Bearing support for thermal power engines

Claim 2

Apparatus for supporting a high-speed rotor shaft comprising: first bearing means for directly rotatably suporting said shaft, said first bearing means including a first outer race surrounding roller means of said first bearing means, second bearing means for directly rotatably supporting said shaft, said second bearing means including a second outer race surrounding roller means of said second bearing means, said second bearing means being engageable with said shaft at a position spaced axially from said first bearing means, a housing subject to substantial heat loads and disposed in surrounding relationship and spaced radially from said shaft and bearing means at least along the length of the shaft between said bearing means, lubricant supply means for supplying lubricant to each of said bearing means, And receiving sleeve means clampingly engaged with and extending between said first and second outer races, said sleeve means being spaced radially inwardly of internal walls of said housing and including lubricant conducting means for conducting lubricant away from each of said bearing means while maintaining said lubricant out of contact with said internal walls of said housing such that any heating up of the lubricant at said internal walls is prevented.

Claim 3

Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said rotor shaft drivingly interconnects a compressor wheel and a turbine wheel of a gas turbine engine, wherein said first bearing means is a three-point bearing disposed adjacent said compressor wheel, and wherein said second bearing means is an inclined ball bearing disposed adjacent said turbine wheel.

Claim 4

Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said sleeve means includes at least one discharge opening at the bottom thereof for accommodating discharge of the lubricant from said sleeve.

Claim 5

Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said sleeve means is a cylindrical one-piece sleeve which has a continuous diameter along the length thereof, the diameter of said sleeve being greater than the diameter of said outer races by only the thickness of the walls of said sleeve.

Claim 6

Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the outer surface of the respective opposite end portions of said sleeve is slidably clampingly engaged with inwardly facing surfaces of support flanges of said housing.

Claim 7

Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said at least one discharge opening consists of a single discharge opening positioned midway between said first and second bearing means.

Claim 8

Apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising cooler means interposed between said discharge opening and lubrication inlets to said bearings for continuously cooling said lubricant during operation of said turbine.

Claim 9

Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said lubricant supply means includes channels through portions of said housing and lubricant nozzles opening into spaces of said bearings which accommodate said roller means.

Claim 10

Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein blocking air means are provided for supplying blocking air to preclude passage of said lubricant from said bearings to said compressor and turbine wheels.

Claim 11

Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said sleeve means includes a first sleeve part clampingly engaged with said first outer race and a second sleeve part clampingly engaged with said second outer race, said first and second sleeve parts being axially telescopingly slidable within one another, and wherein spring means are interposed between said first and second sleeve parts to resiliently force said first and second parts away from one another.

Claim 12

Apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said sleeve parts are engaged with said outer races such that axial thrust is transmitted partially by way of the second bearing directly on to the first part while relieving the three-point first bearing.

Claim 13

Apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said sleeve means includes at least one discharge opening at the bottom thereof for accommodating discharge of the lubricant from said sleeve.

Claim 14

Apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said lubricant supply means includes channels through portions of said housing and lubricant nozzles opening into spaces of said bearings which accommodate said roller means.

Claim 15

Apparatus according to claim 13, wherein blocking air means are provided for supplying blocking air to preclude passage of said lubricant from said bearings to said compressor and turbine wheels.

Claim 16

Apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said at least one discharge opening consists of two separate openings in said first part, said separate openings being disposed on respective opposite axial sides of a radially inwardly directed flange which abuts said spring means.

Claim 17

Apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said spring means is a compressed coil spring haviNg opposite ends in abutting engagement with radially inwardly directed flanges at said first and second sleeve parts.

Claim 18

Apparatus for supporting a high-speed rotor shaft comprising: first bearing means for directly rotatably supporting said shaft, said first bearing means including a first outer race surrounding roller means of said first bearing means, second bearing means for directly rotatably supporting said shaft, said second bearing means including a second outer race surrounding roller means of said second bearing means, said second bearing means being engageable with said shaft at a position spaced axially from said first bearing means, a housing is surrounding relationship and spaced radially from said shaft and bearing means at least along the length of the shaft between said bearing means, lubricant supply means for supplying lubricant to each of said bearing means, and receiving sleeve means clampingly engaged with and extending between said first and second outer races, said sleeve means being spaced radially inwardly of internal walls of said housing and including lubricant conducting means for conducting lubricant away from each of said bearing means while maintaining said lubricant out of contact with said internal walls of said housing such that any heating up of the lubricant at said internal walls is prevented, wherein the housing is arranged in such a manner that it experiences substantial heat loads sufficient to distort the lubricant supplied to the bearing means, wherein said sleeve means includes a first sleeve part clampingly engaged with said first outer race and a second sleeve part clampingly engaged with said second outer race, said first and second sleeve parts being axially telescopingly slidable within one another, and wherein spring means are interposed between said first and second sleeve parts to resiliently force said first and second parts away from one another.

Claim 19

Apparatus for supporting a high-speed rotor shaft comprising: first bearing means for directly rotatably supporting said shaft, said first bearing means including a first outer race surrounding roller means of said first bearing means, second bearing means for directly rotatably supporting said shaft, said second bearing means including a second outer race surrounding roller means of said second bearing means, said second bearing means being engageable with said shaft at a position spaced axially from said first bearing means, a housing is surrounding relationship and spaced radially from said shaft and bearing means at least along the length of the shaft between said bearing means, lubricant supply means for supplying lubricant to each of said bearing means, and receiving sleeve means clampingly engaged with and extending between said first and second outer races, said sleeve means being spaced radially inwardly of internal walls of said housing and including lubricant conducting means for conducting lubricant away from each of said bearing means while maintaining said lubricant out of contact with said internal walls of said housing such that any heating up of the lubricant at said internal walls is prevented, wherein the housing is arranged in such a manner that it experiences substantial heat loads sufficient to distort the lubricant supplied to the bearing means, wherein said sleeve means includes a first sleeve part clampingly engaged with said first outer race and a second sleeve part clampingly engaged with said second outer race, said first and second sleeve parts being axially telescopingly slidable within one another, and wherein spring means are interposed between said first and second sleeve parts to resiliently force said first and second parts away from one another.

Claim 20

Apparatus according to claim 10, wherein each of said sleeve parts is engaged with an outer circumference of a corresponding one of said outer races such that axial thrust is transmitted partially by way of the second bearing directly on to the first part while relieving the first bearing.

Claim 21

Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein blocking air means are provided for supplying blocking air to preclude passage of said lubricant from said bearings to said compressor and turbine wheels.

Claim 22

Apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said sleeve means includes two separate lubricant discharge openings at the bottom thereof in said first part, said separate openings being disposed on respective opposite axial sides of a radially inwardly directed flange which abuts said spring means.

Claim 23

Apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said spring means is a compressed coil spring having opposite ends in abutting engagement with radially inwardly directed flanges at said first and second sleeve parts.

Claim 24

The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said first sleeve part is located adjacent a turbine wheel located on said shaft and said sleeve part is located adjacent a compressor wheel located on said shaft, wherein said first sleeve part is slid into said second sleeve part in an axially displaceable fit, and wherein said spring means are interposed between both sleeve parts such that axial thrust is transmitted by way of the second bearing directly on to the second sleeve part while the first bearing is being relieved.

Claim 25

The apparatus of claim 17, wherein an inner wall of the sleeve means engages each of said outer races in a surrounding relationship.

Claim 26

The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the sleeve means has an axial side which is freely axially displaceable such that it is capable of adjusting itself freely with respect to the housing.