Electronic lube gun with master station control

A device for delivering a preset volume of liquid lubricant, the device comprising:

• a valve including a valve member disposed to control liquid flow through a supply passage to an outlet;
• an electrically operable latching mechanism for holding the valve member in an open position in which the supply passage is open to the flow of liquid and in a closed position in which the supply passage is closed to the flow of liquid;
• a manually operable member for moving the valve member from a closed position to the open position;
• a metering device operable to measure a parameter of flow of the liquid;
• and
• a control circuit for sensing the movement of the manually operable member and responsive thereto for energizing the electrically operable latching mechanism for holding the valve member in the open position;
• and
• wherein the control circuit is operably connected to the metering device to measure units of the flow parameter, and in response to the flow parameter equaling a preset amount, the control circuit causes energization of the latching mechanism to allow the valve member to return to a closed position;
• and
• further comprising radio frequency receiver and an antenna for receiving signals to enable and disable the operation of the manually operable member.

A device for delivering a preset volume of liquid lubricant, the device comprising:

• a valve including a valve member disposed to control liquid flow through a supply passage to an outlet;
• a metering device operable to measure a volume of flow of the liquid;
• and
• a control circuit responsive to a control signal for actuating the valve to an open position to commence delivery of the preset volume of liquid lubricant, wherein the control circuit, after dispensing the preset volume of liquid lubricant, de-actuates the valve to allow the valve to return to a closed position;
• a casing for housing for valve, the metering device and the control circuit;
• and
• a radio frequency receiver and an antenna disposed in the casing for receiving the control signal to actuate and de-actuate the valve.

A wireless networked system for monitoring preset volumes of liquid lubricants dispensed through a plurality of handheld metering devices, the system comprising:

• a master control station for receiving inputs representing preset volumes of liquid lubricants that are dispensed through a plurality of handheld metering devices;
• a plurality of handheld metering devices for dispensing and measuring respective preset volumes of liquid lubricant;
• and
• wherein said handheld metering devices have radio frequency transmitter for communicating with the master control station;
• and
• wherein the master control station has a radio frequency receiver for receiving signals from the handheld metering devices to monitor the dispensing of the preset volumes of liquid lubricants.