US 4,364,452 A · Pulse liquid feeder system of the type used in lubrications systems and the like having broken line and flow rate detection

Abstract

Each feeder cylinder, in addition to opposite end feeder chambers, had intermediate chambers formed in the piston at opposite sides of the centerline thereof alternately in fluid communication with the feeder chambers of another of the feeder cylinders. Additionally, each feeder cylinder has a monitoring cylinder in flow communication with the feeder chambers thereof arranged such that when lubricant is forced from a feeder chamber of a particular feeder cylinder to the associated bearing, less than one-half of the lubricant received at that bearing is forced by back pressure to one of the monitoring chambers of the associated monitoring cylinder. Thus, for each of the opposite strokes of a feeder cylinder, one associated bearing of a pair receives a major quantity of lubricant and the other bearing of that pair a minor quantity of lubricant while the associated monitoring cylinder is forced through one of its alternate strokes in supplying the minor quantity of lubricant. Use of indicating rods and appropriately positioned proximity sensors indicate monitoring cylinder piston movements. Therefore, if any lubrication line to any bearing fails, it will be detected since the associated monitoring cylinder piston will cease movement. Furthermore, lubricant flow rate to bearings may be calculated by detecting the number of monitoring cylinder piston movements in a given period of time.

Claims37

Dependent claims

In a pulse liquid feeder system of the type having opposed first and second feeder chambers separated by a reciprocal feeder divider alternately movable into each while moving from the other, and alternate feeder means flow connected to said feeder chambers for alternately supplying liquid to said feeder chambers to reciprocate said divider;

the improvements comprising:
opposed first and second monitoring chambers separated by a reciprocal monitoring divider alternately movable into each while moving from the other, said monitoring chambers having maximum volumes less than one-half that of said feeder chambers;
first liquid flow restriction means flow connected to said second feeder chamber and said first monitoring chamber, second liquid flow restriction means flow connected to said first feeder chamber and said second monitoring chamber, each of said liquid flow restriction means being constructed and arranged always exerting sufficient back pressure when receiving liquid from its respective flow connected feeder chamber to simultaneously force sufficient liquid into its respective flow connected monitoring chamber for moving said monitoring divider fully out of its respective flow connected monitoring chamber fully into the other of said monitoring chambers forcing liquid flow therefrom and to the other of said liquid flow restriction means;
detection means for detecting reciprocal movements of said monitoring divider.

1 more element

In a method of pulse feeding a liquid, the steps of:

alternately feeding liquid to opposite first and second feeder chambers separated by a reciprocal feeder divider alternately movable into each while moving from the other;
by said feeder divider movement, alternately feeding liquid from said second feeder chamber during said feeding into said first feeder chamber and from said first feeder chamber during said feeding into said second feeder chamber;
during said liquid feeding from said second feeder chamber, feeding said liquid simultaneously to a first flow restriction and to a first monitoring chamber separated from a second monitoring chamber by a reciprocal monitoring divider alternately movable into each while moving from the other, said feeding of said liquid into said first monitoring chamber moving said monitoring divider into said second monitoring chamber feeding liquid therefrom to a second flow restriction;
during said liquid feeding from said first feeder chamber, feeding said liquid simultaneously to said second flow restriction and to said second monitoring chamber to move said monitoring divider onto said first monitoring chamber to feed liquid from said first monitoring chamber to said first flow restriction;
detecting reciprocal movements of said monitoring divider.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Pulse liquid feeder system of the type used in lubrications systems and the like having broken line and flow rate detection

Life of this patent

Pulse liquid feeder system of the type used in lubrications systems and the like having broken line and flow rate detection

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims37