Classifications

• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
  • F16N—LUBRICATING
  • F16N27/00—Proportioning devices
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
  • F16N—LUBRICATING
  • F16N25/00—Distributing equipment with or without proportioning devices
  • F16N25/02—Distributing equipment with or without proportioning devices with reciprocating distributing slide valve

Definitions

• This invention relates generally to a field of lubricant distributor valves and more particularly to a lubricating system of a single line type wherein a plural ⁇ ity of selected areas of a mechanical device are provided with lubricant material which can be of varying type and degrees of viscosity depending upon the mechanical apparatus.
• the structure of the present invention can be adapted for use to disseminate the lubricant material, that is, to meter and discharge a predetermined quantity of lubricant to each desired point of use, such as bearings in a predetermined, and selected sequence depending upon a selected timing scheme in which the phases of lubrication can be varied by means of the timing device and details of the apparatus of the invention.
• ..Lubricant distributor valves and mechanism of the general type to which reference is hereinabove made have been known and in use for many years.
• the prior art devices gen- erally speaking include a plurality of separate parts fastened together by bolts to form a unitary valve structure, and in which valves are operatively disposed.
• Such sectional devices utilize bolts or similar fastening devices to enable portions or parts to be either structurally related, one to another, or removed from one another to permit ease of cleaning, repair and/or replacement of worn parts.
• the prior art utilized the plurality of sections primarily for ease of manufacture and maintenance.
• the known prior art includes A. Snow et al, U.S. Patent Number 4,312,425.
• the structure shown in this patent includes a plurality of blocks with a plurality of intermediate block units and interfitted between an inlet block unit and an end block unit.
• Each of the intermediate block units in ⁇ cludes a bore, a spool movable in the bore, and at least a lubricant outlet.
• a series of ports or passages are formed in the block units and serve to provide for cyclic operation of the distributor valve. Through bolts connect the various block units to interconnect the lubricant passageways therein.
• the Snow patent is directed primarily to the use of a base or mounting plate comprised of sections.
• This prior structure included, in addition to the sections or blocks, a number of inlet and outlet tubes and connections. Repair or rearrange- ment of the units and components required a disconnection and disassembly of the various units.
• Another drawback in this prior patented structure was directed to the connecting bolts which required removal for separation of the unit, and in use, an overtightening could result in a binding of the valves per se and which could serve to unduly wear certain components and/or interfere with their proper desired function in the overall structure.
• the overall valve structure will include at least three units or movable members which can sequentially or otherwise be controlled to perform lubrication to members in any desired cycle and as timed by the timing device.
• the spools, spool valves or pistons operatively mounted within a valve body served to force a predetermined quantity of lubricant through an outlet to a bearing or other point of use, the spool serving as a valve in conjunction with the passageways of the system formed in the enclosing valve body or sectionalized members thereof.
• the lubricant inlets and outlets are formed in a base member or support and movable spools are also contained within- individual block units but all the block units being interconnected by such bolt means as to possibly disrupt the desired function of the unit while at the same time increasing complexity of assembly and disassembly in the manufacture, maintenance or repair of components in the unit.
• An object of the present invention is to provide a single line valve structure of a modular design incorpora ⁇ ting a plurality of movable individual spool valves or pistons each of which is operatively mounted in a cartridge that is se cured into the overall structure.
• the cartridges each contain a cylindrical cartridge body having a plurality of bores or openings therein adapted for intercommunication with passage ⁇ ways in a single manifold type of valve body and further including a key way in the overall valve body for coacting with a key on the cylindrical cartridge bodies, the end result in assembly being that the various passageways of lubricant in the valve body can operatively mate with passage ⁇ ways in the cartridge bodies and from thence as governed by the various spaced lands of the spool valve or piston body per se.
• the modular design which includes pistons or spool valves movably confined within the interior of the cartridge bodies as above explained permits easy and ready change and/or repair of any section, or assembly and disassembly of the overall structure, without the main lubricant inlet and outlet lubricant tube connections being disturbed.
• Cartridges having the same outer dimensions, but different inner dimensions, can be selectively interchanged to provide flexibility in the final valve design.
• the present invention .by its arrangement of "tie-rods" insures that the valve function is not sensitive to the torque applied to the tie-rods or bolts thus eliminating problems occurring in previous structures by overtightening and subse ⁇ quent binding of the pistons. To the contrary, if loose tie-rods were used a probability of leakage was promoted.
• the present invention has as its main objective, the overcoming of drawbacks in the prior art and the provision of highly desirable new end features and constructions. These include the use of a movable piston which is slidably contained within a cartridge, the cartridge being positionally introducable into a single valve body _ 6 _ 0
• the cartridge confining the spool valve or movable piston is applicable to either a stackable type of assembly or a solid, one piece body in which holes are drilled to accommodate the insertion therein of cartridges into an operative relationship with various lubricant passage- ways contained within the overall distribution system of a known type.
• the present invention additionally permits volume adjustment for introduction of lubricant to any desired mechanism by changing only an end retaining screw for design flexibility.
• This feature is con ⁇ stituted by an endretaining screw coacting with the longitud ⁇ inal end axis of a shaft on the ends of the valve spool body.
• the present invention may be summarized as a lubricant distributor consisting of a plural ⁇ ity of pistons or spool valves movably mounted within cartridg bodies, the cartridge bodies being operatively disposed in openings in an underlying body which can consist of a single body or a plurality of valve bodies interconnected. Alignment of orifices within the pistons and cartridge body are operable in conjunction with timing means and their disposition to impart to machine areas or pieces of an appropriate lubricant and to govern the sequence or time of operation for such placement.
• Each c ⁇ rtri ge containing a piston or spool valve body is appropriately oriented or disposed within the overall body by means of a key on the external surface of the cylin ⁇ drical cartridge body and the individual openings in the cartridge body are prefixed for excreting or dispensing a lubricant to a desired member or place.
• Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a valve body having a plurality of cartridges, one of which is shown in an excluded position;
• Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1, taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;
• Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view, in perspecti of one of the cartridges and showing a reciprocable piston or valve spool body therein;
• Fig. 4 is a schematic view of the present invention and showing a plurality of cartridge bodies and additionally showing associated pistons or spool valve bodies therein in operative relationship;
• Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the invention utilizing three stacked valve bodies, each having a cartridge element and associated structure therein, one cartridge ele ⁇ ment assembly being shown in an exploded condition with its associated valve body;
• Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan view of Fig. 5, with a portion of the interior broken away to show one of the cartridges and an associated piston therein;
• Fig. 7 is an elevational view of one of the spacer components positioned between each valve body and shown in Fig. 5;
• Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing the association of a spacer plate and associated sealers or sealer means positioned between two valve bodies;
• Fig. 9 is an exploded perspective view showing a spacer plate and its positional placement between two valve bodies, the latter being shown in phantom lines.
• Figs. 1-3 inclusive disclose a preferred form of the invention wherein there is a single manifold valve body utilized having a plurality of cylindrical bores therethrough - into which various of the cylindrical cartridge bodies are operatively insertable, positionally being governed by co- action between the key on the cartridge body and key way in the bore of the valve body.
• FIG. 5-9 inclusive A second preferred embodiment is shown in Figs. 5-9 inclusive.
• apparatus of this type is :.ncorporated in a control and lubrication dispersement member having a plurality of passageways therein and therethrough and which, as governed by the timing mechanism and presetting of sizes of the valve lands will serve to appropriately discharge lubricant out of the distributing mechanism.
• a schematic flow sheet is shown in Fig. 4, being directed to a single desired and preset functional system, and pointed out is identical for the stacked or single body types. A more detailed but still limited explanation of Fig. 4 will appear hereinafter.
• Fig. 1 there is shown a construction including a single manifold valve body 10 which serves as supporting and interconnecting means for various portions of the system of the invention.
• This valve body 10 is provid- ed with an interior operating distributor line circuit 11, as well known in the art.
• a lubricant pressure supply line 12 and lubricant ' .dis ⁇ tribution lines 16 connect.with.circuit 11.
• the single body shown in Fig. 1 has a plurality, in this instance ⁇ three, cylindrical bores 18 drilled thereinto. Each of these bores has a key way interconnected longitudinally with the bore as shown in Fig. 1.
• a cart ⁇ ridge body 20 which is cylindrical is insertable into a bore 18 and the cartridge body has a key 22 for interengagement in key way 24 in the body. The mating of the key and key way ensure that the .plural openings 24 in the cartridge body will appropriately be positioned with respect to- various of the passageways of circuit 11 within the distributor.
• threads are provided at 26, the end of a bore, and adapted for coaction with cap 27, likewise being screw threaded at 28.
• This end cap 28 serves to close the outer ends of the bore 18 following the placement therein of the cartridge body 20.
• Some of the interior passageways are shown at 30 interconnected with other passageways 32 and ultimately are interconnected to and through a plurality of openings 34 in , 2 _ n _ ⁇ _-, r _,
• the piston or spool valve includes a central axis 38 and a plurality of lands 40, the purpose of which is to open or close different ones of the passages 34 dependent upon operation of the timing cycle and the positionment of the pistons or spool body valves therein.
• An adjustment means for further positioning of the passages in the cartridge body to the passageways within the overall valve body is accomplished by means of volume adjustment studs 42 which threadly engage within the hollow interior of the cartridges.
• Such studs 42 are of selectively different lengths, so by choosing a suitable length, the travel of piston 44 can be controlled. This adjustability feature provides for different lengths of the interior of the valves for limiting movement of the pistons generally designated 44.
• the overall valve body generally designated 50 consists of a plurality of stacked bodies 52 which are spaced by dividers or spacer members 54 to which are attached seal means such as resilient 0-rings or the like, these resilient interconnectors being designated 56.
• seal means serve to provide appropriate flow in the flow valve from one valve body to the next.
• the configuration depends upon the shape of the passages being interconnected in the various valves.
• Such seals are well known in the art.
• the interrelationship between the plural valve bodies 52 is schematically shown in Fig. 9 with a spacer body or divider 54 being interposed between adjacent body portions 52 in an obvious manner.
• the operation and function of this latter embodiment of Figs. 5-9 is the same as that described with reference to the embodiment of Figs. 1-3.
• tie- rods 58 passing through the end and stacked valve body units maintain the overall entity of the overall valve body.
• the placement of these tie-rods and their function will not inter- fere with the appropriate action in distributing the lubricant since not affecting the arrangement of the cartridge and pistons therein by misplacement or binding as will be obvious.

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Family Applications (1)

Country Status (6)

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Citations (3)

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• 1985
  • 1985-06-18 ZA ZA854581A patent/ZA854581B/xx unknown
  • 1985-07-12 KR KR1019860700652A patent/KR870700133A/ko not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1985-07-12 WO PCT/US1985/001320 patent/WO1986004401A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1985-07-12 EP EP19850903745 patent/EP0210176A4/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 1985-07-12 JP JP60503306A patent/JPS62501721A/ja active Pending
  • 1985-07-12 AU AU46331/85A patent/AU4633185A/en not_active Abandoned

Patent Citations (3)

Non-Patent Citations (2)

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