Lubricant applying system and injector means

A lubricant applying system injector adapted for connection in supply relationship with a plurality of like lubricant injectors along a lubricant passage adapted for cyclically alternately supplying lubricant under line pressure to the injectors and for releasing pressure therefrom, and each injector adapted for lubricant delivery to a respective point of use, and comprising:

• a housing;
• displacement plunger and a lubricant metering plunger;
• means normally biasing said displacement plunger toward one end;
• a pressure responsive head on said one end of said displacement plunger for direct exposure to line pressure in said passage for shifting of said displacement plunger in opposition to said biasing means in a lubricant displacement stroke toward its opposite end and into a lubricant displacement chamber at such end from which lubricant is thereby ejected through a port communicating with said points of use, the displacement plunger being then returned to said one end upon said release of pressure in said lubricant passage;
• said housing including means completing a metering chamber in combination with one end of said metering plunger and adapted to be substantially occupied by the metering plunger in one operating mode of the metering plunger and to be vacated by the metering plunger in a second operating mode thereof;
• said housing including a passageway connecting said metering chamber with said displacement chamber;
• means normally biasing said metering plunger into said one operating mode;
• said metering plunger being adapted in said one operating mode for opening said lubricant passage and by occupying said metering chamber driving lubricant from said metering chamber through said passageway into said displacement chamber, and being adapted in said second operating mode for closing said lubricant passage and vacating said metering chamber in response to lubricant pressure in said metering chamber;
• and
• said housing and said displacement plunger including metering chamber pressurizing and recharging means controlled by said displacement plunger for selectively effecting communication between said lubricant passage and said passageway in the displacement stroke of said displacement plunger, so that lubricant under pressure will be charged into said metering chamber and cause said metering plunger to shift into said second operating mode and when the pressure is released said metering plunger will be shifted into said first operating mode by its biasing means for thereby driving a charge of lubricant from said metering chamber through said passageway into said displacement chamber.

A system for supplying lubricant to a plurality of points from a lubricant source comprising:

• a plurality of injectors respectively communicating with said points for delivering said lubricant thereto, each said injector having a housing;
• a lubricant supply and return line passing through all of said injectors;
• a pumping means for connecting to said lubricant source and connected to said lubricant supply and return line through a valve means and a control means operating said pumping means and said valve means in combination for periodically supplying lubricant under pressure through said lubricant supply and return line to each of said injectors during a supply phase of operation and for stopping supply of lubricant and connecting said lubricant supply and return line to said lubricant source during a following return phase of operation;
• each of said injector housings having a displacement chamber communicating with one of said points and a displacement plunger movable in said displacement chamber, said displacement plunger having a head normally disposed by a first bias means for direct exposure to pressurized lubricant supplied during said supply phase in said lubricant supply and return line forcing said plunger against said first bias means expelling lubricant from said displacement chamber to said one point;
• each of said injector housings further having a metering chamber with a metering plunger movable therein, said metering plunger disposed for moving through said supply and return line against a second bias means and having blocking means normally disposed out of said supply and return line;
• each of said injector housings further having a first passage connecting said displacement chamber and said metering chamber, said first passage being normally closed to said supply and return line by said displacement plunger when said pumping means is off and being opened to said receive lubricant from said supply and return line by movement of said displacement plunger during said supply phase permitting flow of lubricant through said fist passage to said metering chamber forcing said metering plunger against said second bias means such that said blocking means blocks said supply and return line;
• each of said injector housings and said diplacement plungers further having a metering chamber pressurizing and recharging means controlled by its said displacement plunger for selectively effecting communication between said lubricant supply and return line and its said first passage in strokes of said displacement plunger expelling lubricant from its said displacement chamber, so that during said supply phase said metering chamber is charged with lubricant under pressure causing its said metering plunger to shift compressing its said second bias means, and during said return phase said second bias means forces said metering plunger into said metering chamber expelling lubricant therein through said first passage to said displacement chamber for recharging said displacement chamber, said first bias means moving said displacement plunger to a position closing said first passage to said supply and return line, and said blocking means being moved out of said supply and return line permitting return of excess lubricant therethrough from said other injectors to said lubricant source;
• and
• each of said injector housings further having a second passage connected to said metering chamber pressurizing and recharging means and to said supply and return line enabling lubricant to bypass said blocking means to supply lubricant to said other injectors when said supply and return line is blocked by said blocking means.