US788269A - Automatic grease-cup. - Google Patents

Description

110.7%,269. I 'PATENTED APR.25,1905. J. 1-". LEWIS.

AUTOMATIC GREASE CUP. APPLIOATION FILED JAN. 3, 1906.

X Z; W////////////// #M 27 1/0135. 7 17f (ma 7 STATES UNITED ratented April 25, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

AUTOMATIC GREASE-CUP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 788,269, dated April 25, 1905. V

' Application filed January 3, 1905. Serial ITO-"239,351.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN F. LEWIS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia,

county of Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Automatic Grease-Cups, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a new and useful improvement in automatic grease-cups, and has for its object to provide a grease-cup in which the grease will be fed by means ofcornpressed air compressed in the upper portion of the cup, and the grease-cup can be so constructed that grease will be fed evenly, and when the grease ceases to feed a small amount of grease will still be retainedin the cup for emergency, and the upper portion of the cup will always empty itself.

With these ends in view this invention consists in the details of construction and combination of elements hereinafter set forth and then specifically designated by the claims.

In order that those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains may understand how to make and use the same, the construction and operation will now be described in detail,

referring to the. accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,- in which--.

Figure I is a vertical sectionthrough my improved grease-cup, showing the same in its operative position; Fig, 2, a vertical section of my improved grease-cup,.showing the same inthe position it would assume when the cup ceases to feed: Fig. 3, a cross-section taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

My improved grease-cup consists of two main portions A and B. Each of these portions is cup shape and inverted relative to one another and threaded one into the other,

the upper portion A being exteriorly thread-' ed and the lower portion B being intefi'orly threaded. 1n the lower part of the portion B is a funnel O, the hopper portion of the funnel extending upward into the cup, the neck of the funnel extending downward through an opening formed in the nipple B, which is adapted to be threaded into the journal. The

funnel C has a series of openings D formed through the same just above the bottom of the portion B. E is a flat disk, preferably turned up around this periphery to form an annular flange; This disk is adapted to lie upon the top of the grease and act as a floatingpiston. This disk E is slightly smaller in diametel than the interior of the portion A, so that tilt disk fits loosely within the portion A and i: free to move by gravity without any friction Thisdisk E is designed to have a'certain lim ited vertical movement relative to the portioi A, but is designed to revolve with said por tion A when the same is turned. This ma; be accomplished in any suitable manner, her shown'as providing a strip F bent in the l shape, the two ends being secured to the to of the disk E and the strip extending upwari a predetermined distance.

G is a U-shape frame, the ends of the tw lugs being secured to the top of the portio A, the two vertical wires, forming legs of th frame G, passing through holes formed in th cross-piece of the frame F. Therefore th piston E has a certain limited vertical movr 'ment relative to theportion A, but is designe to be turned with the portion A.

In operation the portion B is filled wit grease, the pistonE, which extends below tl' lower rim of the portion A when the tw parts are separated, is placed'upon' the top( the grease, and the portion A is threaded inl the portion B, and by screwing theportion. downward into the portion B air is com presse in the portion A above the piston, and the a will exert an equal pressure upon the grea: at all points on account of said disk E beir in close contact with the grease. The disk in turning with the portion A will smooth tl top of the grease, and the turning of the. dis E relative to the grease will cause all air-bu bles to be removed from between the disk a1 the grease, so that the grease is in absolu contact with the disk at all points, and the 2 therefore cannot pass around the disk and e ter between said disk and the grease a1 cause-thereby an uneven pressure upon't grease. If the disk E did not turn with t portion A so as to hermetically seal its against'the grease, the air would be very ,li ble to find a passage between the disk and t grease, and as the least resistance is throu; the center said grease would funnel c through the center and would not feed evenly.v

As the grease is fed from the cup the portion A is from time to time screwed down further into the portion B, and when the lower rim of the portion A reaches the bottom of the portion B the disk E will then lie flat upon the upper edge of the hopper of the funnel (J, as shown in Fig. 2, and thus no further airpressure can be exerted upon the grease within the hopper; but the air will pass around the disk and around the hopper and force the grease that is below the outside of the hopper through the opening D downward through the neck of the funnel to the journal, thus entirely cleaning the portion A of grease; but the grease within the hopper will remain there, and this is a great advantage in greasecups, particularly when used on locomotivebearings and the like, for it is necessary to have a certain amount of. grease held in reserve, so that if the grease-cup is emptied before being noticed there is a certain amount of grease left in the cup which will melt and run down by gravity if the journal becomes hot through the lack of grease, and this will save the journal until it is noticed by the engineer that the grease-cup is empty.

H is a lock-nut for locking the two parts A and B against movement relative to one another.

I is a screw adapted to be loosened to vent the portion A when it is removed from the portion B.

Of course I do not wish to be limited to the exact construction here shown, as slight modifications could be made without departing From the spirit of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and useful is- 1. In a grease-cup, two cup-shaped portions nverted relative to one another and threaded me into the other, the lower portion being prorided with a nipple depending from the same tl'ld adapted to be secured in a bearing, said iipple provided with an opening formed therehrough, the lower portion adapted to contain he grease, a disk fitting loosely within the ipper portion and adapted to rest upon the grease, means for guiding said disk while lliding vertically relative to the upper porion and causing said disk to revolve when he upper portion is turned, as and for the )11I POSB specified.

2. In an automatic grease-cup, two cuphaped portions inverted relative to one anther, the upper portion threaded into the ower portion, the lower portion provided vith an opening extending through the botom thereof, the lower portion adapted to conain grease, a disk fitted loosely within the lpper portion and adapted to lie upon the top t' the grease, means adapted to guide the .isk while sliding vertically relative to the upper portion and to cause said disk to revolve with the upper portion when said upper portion is turned, and means for retaining a certain amount of grease within the cup against the air-pressure when the upper portion is threaded into the lower portion as far as possible.

3. In an automatic grease-cup, two cupshaped portions inverted relative to one another, the,upper portion threaded in to the lower portion, the lower portion provided with a nipple extending downward therefrom, said nipple provided with an opening formed therethrough,a funnel located in the lower portion, the neck of the funnel communicating with the opening through the nipple, the hopper of the funnel lying within the lower portion, the greatest diameter of said hopper being less in diameter than the diameter of the interior of the upper portion of the cup, the hopper provided with a series of openings formed through the same just above the bottom of the lower portion, the lower portion adapted to contain grease, adisk fitting loosely within the upper portion and adapted to lie upon the top of the grease, means for guiding said disk while sliding in a vertical direction relative to the upper portion and causing said disk to revolve with the upper portion when the same is turned, 'a screw threaded through the wall of the upper portion for the purpose of venting the upper portion when the same is to be removedfrom the lower portion.

4. In anautomatic grease-cup, two cupshaped portions inverted relative to one another, the upper, portion threaded into the lower portion, the lower portion provided with an opening formed through the bottom thereof, the lower portion adapted to contain the grease, a disk fitting loosely within the upper portion and adapted to lie upon the top of the grease, means for guiding the disk when sliding vertically relative to the upper portion and to cause said disk to revolve with the upper portion when said portion is turned, means for retaininga certain amount of grease within the cup against the air-pressure when the upper portion is threaded into the lower portion as far as possible, said grease retained in the cup adapted to displace suflicient air within the cup to create an air-pressure suflicient to expel all the grease except the retained portion, and means for holding the retained portion so that the same will be free of the walls of the cup, as specified.

In testimonywhereof l have hereunto aifixed my signature in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN F. LEWIS.

Witnesses:

MARY E. HAMER; L. W. MORRISON.

Images