Patent US3785458A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3785458A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Lubrication system for a gear drive mechanism
Assignee: Caterpillar Inc
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Filing: 1972-04-14
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Granted: 1974-01-15
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Expires: 1992-04-14
Abstract
Abstract A lubrication system is adapted for continuously lubricating a loose spline connection, attaching a gear to a shaft, and axially spaced bearings rotatably mounting the gear in a closed housing. The gear rotates to centrifugally discharge lubricating oil therefrom to dynamically lubricate the gear, bearings and spline connection via suitably arranged chambers and interconnected passages.
Inventors
- 👤 S Caldwell
- 👤 M Cheek
- 👤 L Cline
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 20:05
CPC Classifications
B; B62; B62D; B62D55/00; B62D55/08; B62D55/12; B62D55/125; B60; B60R; B60R17/00; F; F16; F16H; F16H57/00; F16H57/04; F16H57/042; F16H57/0421; F16H57/0424; F16H57/0426; F16H57/043; F16H57/0467; F16H57/0469; F16H57/0471; F16H57/048; F16H57/0493; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T74/00; Y10T74/19; Y10T74/19991
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
248 words
A housing defining an oil retaining reservoir therein, gear means disposed in said housing and attached to a shaft for rotation about a longitudinal axis thereof, bearing means rotatably mounting said gear means and said shaft in said housing, said gear means positioned to have a lower portion thereof positioned in said reservoir, lubrication means for lubricating said gear means and said bearing means solely in response to rotation of said gear means, including chamber means for receiving lubricating oil centrifugally discharged by said gear means, passage means communicating with said bearing means and collector means for receiving a substantial portion of the centrifugally discharged oil from said chamber means and for directly funneling such oil to said passage means, said chamber means comprising radially disposed axially opposed primary chamber means formed internally on said housing to substantially surround said gear means and a secondary chamber means formed internally on said housing and disposed radially inwardly and axially outwardly relative to a respective one of said primary chamber means and adjacent to said bearing means and wherein one of said collector means is positioned on each axial side of said gear means and exposed in overlapping relationship with respect to each of said primary chamber means for receiving lubricating oil therefrom directly and wherein said passage means comprises a passage communicating each of said collector means with a respective one of said secondary chamber means, each of said collector means and said passages positioned vertically above said axis.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
248 words
A housing defining an oil retaining reservoir therein, gear means disposed in said housing and attached to a shaft for rotation about a longitudinal axis thereof, bearing means rotatably mounting said gear means and said shaft in said housing, said gear means positioned to have a lower portion thereof positioned in said reservoir, lubrication means for lubricating said gear means and said bearing means solely in response to rotation of said gear means, including chamber means for receiving lubricating oil centrifugally discharged by said gear means, passage means communicating with said bearing means and collector means for receiving a substantial portion of the centrifugally discharged oil from said chamber means and for directly funneling such oil to said passage means, said chamber means comprising radially disposed axially opposed primary chamber means formed internally on said housing to substantially surround said gear means and a secondary chamber means formed internally on said housing and disposed radially inwardly and axially outwardly relative to a respective one of said primary chamber means and adjacent to said bearing means and wherein one of said collector means is positioned on each axial side of said gear means and exposed in overlapping relationship with respect to each of said primary chamber means for receiving lubricating oil therefrom directly and wherein said passage means comprises a passage communicating each of said collector means with a respective one of said secondary chamber means, each of said collector means and said passages positioned vertically above said axis.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
42 words
The invention of claim 1 wherein said gear means is attached to said shaft by a loose spline connection and wherein said lubrication means further lubricates said spline connection, via said passage means, solely in response to rotation of said gear means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
37 words
The invention of claim 1 wherein said gear means comprises a spur gear and said bearing means comprises an annular bearing assembly positioned on said spur gear to rotatably mount said spur gear directly on said housing.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
54 words
The invention of claim 1 further comprising baffle means dividing one of said secondary chamber means into separated annular collecting and directing sections, said collecting section communicating directly with one of said passages and conducting meanS for communicating lubricating oil axially inwardly from said collecting section toward said shaft and to said bearing means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
28 words
The invention of claim 4 wherein said conducting means comprises a tube extending axially inwardly along said axis and terminating at a flared portion within said gear means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
36 words
The invention of claim 4 further comprising dam means forming an annular reservoir within said gear means for controlling the dynamic level of lubricating oil in said annular reservoir in response to rotation of said shaft.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
40 words
The invention of claim 6 wherein said dam means further forms an annular, restricted passage about said conducting means for communicating a radially inward flow of lubricating oil, exceeding said dynamic level, to said bearing means through said directing section.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
57 words
The invention of claim 1 wherein said housing comprises an outer case and a cover attached to said case, and wherein said chamber means comprises a cup-shaped primary chamber formed internally on each of said outer cover and said case, said primary chambers axially opposed to each other and defining said reservoir at their lower end portions.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
39 words
The invention of claim 8 wherein said housing further comprises an adapter ring attached to said cover, and further comprising a motor attached externally on said adapter ring, said shaft operatively connected to said motor to be driven thereby.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
26 words
The invention of claim 9 wherein said bearing means comprises axially spaced bearing assemblies mounting said gear means on said adapter ring and said case, respectively.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
134 words
A gear drive mechanism comprising a housing having a case, a cover attached to said case, and an adapter ring attached to said cover, chamber means formed in said housing comprising a cup-shaped primary chamber formed internally on each of said case and said adapter ring, said primary chambers axially opposed to each other and defining a reservoir at their lower end portions, a motor attached externally on said adapter ring and having an output shaft operatively connected thereto and extending axially inwardly through said adapter ring and into said housing, a gear mounted on said shaft and disposed within said housing, bearing means rotatably mounting said gear in said housing, and lubrication means, including said chamber means, for lubricating said gear and said bearing means solely in response to rotation of said gear.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
134 words
A gear drive mechanism comprising a housing having a case, a cover attached to said case, and an adapter ring attached to said cover, chamber means formed in said housing comprising a cup-shaped primary chamber formed internally on each of said case and said adapter ring, said primary chambers axially opposed to each other and defining a reservoir at their lower end portions, a motor attached externally on said adapter ring and having an output shaft operatively connected thereto and extending axially inwardly through said adapter ring and into said housing, a gear mounted on said shaft and disposed within said housing, bearing means rotatably mounting said gear in said housing, and lubrication means, including said chamber means, for lubricating said gear and said bearing means solely in response to rotation of said gear.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
26 words
The invention of claim 11 wherein said bearing means comprises axially spaced bearings each mounting said gear means on said adapter ring and said case, respectively.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
52 words
The invention of claim 11 wherein said gear means is attached to said shaft by a loose spline connection and wherein said lubrication means further lubricates said spline connection, via passage means formed in each of said outer cover and said adapter ring, solely in response to rotation of said gear means.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
119 words
In a mechanism having an annular member attached to a shaft by a loose spline connection, a lubrication system comprising dam means forming an annular reservoir within said member, axially adjacent to an end of said spline connection, for controlling the dynamic level of a centrifugally maintained pool of lubricating oil in said annular reservoir in response to rotation of said shaft, means forming a chamber adjacent to said annular reservoir, baffle means comprising an annular washer dividing said chamber into separate annular collecting and directing sections and conducting means comprising an axially extending tube secured to said washer and terminating within said annular member for communicating lubricating oil axially inwardly from said collecting section to said spline connection.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
119 words
In a mechanism having an annular member attached to a shaft by a loose spline connection, a lubrication system comprising dam means forming an annular reservoir within said member, axially adjacent to an end of said spline connection, for controlling the dynamic level of a centrifugally maintained pool of lubricating oil in said annular reservoir in response to rotation of said shaft, means forming a chamber adjacent to said annular reservoir, baffle means comprising an annular washer dividing said chamber into separate annular collecting and directing sections and conducting means comprising an axially extending tube secured to said washer and terminating within said annular member for communicating lubricating oil axially inwardly from said collecting section to said spline connection.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
27 words
The invention of claim 14 wherein said tube terminates at a flared portion within said gear means which is axially opposed to an end of said shaft.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
38 words
The invention of claim 14 wherein said dam means further forms an annular, restricted passage abOut said conducting means for communicating a radially inward flow of lubricating oil, exceeding said dynamic level, therethrough and into said directing section.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
190 words
A housing defining an oil retaining reservoir therein comprising an outer case, a cover attached to said case and an adapter ring attached to said cover, gear means disposed in said housing and attached to a shaft for rotation about a longitudinal axis thereof, bearing means rotatably mounting said gear means and said shaft in said housing, said gear means positioned to have a lower portion thereof positioned in said reservoir, lubrication means for lubricating said gear means and said bearing means solely in response to rotation of said gear means, including chamber means for receiving lubricating oil centrifugally discharged by said gear means, comprising a cup-shaped primary chamber formed internally on each of said outer cover and said case in axially opposed relationship to each other and defining said reservoir at their lower end portions, passage means communicating with said bearing means and collector means for receiving a substantial portion of the centrifugally discharged oil from said chamber means and for directly funneling such oil to said passage means, and a motor attached externally on said adapter ring, said shaft operatively connected to said motor to be driven thereby.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
190 words
A housing defining an oil retaining reservoir therein comprising an outer case, a cover attached to said case and an adapter ring attached to said cover, gear means disposed in said housing and attached to a shaft for rotation about a longitudinal axis thereof, bearing means rotatably mounting said gear means and said shaft in said housing, said gear means positioned to have a lower portion thereof positioned in said reservoir, lubrication means for lubricating said gear means and said bearing means solely in response to rotation of said gear means, including chamber means for receiving lubricating oil centrifugally discharged by said gear means, comprising a cup-shaped primary chamber formed internally on each of said outer cover and said case in axially opposed relationship to each other and defining said reservoir at their lower end portions, passage means communicating with said bearing means and collector means for receiving a substantial portion of the centrifugally discharged oil from said chamber means and for directly funneling such oil to said passage means, and a motor attached externally on said adapter ring, said shaft operatively connected to said motor to be driven thereby.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
111 words
A housing comprising an outer case, a cover attached to said case and an adapter ring attached to said cover to define an oil retaining reservoir therein, annular gear means disposed in said housing to have a lower portion thereof positioned in said reservoir and attached by a loose spline connection to a shaft, extending through said adapter, for rotation about a longitudinal axis thereof, axially spaced first and second bearing means rotatably mounting said shaft and member on said adapter and on said case, respectively, and lubrication means for continuously lubricating said gear means, said spline connection and said first and second bearing means upon rotation of said gear means.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
111 words
A housing comprising an outer case, a cover attached to said case and an adapter ring attached to said cover to define an oil retaining reservoir therein, annular gear means disposed in said housing to have a lower portion thereof positioned in said reservoir and attached by a loose spline connection to a shaft, extending through said adapter, for rotation about a longitudinal axis thereof, axially spaced first and second bearing means rotatably mounting said shaft and member on said adapter and on said case, respectively, and lubrication means for continuously lubricating said gear means, said spline connection and said first and second bearing means upon rotation of said gear means.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-01-14 | 1977-07-16 | 1978-01-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-01-14 | 1981-07-16 | 1982-01-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-01-14 | 1985-07-16 | 1986-01-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |