Apparatus for automatic lubrication of chain link conveyors

Claim 2

In cooperation with a chain link type conveyor, apparatus for automatic lubrication of said conveyor and comprising: a source of water-miscible lubricant; a pressurized source of water; at least one adjustable fluid pressure-driven mixing pump responsive to said pressurized source of water and coupled to said source of lubricant for providing an output mixture of lubricant and water in a preselected ratio by volume and corresponding to a specified titration; at least one pair of conical-spray type nozzles, each nozzle having an outlet aperture of approximately 0.015 inch and oriented downwardly and located vertically above a respective one of the chains of said conveyor by a distance within the range of one-half inch to three inches; chemically inert piping means coupling said nozzles in fluid circuit with the mixed output of said pump; and shutoff valve means in series fluid circuit with said pair of nozzles and responsive to motion of said conveyor for shuttingoff fluid flow to said nozzles when said motion ceases.

Claim 3

In cooperation with a chain link type conveyor system, apparatus for automatic lubrication of a plurality of chain link type conveyors and comprising: at least one adjustable fluid pressure-driven mixing pump means having a first input and a second input adapted to be respectively coupled to a respective one of a pressurized source of water and a source of a water-miscible lubricant for providing an output mixture of lubricant and water of a selected ratio by volume and corresponding to a preselected titration reading; at least one pair of conical-spray type nozzles per conveyor, each nozzle having an outlet aperture of substantially 0.015 inch and oriented downwardly and located vertically above a respective chain of said chain link type conveyor by a distance of within the range of one-half inch to three inches; chemically inert piping means coupling each said pair of nozzles in fluid circuit with the mixed output of said pump means; and a like number of solenoid-operated shutoff valves as the number of conveyors, each valve commonly in series fluid circuit with those pairs of nozzles associated with a mutually exclusive one of said conveyors and responsive to motion of said one conveyor for shutting-off fluid flow to said associated pairs of nozzles.

Claim 4

In cooperation with a chain link type conveyor system, apparatus for automatic lubrication of a plurality of chain link type conveyors and comprising: at least one adjustable fluid pressure-driven mixing pump means having a first input and a second input adapted to be respectively coupled to a respective one of a pressurized source of water and a source of a water-miscible lubricant for providing an output mixture of lubricant and water of a selected ratio by volume and corresponding to a preselected titration reading; at least one pair of conical-spray type nozzles per conveyor, each nozzle having an outlet aperture of substantially 0.015 inch and oriented downwardly and located vertically above a respective chain of said chain link type conveyor by a distance of within the range of one-half inch to three inches; chemically inert piping means coupling each said pair of nozzles in fluid circuit with the mixed output of said pump means; and a like number of solenoid-operated shutoff valves as the number of conveyors, each valve commonly in series fluid circuit with those pairs of nozzles associated with a mutually exclusive one of said conveyors and responsive to motion of said one conveyor for shutting-off fluid flow to said associated pairs of nozzles.

Claim 5

The device of claim 2 in which a nozzle is located at an end of a working length of each chain of said conveyor.

Claim 6

The device of claim 2 in which a nozzle is located at each end of a working length of each chain of said conveyor.

Claim 7

In cooperation with a chain link type conveyor, apparatus for automatic lubrication of said conveyor and comprising: a source of water-miscible lubricant; a pressurized source of water, pressurized within a pressure range between 1 p.s.i. and 85 p.s.i.; at least one adjustable fluid pressure-driven mixing pump responsive to said pressurized source of water and coupled to said source of lubricant for providing an output mixture of lubricant and water in a preselected ratio by volume and corresponding to a specified titration; at least one pair of conical-spray type nozzles, each nozzle having an outlet aperture of approximately 0.015 inch and oriented downwardly and located vertically above a respective one of the chains of said conveyor by a distance within the range of one-half inch to three inches; chemically inert piping means coupling said nozzles in fluid circuit with the mixed output of said pump, the cross section of said piping means being larger at an end coupled to said pump than at the end coupled to said nozzles; and shutoff valve means in series fluid circuit with said pair of nozzles and responsive to motion of said conveyor for shutting-off fluid flow to said nozzles when said motion ceases.

Claim 8

In cooperation with a chain link type conveyor, apparatus for automatic lubrication of said conveyor and comprising: a source of water-miscible lubricant; a pressurized source of water, pressurized within a pressure range between 1 p.s.i. and 85 p.s.i.; at least one adjustable fluid pressure-driven mixing pump responsive to said pressurized source of water and coupled to said source of lubricant for providing an output mixture of lubricant and water in a preselected ratio by volume and corresponding to a specified titration; at least one pair of conical-spray type nozzles, each nozzle having an outlet aperture of approximately 0.015 inch and oriented downwardly and located vertically above a respective one of the chains of said conveyor by a distance within the range of one-half inch to three inches; chemically inert piping means coupling said nozzles in fluid circuit with the mixed output of said pump, the cross section of said piping means being larger at an end coupled to said pump than at the end coupled to said nozzles; and shutoff valve means in series fluid circuit with said pair of nozzles and responsive to motion of said conveyor for shutting-off fluid flow to said nozzles when said motion ceases.

Claim 9

In cooperAtion with a chain link type conveyor system, apparatus for automatic lubrication of a plurality of chain link type conveyors and comprising: at least one adjustable fluid pressure-driven mixing pump means having a first input and a second input adapted to be respectively coupled to a respective one of a pressurized source of water and a source of a water-miscible lubricant for providing an output mixture of lubricant and water of a selected ratio by volume and corresponding to a preselected titration reading, said pumping means comprising a plurality of fluid pressure-driven pumps, each pump having a first input commonly connected to a pressurized source of water and further having a second input and a commonly connected output; and in which there is further provided chemically inert reservoir means having an input adapted to be coupled to a source of a water-miscible lubricant and a plurality of outputs, each output of said first reservoir being connected to the second input of a mutually exclusive one of said pumps; at least one pair of conical-spray type nozzles per conveyor, each nozzle having an outlet aperture of substantially 0.015 inch and oriented downwardly and located vertically above a respective chain of said chain link type conveyor by a distance of within the range of one-half inch to three inches; chemically inert piping means coupling each said pair of nozzles in fluid circuit with the mixed output of said pump means; and a like number of solenoid-operated shutoff valves as conveyors, each valve commonly in series fluid circuit with those pairs of nozzles associated with a mutually exclusive one of said conveyors and responsive to motion of said one conveyor for shutting-off fluid flow to said associated pairs of nozzles.

Claim 10

In cooperAtion with a chain link type conveyor system, apparatus for automatic lubrication of a plurality of chain link type conveyors and comprising: at least one adjustable fluid pressure-driven mixing pump means having a first input and a second input adapted to be respectively coupled to a respective one of a pressurized source of water and a source of a water-miscible lubricant for providing an output mixture of lubricant and water of a selected ratio by volume and corresponding to a preselected titration reading, said pumping means comprising a plurality of fluid pressure-driven pumps, each pump having a first input commonly connected to a pressurized source of water and further having a second input and a commonly connected output; and in which there is further provided chemically inert reservoir means having an input adapted to be coupled to a source of a water-miscible lubricant and a plurality of outputs, each output of said first reservoir being connected to the second input of a mutually exclusive one of said pumps; at least one pair of conical-spray type nozzles per conveyor, each nozzle having an outlet aperture of substantially 0.015 inch and oriented downwardly and located vertically above a respective chain of said chain link type conveyor by a distance of within the range of one-half inch to three inches; chemically inert piping means coupling each said pair of nozzles in fluid circuit with the mixed output of said pump means; and a like number of solenoid-operated shutoff valves as conveyors, each valve commonly in series fluid circuit with those pairs of nozzles associated with a mutually exclusive one of said conveyors and responsive to motion of said one conveyor for shutting-off fluid flow to said associated pairs of nozzles.

Claim 11

In cooperation with a chain link type conveyor system, apparatus for automatic lubrication of a plurality of chain link type conveyors and comprising: at least one adjustable fluid pressure-driven mixing pump means having a first input and a second input adapted to be respectively coupled to a respective one of a pressurized source of water and a source of a water-miscible lubricant for providing an output mixture of lubricant and water of a selected ratio by volume and corresponding to a preselected titration reading, said pumping means comprising a plurality of fluid pressure-driven pumps, each pump having a first input commonly connected to a pressurized source of water and a commonly connected second input and further having an output; and in which there is further provided chemically inert reservoir means having a plurality of inputs, each input of said reservoir being connected in fluid circuit to an output of a mutually exclusive one of said pumps, and further having an output coupled in fluid circuit with said piping means; at least one pair of conical-spray type nozzles per conveyor, each nozzle having an outlet aperture of substantially 0.015 inch and oriented downwardly and located vertically above a respective chain of said chain link type conveyor by a distance of within the range of one-half inch to three inches; chemically inert piping means coupling each said pair of nozzles in fluid circuit with the mixed output of said pump means; and a like number of solenoid-operated shutoff valves as conveyors, each valve commonly in series fluid circuit with those pairs of nozzles associated with a mutually exclusive one of said conveyors and responsive to motion of said one conveyor for shutting-off fluid flow to said associated pairs of nozzles.

Claim 12

In cooperation with a chain link type conveyor system, apparatus for automatic lubrication of a plurality of chain link type conveyors and comprising: at least one adjustable fluid pressure-driven mixing pump means having a first input and a second input adapted to be respectively coupled to a respective one of a pressurized source of water and a source of a water-miscible lubricant for providing an output mixture of lubricant and water of a selected ratio by volume and corresponding to a preselected titration reading, said pumping means comprising a plurality of fluid pressure-driven pumps, each pump having a first input commonly connected to a pressurized source of water and a commonly connected second input and further having an output; and in which there is further provided chemically inert reservoir means having a plurality of inputs, each input of said reservoir being connected in fluid circuit to an output of a mutually exclusive one of said pumps, and further having an output coupled in fluid circuit with said piping means; at least one pair of conical-spray type nozzles per conveyor, each nozzle having an outlet aperture of substantially 0.015 inch and oriented downwardly and located vertically above a respective chain of said chain link type conveyor by a distance of within the range of one-half inch to three inches; chemically inert piping means coupling each said pair of nozzles in fluid circuit with the mixed output of said pump means; and a like number of solenoid-operated shutoff valves as conveyors, each valve commonly in series fluid circuit with those pairs of nozzles associated with a mutually exclusive one of said conveyors and responsive to motion of said one conveyor for shutting-off fluid flow to said associated pairs of nozzles.

Claim 13

The device of claim 7 in which there is further provided second reservoir means interposed in fluid circuit between said second inputs of said pumps and a common connection of said second inputs.

Claim 14

The device of claim 8 in which each said reservoir means comprises a manifold having an inside diameter substantially larger than that of the piping means with which it is interposed in fluid circuit, one axial end of said manifolD being closed, a second end forming a common port, and a plurality of axially spaced apertures being formed in said manifold as ports for fluid communication with respective ones of said pumps.

Claim 15

The device of claim 7 in which said reservoir means comprises a manifold having an inside diameter substantially larger than that of said piping means, one axial end of said manifold being closed, a second end forming an output port coupled in series fluid circuit with said piping means and a plurality of axially-spaced apertures being formed in said manifold as input ports coupling said manifold in fluid communication with respective ones of the outputs of said pumps.

Claim 16

The device of claim 9 in which the ratio of the inside diameter of said manifold means is at least three times that of said piping means.