Metering device

Claim 2

A machine for discharging accurately controlled amounts of grease to the throats of ball joints and the like which comprises a fixture for receiving the throat of a ball joint having grease discharge orifices automatically aligned with the throat when the fixture receives the ball joint, a grease-metering unit for successively supplying said orifices with a fixed charge of grease, said metering unit including a slidable ported sleeve receiving grease from a source and discharging grease to said orifices, a piston slidable in said sleeve effecting drawing of grease into the sleeve from the source and discharge of grease out of the sleeve to the orifices, a double-acting piston air motor connected to the piston in said sleeve, stops limiting the stroke of said sleeve, stops limiting the stroke of said piston in said sleeve, said sleeve being movable with said piston therein to trap and compact grease in the sleeve ahead of the piston, said stops for the sleeve coacting with ports in the sleeve to discharge the trapped grease from the sleeve and to draw grease into the sleeve when the piston in the sleeve moves relative thereto, and said stops on the piston controlling the stroke of the piston in the sleeve to regulate the amount of grease discharged on each stroke.

Claim 3

The machine of claim 1, including a switch in the fixture tripped by a ball joint in proper position in the fixture for receiving grease in the throat thereof to actuate the air motor.

Claim 4

The machine of claim 1 wherein the fixture includes a pair of orificed fingers straddling the stud of the ball joint inserted therein, with the orifices directed to discharge into the throat of the ball joint.

Claim 5

A metering machine for successively and rapidly dispensing exact predetermined quantities of fluids regardless of the viscosity thereof which comprises a housing having a bore, an inlet passage communicating with said bore, and a pair of outlet passages communicating with said bore in equally spaced relation from opposite sides of said inlet passage, a sleeve slidable in said bore, plugs in opposed relation in said sleeve defining therebetween a fixed volume chamber, axially spaced ports in said sleeve, each joining said chamber selectively with said inlet passage and with one of said outlet passages, a piston slidable in said sleeve between said plugs dividing the chamber into two compartments, piston rods slidable through said plugs extending from opposite sides of the piston, stops on said rods each engageable with the adjacent plug, an actuator connected to one rod to selectively slide the sleeve in opposite directions in the bore through a drive connection created by the piston and fluid trapped in the compartment ahead of the piston, stops on said sleeve limiting the stroke thereof in said bore to effect movement of the piston in the sleeve upon continued driving by the actuator, said stops on said rods limiting the stroke of said piston in said sleeve, and movement of the piston in the sleeve effective to eject fluid ahead of the piston through the sleeve ports to an outlet and to draw fluid from the inlet through the sleeve ports into the compartment behind the piston whereby each stroke of the metering machine will discharge positively a fixed amount of fluid ahead of the piston in the sleeve and will draw the next charge of fluid into the sleeve behind the piston.

Claim 6

A metering machine for successively and rapidly dispensing exact predetermined quantities of fluids regardless of the viscosity thereof which comprises a housing having a bore, an inlet passage communicating with said bore, and a pair of outlet passages communicating with said bore in equally spaced relation from opposite sides of said inlet passage, a sleeve slidable in said bore, plugs in opposed relation in said sleeve defining therebetween a fixed volume chamber, axially spaced ports in said sleeve, each joining said chamber selectively with said inlet passage and with one of said outlet passages, a piston slidable in said sleeve between said plugs dividing the chamber into two compartments, piston rods slidable through said plugs extending from opposite sides of the piston, stops on said rods each engageable with the adjacent plug, an actuator connected to one rod to selectively slide the sleeve in opposite directions in the bore through a drive connection created by the piston and fluid trapped in the compartment ahead of the piston, stops on said sleeve limiting the stroke thereof in said bore to effect movement of the piston in the sleeve upon continued driving by the actuator, said stops on said rods limiting the stroke of said piston in said sleeve, and movement of the piston in the sleeve effective to eject fluid ahead of the piston through the sleeve ports to an outlet and to draw fluid from the inlet through the sleeve ports into the compartment behind the piston whereby each stroke of the metering machine will discharge positively a fixed amount of fluid ahead of the piston in the sleeve and will draw the next charge of fluid into the sleeve behind the piston.

Claim 7

A grease-dispensing machine for assembly line installation in the production of ball joints to ensure accurate predetermined grease charges in each ball joint which comprises a station with a grease discharge orifice and means to align the throats of ball joints with said orifice, an air motor driven grease-metering unit, means at said station actuating the air motor when a ball joint at the station has its throat aligned with the orifice, said unit including a double-acting cylinder and piston and a hydraulic valve system controlled by the cylinder, said cylinder being slidable in a ported housing and said piston being slidable in said cylinder, each stroke of the cylinder shifting the communication of the piston with the ports and each stroke of the piston in the cylinder discharging the predetermined amount of grease from the cylinder and drawing in a new charge of grease into the cylinder.

Claim 8

A grease-dispensing machine for assembly line installation in the production of ball joints to ensure accurate predetermined grease charges in each ball joint which comprises a station with a grease discharge orifice and means to align the throats of ball joints with said orifice, an air motor driven grease-metering unit, means at said station actuating the air motor when a ball joint at the station has its throat aligned with the orifice, said unit including a double-acting cylinder and piston and a hydraulic valve system controlled by the cylinder, said cylinder being slidable in a ported housing and said piston being slidable in said cylinder, each stroke of the cylinder shifting the communication of the piston with the ports and each stroke of the piston in the cylinder discharging the predetermined amount of grease from the cylinder and drawing in a new charge of grease into the cylinder.

Claim 9

A fluid-dispensing unit comprising a housing having a bore with an inlet port and two outlet ports, a cylinder slidable in the bore having a central chamber and ports selectively communicating the inlet and outlet ports with said chamber, a piston slidable in the cylinder dividing the chamber into opposed compartments receiving fluid to be dispensed from the inlet port and means driving the piston in opposite directions to first drive the cylinder through the fluid ahead of the piston for shifting port communication and to then drive the piston in the cylinder for discharging the fluid ahead of the piston to an outlet port while simultaneously drawing fluid into the chamber behind the piston from the inlet port.

Claim 10

A fluid-dispensing unit comprising a housing having a bore with an inlet port and two outlet ports, a cylinder slidable in the bore having a central chamber and ports selectively communicating the inlet and outlet ports with said chamber, a piston slidable in the cylinder dividing the chamber into opposed compartments receiving fluid to be dispensed from the inlet port and means driving the piston in opposite directions to first drive the cylinder through the fluid ahead of the piston for shifting port communication and to then drive the piston in the cylinder for discharging the fluid ahead of the piston to an outlet port while simultaneously drawing fluid into the chamber behind the piston from the inlet port.

Claim 11

The fluid-dispensing unit of claim 6 including means limiting the stroke of the cylinder in the housing in advance of the end of the stroke of the piston and means limiting the stroke of the piston in the cylinder to control the discharge of the fluid.

Claim 12

The unit of claim 7 wherein the means limiting the stroke of the piston is adjustable from outside of the unit.

Claim 13

The fluid-dispensing unit of claim 6 wherein the two outlet ports communicate with a fixture equipped with means actuated by the device to receive the fluid for controlling the means driving the piston.