Patent GB-625019-A (GB)
Title: Improvements relating to lubrication systems
IPC: F16N21/04
Filed: 1946-02-20
Abstract: 625,019. Lubricant nipples. TECALEMIT, Ltd., and LE CLAIR, C. C. S. Feb. 20, 1946, No. 5356. [Class 12 (iii)] A lubricating nipple is provided with a closure member of synthetic rubber or other lubricantimpervious yielding material having a head secured in a housing provided at the entrance end of the nipple and a shank extending into the bore of the nipple, such closure member having a small passage which extends therethrough, but is normally closed either due to the manner of forming, e.g. by a mere slitting or by the material at the entrance point being in compression at this point; the passage through the closure member is adapted to be opened to allow lubricant to be forced through it by a grease gun. The grease gun may have a nozzle member with a piston-like member therein carrying a needle-like stem with a lubricant passage therethrough, such needle being forced into the passage in the nipple closure member under pressure of the lubricant in the gun. The nozzle may be arranged to clamp on to the nipple by a slotted recessed part engaging round a flange on the nipple or by movable clamping jaws engaged around the nipple and then clamped by movement of a nozzle member arising from pressure of the lubricant. As shown in Fig. 3, a nipple 58 has a closure member 83 of synthetic rubber formed with a small bore lubricant passageway 82 normally closed at its head by the closure member being forced into a conical recess in the nipple head, which recess while allowing space for expansion of the lower part of the closure member head imposes a compression at the region at the top of the closure member head. The closure member has a taper shank which at its lower end is only slit so that though the slits will open to allow entry of lubricant into the nipple they will act as a non-return valve against any return flow. Lubricant from a grease-gun connection 63A to a nozzle-piece 62 acts upon a member 61 slidable therein and itself housing a sliding piston-like member 80 fitted with a needle 81 having a lubricant passageway. The slidable member 61 has fixed thereto clamping jaws 69 pressed outwardly by blade springs 72. When the nozzle is applied to the nipple, the lubricant pressure first causes the nozzle-piece 62 to rise relatively to the slidable member 61 against the pressure of a spring 77 and thereby to force the clamping jaws 69 under the flange 60 of the nipple while the subsequent descent of the piston 80 against the pressure of a stronger spring 79 forces the needle 81 into the passageway 82 of the rubber closure member so that lubricant can pass from the nozzle chamber through ports 67 in the top of the slidable member 61 and a passage 84 in the piston 80 to the needle and so through the passageway in the nipple closure member when the needle penetrates the same. For the needle to penetrate it is necessary that the closure member have space to expand and this may be effected by giving the member a grooved or waisted exterior as shown in Fig. 13. Fig. 14 shows an arrangement in which the clamping jaws 113 are forced into engagement below the nipple flange by screwing up a sleevepiece 114 having a depending coned portion 115 to press the jaws inwardly. The nipple may have a head which is part spherical underneath, Fig. 2 (not shown), or a conical or cylindrical head with grooves thereon to receive the correspondingly grooved clamping pieces, Figs. 4 and 5 (not shown) Fig. 6 shows a needle nozzle fitted with a yielding slidable cover .sleeve 104 adapted to be placed on a shouldered head 94 of a nipple and the nozzle thereafter manually depressed so that the needle penetrates the closure member 95. Specification 430,827, [Group XXVIII], is referred to in the Provisional Specification.