US1920566A - Force feed lubricator - Google Patents

Description

Patented Aug. 1 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1,920,566 FORCE FEED LUBRICATOR Erich L. Kaegebein, Hammond, Ind.

Application July 25, 1930; Serial No. 470,715

' 1 Claim. (o1. 1s4--2s)- This invention appertains tonovel means for feeding a lubricant to operating parts of machinery.

One of the primary objects of my invention isv to provide a force feed lubricator which can be effectively used on locomotives as a lubricator alone or as a combined flange oiler and lubricator and in connectionwith all types of industrial machines. Another important objectof myinvention is to provide a force feed lubricator which will be- A still further object ofmy invention is to provide novel means for operating the piston of the force feed lubricating cylinder.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a force feed lubricator of the above character, which will be durable and eflicient in use, one that will be simple and easy to manufacture, and one which can be placed upon the'mark'et at a reasonable cost.

With these andother objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction, ar-

rangement and formation of parts, as will be hereinafter more specifically described, claimed,

and illustrated in the accompanying drawingsinwhich drawings:- 7 Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through my improved force feed lubricator.

Figure 2 is an end elevationof the same. Figure 3 is a transverse section through a slightly modified form of my lubricator in which pairs of cylinders can be arranged in transverse alignment.

Figure 4 is a top plan view of my improved lubricator. f Figure 5 is an enlarged detail sectional view illustrating the force feed lubricator cylinder and piston and the means for actuating the piston from the operating shaft and the means for ad- 1 jjusting the stroke of the piston for regulating the quantity of oil forced from the cylinder.

Figure 6 is a detail section illustrating the means for operating the piston from the operatthrough one of the lubricating cylinders'on the line -7-7 of Figure 5 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 8 is a detail longitudinal sectional View through a valve which can be used with my lubricator. 1

Referring to the drawings in detail, wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding-parts throughout the several views, the

letter A generally indicates my improved force feed lubricator, which comprises a casing or tank i 10, for receiving the lubricant. As shown, the tank 10 includes a bottom Wall- 11, end walls 12, side Walls 13, and a removable top wall 14. The top Wall 14 can be provided with swinging closure plates 15 by means of which lubricant can be introduced into. the casing or tank. If desired, the casing or tank can be provided with a sight glass 16 in order that the height of the lubricant in the casing or tank can be instantly determined.

Extending longitudinally of the tank and rotatably mounted in suitable bearings 1'7 carried by the end walls 12, is the operating shaft 18; This shaft 18 extends an appreciable distance beyond one end wall 12 of the casing, for a purpose, which will be later described. 1

The casing or tank 10 receives the cylinders 19 utilized for forcing the oil to the desired point of application and these cylinders have their upper ends reduced in diameter as at 20 and threaded into the casing or tank 10 through the bottom Wall 11 thereof, any desired means can be provided for establishing a leak-proof connection between said bottom wall 11 and the cylinders 19. The lower ends of the cylinders can be closed by removable cylinder heads 21, as shown. Ex tending from the cylinder heads 21 are the pipes 22 for conveying the lubricant, to the desired point of use. As shown, each cylinder has its inner face enlarged adjacent to its lower end to a ball valve 26. An expansion spring 27 can be employed for holding the valve 26 on itsseat and this spring is preferably housed within a sleeve 28, which also functions to hold the valve plate 24 against the shoulder 23. The upper end of each cylinder slidably receives the piston 29 which is rigidly mounted on a piston rod 30. A

guide .ancl'cover plate 31 is provided for the upper end of each cylinder and the piston rod.

30 slidablyextends through said plate 31. An expansion spring 32 is placed about each piston rod 30 and the lower end of each spring bears against the upper face of each plate 30 and the upper end of each spring 32 bears against a cross pin 33 inserted through the piston rod 30. Thus each piston is normally held in a raised position inits cylinder.

An oil inlet port 34 is formed in each cylinder and communicates with the interior of the oil tank or casing 10, preferably at a point lower.

than the uppermost position of the piston 29. Likewise the cylinder is provided with an air port 35 having communicating therewith a pipe 36 which extends above the level of the oil in the tank or casing 10. This pipe 36 allows the exit of air from the cylinder during the opera tion of the piston and more particularly during the upward stroke of the piston 29. The operating shaft 18 is provided with throw came 37 for, engaging the upper ends of the piston rods and for actuating the pistons during the rotation of the said operating shaft. As is clearly illustrated in Figure 5, the air outlet port 35 is on the same horizontal line with the oil inlet port 34 where the oil from the casing 10 enters the cylinder19. When the piston 29 is in the position as illustrated in Figure 5 the port 34 is open and the cylinder 19 fills up with oil to its full capacity andhas nothing to do with air outlet port 35- and pipe '36. As the piston 29 passes inwardly of the cylinder 19 under the influence of a cam 37, the piston 29 passes ports 34 and 35 and at the same time forces the lubricant out at ball valve 25 until the piston. 29 reaches the end of its stroke. As the piston starts its upward or opposite movement, due to the action of. the spring 32 the tight fit of the piston 29 as eifected by its conventional packing together with theclosing of the valve 25 causes the possibility of a vacuum being created as the piston 29 rises higher and higher until it passes the ports 34 and 35. When the piston passes the ports 34 and 35 any possible'vacuum created will be broken. If the ports 34 and 35 were absent with the creation of such a vacuum the airmust be outot the cylinder before the lubricant would. enter and such air would pass outthrough the lubricant in the form of a bubble.

If the machine is running fast and a heavy viscosity lubricant is used the piston 29 will travel downward and pass port 34 before the air would have time to get out in the form of a bubble and admit oil. The port 35 together with its associated pipe 36 is of advantage as it avoids this. The port 35 together with its pipe 36 furthermore has no effect on the pressure produced by the piston 29 although the air vent is open.

Particular attention is now invited to Figures 5 and 6 in which means is illustrated for regulating the stroke of the pistons 29 in their cylinders so that the quantity of oil delivered to the distributing pipes 22'can be accurately dispensed. This regulating means embodies a relatively long nut or sleeve 38 threaded on the upper end of the piston rod 30 and it is obvious that by ad justing the long'nut or sleeve 38 relative tothe cam 37 that the stroke of the piston can be regulated in that the length of the piston rod The sleeve or its adjusted position by arm 41 having a spring pressed dog 41' carried '47, such as by the use of an eccentric i8 and eccentric strap 49. The stroke of the ratchet arm 41 canbe governed by adjusting the link 42 on the oscillating arm 43 and it is to be noted that this arm43 is provided with a plurality of openings, into any one of which the pivot pin of the link 42 canbe inserted.

In order to prevent retrograde movement of the ratchet a. spring pressed dog is carried by one end wall 12 of the casing or tank 10 and isarranged in opposite direction to the dog 41 of the ratchet arm41- The shaft 18 can be manually rotated when necessary or desirable by means of a hand crank 51 whichcan be connected to the shaft 18 in any preferred way.

In order to keep the oil me free flowing con- I wdition in the tank or casing 10 asteam .pipe 52 can be passed through the casing longitudinally thereof. This pipe can be provided with coils 53 intermediate its length. Likewise the tank can.

be provided with a drain cock 54 at its lower end for permitting the oil. to be drained from the tank when necessary or desirable.

Where more than two oil steam pipes22 are employedthe cylinders 19 can be arranged in tandem relation transversely of the casing as shown in Figure 3 of the drawings. In this instance I use a counter shaft 55 arranged parallel to the operating shaft 18 and the shaft 55 can be driven from the shaft 18 by means of intermeshing gears 56 and 5'7 keyed respectively to the shafts 18 and 55. The counter shaft is provided with cams exactly in the same manner as the shaft 18 for operating the piston of the adjacent cylinder. This eliminates the undue length of the oil reservoir or casing where anumber of feed pipes is required. I

My improved lubricator can be used on locomotives as a flange oiler and lubricator to oil the valve stems and cylinders. In this instance a compartment for each kind of oil can be provided in the oil reservoir or casing 10, and as shown in Figure 1 I have provided a partition 60 dividing the reservoir transversely into a pair of lubricant.

When the lubricator is used on locomotives as a lubricator for valve stems and cylinders, or air compressors, or stationary steam engines, or the like, where pressure such as air or steam is in the cylinders, I utilize a valve shown in Figure 8 of'the drawings, This valve is in the nature of a choke plug and is screwed in the top of the cylinder. A very small hole 66 is formed in the choke plug. The choke plug has its bore enlarged intermediate its ends to provide a valve seat and a ball valve 67 is provided for the seat and is normally held thereon by the pressure of air or steam. This effectively prevents the pressure from the cylinder being lubricated from reaching the oil feed line 22.

From the foregoing description, it can be seen that I have provided an improved force feed lubricator of exceptionally simple and durable o1 compartments, for receiving the different kinds character and which is accessible for a number of different uses and in which the quantity of oil dispensed can be readily regulated.

Changes in details may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit or the scope of this invention, but:-- 1

What I claim as new'is:

A force feed lubricator comprising an oil reservoir, a cylinder extending into the reservoir, having its bore enlarged defining an internal annular shoulder, a valve plate fitted against said shoulder havingan axial way therethrough de-

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