Gas turbine engine lubrication system

Claim 1

IN A GAS TURBINE ENGINE HAVING A HOLLOW CORE ENGINE ROTOR MEANS DEFINING THE INNER BOUNDS OF AN ANNULAR GAS FLOW PATH THROUGH A CORE ENGINE; A HOLLOW ROTOR COMPRISING; A FAN ROTOR DISPOSED UPSTREAM OF SAID CORE ENGINE ROTOR MEANS AND HAVING A BLADED PORTION FOR PRESSURIZING AIR FOR DELIVERY THROUGH THE ANNULAR FLOW PATH TO SAID CORE ENGINE, A FAN TURBINE ROTOR DISPOSED DOWNSTREAM OF SAID CORE ENGINE ROTOR MEANS AND HAVING A BLADED PORTION DRIVEN BY THE ANNULAR GAS FLOW PATH FROM SAID CORE ENGINE, A RELATIVELY SMALL DIAMETER SHAFT EXTENDING THROUGH THE INTERIOR OF SAID CORE ENGINE ROTOR MEANS FOR INTERCONNECTING SAID FAN ROTOR AND SAID FAN TURBINE ROTOR, AT LEAST ONE BEARING ASSEMBLY FOR JOURNALING SAID FAN TURBINE ROTOR, A SUMP SURROUNDING SAID BEARING ASSEMBLY THROUGH WHICH LUBRICATING FLUID IS CIRCULATED, SEAL MEANS BETWEEN THE FAN TURBINE ROTOR AND SAID PUMP FOR MINIMIZING LEAKAGE OF LUBRICATING FLUID FROM SAID SUMP, A SEAL PRESSURIZATION CHAMBER SURROUNDING SAID SEAL MEANS, PASSAGEWAY MEANS CONNECTED TO THE FLOW PATH FROM THE BLADED PORTION OF SAID FAN ROTOR AND EXTENDING THROUGH THE INTERIOR OF SAID ROTOR TO SAID CHAMBER FOR THE SEAL MEANS, WHEREBY AIR FROM THE DISCHARGE STREAM OF SAID FAN ROTOR PRESSURIZES SAID SEALS TO PREVENT LEAKAGE OF LUBRICATING FLUID FROM SAID SUMP.