Patent GB-381558-A (GB)
Title: Lubricating systems
IPC: F16N25/00
Filed: 1931-06-30
Abstract: 381,558. Force-feed lubricating. LUBRICATING EQUIPMENT CO., 31, Brady Street, Detroit, Michigan, U.S.A. June 30, 1931, No. 18854. Convention date, March 16. [Class 12 (iii).] In a lubricating system, the ends of a pipe line 3 are connected to a flowreversing device 2 supplied with lubricant under pressure from a hand-operated pump 1 through a pipe 30, and a number of pressureoperated feeders 4, each adapted to supply a measured quantity of lubricant to a part to be lubricated in either direction of flow in the line, are arranged in series in the latter so as to be operated in succession. Each feeder comprises a casing 4 containing a closed cylinder 84 provided with end ports 87, 88 and a central port 95 communicating respectively with open-ended chambers 86, 85<1> containing double-headed valves 91, 92. A central port 83 leads from the chamber 86 to the part to be lubricated and end ports 96, 97 lead from the chamber 85<1> to chambers 98, 99. Assuming lubricant is being supplied to the right-hand end of the casing, it causes the valves 91, 92 to move to the left, whereby the lubricant has access to the cylinder 84 through the port 88 and moves a plunger 85 therein to the left, causing a measured quantity of lubricant to be discharged through the ports 87, 83. The lubricant now has access through the ports 95, 96 to the chamber 98, whence it flows past a non-return valve into the line 3 and so to the next feeder. As shown in Fig. 3, the flow-reversing device 2 comprises a handoperated plug valve 102 adapted to put the supply pipe 30 into communication, through a passage 104 in the plug, with either end of the line 3, while simultaneously putting the other end of the line into communication, through passages 105, 114 in the plug, with a pipe 5 connected to the pump reservoir 6. A spring- pressed piston 106 in the hollow stem of the plug carries a plug 108 depending into the passage 105 and has a stem 112 which is projected through the end of the plug when all the feeders 4 have functioned so as to give an indication of the completion of the lubricating operation. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, however, the device 2 operates automatically to reverse the flow after each complete operation. In this case, the device contains piston valves 36, 50, 61<1>. With the parts positioned as shown, lubricant entering through the pipe 30 passes through passages 32, 74 to one end of the line 3 and also through passages 33, 48 to the left-hand end of the chamber 34 containing the valve 36 so as to maintain the latter in position, the other end of the chamber 34 being connected through passages 49, 76, 71, 69, 63, and the pipe 5 to the pump reservoir 6. When all the feeders have functioned, lubricant flows from the other end of the line 3 through passages 72, 66 and moves the valve 61<1>, and then flows through a passage 62 to act on a plunger 58 secured to the valve 50, thus causing the latter to move to its other extreme position in which its end 571 protrudes through the casing to give an indication of the completion of the lubricating operation. During these movements, lubricant displaced by the valve 61<1> passes through passages 67, 70 to the passage 69 and thence to the reservoir 6, while that displaced by the plunger 58 passes through a passage 60 to the passage 63. The passages 33, 49 are now in communication, so that the valve 36 is moved to the left and lubricant now flows from the passage 32 to the passage 72 and thus through the line 3 in the reverse direction. When all the feeders have again functioned, lubricant returns through the passages 74, 67 to reverse the flow again. The pump plunger 16 is operated through rack- and-pinion gearing 23, 24 by a handle 26 and has an axial bore 17 therethrough, the lower portion of which is enlarged to receive a valve 21 controlling radial passages 19 in the lower reduced portion of the plunger. On the downstroke, the valve 21 closes the passages 19 and lubricant is discharged through the pipe 30, while lubricant is drawn into a chamber above the plunger from the reservoir through a screen 11 past a valve 15. On the upstroke, the valve 15 closes and lubricant is forced partly through the plunger and partly through a hollow screw 13 back to the reservoir 6 through the screen 11, so as to cleanse the latter.