Air turbine starter

1. An air turbine starter comprising:

a housing having a primary inlet and primary outlet to define a primary air flow path from the primary inlet to the primary outlet;

a gear box located within a gearbox section and having a drive shaft and an output shaft, with a gear train, including a carrier, operably coupling the drive shaft and the output shaft;

a turbine having a rotor coupled to the drive shaft and a plurality of circumferentially spaced blades extending from the rotor;

a first bearing assembly rotatably supporting the drive shaft relative to the housing;

a second bearing assembly in contact with and rotatably supporting the carrier relative to the drive shaft; and

a third bearing assembly configured to rotatably support the carrier and located between the carrier and a second portion of the housing.

2. The air turbine starter of claim 1 , wherein the first bearing assembly is axially located between the rotor and the gear train.

3. The air turbine starter of claim 2 , wherein the second bearing assembly is axially located downstream of the gear box.

4. The air turbine starter of claim 1 , wherein the third bearing assembly is axially located downstream of the gear train.

5. The air turbine starter of claim 4 , wherein at least a portion of the third bearing assembly circumscribes at least a portion of the second bearing assembly.

6. The air turbine starter of claim 1 , further comprising a seal dividing an interior of the housing into a turbine section and the gearbox section.

7. An air turbine starter comprising:

a housing defining an interior having a primary inlet and a primary outlet to define a primary air flow path from the primary inlet to the primary outlet;

a turbine located in the interior that includes a rotor with a plurality of circumferentially spaced blades that extend into the primary air flow path;

a drive shaft operably coupled with the turbine;

a gear box located in the interior and including a gear train coupled to the drive shaft;

a first bearing assembly configured to rotatably support the drive shaft and located between the drive shaft and a first portion of the housing;

a second bearing assembly in contact with and configured to rotatably support a carrier coupled to the gear train relative to at least one of the drive shaft or an output shaft; and

a third bearing assembly in contact with and configured to rotatably support the carrier and located between the carrier and a second portion of the housing.

8. The air turbine starter of claim 7 , wherein the first bearing assembly is axially located between the rotor and the gear train.

9. The air turbine starter of claim 8 , wherein the second bearing assembly is axially located downstream of the gear box.

10. The air turbine starter of claim 9 , further comprising a fourth bearing assembly configured to rotatably support the output shaft relative to a third portion of the housing.

11. The air turbine starter of claim 7 , wherein at least a portion of the third bearing assembly circumscribes at least a portion of the second bearing assembly.

12. The air turbine starter of claim 7 , wherein the first bearing assembly is located at a first radial distance measured from an axis of rotation to an inner portion of a first bearing inner race and the second bearing assembly is located at a second radial distance measured from the axis of rotation to the inner portion of a second bearing inner race, wherein the first radial distance is greater than or equal to the second radial distance.

13. The air turbine starter of claim 7 , wherein the second bearing assembly is located at a second radial distance and the third bearing assembly is located at a third radial distance measured from an axis of rotation to an inner portion of a third bearing inner race, wherein the second radial distance is less than the third radial distance.

14. An air turbine starter comprising:

a housing having a primary inlet and primary outlet to define a primary air flow path from the primary inlet to the primary outlet;

a gear box located within a gearbox section and having a drive shaft and an output shaft, with a gear train, including a carrier, operably coupling the drive shaft and the output shaft;

a turbine having a rotor coupled to the drive shaft and a plurality of circumferentially spaced blades extending from the rotor;

a first bearing assembly rotatably supporting the drive shaft relative to a first portion of the housing;

a second bearing assembly rotatably supporting the carrier relative to at least one of the drive shaft or housing, or rotatably supporting the output shaft relative the housing; and

a third bearing assembly configured to rotatably support the carrier and located between the carrier and a second portion of the housing;

wherein the first bearing assembly is located at a first radial distance measured from an axis of rotation to an inner portion of a first bearing inner race, and the second bearing assembly is located at a second radial distance measured from the axis of rotation to the inner portion of a second bearing inner race, wherein the first radial distance is greater than or equal to the second radial distance.

15. The air turbine starter of claim 14 , wherein the third bearing assembly is located at a third radial distance measured from the axis of rotation to the inner portion of a third bearing inner race, wherein the third radial distance is greater than the second radial distance.

16. The air turbine starter of claim 14 , wherein the first bearing assembly is axially located between the rotor and the gear train.

17. The air turbine starter of claim 14 , wherein the second bearing assembly is axially located downstream of the gear box.

18. The air turbine starter of claim 14 , wherein at least a portion of the third bearing assembly circumscribes at least a portion of the second bearing assembly.

19. The air turbine starter of claim 14 , further comprising a fourth bearing assembly configured to rotatably support the output shaft relative to a third portion of the housing.