Cycle indicator for fluid distribution systems

A fluid cycle indicator for use with a divider block of a fluid distribution system comprising:

• a housing adapted for connection to a divider block having a cylinder bore with a piston that reciprocates within the cylinder bore to cycle fluid therethrough;
• a piston follower disposed within the housing having one end that extends from the housing into the cylinder bore for driving engagement with the piston, so that movement of the piston is translated to the piston follower,
• a spring biasing the piston follower against the reciprocating piston so that the piston follower follows the motion of the piston as it reciprocates and dispenses fluid;
• an external magnet positioned outside the housing and coupled to the piston follower motion to provide a visual indicator corresponding to the piston movement;
• an internal magnet located within the housing to be in driving engagement with the piston follower, the external magnet coupled to the internal magnet, so that movement of the piston is transferred to the external magnet through the piston follower and the internal magnet;
• and
• in which at least one of the internal magnet and the external magnet include radially oriented magnetic poles.

A method of determining proper operation of a fluid distribution system that includes a divider block having cylinder bore with a piston that reciprocates within the cylinder bore to cycle fluid therethrough, the method comprising:

• providing multiple pistons in multiple piston bores, the piston bores connected by a series of passages such that the multiple pistons reciprocate under the pressure of an incoming lubricant, each piston dispensing a fixed amount of lubricant;
• providing a housing and a piston follower, the piston follower preloaded against one of the pistons by a spring;
• connecting the housing to the divider block so that one end of the piston follower extends from the housing into the cylinder bore for driving engagement with the piston, so that movement of the piston as it dispenses fluid is translated to the piston follower;
• providing an external magnet to be operated through the piston follower to provide a visual signal of movement of the piston;
• providing an internal magnet associated with the piston follower so that movement of the piston is transferred to the internal magnet through the piston follower and then to the external magnet;
• and
• providing that at least one of the internal magnet and the external magnet include radially oriented magnetic poles.

A low volume, high pressure lubricant distribution system, comprising:

• multiple piston bores;
• a piston positioned in each of the multiple piston bores;
• passages interconnecting the multiple pistons bores;
• an inlet for providing high pressure fluid to the piston bores, the passages arranged such that the multiple pistons are caused to reciprocate in the corresponding piston bores by the incoming lubricant, each piston dispensing lubricant as it reciprocates;
• a housing having an internal cavity, the cavity communicating to at least one of the piston bores;
• a spring for biasing the piston follower against the reciprocating piston so that the piston follower follows the motion of the piston as it reciprocates and dispenses lubricant;
• an internal magnet positioned within the cavity and following the motion of the piston follower;
• and
• an external indicator following the motion of the internal magnet, which follows the motion of the piston follower, which follows the motion of the piston, the external indicator providing a visual indication of the piston motion, the external indicator including an annular magnet having a radially oriented magnetic poles and the internal magnet including radially oriented magnetic poles, the magnetic poles of the internal magnet being oriented opposite to the magnetic poles of the annular magnet.