Patent ID: 7588526

Claim:
A centrifuge, in particular, a separator, having a. a rotating, vertically oriented drive spindle, which is supported on a machine frame by a bearing device, which exhibits at least one step bearing or lower thrust bearing and preferably one upper collar bearing, which are arranged in a common frame and lubrication space, which in its lower region is fashioned as an oil pan, the step bearing being supported in a machine frame along with an external bearing ring or bearing guide ring and/or a bearing housing enclosing the step bearing, the oil level in the oil pan lying below the step bearing when the drive spindle is not rotating, b. a fin, which rotates along with the drive spindle ( 2 ) and serves to generate a flow of air, wherein c. the step bearing is enclosed by a cup element having a cylindrical outer shell and one open axial end and one closed axial end, through which cup element the drive spindle passes in centric fashion, and the drive spindle and the cup element being connected to each other so as to be rotationally fixed relative to each other, d. the at least one fin is arranged directly on the drive spindle or on an element rotating with the drive spindle inside the cup element below the step bearing, and e. the cup element is provided with one or a plurality of penetrations or holes, so that an underpressure or partial vacuum can be generated when the centrifuge is in operation, which underpressure draws the swirled-up oil mist of air and oil through the holes of the cup element into the cup element and from the top through the step bearing.