Patent ID: 8746986

Claim:
A spline lubrication apparatus for lubricating a spline of a pump drive, said apparatus comprising: a housing; a shaft having a first and a second end and an external surface extending between said first and second ends, said external surface defining a plurality of longitudinally extending splines such that said shaft defines a rotatable spline disposed within said housing; a gear rotatably supported within said housing, said gear including an internally splined bore for the rotatable reception therein of said rotatable spline such that said rotatable spline extends through said bore with said plurality of splines intermeshing with said internally splined bore; a bearing having a first and a second extremity, said bearing being disposed between said gear and said housing for bearingly supporting said gear for rotation within said housing; a shield disposed adjacent to one of said extremities of said bearing for diverting a portion of a flow of lubricant flowing through said bearing so that said portion of said flow of lubricant flows through said bore between said plurality of splines and said drivingly connected internally splined bore for inhibiting fretting corrosion of said splines and splined bore; said gear including: a rotatable sleeve which defines an annular collar which cooperates with said bearing; said sleeve defining a further internally splined bore; an insert of cylindrical configuration, said insert having a cylindrical surface which defines externally extending splines which cooperate with said internally splined bore of said sleeve, said insert defining said internally splined bore which cooperates with said plurality of splines of said rotatable spline; an adapter secured to said housing; said adapter defining a cavity for the rotatable reception therein of said splines and splined bore; and a plurality of pockets in fluid communication with said cavity such that in use of said apparatus, when said splines and splined bore are rotating within said cavity and said flow of lubricant is fed to said cavity for lubricating said splines and splined bore, said flow of said lubricant within said cavity around said splines and splined bore is interrupted by said pockets so that said flow of lubricant collects within said pockets and cascades onto said splines and splined bore for enhancing the lubrication thereof.