GB706175A - Improved lubricating systems - Google Patents

Abstract

706,175. Lubricating. TECALEMIT, Ltd., and C.C.S. LE CLAIR, May 7, 1951 [May 8, 1950], No. 11464/50. Class 12(3) A metering device for a lubricating system comprises a tube having a bore of capillary dimensions and coiled into a helical or spiral form, the inlet end of the tube receiving lubricant from a main conduit which is connected to a source of supply of lubricant under pressure and the discharge end of the tube being adapted to supply lubricant to a place of use of the lubricant, an acceptance chamber with which the discharge end of the capillary tube communicates and which communicates with the lubricant outlet of the device, and a compressible or resilient means or medium located in the chamber so that during the application of transient pressure to the lubricant in the main conduit, lubricant from the capillary tube is discharge into the chamber and the pressure of the lubricant at the discharge end of the tube being determined by the resistance to compression or distortion of the means or medium and not by the resistance at the place of use of the lubricant, the lubricant in the chamber being slowly fed between pressure impulses to the place of use under a pressure exerted upon it by the means or medium. The device comprises a casing 15 provided with an oil inlet 25 connected to a pump (not shown) by which pressure is imposed intermittently, a body 1 having a shank 2 and an internal boss 3 containing one end of the capillary tube 12, and filter disc 9 and a sealing washer 19, a screwed plug 21 defining an oil acceptance chamber 24 containing an air or gas filled sac 24a, and a ball valve 7. When a pressure impulse is imposed in the oil a quantity of oil is forced through the duct 26 and filter 9 into the bore 13 and then through the tube 12 and past the ball valve into the chamber 24 compressing the sac 24a. At the end of each impulse the oil is forced by the sac from the chamber to the bearing in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 1. To prevent disturbance by bearing backpressure a check valve may be arranged near the discharge end of the chamber and be operated.by the spring of the coiled tube 12. In an alternative construction, Fig. 2, the bore 29 is formed with a port 31 communicating with the inlet 32, and a plug 33 having a filter 34 contains one end of a coiled capillary tube 36, the other end of the tube having a cup valve 37 co-operating with a valve seat 38 provided in a disc 40. The coiled sealed sacs 41 are also provided between the disc and a collar 42 provided with ports 43 communicating with the acceptance chamber 44. Ports 46, 46a connect to an outlet union 45. When a pressure impulse is imposed a quantity of oil is forced into the tube 36 which contracts and forces the valve 37 off the seat 38 to allow oil to enter the chamber 29 and from there pass into the ports 43 and the chamber 44 to compress the sacs 41, which sacs then supply oil to the union 45. In a modification the cup valve 37 is replaced by a ball, and a number of metering devices may be fitted in a manifold. In further illustrated modifications the sac is replaced by a spring-loaded piston or a resilient or spring- loaded diaphragm, or by a relatively large volume of oil the compression of which induces a resilient acceptance of oil into the acceptance chamber. In yet another modification the pressure storage vessel is only partly filled with oil, the space above being filled with gas or air. The metering devices may however be used without sacs. At very low temperatures the oil may be circulated at low pressure through the distribution system in order to maintain the devices at equal temperatures. Such flow ceases during the impulse cycle and the distribution line is subjected to a relatively static pressure surge. The devices may be immersed in fluid contained in common chambers so as to keep the temperatures equal.