GB2496094A

GB2496094A - Automatic chain lubricator

Info

Publication number: GB2496094A
Application number: GB1115678.3A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Nicholas Charles Ibbitson; Clifford Hall
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2011-09-12
Filing date: 2011-09-12
Publication date: 2013-05-08
Anticipated expiration: 2031-09-12
Also published as: GB201115678D0; GB2496094B

Abstract

An automatic chain oiler for attachment to a motorcycle operated by means of an inertia reactive weight 8 opening a valve 2 allowing oil to flow from a reservoir 1 to a flow control valve 4 from which it is directed to the final drive chain via a tube. The weight 8 may be further supplemented by a spring.

Description

Automatic Chain Oiler This invention relates to a device for automatically applying oil or other lubricant to the chain of a motorcycle.

Many motorcycles are fitted with an exposed final drive chain which transfers power from the engine and gearbox to the rear wheel.

Due to the fact that this chain is exposed to the elements it requires lubrication at frequent intervals, failure to apply sufficient lubricant leads to greatly accelerated wear and corrosion of the chain and sprockets. A badly worn or corroded chain and sprocket set is both noisy and dangerous as a breakage at high speed could lead to locking up the rear wheel causing an uncontrollable skid to occur.

Chain oilers exist on the market and fall into 3 main groups Manual oilers -the user turns the flow of oil on and off as required.

Carburettor Vacuum operated automatic oilers where the low pressure developed by the intake of an engine is utilised to turn the flow of lubricant on and subsequently off when the engine is not running.

Electrically operated -either an electric pump or solenoid valve controls the flow of oil to the chain.

Of these three types the manual is the easiest and safest type to fit to a motorcycle as there is no connection with the machines internal systems but is the least convenient type in use as it requires the operator to remember to switch it on and off.

The vacuum and electrically operated devices whilst easy to use can only be fitted by experienced motorcycle technicians as incorrectly installed devices may seriously damage the motorcycles engine and or electrical systems.

The invention is suitable for amateur mechanics to install and is convenient to use. It is a self-contained device that starts delivering oil to the chain automatically when required and ceases delivering oil when it is not without the need to connect to any of the vehicles systems.

The invention will now be described solely by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawing in which: Figure 1 shows the layout and components of the invention.

In Figure 1 a small primary valve 2 contained within the device is held in the closed position by virtue of a weigh 8 on the end of a rod 7 vertically attached to the valve 2 above the oil level. This rod 7 is held in place by very low friction bearings 6 at the top and the bottom which ensure the rod is free to move but only in a vertical plane. When the weight 8 is lifted the rod] and the primaryvalve 2 are also lifted, oil or lubricant contained in the reservoir 1 is allowed to pass the primary valve 2 and enters a small passage 3 which connects to a conventional needle valve assembly 4 though which it passes via a short spigot 5 into the feed tube and eventually to the chain or mechanism which requires lubrication.

The primary valve 2 is activated by virtue of the effects of shockwaves transmitted through the motorcycles frame as a normal consequence of absorbing the unevenness of the road surface. The device is so configured that the effect of these shockwaves is to overcome the mass of the weight 8 and lift the primary valve 2 from its seat allowing oil to flow momentarily into the passage 3 below before gravity reasserts itself and returns the weight to it's "at rest" position, closing the primary valve 2 and stopping the flow of oil.

Since this sequence takes place many times a minute the flow through the passage 3 is to all intents and purposes continuous, however the flow is controlled by the needle valve 4 below the primary valve 2 and therefore the rate of flow exiting the unit to the chain cannot ever exceed the rate set by the needle valves 4 position. The flow rate is adjusted by altering the needle valve 4 position by use of a small thumbwheel.

The reservoir is closed against the ingress of foreign particles and contaminants by a simple cap 9 which is equipped with a vent to insure air is free to displace the oil leaving the reservoir 1 as the device operates.

The main body 10 has two holes which pass through it in order to facilitate attaching to the motorcycle.

The invention can also be attached to a motorcycle via other means such as cable ties or a clamp around the main reservoir 1.

Claims

<claim-text>The TUTORO Auto OilerCLAIMS1. An automatic chain or gear oiling unit comprising attachment means for attaching the unit to a motorcycle or bicycle, an integral reservoir, a valve held closed by a weight and opened by shockwaves or impact inertia and a flow control valve to moderate the flow of oil or lubricant.</claim-text> <claim-text>2. An automatic chain or gear oiling unit according to claim 1 in which the reservoir is not an integral part.</claim-text> <claim-text>3. An automatic chain or gear oiling unit according to claim 1 in which the flow control valve is not an integral part.</claim-text> <claim-text>4. An automatic chain or gear oiling unit according to claim 1 in which the weight is supplemented by a spring.</claim-text> <claim-text>5. An automatic chain or gear oiling unit according to any of the preceding claims in which the flow control valve is replaced with any other means of moderating the flow of oil or lubricant.</claim-text>