Patent ID: 6199662
Filing Date: 2001-03-13
Classification: F16N

Abstract:
The bearing protector comprising: a substantially round outer tube with an open end, said open end being the front of the tube, including a flanged end said flanged end being the rear of the said tube and a median portion said median portion being between a ledge at the front and a relief cavity in a form of a groove near the rear in front of the flange, said groove incorporated in and around an internal wall within said median portion and wherein the ledge, the relief cavity and the flange are formed in the tube and said tube is a one piece construction; a spring being means to urge forward a one piece cupped piston incorporating a lip having scaling means against the wall in said median portion, said lip being larger in diameter than an internal wall around the ledge and the wall within the median portion but smaller than the radial diameter of the groove in the relief cavity, a grease nipple fitted to said piston being means to pump grease forward of the piston and wherein said piston is made from flexible material, therefore enabling the spring and the piston to be fitted through the front of the tube with the spring placed against the flange inside the tube, with the piston against the spring and wherein the piston is forcibly pushed against the spring and past the ledge into the median portion where the piston and the spring are locked within said median portion with the lip of the piston against the ledge and the spring against the flange therefore requiring no other assistance to retain said piston and spring within said median portion wherein the piston is moveable between the ledge, a position where there is no pressure on the grease as the lip of said piston rests against the ledge and in sealing contact against the internal wall within said median portion, including a position anywhere between the ledge and the relief cavity where the grease is under positive pressure urged by the spring on the piston and a position where the piston lip being disposed within the groove and between the inner and outer surfaces of the tube and out of sealing contact with the internal wall within said median portion.