Universal joint with an automatic greasing mechanism

Claim 1

IN A UNIVERSAL JOINT CONNECTING TWO ROTATABLE SHAFTS, SAID UNIVERSAL JOINT INCLUDING (1) A FIRST MEMBER ATTACHED TO ONE OF SAID SHAFTS AND A SECOND MEMBER ATTACHED TO THE OTHER SHAFT, EACH SUCH MEMBER INCLUDING A SHANK PORTION TO WHICH A SHAFT IS RECEIVED, AND (2) A CONNECTING MEMBER JOINING THE FIRST MEMBER TO THE SECOND MEMBER SO THAT ROTATION OF ONE SHAFT WILL CAUSE ROTATION OF THE OTHER, THERE BEING BEARING SURFACES BETWEEN CONNECTING MEMBER AND SAID FIRST AND SECOND MEMBERS AND SAID CONNECTING MEMBER INCLUDING INTERNAL PASSAGES FOR SUPPLYING GREASE TO SAID BEARING SURFACES, THE COMBINATION WITH SAID UNIVERSAL JOINT OF MEANS FOR SUPPLYING A QUANTITY OF GREASE TO THE INTERNAL PASSAGES IN THE CONNECTING MEMBER UPON COMMENCEMENT OF ROTATION OF THE SHAFTS JOINED BY THE UNIVERSAL JOINT, SAID MEANS COMPRISING: (1) A PLUG MEMBER FITTED IN ONE OF SAID MEMBERS AND HAVING A TRANSVERSE CHAMBER DEFINED THEREIN; (2) A PLUNGER MOUNTED IN SAID ONE MEMBER AND HAVING AN ENLARGED PORTION WHICH FITS IN SAID TRANSVERSE CHAMBER IN THE PLUG MEMBER, THE PLUNGER BEING RECIPROCABLE BETWEEN A FIRST POSITION AND A SECOND POSITION; (3) A RESERVOIR IN SAID ONE MEMBER FOR HOLDING A SUPPLY OF GREASE IN SAID ONE SHANK; (4) MEANS FOR SUPPLYING GREASE CONTAINED IN SAID RESERVOIR TO SAID TRANSVERSE CHAMBER IN THE PLUG MEMBER; (5) PASSAGE MEANS CONNECTING THE TRANSVERSE CHAMBER IN THE PLUG MEMBER WITH THE INTERNAL PASSAGES IN THE CONNECTING MEMBER OF THE UNIVERSAL JOINT; AND (6) A WEIGHT ATTACHED TO ONE END OF THE PLUNGER AND ADAPTED TO CAUSE THE PLUNGER TO MOVE TO ITS SECOND POSITION UPON ROTATION OF THE SHAFTS, IN WHICH POSITION THE ENLARGED PORTION OF THE PLUNGER MOVES THROUGH AT LEAST PART OF THE TRANSVERSE CHAMBER IN THE PLUG MEMBER AND CAUSES AT LEAST PART OF THE GREASE CONTAINED THEREIN TO MOVE THROUGH THE AFORESAID PASSAGE MEANS AND SUPPLY GREASE TO THE BEARING SURFACES BETWEEN THE CONNECTING MEMBER AND THE FIRST AND SECOND MEMBERS OF THE UNIVERSAL JOINT.