US4741155A — Lubrication method and apparatus

Claim 1

Independent Claim 147 words

In a combustion turbine engine comprising a bearing member journaling a rotatable component, and compressor means providing pressurized air, the method of providing liquid lubricant to said bearing member comprising the steps of: providing said liquid lubricant sealed within a collapsible and penetrable bladder member; enclosing said bladder member and lubricant within a substantially closed housing sealingly cooperating with said bladder member to define a pair of chambers; arranging a penetrating lance member in one of said pair of chambers in confronting relationship with said bladder member; providing communication of said pressurized air with the other of said pair of chambers to force said bladder member into impaled sealing relationship with said lance member; communicating said lubricant to said bearing member via said lance member; and utilizing said pressurized air within said other chamber to collapse said bladder member, simultaneously flowing said lubricant to said bearing member.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 147 words

In a combustion turbine engine comprising a bearing member journaling a rotatable component, and compressor means providing pressurized air, the method of providing liquid lubricant to said bearing member comprising the steps of: providing said liquid lubricant sealed within a collapsible and penetrable bladder member; enclosing said bladder member and lubricant within a substantially closed housing sealingly cooperating with said bladder member to define a pair of chambers; arranging a penetrating lance member in one of said pair of chambers in confronting relationship with said bladder member; providing communication of said pressurized air with the other of said pair of chambers to force said bladder member into impaled sealing relationship with said lance member; communicating said lubricant to said bearing member via said lance member; and utilizing said pressurized air within said other chamber to collapse said bladder member, simultaneously flowing said lubricant to said bearing member.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 77 words

The method of claim 1 further including the steps of: configuring said housing to define said one chamber within a circular bore; providing said bladder member with a shape-retaining neck portion of circular section generally matching said bore; movably and sealingly disposing said neck portion within said bore to separate said one chamber from said other chamber; and providing said neck portion with a penetrable diaphragm sealingly cooperable with said lance member and in confronting relation therewith.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 98 words

The method of claim 2 further including the steps of: providing said neck portion with a radially outwardly and axially extending lip terminating in a circumferentially continuous sealing edge cooperable with said bore and disposed toward the remainder of said bladder member; configuring said bore with a reduced diameter portion cooperating with the remainder of said bore to define a shoulder thereon disposed toward said one chamber; cooperatively engaging said lip member with said shoulder in a first relative position to captively retain said neck portion within said bore with said diaphragm in confrontation with said lance member.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 56 words

The method of claim 1 further including the steps of: arranging said housing in heat transfer relation with a casing of said combustion turbine engine which is heated by operation thereof; transferring operating heat from said engine casing to said housing; and utilizing said transferred heat to warm said liquid lubricant and decrease the viscosity thereof.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 31 words

The method of claim 1 further including the step of interposing selectably operable valve means in fluid flow series between said compressor means source of pressurized air and said other chamber.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 20 words

The method of claim 1 including the step of configuring said housing in generally conformal relationship with said engine casing.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 141 words

Apparatus comprising: a housing member defining a substantially closed cavity therewithin, and a bore opening at one end to said cavity, said housing member defining a wall portion substantially closing the other end of said bore; a closed collapsible bladder disposed within said housing chamber and holding a determined quantity of liquid, said bladder including a shape-retaining neck portion received within said bore, said neck portion including means for sealingly and movably cooperating with said bore to define a variable-volume chamber therewithin adjacent said wall portion, said sealing means comprising said neck portion integrally defining a radially outwardly and axially extending lip sealingly and movably engaging said bore, said neck portion carrying a penetrable diaphragm member; penetrating means disposed within said variable-volume chamber in confronting relationship with said diaphragm for penetrating the latter and communicating said liquid to a receiver therefor.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 141 words

Apparatus comprising: a housing member defining a substantially closed cavity therewithin, and a bore opening at one end to said cavity, said housing member defining a wall portion substantially closing the other end of said bore; a closed collapsible bladder disposed within said housing chamber and holding a determined quantity of liquid, said bladder including a shape-retaining neck portion received within said bore, said neck portion including means for sealingly and movably cooperating with said bore to define a variable-volume chamber therewithin adjacent said wall portion, said sealing means comprising said neck portion integrally defining a radially outwardly and axially extending lip sealingly and movably engaging said bore, said neck portion carrying a penetrable diaphragm member; penetrating means disposed within said variable-volume chamber in confronting relationship with said diaphragm for penetrating the latter and communicating said liquid to a receiver therefor.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 40 words

The invention of claim 7 wherein said bore is stepped to provide a shoulder spaced from and confronting said wall portion, said lip engaging said shoulder in a first relative position to captively retain said neck portion within said bore.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 22 words

The invention of claim 8 further including yieldable resilient means for urging said housing and neck portion to said first relative position.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 41 words

The invention of claim 9 further including means to pressurize said housing cavity whereby said neck portion is forced into said bore to a second relative position to impale said diaphragm upon said lance and communicate said liquid to said receiver.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 33 words

The invention of claim 8 wherein said penetrating means comprises a tubular lance member including a shank extending axially and centrally of said bore to terminate in a sharp tip confronting said diaphragm.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1991-05-03	1991-11-02	1992-05-03	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1995-05-03	1995-11-02	1996-05-03	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1999-05-03	1999-11-02	2000-05-03	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Lubrication method and apparatus

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