Patent Publication Number: US-2009223745-A1

Title: Chain lubrication tool

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a tool for lubricating a drive chain, and in particular to a tool having a swivel fitting that aids in the lubrication of a drive chain. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Bicycles, motorcycles, industrial equipment and other types of machines can use drive chains in combination with sprockets in order to transmit power from one sprocket to another sprocket. Such drive chains are typically made from a plurality of spaced apart pins extending between side plates, each pin typically being within a roller. The combination of the pins, rollers and side plates provides a chain having openings that correspond to the teeth on a sprocket, the teeth on the sprocket engaging the chain and allowing the transfer of power. 
     As with most movable parts used with machines, the drive chain typically requires lubrication in order to aid in the movement of the pins, rollers and side plates relative to each other and to reduce wear and friction between the drive chain and the sprockets. One method of applying lubrication to such a drive chain includes taking an aerosol can with lubricant therein and spraying the lubricant onto the chain. Most aerosol cans can be purchased with a small tube that fits within the aerosol can actuator in order to direct the lubricant to the chain and reduce overspray. However, significant overspray can still occur with the use of the tube. In order to reduce the overspray and more appropriately provide lubricant to the drive chains, various tools have been taught in the prior art, the tools attempting to more directly transmit the lubricant to the drive chain. However, heretofore chain lubrication application tools have lacked the ability to be versatile with respect to different chain sizes and have been cumbersome when an individual attempts to hold the tool proximate to the drive chain with one hand and operate the aerosol can containing the lubricant with the other hand. Therefore, a chain lubrication application tool that permits the lubrication device in one hand to control the spray of lubricant as the other hand is used to turn the sprocket to expose the entire length of chain to the lubricant is desirable. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A chain lubrication application tool is provided, the tool having an L-shaped body and a swivel fitting attached to the body. The L-shaped body has a top member and a side member, the top member and side member forming the L-shaped body. The swivel fitting is attached to the top member of the L-shaped body and has an inlet operable to accept lubrication from an aerosol container and an outlet to supply the lubrication to a drive chain that can be located below the top member of the L-shaped body. 
     The tool can include an extension tube that has a first end dimensioned to attach to the inlet of the swivel fitting and a second end dimensioned to attach to a tube extending from the aerosol container. In addition, a tube clamping device can be included, the clamping device having a first end dimensioned to fit at least partially over the extension tube and onto the actuator of the aerosol can to thereby provide an interference fit between the extension tube and the tube extending from the aerosol container. 
     The top member of the L-shaped body can include an aperture, the aperture being dimensioned such that the outlet of the swivel fitting can fit at least partially therethrough. The aperture is in the for of a slot to provide adjustment for use with larger dimensioned chains as will become more apparent as the description proceeds. In some instances, the outlet can have threads and a nut, the threaded outlet fitting through the aperture and the nut being screwed onto the outlet in order to attach the swivel fitting to the L-shaped body. The swivel fitting can rotate 360 degrees about the outlet and therefore provides freedom of movement between the tool and an aerosol can or container in fluid communication therewith to provide ease of use and versatility. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective exploded view of an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention illustrating the spraying of lubricant onto a drive chain; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 2  wherein the tool is located on an opposite side of the drive chain; and 
         FIG. 4  is a side cross-sectional view of a tube clamping device. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a chain lubrication application tool for applying lubricant to a drive chain. As such, the tool has utility for applying lubricant to a drive system component of a machine. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 1-4 , an embodiment of the chain lubrication application tool is shown generally at reference numeral  10 . The tool  10  can include an L-shaped body  20  and a swivel fitting  40 . The L-shaped body  20  can have a top member  21  and a side member  26 . In some instances, the top member  21  and the side member  26  are generally planar in shape. The top member  21  can have an aperture  22 , the aperture  22  optionally being in the form of a slot. The top member  21  can also include a base portion  23  and a step or raised portion  24 . A channel is formed as part of a bottom surface  26  of the top member  21  and can be the result of the raised portion  24 . In some instances, the raised portion  24  has the aperture  22  therewithin. 
     The swivel fitting  40  can include an inlet  41  that is in fluid communication with an outlet  42 . The inlet  41  can be attached to a swivel head  43 , the swivel head  43  is operable to rotate 360 degrees about the outlet  42 . The outlet  42  can have a multifaceted surface  44  which affords for a wrench or other similar tool to be placed thereon. The outlet  42  can have external threads  45  that are complementary to internal threads  47  of a nut  46 . As shown partially in  FIG. 2 , the outlet  42  has been placed at least partially through the aperture  22  and the nut  46  has been threaded onto a portion of the outlet  42  that extends through the top member  21  and into the channel  25 , thereby attaching the swivel fitting  40  to the L-shaped body  20 . It is appreciated that the swivel fitting  40  can be attached to the L-shaped body  20  using other methods and/or mechanisms, illustratively including adhesives, welding, self-tapping threads and the like. It is further appreciated that the outlet  42  can have a length that affords for the threading of the nut  46  onto the outlet  42  and yet still not extend below the bottom surface  26  of the base portion  23 . In this manner, an outlet for lubrication to be applied to a drive chain is provided and yet the outlet does not come into contact with the drive chain during a lubricating process. 
     Optionally included can be an extension tube  60 , the extension tube  60  having a first end  61  dimensioned to attach to the inlet  41  and in some instances the first end  61  dimensioned to slide over the inlet  41 . The extension tube  60  also has a second end  62  that can be dimensioned to slide at least partially over a tube T that extends from an aerosol can actuator A. 
     Looking now specifically to  FIG. 2 , the swivel head  40  has been attached to the L-shaped body  20  with the outlet  42  fitting within the aperture  22  of the step portion  24 . The extension tube  60  has been placed in fluid communication with the inlet  41  and the tube T such that lubricant supplied from the aerosol can AC can travel through the extension tube  60 , into the inlet  41  and exit the outlet  42  in order to contact the chain C with rollers R and side plates P. It is appreciated that the tool  10  can be held by an individual up against the chain C with the side member  20  adjacent the side plates P and the top member  21  parallel to the rollers R. The swivel fitting  40  permits the L-shaped body  20  to adjust to the proper position to properly direct the lubricant to the portion of the chain C to be lubricated. 
     Looking now specifically at  FIG. 3 , the chain lubrication application tool  10  has been placed on the other side of the chain C in order to ensure proper lubrication thereof. The aperture  22  being in the form of a slot affords for the movement of the swivel fitting  40  in a back and forth direction  1  to accommodate different size chains. 
     Optionally included with the lubrication tool  10  is a clamping device  80 . As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 4 , the clamping device  80  can have a first end  81  that is dimensioned to slide at least partially onto and over the second end  62  of the extension tube  60 . The clamping device  80  can include a handle  86  that is attached to tabs  84 , thereby affording for a swivel handle that can be used to assist in sliding the clamping device  80  onto the extension tube  60 . As shown specifically in  FIG. 4 , sliding of the clamping device  80  onto the extension tube  60  after the tube T has been inserted at least partially within the extension tube  60  can afford for an interference fit between the extension tube  60  and the tube T such that stability between the connection of the two tubes is afforded. 
     In operation, an individual can assemble the tube T extending from the aerosol can actuator A with the chain lubrication application toot  10 , place the tool  10  adjacent to the chain C and by grasping the aerosol container AC and depressing the actuator A afford for lubricant to exit the actuator container AC, pass through the tube T, through the extension tube  60  and through the swivel fitting  40  in order to lubricate the chain C. It is appreciated that an individual can use one hand to grasp the aerosol container AC and depress the actuator A while using the other hand to turn the sprocket to lubricate the entire chain C. It is also appreciated that the rotational movement of the swivel head  40  affords for the aerosol container AC to be moved relative to the tool  10  and yet maintain fluid communication therebetween. In this manner, freedom of movement between the aerosol container AC and the lubrication tool  10  is afforded and provides an improved and more efficient tool. 
     While the lubrication tool of the present invention has been described for use with an aerosol can it should be apparent that the tool can be used with other containers that have a means of dispensing lubricant from can unto a chain of the like. 
     It is to also be understood that various modifications can be readily made to the embodiments of the present invention described herein without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited by the specific illustrated embodiments but by the scope of the appended claims.