Abstract: A self-powered centrifugal separator, for separating particulate contaminants from a liquid lubricant of an automobile engine, includes a rotor container rotatable about an axle to which it is journalled by bushes. When the engine is running, a film of pressurized liquid between the bushes and axle lubricates them and provides radial stiffness, but when the engine stops and liquid supply ceases, radial stiffness is reduced and the partially emptying container may vibrate and create wind-down noise. At least one bush, which normally provides a horizontal thrust bearing to support the weight of the container at low speed, has, with the axle portion it surrounds, a region tapering in diameter to center the container with respect to the axle and provide both radial and axial support.

Abstract: A centrifugal separator (FIG. 1) has a base adapted to be mounted to a surface of a machine, such as an engine, with internally communicating high pressure liquid lubricant supply and low pressure drain passages. The base includes a control valve to inhibit supply to the rotor via spindle so that the cover and rotor can be removed whilst the base is still connected to the source of high liquid pressure. The valve takes the form of an aperture containing a valve body rotatable by handle to close the supply passage or (FIG. 2) create a diversion passage directly to the drain passage. An interlock device may be provided to impede cover removal with the valve open and/or impede accidental closure of the valve.

Abstract: Apparatus for conditioning liquid such as lubricating oil of an engine in respect of cleaning it and regulating its temperature has, integrated into a single housing which is coupled to the engine block with aligned passages, a full flow cleaning element, a bypass centrifugal cleaning element and a heat exchanger element, the latter being formed as part of single closure element for the housing and removable for access to the cleaning elements. The heat exchange element may be disposed elsewhere in the housing and share a chamber with the full flow heating element, possibly one surrounding the other. The heat exchange element may be part of heat exchange apparatus which responds to the temperature of the liquid to effect heating or cooling to maintain a demanded temperature.

Abstract: A tilting pad thrust bearing assembly comprises an annular body which carries an array of bearing pads either as discrete pads or in an integral ring. The pads are manufactured with opposite faces flat, that is, without the usual radially extending fulcrum ridges, such ridges being provided by a shim member disposed between the pads and a correspondingly flat surface of the carrier body. The fulcrum ridges are defined by folded back tabs displacing the shim material or by pleating the shim material. This construction permits the consumable bearing pads to be made profitable more easily and cheaply.

Abstract: A liquid cleaning system, which includes a barrier type filter having a back-flush arrangement for recovering filter contaminants from the back-flushed liquid which is available only at a low, not necessarily consistent, rate, includes a fluid-powered centrifugal cleaner which, in addition to the normal shaft-mounted rotor through which liquid is passed to separate contaminants centrifugally due to rotor speed, includes fluid drive means in the form of fluid reaction drive nozzles supplied with pumped liquid from the system as a drive fluid to rotate the rotor at a speed above the minimum to effect centrifugal separation of the contaminants from the back-flushed liquid in the rotor and accumulation of the outlet of the rotor. The spent drive fluid mixes with the cleaned back-flushed liquid in a discharge region and both may be re-used in the system.

Abstract: A centrifugal fluid cleaning system includes a centrifugal cleaner through which a proportion of a circulated fluid is diverted, and a drainage assistance arrangement which includes a venturi arrangement through which non-diverted fluid is passed, the venturi developing locally a significant pressure drop in a region into which opens an induction port connected to the cleaner holding sump so that the cleaned fluid is entrained into the non-diverted fluid and returned to the circulation. While the pressure difference between inlet and induction ports is sufficient to drive the centrifugal cleaner rotor, the absolute pressures of the supply to, and drain from, the cleaner do not depend on the ambient atmospheric pressure and the overall pressure drop of the venturi arrangement is small, permitting it to be included within a closed circulation system. A pressure regulator permits bypass of the venturi arrangement to regulate the flow of fluid therethrough.

Abstract: A full-flow fluid filter assembly is provided including a large pore size screen disposed in series with a relatively smaller pore size screen, together with a device responsive to obstruction of the smaller pore size screen to cause substantially all of the fluid flow to pass only through the large pore size screen. The arrangement is such that during use the fluid passes through both screens and, during bypassing of the smaller pore size screen, passes through at least the larger pore size screen. The device may be a one-way valve adapted to respond to increased back pressure developed across the small pore size screen. Preferably, the small pore size screen is provided with a shield or baffle adapted to minimize direct impingement of the fluid flow on the small pore size screen with the result of entrainment of debris from the small pore size screen during bypassing of this screen.

Abstract: This invention relates to vertical bearing assemblies employed to support vertically extending rotatable shafts and provide thrust and/or journal bearing support therefor, and in particular relates to lubricant arrangements therefor.

Abstract: A rotor for a centrifugal separator includes a casing with an internal separation cone which defines an annular, radial opening between the cone and a central support tube. The area in mm.sup.2 of the radial opening between the cone and central tube is on the order of 60-120 times the throughput of the separator in liters/minute.

Abstract: This invention relates to journal bearings of the tilting pad type in which a ring of circumferentially spaced bearing pads are disposed in a housing to surround coaxially a rotating shaft, and are capable of tilting in the housing on at least an axis substantially parallel with the shaft.

Abstract: A back-up bearing arrangement (25) for a magnetic bearing (12, 13) includes a stationary dry running bearing material (30) and a rotable collar (26) which runs in abutment where with upon failure of the magnetic bearing. To avoid adhesive wear due to localised welding or melting of bearing material at surface asperities because of the inability of collar material (chosen to withstand centrifugal stresses at high rotation rates) to remove it adequately, the contact-making face of the collar is plated with a layer of copper on which is deposited a thin layer of titanium nitride.

Abstract: In a centrifugal separator of the kind used for liquids such as oil, a rotor contains a separation cone interposed between the main volume of the rotor and the outlet nozzles which, in use, cause the rotor to spin. This cone includes a plurality of radially extending ribs.

Abstract: A fluid filter cartridge is disclosed herein. The filter cartridge includes a generally tubular casing closed at one end and having at the opposite, open end, an annular member defining a filter element receiving aperture and provided with a single seal extending circumferentially of the casing and projecting axially away from the casing. The filter element includes a base ring and a generally tubular filter screen extending from the base ring to an end closure therefor. The base ring and tubular filter screen are dimensioned to fit within the filter receiving aperture. A removable connection is provided between the annular member and the base ring whereby the filter element is removably retained in the casing after rotation of the filter element about its axis relative to the axis of the casing.

Abstract: An electromagnetic axial shaft bearing 50 (FIG. 2 ) reduces rotational stresses on a ferromagnetic rotor 14' by reducing its radius and displacing inwardly the radially outer, axially extending part 51 of the stator core 15 containing an axial groove 18 and electromagnet coil 19 so that the outer stator pole 22 overlies the stator electromagnet coil.

Abstract: A back-up bearing (50, FIG. 1) is provided for a magnetic journal or thrust bearing by a source of pressurized fluid 52 (such as gas), channels 51 supplying the fluid to the suspension gap 30 between moving bearing armature 25 and stationary armature pole faces 28.sub.1, 29.sub.1, and magnet control means 56 responsive to a decrease in gap width at any point below an acceptable minimum to supply the fluid by way of the channel(s) to the gap to form a hydrostatic bearing between stationary and movable armatures to aid or replace the magnetic bearing support. In a journal bearing, (FIG. 3) in which coil-containing spaces (62) exist between radially extending armature limbs the spaces may be closed by an apertured bridging piece (64) extending between pole faces and fluid supplied via that space to provide both increased hydrostatic bearing area and a way of cooling the coil by a low pressure fluid bleed at all times.

Abstract: A magnetic bearing arrangement for a rotatable shaft 11 including electromagnetic journal bearings 20, 21 and electromagnetic thrust bearings 22, 23, is provided with back-up bearings provided as hydrostatic journal bearings 50, 51 and thrust bearings 52, 53. The hydrostatic bearings are energized by controls 63 responsive to detected failure of the magnetic bearing to support the shaft in any particular direction within a permitted range of displacements and supplied with fluid at such pressure to support the shaft on a fluid film at all speeds down to rest. Preferably the fluid is a gas.

Abstract: Laminated stator and rotor components for a magnetic thrust bearing each include a plurality of generally radially directed laminations (10) whose roots lie along the axis of rotation of a shaft located by the bearing and whose distal portions are progressively twisted relative to the axis such that the width of any lamination (t, t') at any given radial distance from the root corresponds to at least the circumferential separation between adjacent laminations at that distance.

Abstract: Laminated stator (15, 16) and rotor components (11) of a magnetic thrust bearing comprise a plurality of generally radially disposed laminations (2) fixed at their inner end to a cylindrical hub (3), the laminations all being curved in the same direction so that their outer tips lie in a common cylindrical plane (6) which is concentric with said hub (3).

Abstract: An assembly in which a rotating shaft is supported by a magnetic bearing has a back-up bearing to support the shaft in the event of failure of the magnetic bearing, the back-up bearing comprising one or more coaxial bearing parts each including cylindrical rolling elements supported on a single raceway, or each part comprising a ball race with radially inner and outer raceways. If a radially outer raceway is provided it is secured to an anchorage, such as a housing. A layer of dry bearing material is secured to rotate with each raceway to be rotated by the shaft, the dry bearing material having a surface opposite to the shaft. After any failure of the magnetic bearing the shaft is contacted by the layer of dry bearing material, and the rolling elements are brought up to speed at a slower rate than otherwise would be the case, because of slipping of the shaft relative to the dry bearing material.

Abstract: An assembly in which a rotating shaft is supported by a magnetic bearing has a backup bearing to support the shaft in the event of failure of the magnetic bearing. If the bearing portion of the backup bearing comprises a ball race, the radially outer raceway thereof is secured to an anchorage, such as a housing for the assembly. A low stiffness damper member in the form of an annular shaped body of resilient material also is included in the backup bearing, between the bearing portion thereof and the anchorage. Advantageously, when the magnetic bearing has failed, and the shaft is being brought to rest by being in contact with the backup bearing, the resilient body is in shear, and the body has a lower stiffness than otherwise would be the case. Thus, any tendency for the backup bearing, and/or the anchorage, to be damaged while the shaft is being brought to rest, is reduced, because the provision of the low stiffness damper causes the shaft to have a low natural frequency of oscillation.