United States Patent (19) 11) Patent Number: 4,610,182

Heidrich 45) Date of Patent: Sep. 9, 1986

54 PLANETARY GEAR ARRANGED INA GEAR FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
HOUSING BETWEEN A JET ENGINE AND
AN ELECTRICAL ENGINE 205552 1/1957 Australia ............................... 74/801
245715 7/1965 Austria.
75 Inventor: Ginther Heidrich, Ortwang, Fed. 1295948 5/1969 Fed. Rep. of Germany ........ 74/801
Rep. of Germany 1214517 4/1960 France .................................. 74/801
73 Assignee: BHS-Bayerische Berg-Hutten-und 0013245 l/1983 Japan ..................................... 74/801
612709 11/1948 United Kingdom. ... 60/39.33
Salzwerk AG, Munich, Fed. Rep. of 664297 1/1952 United Kingdom .................. 74/801
Germany 1444778 8/1975 United Kingdom .................. 74/801
21 Appl. No.: 578,532 Primary Examiner-Kenneth J. Dorner
22 Filed: Feb. 9, 1984 Assistant Examiner-Dirk Wright
30 Foreign Application Priority Data Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Silverman, Cass, Singer &
Winburn, Ltd.
Mar. 28, 1983 (DE) Fed. Rep. of Germany ....... 3311310
57 ABSTRACT
51) Int. Cl. ............................................... F16H 1/28
52 U.S.C. ...................................... 74/801; 60/39.31 The planetary gear comprises a sun wheel seated on an
58) Field of Search ................. 74/801, 421 A, 421 R, impeller shaft of a jet engine, planet wheels rotatable on
74/410, 411; 60/39.31, 39.07, 39.33, 39.183 bearing pins which are clamped at one side, and a hol
56 References Cited low wheel ring gear. As a result of centering by the
planet wheels, the sun wheel provides a bearing for the
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS impeller shaft and the hollow wheel provides a bearing
3,021,731 2/1962 Stoeckicht ............................ 74/801 for a slow shaft of an electrical engine. Another bearing
3,088,278 5/1963 Franz ............. 60/39.31 X for the slow shaft may be designed as a radial/axial
3,258,995 7/1966 Bennett et al. ........................ 74/801 bearing arranged in the gear housings.The hollow wheel
3,434,374 3/1969 Barwig et al. . ... 74/8O1 10 itself is radially elastic and is fastened to the shaft by
3,459,072 8/1969 Shannon ........ ... 74/801 way of a thin-walled annular extension.
3,462,949 8/1969 Anderson et al. . ... 60/39.31
4,096,769 6/1978 Horikiri et al. ... ... 74/410 X
4,249,431 2/1981 Pruvot et al. ..................... 74/410 X 5 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures

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the slow shaft is provided by a bearing on the electrical
PLANETARY GEAR ARRANGED IN A GEAR engine.
HOUSING BETWEEN A JET ENGINE AND AN The invention will be described further, by way of
ELECTRICAL ENGINE example, with reference to the accompanying drawings,
in which:
TECHNICAL FIELD
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
This invention relates to a planetary gear arranged in
a gear housing between a jet engine and an electrical FIG. 1 is a schematic side view, partially in cross-sec
engine, and comprising a sun wheel seated on an impel O
tion, of a first embodiment of a planetary gear in accor
ler shaft of the jet engine, planet wheels which are dance with the invention, namely a straight or spur
rotatable on bearing pins clamped at one side, and a toothed planetary gear of free-standing construction;
planet wheel carrier which is connected to a slow, run FIG. 2 is a similar view of a second embodiment of
ning shaft, in which respect the sun wheel, being cen the invention, namely a single-helical-toothed planetary
tred by the planet wheels, forms a bearing for the impel 15 gear of free-standing construction; and
ler shaft. FIG. 3 is a similar view of a third embodiment of the
BACKGROUND ART invention, namely a straight-toothed planetary gear of
flange mounted construction.
A planetary gear of the aforementioned type is al
ready known in which the sun wheel is mounted in the 20 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE
planet wheel carrier which, for its part, provides a two ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS
sided mounting for the planet wheel pins. This con Two different embodiments of the planetary gear of
struction is complex and expensive to produce and as a the invention, both of a free-standing type of construc
result of the numerous bearings, entails fairly high fric tion, are illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. In this respect, the
tion losses. housing 12 surrounding the gear can be fastened by way
Also known is a rotary blower or a rotary compres 25 of feet arranged directly on the housing 12 or it can be
sor incorporating a planetary gear (AT-PS No. 245 flange-mounted on a housing of a jet engine by way of
715). In this arrangement, one end of the impeller shaft an installation part provided for this purpose. A clutch
is designed as a pinion and acts as the sun wheel of a 18 is disposed between electrical generator 14 and the
planetary gear having helical gearing which has three planetary gear. This clutch 18 compensates for shaft
or more planet wheels. These planet wheels rotate on 30 displacements and can, depending on requirements, be
the trunnions of a stationary planet wheel carrier. A torsionally-stiff or torsionally-elastic.
hollow wheel with internal toothing is mounted only in
toothed engagement with the planet wheels. Connec The straight-toothed planetary gear shown in FIG. 1
tion to an electric motor is achieved by way of a mov comprises a sun wheel 33, planet wheels 4 which are
able toothed clutch or gear coupling. In this respect one 35 mounted by way of planet wheel pins 7 on a stationary
half of the toothed clutch is formed by the hollow planet wheel carrier 6, and a hollow wheel ring gear 10.
wheel, whereas the other half of the toothed clutch is The sun wheel 33 is arranged on an impeller shaft 1
securely keyed onto the free end of the shaft of the which carries an impeller 2 of the jet engine. The impel
electric motor. Thus there is considerable structural ler shaft 1, the impeller 2 and the sun wheel33 together
complexity and the bearings of the electric motor also form one unit. This shaft 1 is guided radially and axially
have to be used to carry one half of the movable in a bearing 3 and it is also guided by the toothed en
toothed clutch. gagement of the sun wheel33 with the planet wheels 4.
The object of the present invention is to provide a Adjacent the bearing 3 for the impeller shaft 1 there is
planetary gear of the type mentioned at the beginning a seal 5.
which is simpler in construction and is more effective 45 The housing 12 of the planetary gear is sealed on the
than known gears of this type. left-hand side in FIG. 1 by a housing flange which also
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION forms the planet carrier. The bearing pins 7 for the
planet wheels 4 are clamped on one side of this planet
This object is achieved in accordance with the inven carrier 6. Preferably, sliding bearings 35 are provided
tion in that in a planetary gear of the aforementioned 50
for the planet wheels 4 on the pins 7. Axial guidance of
type (a) as a result of the centering of the planet wheels, the planet wheels 4 is accomplished by buffer discs or
the hollow wheel forms a bearing for the slow shaft, (b) washers 8 and 9.
the hollow wheel is radially elastic in design, and (c) the The hollow wheel 10 is designed so as to be radially
hollow wheel is fastened to the slow shaft by way of a elastic so that the uniform power transfer in the plane
thin-walled annular extension. 55
tary gear is improved and an arrangement including
In this way a planetary gear is advantageously pro
vided for a special range of applications in a compact more than three planet wheels is possible.
mode of construction, and, as a result of the reduced The hollow wheel 10 is connected by way of a thin
number of bearings and the reduced structural complex walled annular extension 11 to a flange 16 of a slow-run
ity, a reduction in costs, friction losses and overall 60 ning shaft 19 of an electrical engine 14. The slow gear
length is achieved. shaft 19 is connected rigidly to the hollow wheel 10 by
In one favourable embodiment of the planetary gear way of expansion screws (not shown). This shaft 19 is
of the invention another bearing for the slow shaft is guided in a roller bearing 20, for example an angularly
provided as a radial and/or axial bearing arranged in the movable self-aligning roller bearing and, similarly to the
gear housing. 65 impeller shaft 1, it is also guided by toothed engagement
In another favourable embodiment, the gear housing between the hollow wheel 10 and the planet wheels 4.
is connected to the housing of the electrical engine by A seal 13 serves to seal off housing 12 at the slow gear
way of concentric centerings, and another bearing for side.
 3
4,610, 182
4.
Straight or spur toothing is provided in the case of In the case of all three types of construction, only one
the planetary gear shown in FIG. 1. The particular sliding bearing 3 is provided for guidance of the impel
toothing geometry ensures accurate centring of the sun ler shaft 1. As a result of no longer providing a second
wheel 33 and the hollow wheel 10 respectively, high sliding bearing at the slow-running gearing side (as is
carrying capacity (bearing strength) and good dynamic present in the prior art) the bearing friction losses are
behaviour. Any deformations are compensated for by reduced quite considerably and a higher gearing effi
profile and longitudinal corrections. ciency is thus achieved.
The tooth flanks of the planet wheels 4 are slightly In FIG. 3, the bearing pins 7 for the planet wheels 4
rounded or crowned so that the toothed engagements project from the planet wheel carrier 6, which can also
are somewhat flexible. In other words, this measure 10 provide a housing flange. Compared with the conven
avoids excessive specific loadings at the tooth ends, tional planet wheel carrier construction as a cage with
which might arise as a result of axis displacements (due two side discs and connecting webs, this construction
to slight errors of production or alignment) between the results in a reduction in production costs, a simpler
planet wheel carrier 6 and the impeller shaft 6 or the 15 wheel set mounting, a rapid and low-friction removal of
slow shaft 19 respectively. lubricating oil from the wheel set and thus a further
In particular cases it can be advantageous to provide increase in the efficiency.
a single-helical-toothing on the sun wheel 33, on the In all types of construction the housing 12 can also be
planet wheels 4 and on the hollow wheel 10, as shown horizontally divided.
in FIG. 2), instead of the straight-toothed planetary 20 The straight toothing in the embodiments shown in
FIGS. 1 and 3, permits a very simple mounting and
gear shown in FIG.1. In this case, thrust rings 40 and 41 dismounting
are fastened to the sun wheel 33 and thrust rings 42 and spection. Theofalignment parts for assembly, alignment and in
of the jet engine is dispensed
43 are fastened to the hollow wheel 10.
with as a result of concentric
These aforementioned thrust rings serve to compen ment shown in FIG. 3, the alignment centerings. In the embodi
sate for the axial force components which arise with this 5 engine with regard to the
sort of tooth arrangement. They are also capable of 14 is obviated.
transmitting axial forces, introduced into the gear from tling The sun wheel 33 can be removed without disman
the gear, for example for mounting of the curva
the outside to the opposite side by way of the wheel set ture impeller,
without the toothings being additionally loaded. If, for for balancing and for tooth inspection.
example, an axial thrust Pacts on the sun wheel 33 from 30 After separation of the planet wheel carrier 6 from
the impeller 2, the thrust rings 40, the planet wheels 4 the housing, the gear may be rapidly taken apart into its
essential constituent parts. All the parts are easily acces
and the thrust rings 42 transmit this axial thrust to the sible for inspection and for repairs. The re-assembly of
slow gear side. The transmission of these axial forces is the gear
effected at the thrust rings by a low-friction rolling centeringisofalsothevery simple, as a result of the concentric
wheels.
nOVenent.
35 I claim:
In the case of high speeds of rotation and great axial 1. A planetary gear transmission mounted in a gear
thrusts at the fast side (the side of the impeller shaft 1), housing between a jet engine having a high speed impel
the construction in accordance with FIG. 2, has the ler shaft and an electric generator having a slow speed
following advantages. The axial part, of the bearing 3, shaft comprising, a sun gear fixed on said impeller shaft,
which would be highly loaded in such cases, can be 40 a stationary planet carrier, a plurality of planet gears,
dispensed with. External axial thrusts are transmitted in each planet gear being mounted for rotation on a bear
a low-loss manner by way of the thrust rings 40 and 42 ing pin fixed to said carrier, said planet gears being
or 41 and 43 respectively to the slow side and are ab arranged around said sun gear and in mesh therewith,
sorbed there without any problems by the existing ax and a hollow wheel ring gear having internal teeth
ial/radial bearing 20. The noise behaviour of the helical 45 arranged
toothing is better than that of the straight or spur tooth with, said aroundring
said planet gears and in mesh there
gear having a thin-walled annular exten
ling. sion connected to said slow speed shaft for imparting
Buffer discs or washers are not necessary, since the motion thereto and to provide a predetermined amount
planet wheels 4 are guided by the thrust rings in the of radial elasticity, said sun gear and planet gears to
construction shown in FIG. 2. 50 gether defining a bearing for the impeller shaft and said
Single-helical toothing can also be employed in a hollow wheel ring gear serving as a supporting bearing
flange-mounted type of construction, similar to that for said slow speed shaft, and additional bearing means
shown in FIG. 3, and with the mounting of the slow in said gear housing for said slow speed shaft.
shaft as shown there. 2. A planetary gear transmission as defined in claim 1,
FIG. 3 illustrates a planetary gear of the invention of 55 wherein the additional bearings means for the slow
flange-mounted type of construction for attachment to speed shaft comprises a roller bearing.
the electrical engine 14. In this respect, roller bearings 3. A planetary gear transmission mounted in a gear
15 which possess, in the operating state, a very small housing between a jet engine having a high speed impel
radial clearance are provided for mounting the shaft 19 ler shaft and an electric generator having a slow speed
of the electrical engine 14. This results in almost play 60 shaft comprising a sun gear fixed on said impeller shaft,
free concentric guidance of the slow shaft 19 which a stationary planet carrier a plurality of planet gears,
makes it possible to connect the hollow wheel 10 rig each planet gear being mounted for rotation on a bear
idly, by way of a thin-walled flexible annular extension ing pin fixed to said carrier, said planet gears being
11, to the flange 16 by way of expansion screws (not arranged around said sun gear and in mesh therewith,
shown). In this way, the number of shaft bearings is 65 and a hollow wheel ring gear having internal teeth
reduced and there are smaller bearing friction losses and arranged around said planet gears and in mesh there
lower production costs and the overall length is short with, said ring gear having a thin-walled annular exten
ened. sion connected to said slow speed shaft for imparting
 4,610, 182
5 6
motion thereto and to provide a predetermined amount wherein said sun gear and planet gears have helical gear
of radial elasticity, said sun gear and planet gears to teeth and further including annular thrust ring means at
gether forming a bearing for the impeller shaft and said each end of said sun gear and on said hollow wheel ring
hollow wheel ring gear seving as a supporting bearing gear adjacent each end of said planet gears.
for said slow speed shaft, and additional bearing means 5. A planetary gear transmission as defined in claim 1,
on said generator for said slow speed shaft. wherein the gear teeth
sk
ofk thek planet
sk k
gears are crowned.
4. A planetary gear transmission as defined in claim 1,

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