A vacuum pump includes a housing assembly having an oil-reservoir chamber
in which a lubricating oil is stored; a pair of screw rotors disposed in
the housing assembly and engaged with each other; a pair of rotary shafts
connected to the rotors, respectively; a plurality of bearings supporting
each of the rotary shafts and having an opening; an oil-feed pump for
feeding the lubricating oil from the oil-reservoir chamber to the
bearing; an oil-circulation passage provided for circulating the
lubricating oil from the oil-feed pump to the oil-reservoir chamber
through the bearing; a cover provided at the opening of the bearing to
close the opening of the bearing with a clearance remained, the cover
permitting the lubricating oil to enter the bearing through the
clearance; and an oil-escape passage provided adjacent to the bearing for
returning to the oil-reservoir chamber the lubricating oil not entering
the bearing.