Abstract:
A lubricant filtration assembly is provided for quick attachment with a lubricant reservoir, for pre-filtering lubricant and pumping the lubricant into its intended machinery.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of co-pending provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/211,288, filed 27 Mar. 2009. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Lubrication is an important aspect of maintaining machinery in proper operating condition. Machine elements such as bearings, journals, shafts, and joints require proper lubrication between their moving surfaces to decrease friction, prevent contamination, reduce wear and dissipate heat. Improper lubrication is likely to lead to premature component wear and component or system failure. 
         [0003]    When determining the optimal lubrication between moving machine elements, many factors should be considered. These factors include the mode of operation of the machine, the type of machine element to be lubricated, the environment of the machine, the operating speed of the machine, the lubricant&#39;s viscosity, the lubricant&#39;s temperature, the lubricant&#39;s ingredients, and the lubricant&#39;s condition. 
         [0004]    It is particularly desirable to provide lubricant delivery to a machine element relatively free of sediment, debris, or other foreign material that could have damaging effects on the machine element. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    The present invention provides an oil filter for filtering oil after being pumped from a reservoir, such as a 50-gallon drum. The oil filter can be coupled to the outside of the drum and coupled to a drum pump, with a bracket being provided to couple the filter with a bung-engaging pathway for lubricant to be removed from the drum, filtered, and provided to the intended piece of machinery. 
         [0006]    Lubricant stored in drums prior to use is not necessarily contaminant-free, and the present invention is provide a filtration system to filter lubricant during removal from its storage container. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a lubricant filtration system of the present invention; 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is an exploded view of a lubricant filtration system of the present invention; 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is an overhead perspective view of components of a lubricant filtration system of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0010]    Although the disclosure hereof is detailed and exact to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, the physical embodiments herein disclosed merely exemplify the invention which may be embodied in other specific structure. While the preferred embodiment has been described, the details may be changed without departing from the invention. 
         [0011]    Referring now to  FIG. 1 , a perspective view of a lubricant filtration system  10  of the present invention is shown. The lubricant filtration system  10  is used to remove lubricant from drum  5 , filter the lubricant with filter  22 , and dispense the lubricant through dispensing handle  18 . 
         [0012]    One aspect of the invention is that the lubricant filtration system  10  can be removed from drums  5  and replaced onto new drums. Ordinarily it has been thought by end users that lubricant stored in drums prior to use is contaminant-free. However, it is now been learned that it is beneficial to filter lubricant even prior to its use by filtering the lubricant from its original container, as the original container can impart impurities to the lubricant prior to its first use. 
         [0013]    Lubricant intake  12  is coupled to the drum  5  at an opening, and through which lubricant is removed from drum  5  by either an electrical pump  14 , preferably a centrifugally operated pump, by pneumatic unit  15  if air driven pumps are available, or any other type of pumping mechanism. Lubricant intake  12  is coupled externally to the drum  5  with a hand wheel  16 , which has a threaded coupling for allowing easily the switching of different types of pumps, for instance electrical unit  14  can be unthreaded and switched with a pneumatic unit  15 . 
         [0014]    From the lubricant intake  12 , the lubricant is withdrawn from the drum  5  and transferred via pipe  36  into filter unit  22  by using adapter  36  and filter head  34 . The filter unit  22  is preferably coupled to the lubricant intake  12  by bracket  30 , held by clamps  32 , and adapter  36 . Lubricant is forced through filter unit  22  into discharge pipe  20 , ultimately to hand dispenser  18  so that the filtered lubricant can be dispensed. 
         [0015]    The unit is preferably grounded through grounding wires and couplings  26  and  28 , grounding both the pump  14 / 15 /barrel  5  and then the barrel  5  to ground. 
         [0016]    In a preferred embodiment, filter element(s)  22  are coupled directly to a drum pump  14  as a direct means of filtration. Although motor driven drum pumps  14  are shown, any pump type, such as piston pumps, or direct motor driven pumps could be employed. 
         [0017]    Referring now to  FIG. 2 , an exploded view of a lubricant filtration system  10  of the present invention is shown. Two pressure gauges  24  are provided at the upstream and downstream of filter unit  22 . Preferably filter unit  22  is easily detachable to a filter head  34  so that changing filter units  22  after contamination can be easily accomplished. 
         [0018]    Filter head  34  can receive threaded or other easily detachable couplings from both the adapter  36  coupled to the lubricant intake  12  at the upstream of filter unit  22 , and the dispensing line  20  coupled to the dispensing unit  18 . 
         [0019]    Gauges  24  are provided at the upstream and downstream of filter unit  22  so that a pressure differential can be detected, indicating a deterioration of the filter unit  22 , possibly necessitating a change of filter units  22  for filtration efficacy. 
         [0020]    Referring now to  FIG. 3 , an overhead perspective view of components of the lubricant filtration system  10  of the present invention is shown. Bracket  30  serves as a convenient port for carrying gauges  24  coupled through bracket  30  to filter head  34 , which in turn is removably coupled to filter  22 . Bracket  30  is coupled to lubricant intake  12 , which in turn carries hand wheel  16 . Hand wheel  16  is preferably provided with a threaded portion  42  for easily placing either electrical pump  14 , a pneumatic unit  15 , or any other type of pumping mechanism quickly and conveniently into communication through intake opening  40  through lubricant intake  12  into the drum  5  and associated lubricant. 
         [0021]    The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Furthermore, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described. While the preferred embodiment has been described, the details may be changed without departing from the invention, which is defined by the claims.