Cover and seal for power driven threading machine oil reservoir

A removable cover and seal is disclosed for the oil reservoir of a power driven threading machine to facilitate transportation and storage of the machine without having to drain the oil reservoir. The cover is comprised of sheet metal having a flange about the outer peripheral edge thereof which conforms to the contour of the inner surface of the oil reservoir and is provided with a neoprene sealing gasket adapted to be compressed between the flange and inner surface of the oil reservoir when in covering and sealing relationship therewith. The cover is removably mounted on the reservoir and biased to maintain the sealing gasket compressed against the reservoir walls by means of spring clips mounted on the cover and interengaging with portions of the machine housing.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to the art of power driven threading machines and, 
more particularly, to an attachment for covering and sealing the oil 
reservoir of such a machine to facilitate transportation and storage of 
the machine without having to drain the oil reservoir. 
It is of course well known that power driven threading machines generally 
include tools for cutting, reaming and threading workpieces such as pipes 
or rods and that, in connection with such metalworking operations, a 
lubricating and cooling liquid such as oil is directed against the 
workpiece and tooling, collected in a reservoir therebeneath and 
circulated between the reservoir and the point of application to the 
workpiece and tooling by a pump. It is likewise well known to provide both 
wheeled and wheelless stands to support such threading machines during use 
and to facilitate the portability thereof from one location to another and 
the storage thereof during periods of non-use. Certain wheeled stands 
heretofore provided for the latter purposes are of a structural character 
which provides for folding of the stand with the threading machine thereon 
into a configuration in which the stand is in the form of a dolly having 
wheels at one end and a handle at the other. Such a stand provides for 
wheeled movement of the machine thereon in an inclined disposition 
relative to an underlying surface and, in some instances, storage of the 
machine on the stand in such an inclined disposition. 
It will be appreciated that the displacement of wheelless stands from one 
location to another, such as by lifting and carrying the stand and the 
machine thereon, often results in the oil in the machine's reservoir 
splashing out of the reservoir either onto other parts of the machine and 
stand, the operator or operators moving the machine and stand, or the 
underlying surface along which the stand is being moved. Similarly, in 
moving a threading machine on a non-folding stand having wheels at one 
end, the opposite end of the stand is elevated to facilitate wheeled 
movement and, depending on the condition of the underlying surface, such 
wheeled movement can result in vibration, bouncing and the like of the 
stand and machine and thus the splashing of oil from the reservoir. 
Moreover, the lifting of one end of the stand results in movement of the 
oil level in the reservoir toward the upper edge of one wall thereof, thus 
promoting the likelihood of splashing of oil from the reservoir during 
movement of the stand. 
In connection with a stand which is capable of being folded and used in the 
manner of a wheeled dolly to move and/or store the threading machine in an 
inclined disposition, it will be readily appreciated that the stand and 
machine are at such an incline that it is necessary to drain the reservoir 
prior to such movement or storage of the machine and stand to prevent the 
pouring or spilling of oil from the reservoir. Such draining of the 
reservoir may also be advisable in connection with the movement of 
non-folding stands to preclude the splashing of oil which not only results 
in a clean-up operation but also in a loss of oil. However, such draining 
of the reservoir is undesirable for a number of reasons. In this respect, 
the draining operation is time consuming and requires a separate storage 
receptacle for the oil. Then, both the machine and the storage receptacle 
have to be transported and stored and, prior to subsequent use of the 
machine, the oil has to be replaced therein. Accordingly, it becomes 
advantageous to avoid having to drain the oil reservoir of the threading 
machine while, at the same time, providing a threading machine to be 
transportable and storable, even in a disposition inclined to horizontal, 
without the loss of oil from the machine reservoir. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
In accordance with the present invention, an attachment is provided for a 
power driven threading machine which enables the latter to be transported 
on a stand or otherwise and with the machine in an inclined disposition 
relative to horizontal without having to drain the oil reservoir and 
without concern for the loss of oil from the reservoir such as by 
splashing or spilling. More particularly in accordance with the present 
invention, a removable cover and seal component is provided for the oil 
reservoir of a threading machine. The cover and seal includes an 
impervious cover portion and a sealing gasket compressed against the inner 
surfaces of the reservoir walls. Retaining members on the cover portion 
interengage with housing portions of the threading machine to releaseably 
retain the cover and seal in place. In a preferred embodiment, the side 
walls of the oil reservoir are inclined downwardly and inwardly relative 
to the bottom wall of the reservoir and the foregoing sealed relationship 
is achieved by a metal cover plate bounded by a compressible sealing 
gasket which is progressively compressed between the reservoir walls and 
cover plate as the latter is moved downwardly relative to the reservoir 
walls. The retaining members are preferably in the form of spring clips, 
and when the cover plate and sealing gasket are positioned in the 
reservoir to sealingly close the open upper end of the latter, the spring 
clips exert a downward force against the cover plate to maintain a 
compressive force against the sealing gasket. Following transportation 
and/or storage of the machine, all that is necessary to ready the machine 
for use is to remove the cover and seal component. 
It is accordingly an outstanding object of the present invention to provide 
a power driven threading machine attachment for covering and sealing the 
oil reservoir of the machine so as to facilitate the transportation and/or 
storage of the machine without having to drain the oil from the machine 
and without losing oil from the reservoir such as by splashing or 
spilling. 
Another object is the provision of a cover and sealing attachment of the 
foregoing character which minimizes the time required to prepare a 
threading machine for transportation and/or storage as well as reducing 
the care required, especially during transporting of the machine, to avoid 
the splashing or spillage of oil from the reservoir. 
Still another object is the provision of a cover and sealing attachment of 
the foregoing character which promotes increasing productive time with 
respect to use of the threading machine by eliminating the time required 
to drain the machine's oil reservoir prior to a transporting and/or 
storage operation and the time required to refill the reservoir prior to a 
subsequent use of the machine. 
Yet a further object is the provision of a cover and sealing attachment of 
the foregoing character which is structurally simple and easy to install 
and remove and which, when installed, promotes maintaining compressively 
sealed engagement between the attachment and the walls of a machine 
reservoir thereby effectively sealing the oil in the reservoir against 
leakage across the attachment, even when the machine is stored in a 
disposition in which the oil in the reservoir is in contact with the 
sealing material of the attachment.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
With reference now to the drawings wherein the showings are for the purpose 
of illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention only and not for 
the purpose of limiting the invention, FIG. 1 illustrates a threading 
machine of the character with which the attachment of the present 
invention is usable and, as will be seen from the latter Figure, such a 
threading machine basically comprises a drive unit including a 
transmission T driven by an electric motor M, and a workpiece supporting 
and rotating chuck assembly C. The chuck assembly is rotatably supported 
in a spindle housing SH which is mounted on the transmission housing TH 
which in turn is suitably secured to the bottom wall of a generally 
pan-shaped housing B. Transmission T drives an output sprocket wheel SW 
which is coupled by means of a sprocket chain SC with a sprocket drive 
component SD of chuck assembly C, whereby the chuck assembly is rotated in 
response to rotation of sprocket SW. The chuck assembly includes a 
plurality of jaws J at the opposite ends thereof for engaging and 
supporting a workpiece W for rotation about the chuck or machine axis A. 
As is further well known, such a power driven threading machine includes a 
tool carriage TC supported on and movable along a pair of support rods R 
extending along laterally opposite sides of the machine, and the tool 
carriage carries or is adapted to support a variety of metalworking tools, 
such as the thread cutting die head schematically illustrated and 
designated DH in FIG. 1 and by which the adjacent end of workpiece W is 
adapted to be threaded. In connection with metalworking operations, a 
lubricating and cooling fluid such as oil is appled to the workpiece and 
tooling during cutting interengagement therebetween such as by means of an 
oil nozzle N, and the portion of pan-shaped housing B underlying tool 
carriage TC and the area where cutting takes place defines a reservoir RV 
into which the cooling and lubricating oil drops and collects for 
recirculation to nozzle N. More particularly in this respect, the oil 
reservoir is generally provided with a filter component F connected to the 
inlet side of an oil circulating pump P by means of an inlet line IL. Pump 
P is suitably mounted in the machine housing and, in the machine 
illustrated, is adapted to be driven by the transmission input gear G 
through a pinion gear, not designated, connected to the pump shaft. The 
outlet side of pump P is connected to nozzle N by an output line OL. 
Accordingly, it will be appreciated that when the machine is in use pump P 
is driven to continuously circulate lubricating and cooling oil from the 
reservoir RV to nozzle N. During periods of non-use, the lubricating and 
cooling oil is stored in reservoir RV. 
In accordance with the present invention, and as will be seen from FIGS. 
2-4 of the drawing, an attachment 10 is provided for covering and sealing 
the open upper end of reservoir RV during periods of non-use of the 
threading machine so as to preclude the splashing or spillage of oil from 
the reservoir regardless of the angular disposition of the machine 
relative to horizontal. In connection with the threading machine with 
which the attachment is illustrated in the drawings, reservoir RV is 
defined by a bottom wall portion 12 of housing B, opposed side wall 
portions 14 and 16 of the housing extending upwardly from and inclined 
outwardly relative to bottom wall 12, an outer end wall 18 of the housing 
extending upwardly from and inclined outwardly relative to bottom wall 12 
and a partition wall 20 opposite wall 18 and extending upwardly from and 
inclined outwardly relative to bottom wall 12 and providing an inner end 
wall for the reservoir. Preferably, housing B is of one-piece molded 
construction whereby it will be appreciated that the bottom side and end 
walls of reservoir RB are integral with one another. Side walls 14 and 16 
and end walls 18 and 20 have corresponding upper edges 14a, 16a, 18a and 
20a, respectively. Further, the upper ends of side walls 14 and 16 and 
outer end wall 18 are each outwardly offset to provide a corresponding 
inner ledge 14b, 16b and 18 b extending therealong and a corresponding 
outer lip 14c, 16c and 18c, respectively. Generally, during use of the 
threading machine, a perforated chip pan covers the open top of reservoir 
RV to catch metal turnings and the like so that the latter do not enter 
the reservoir with the oil, and ledges 14b, 16b and 18b serve to support 
such a pan in the machine shown. Further in connection with the machine 
illustrated in the drawings, transmission housing TH includes a flange or 
projection 22 spaced above upper end 20a of wall 20 and extending toward 
reservoir RV. Projection 22 serves the function set forth more fully 
hereinafter. 
Attachment 10 is comprised of a cover plate 24 of impervious material, 
preferably sheet metal, having an outer edge contour conforming to that of 
the inner surfaces of the side walls and end walls of the reservoir along 
a horizontal peripheral sealing surface area of the walls below the upper 
ends thereof. The outer periphery of cover plate 24 is bounded by a 
sealing gasket 26 of compressible material which engages against the inner 
surfaces of the reservoir walls along the sealing surface area thereof and 
is compressed between the latter walls and the corresponding edges of the 
cover plate when the attachment is in place in the reservoir as will 
become more apparent hereinafter. In accordance with the inner surface 
contours of the walls of the reservoir illustrated in the drawing, cover 
plate 24 has linear sides edges 28 and 30 respectively corresponding in 
contour to the inner surfaces of side walls 14 and 16 of the reservoir, 
and linear outer and inner edges 32 and 34 respectively corresponding in 
contour to the inner surfaces of outer and inner walls 18 and 20 of the 
reservoir. Further, cover plate 24 includes flanges 36, 38, 40 and 42 
coextensive with and depending downwardly from edges 28, 30, 32 and 34, 
respectively, and perpendicular to the plane of cover plate 24. Sealing 
gasket 26 in its uncompressed condition is rectangular in cross-section 
and preferably is secured to the outer surface of flanges 36, 38, 40 and 
42 by means of a suitable adhesive. 
Attachment 10 is adapted to be removably secured in place within reservoir 
RV with the sealing gasket compressibly engaged between the cover plate 
flanges and reservoir walls and, in the embodiment shown, such retention 
is achieved by a plurality of retaining members 44, 46 and 48 which 
releaseably interengage the attachment with portions of the machine 
housing. Retaining member 44 is adjacent edge 32 of cover plate 24 and 
generally centrally between the opposite ends thereof and is in the form 
of a spring clip, preferably of spring steel, having a first end 50 
suitably secured to cover plate 24 such as by rivets 52. Retaining member 
44 further includes a first leg 54 spaced inwardly from wall 18 and 
extending upwardly from cover plate 24 to a point spaced above upper end 
18a of wall 18, a second leg 56 extending outwardly from the upper end of 
leg 54 across upper end 18a of wall 18, a third leg 58 spaced outwardly 
from wall 18 and extending downwardly from leg 56 to a point below lip 18c 
of wall 18, and a second end 60 which extends upwardly and inwardly from 
the lower end of leg 58 to engage under lip 18c. 
Each of the retaining members 46 and 48 is also preferably in the form of a 
spring steel retaining clip having a first end 62 secured to cover plate 
24 such as by rivets 64. Retaining members 46 and 48 are adjacent edge 34 
of cover plate 24 and are spaced apart along the length thereof 
symmetrically with respect to retaining member 44. Each of the retaining 
members 46 and 48 further includes a first leg 66 spaced inwardly from 
wall 20 and extending upwardly from and outwardly relative to cover plate 
24 to a point spaced above upper end 20a of wall 20, a second leg 86 
spaced above end 20a and extending horizontally outward from the upper end 
of leg 66 across end 20a of wall 20, and a second end 70 extending 
upwardly from the outer end of leg 68 to engage against the underside of 
projection 22. Accordingly, it will be appreciated that when attachment 10 
is positioned in oil reservoir RV for sealing gasket 26 to be compressed 
between the cover plate flanges and the sealing areas of the side walls of 
the reservoir, each of the retaining members 44, 46 and 48 is free to flex 
between the first and second ends thereof, whereby the retaining members 
when engaged with the corresponding one of the lip 18c and projection 22 
exert a spring biasing force downwardly against cover plate 24 to retain 
the cover plate in its mounted position and to maintain the sealing gasket 
in its compressed sealing engagement with the sealing surface area of the 
reservoir walls. As will be appreciated from FIG. 3 of the drawing, 
removal of the attachment from reservoir RV is achieved by outward 
displacement of second end 60 of retaining member 44 relative to lip 18c, 
upward displacement of the corresponding end of cover plate 24 to an 
inclined disposition relative to the inner end thereof, and withdrawal of 
the cover plate and thus retaining members 46 and 48 from beneath 
projection 22. It will likewise be appreciated that mounting of the 
attachment on the reservoir is achieved in the reverse manner. 
In the embodiment shown in the drawings, and as will be seen from FIG. 2, a 
recess 72 is provided in cover plate 24 adjacent one end of edge 32 
thereof, and sealing gasket 26 terminates at each of the opposite ends of 
recess 72 to provide an opening 74 to accommodate oil line IL leading from 
filter F to oil pump P. More particularly in this respect, the oil line is 
comprised of flexible tubing and, in connection with the threading machine 
illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawing, extends from the filter toward 
reservoir wall 14 and thence rearwardly in the reservoir and across the 
upper end of inner wall 20 to the oil pump. Opening 74 provides for 
positioning the portion of the oil line adjacent the filter to extend 
upwardly through opening 74 and thence over the attachment 10 to pump P. 
It will be appreciated, of course, that if an opening such as opening 74 
is provided for the oil line, it can be positioned anywhere about the 
periphery of attachment 10 in order to accommodate the particular 
configuration of the path of the oil line from the filter to the pump. It 
will be further appreciated that the configuration of recess 72 and the 
spacing of the ends of sealing gasket 26 are such as to provide for 
opening 74 to engage and seal about the oil line so that there is no 
leakage to oil thereacross. Moreover, it will be understood that such an 
opening for the oil line may not be necessary. In this respect, for 
example, the threading machine design could be such as to provide for the 
oil line to extend to the oil pump through a sealed opening for the line 
in inner end wall 20 of the reservoir below attachment 10. 
In connection with closing and sealing an oil reservoir defined by inclined 
walls as shown for reservoir RV herein, it will be appreciated that 
sealign engagement between the sealing gasket and reservoir walls can be 
at any vertical location along the walls above the oil level in the 
reservoir, and that the selected level of such sealing will determine the 
dimensions of the cover plate of the attachment. Preferably in connection 
with a reservoir having inclined walls, the overall length and width of 
the attachment as defined by the outermost surfaces of the sealing gasket 
is at least slightly greater than the corresponding dimensions along the 
sealing area of the side and end walls of the reservoir when the 
attachment is in its mounted position relative to the reservoir. This 
relationship assures that the sealing gasket is compressed between the 
cover plate flanges and reservoir walls at the outermost upper edges of 
the sealing gasket. Such compression of the sealing gasket at the 
uppermost edges thereof together with the inclined disposition of the 
walls provides for compression of the sealing gasket to be progressively 
increased downwardly from the uppermost edges thereof. In the embodiment 
of the attachment disclosed herein, cover plate 24 is approximately 10.2 
inches along side edges 28 and 30 and approximately 13.8 inches along end 
edges 32 and 34 and is produced from 18 gauge cold rolled steel. The 
flanges about the periphery of the cover plate extend downwardly therefrom 
about 0.17 inch from the upper surface of the cover plate, and sealing 
gasket 26 is of neoprene material having a durometer hardness of from 
about 35 to 40. Further, the sealing gasket has a thickness horizontally 
of the cover plate of about 0.25 inch and a vertical height of about 0.38 
inch. 
While sealing gasket 26 is laterally interposed between the cover plate 
flanges and inclined reservoir walls to achieve compression of the sealing 
gasket in the embodiment disclosed, it will be appreciated such 
compression of the gasket to close and seal the reservoir can be achieved 
with other dispositions of the sealing gasket relative to the cover plate 
and reservoir walls, depending on the contour of the latter. For example, 
the upper end of inner wall 20 of the reservoir shown could be configured 
to provide a ledge corresponding to ledges 14b and 16b of the side walls 
and ledge 18b of outer end wall 18, or such a ledge configuration could be 
provided on the reservoir walls beneath the ledges shown, with such a wall 
contour, sealing gasket 26 could be secured to the underside of the cover 
plate about the periphery thereof so as to be compressed downwardly 
against the ledges by the retaining clips. As another example, the 
laterally outer side of the sealing gasket could be inclined downwardly 
and inwardly relative to the cover plate flanges so as to be adequately 
compressed or deflected by engagement with vertical reservoir walls, thus 
enabling the covering and sealing of a reservoir having such a side and 
end wall configuration. 
With further regard to the preferred embodiment, it will be appreciated 
that retaining members 46 and 48 could be replaced by retaining members 
adjacent to and extending outwardly across cover plate edges 28 and 30 and 
which retaining members would be structurally similar to retaining member 
44, whereby the outer or second ends thereof would engage under lips 14c 
and 16c of side walls 14 and 16 of the reservoir. Likewise, while a single 
centrally located retaining member 44 provides adequate retention of the 
cover plate and maintenance of a downward biasing force thereagainst in 
the preferred embodiment, more than one such retaining member could be 
provided along edge 32 of the cover plate. The disclosed arrangement is 
preferred over such modifications in that only a single clip of the 
structure of retaining member 44 has to be manipulated to release the 
attachment for removal from the reservoir. Moreover, the central location 
of retaining member 44 advantageously provides for the latter to function 
as a handle by which the cover can be removed and easily manipulated such 
as in connection with cleaning any oil from the underside thereof. 
Other embodiments of the invention will be obvious to those skilled in the 
art as will other modifications of the preferred embodiment disclosed 
herein, whereby it is to be distinctly understood that the foregoing 
descriptive matter is to be interpreted merely as illustrative of the 
present invention and not as a limitation.