Method and apparatus for checking the integrity of an autolubrication system

An autolubrication system for attachment to a road vehicle for supplying lubricant to a plurality of lubrication-receiving points, the system comprising:

• pump means, including a pump for supplying a lubricant at an elevated pressure;
• pump control means for selectively actuating the pump;
• conduit means disposed in communication with the pump means for carrying lubricant from the pump means to the lubrication-receiving points;
• pressure sensing means disposed along the conduit means for monitoring pressure changes within the conduit means following actuation of the pump and for generating signals when the pressure changes are below a predetermined threshold;
• and
• alarm means disposed in communication with the pressure sensing means for generating a human perceptible signal responsive to the signals generated by the pressure sensing means.

A method for checking the integrity of a road vehicle's autolubrication system, the method comprising:

• a) selecting an autolubrication system having a pump for pumping lubricant under pressure and a plurality of conduits for carrying lubricant from the pump to a plurality of lubrication-receiving points on the road vehicle;
• b) actuating the pump to move the lubricant through the plurality of conduits and to the lubrication-receiving points;
• and
• c) monitoring the conduits to determine pressure changes following actuating of the pump, wherein said monitoring step selected either one from the group consisting of manually monitoring the conduits with hand and mechanically monitoring the conduits with pressure sensors.