System and method for preventing air in lubricant supply lines

A method of lubricating a hydraulically operated tool and preventing the introduction of air into lubricant supply lines, the method comprising:

• receiving a lubricant at one or more inlets of a common lubricant supply manifold;
• increasing the pressure of the lubricant in the common lubricant supply manifold with a primer pump to a pressure that is greater than a first threshold pressure and less than a second threshold pressure;
• supplying the pressurized lubricant from the common lubricant supply manifold through one or more exit ports to a lubricant supply line;
• sensing the pressure of the lubricant in the lubricant supply line at a detune valve, the detune valve being in fluid communication with a hydraulic pump providing pressurized hydraulic fluid for operating the tool, and for operating a main lubricant supply pump configured to receive lubricant from the lubricant supply line;
• receiving the lubricant in the lubricant supply line at the main lubricant supply pump;
• and
• increasing the pressure of the lubricant with the main lubricant supply pump to a pressure that is greater than the second threshold pressure, and sufficient to pump the lubricant through a spring check valve and into a fluid passageway leading to the hydraulically operated tool, wherein the detune valve is actuated by the pressure of the lubricant in the lubricant supply line dropping below the first threshold to bypass the pressurized hydraulic fluid from being supplied to the main lubricant supply pump and stop operation of the main lubricant supply pump.

A hydraulic hammer, comprising:

• a housing;
• a cylinder contained within the housing, the cylinder configured to receive pressurized hydraulic fluid from a hydraulic fluid pump;
• a piston slidably mounted within the cylinder, the piston configured to be moved by the pressurized hydraulic fluid;
• a tool configured to be impacted by the piston;
• and
• a lubrication system configured to supply lubricant to the housing of the hydraulic hammer, the lubrication system comprising:
• a common lubricant supply manifold configured to receive a lubricant from one or more lubricant reservoirs, the common lubricant supply manifold including at least one inlet port through which the lubricant is received and at least one exit port fluidly coupled with a lubricant supply line fluidly coupled with the housing;
• a primer pump connected in fluid communication with the common lubricant supply manifold;
• a main lubricant supply pump;
• a spring check valve downstream of the main lubricant supply pump;
• the lubricant supply line being configured to receive lubricant from the at least one exit port and supply the lubricant to the main lubricant supply pump;
• the main lubricant supply pump being configured to increase the pressure of the lubricant and pump the lubricant through the spring check valve and into a fluid passageway leading to the housing of the hydraulic hammer;
• and
• a detune valve in fluid communication with the hydraulic fluid pump providing pressurized hydraulic fluid to the cylinder of the hydraulic hammer, to the primer pump, and to the main lubricant supply pump, the detune valve being configured to be actuated by pressure in the lubricant supply line.