Patent ID: 6074336
Filing Date: 2000-06-13
Classification: B04B,F01M

Abstract:
A self-powered centrifugal separator of solid contaminants from a liquid lubricant, adapted to be operably mounted against a mounting surface of a machine in which said liquid lubricant is circulated by pumping from a reservoir, said separator comprisingi) a base having a first surface adapted to be mounted in an operable disposition against said mounting surface of said machine, and a second surface arranged with respect to said first surface to lie, with said first surface in said operable disposition, to be generally upwardly facing,ii) a liquid drain passage extending through the base from a collection region in said second surface to a surface other than said second surface,iii) spindle means extending from said second surface of the base along an operably substantially vertical axis above the collection region and containing an axially extending spindle passage,iv) a rotor, supported on said spindle means for rotation thereabout, having an annular contaminant container in communication with the spindle passage and, by way of reaction nozzle means, with the collection region, said annular contaminant container being operable in response to receipt of said pumped liquid lubricant from the spindle means at elevated pressure and ejection thereof from the reaction nozzle means to effect rotation of the annular contaminant container about the spindle means at such speed as to separate said solid contaminants from the liquid lubricant within the contaminant container,v) a removable cover supported on the base and enclosing the rotor and collection region,vi) a liquid lubricant supply passage extending through the base between said spindle passage and a surface other than said second surface, andvii) control valve means within said base operable to inhibit passage of liquid lubricant to said spindle passage to permit removal of the rotor contemporaneously with supply of pumped liquid lubricant at said elevated pressure to the supply passage in the base, and wherein the control valve means comprises a valve aperture extending through the base intersecting, and defining a portion of, said supply passage, a valve body extending along the valve aperture and displaceable with respect thereto between a valve-open position in which it permits free passage of liquid to said spindle passage and a valve-closed position in which it inhibits supply of liquid to the spindle passage; and further wherein an end part of the valve body extends from the aperture at a third surface of the base and the valve body is displaceable by said end part and further comprises interlock means operable to impede removal of the cover while the valve means is supplying liquid to the spindle passage, said interlock means comprising a projection of the cover defining an upwardly facing shoulder and displaceable abutment means arranged to overlie said shoulder to impede removal of the cover from the base by abutment therewith, said displaceable abutment means being coupled to said end part of the valve body whereby displacement of said displaceable abutment means from an overlying position is associated with displacement of the valve body from a valve-open position.