Lubricating system for knitting machines and the like

Claim 1

THE COMBINATION OF A CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE AND A LUBRICATING UNIT FOR SUPPLYING LIQUID LUBRICANT TO VARIOUS PORTIONS OF SAID KNITTING MACHINE, SAID LUBRICATING UNIT COMPRISING AN ELONGATED MANIFOLD HOUSING HAVING A LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING SUPPLY BORE THEREIN, THE SUPPLY BORE BEING ADAPTED TO RECEIVE LIQUID LUBRICANT THEREIN, SAID MANIFOLD HAVING A VENT PASSAGEWAY CONNECTING THE SUPPLY BORE TO THE ATMOSPHERE, A PLURALITY OF SPACED APART FITTINGS REMOVABLY SECURED AT ONE END IN SAID MANIFOLD HOUSING, SAID FITTINGS HAVING A PASSAGEWAY THERETHROUGH, A LUBRICANT DISTRIBUTING LINE CONNECTED AT ONE END TO EACH OF SAID FITTINGS, THE OTHER ENDS OF SAID LUBICANT DISTRIBUTING LINES EXTENDING TO THE VARIOUS PORTIONS OF SAID KNITTING MACHINE TO BE LUBRICATED, EACH OF SAID FITTINGS HAVING A COUNTERBORE COMMUNICATING WITH THE SUPPLY BORE, AND A LUBRICANT MEASURING AND FLOW CONTROL ELEMENT LOOSELY POSITIONED IN THE COUNTERBORE OF EACH FITTING, THE LENGTH OF SAID CONTROL ELEMENT CONTROLLING THE AMOUNT OF LUBRICANT DEPOSITED IN THE COUNTERBORE FROM THE SUPPLY BORE AND THE AMOUNT OF CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE CONTROL ELEMENT AND THE COUNTERBORE CONTROLLING THE RATE OF FLOW OF LUBRICANT PAST SAID CONTROL ELEMENT.