Method and apparatus for vacuum evacuation and pressure fillings of sealed pin joints
AssigneeCaterpillar Tractor Co.
InventorHarold L. Reinsma
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus and method for vacuum evacuation and pressure filling of a lubricant reservoir are provided which includes a sequence timing and shutoff mechanism for controlling evacuation, testing for air leaks, and filling with lubricant. Visual indication of mechanism performance is provided. A charging gun is adapted for sealingly mating with an opening in the reservoir. Alternatively, a pointed probe utilizable with stoppers of the conventional as well as vented type may be used.
Claims9
An apparatus for vacuum evacuating and pressure filling a lubricant reservoir comprising:
- a gun adapted for sealing engagement with an opening of the lubricant reservoir,
- a source of vacuum,
- a source of lubricant,
- sequence timing and shutoff means for first intercommunicating said vacuum source with said lubricant reservoir by way of said gun to evacuate said lubricant reservoir and then intercommunicating said lubricant source with said evacuated lubricant reservoir to substantially completely fill the entire volume of said evacuated lubricant reservoir with lubricant,
- said sequence timing and shutoff means including a first indicator means for indicating when evacuation of the lubricant reservoir has reached a first level,
- and a second, separate indicator means for indicating when filling of the lubricant reservoir is completed,
- and further including means for checking for air leaks and preventing intercommunicating with the lubricant source if a leak is present.
A method of filling a lubricant reservoir comprising the steps of:
- intercommunicating the reservoir with a vacuum source so as to evacuate the reservoir,
- sensing the vacuum level in the reservoir,
- interrupting intercommunication with the vacuum source if the vacuum level drops to a predetermined level, and then checking for air leaks and
- substantially completely filling the reservoir by intercommunicating the reservoir with a source of lubricant if no air leaks are present, and
- interrupting intercommunication with the lubricant source when the lubricant pressure reaches a predetermined level.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.