to said compressor wheel, d. said wheels, said housings and said support shaft cooperating to form a lubrication chamber, e. a non-rotating shaft along said axis fixedly attached to one of said housings at a point longitudinally beyond the wheel associated with said one housing, and supported by the other of said housings at a point longitudinally beyond the wheel associated with said other housing, f. a pair of anti-friction bearings between said support shaft and said non-rotating shaft; g. bearing positioning means including first bearing positioning means on said non-rotating shaft adjacent one end of said support shaft, second bearing positioning means rotatably mounted between said bearings, and third resilient bearing positioning means adjacent the other end of said support shaft, said first, second and third bearing positioning means cooperating to position said bearings in a spaced apart relationship about said shaft and in said chamber, h. means arranged generally on one axial side of said bearings for introducing a mist of lubricant into the axial chamber for flow through the bearings and on the other side of said bearings for drainage of said lubricant from the chamber and bearings.