Lubricant injection system

Claim 2

A fluid injector comprising, a hollow manifold forming a. an internal cylindrical portion, with b. a pressurizable and venting compartment extending from one end of the cylindrical portion, a first fluid port in said venting compartment adjacent said one end of the cylindrical portion, through which said compartment may be pressurized or vented, and c. an injection compartment extending from the other end of said cylindrical portion, said injection compartment having a second port closely adjacent said other end of said cylindrical portion through which fluid may be moved into the injection compartment or fluid moved out from the venting compartment, said injection compartment in addition having an outlet check valve for outward irreversible flow of fluid from the injection compartment; a reciprocable piston in said cylindrical portion, stop means for locating the piston at a normal position in said cylindrical portion between said ports so that the injection compartment communicates with said second port, resilient means for urging the piston toward the venting compartment and to said normal position under a normal pressure in said venting compartment thereby to vent the venting compartment through said first port, said piston under pressure substantially above normal in the venting compartment moving into the injection compartment to a point below said second port, whereby fluid is injected through said outlet check valve from the injection compartment and whereby fluid under pressure may transfer from said first port, through the venting compartment and to said second port.

Claim 3

A fluid injector according to claim 1, wherein the volumetric displacements of the piston are the same in moving to and from said injection and venting compartments.

Claim 4

A fluid injector system for use with a fluid pump, a fluid pressure supply line leading from the pump, timed means for intermittently starting and stopping the pump intermittently to pressurize said supply, means for venting said line during stoppage of the pump, a variable volume accumulator having a port for the reception and return therefrom of fluid, a series of injectors made according to claim 1, fluid transmission means connecting the second port of each preceding injector in the series to the first port of each succeeding injector in the series except the last, the second port of which is connected to said port of the accumulator by fluid transmission means, fluid transmission means connecting the pressure supply line from the pump with the first port of the first injector of the series, an accumulator, and a malfunction indicator means forming part of the accumulator and movable in response to variable fluid volume therein.

Claim 5

A fluid injector system for use with a fluid pump, a fluid pressure supply line Leading from the pump, timed means for intermittently starting and stopping the pump intermittently to pressurize said supply, means for venting said line during stoppage of the pump, a variable volume accumulator cylinder having a reciprocating piston therein and having a port for the reception into the cylinder and return therefrom of fluid under action of said piston, resilient means biasing the accumulator piston toward the accumulator port, a series of injectors made according to claim 1, fluid transmission means connecting the second port of each preceding injector in the series to the first port of each succeeding injector in the series except the last, the second port of which is connected to said port of the accumulator by fluid transmission means, and fluid transmission means connecting the pressure supply line from the pump with the first port of the first injector.

Claim 6

A fluid injector comprising, a hollow manifold forming a. an internal cylindrical portion, with b. a pressurizable and venting compartment extending from one end of the cylindrical portion, a first fluid port in said venting compartment closely adjacent said one end of the cylindrical portion through which said compartment may be pressurized or vented, and c. an injection compartment extending from the other end of said cylindrical portion, said injection compartment having a second port closely adjacent said other end of said cylindrical portion through which fluid may be moved into the injection compartment or fluid moved out from the venting compartment, said injection compartment in addition having an outlet check valve for outward irreversible flow of fluid from the injection compartment; a piston movable in said cylindrical portion and forming part of a reciprocable plunger, an extending part of the plunger projecting into said venting compartment, a stop for the plunger locating it at a normal position wherein said piston is located in said cylindrical portion between said ports whereby the injection compartment communicates with said second port, resilient means for driving the plunger into the venting compartment against said stop under a normal pressure in said venting compartment to vent the venting compartment through said first port, said plunger under pressure substantially above normal in the venting compartment moving therefrom, thereby to force said piston from said cylindrical portion into the injection compartment to a point below said second port, whereby fluid is injected through said outlet from the injection compartment and fluid under pressure may transfer from said first port, through the venting compartment and to said second port.

Claim 7

A fluid injector comprising, a hollow manifold forming a. an internal cylindrical portion, with b. a pressurizable and venting compartment extending from one end of the cylindrical portion, a first fluid port in said venting compartment closely adjacent said one end of the cylindrical portion through which said compartment may be pressurized or vented, and c. an injection compartment extending from the other end of said cylindrical portion, said injection compartment having a second port closely adjacent said other end of said cylindrical portion through which fluid may be moved into the injection compartment or fluid moved out from the venting compartment, said injection compartment in addition having an outlet check valve for outward irreversible flow of fluid from the injection compartment; a piston movable in said cylindrical portion and forming part of a reciprocable plunger, an extending part of the plunger projecting into said venting compartment, a stop for the plunger locating it at a normal position wherein said piston is located in said cylindrical portion between said ports whereby the injection compartment communicates with said second port, resilient means for driving the plunger into the venting compartment against said stop under a normal pressure in said venting compartment to vent the venting compartment through said first port, said plunger under pressure substantially above normal in the venting compartment moving therefrom, thereby to force said piston from said cylindrical portion into the injection compartment to a point below said second port, whereby fluid is injected through said outlet from the injection compartment and fluid under pressure may transfer from said first port, through the venting compartment and to said second port.

Claim 8

A lubricant injection system for use with a timed lubricant pump, comprising a series of manifolds each of which has a first and a second compartment, said compartments of each manifold being separated by a cylinder fitted with a reciprocable piston having a normal position in said cylinder and movable away from the first compartment and into the second compartment or reversely out of the second compartment toward the first compartment, said piston in a normal position lying between spaced first and second ports, the first one of which connects with the first compartment and the second one of which when the piston is in normal position connects with the second compartment, said piston in its movement from normal position and into the second compartment crossing said second port to connect the port with the first compartment, said second compartment having an outlet for connection with an injection line and a check valve in said outlet, a hollow accumulator having an inlet communicating with a cylinder therein, a reciprocable accumulator piston in the accumulator cylinder for the reception and expulsion of fluid from and to said inlet, means biasing the accumulator piston toward the accumulator inlet, a fluid connection between said pump and the first port of the first manifold in the series, a fluid connection between the second port of the first and every other manifold in the series and with the first port of the next manifold in the series, and a fluid connection between the second port of the last manifold in the series and the inlet of the accumulator.

Claim 9

A lubricant injection system for use with a timed lubricant pump, comprising a series of manifolds each of which has a first and a second compartment, said compartments of each manifold being separated by a cylinder fitted with a reciprocable piston having a normal position in said cylinder and movable away from the first compartment and into the second compartment or reversely out of the second compartment toward the first compartment, said piston in a normal position lying between spaced first and second ports, the first one of which connects with the first compartment and the second one of which when the piston is in normal position connects with the second compartment, said piston in its movement from normal position and into the second compartment crossing said second port to connect the port with the first compartment, said second compartment having an outlet for connection with an injection line and a check valve in said outlet, a hollow accumulator having an inlet communicating with a cylinder therein, a reciprocable accumulator piston in the accumulator cylinder for the reception and expulsion of fluid from and to said inlet, means biasing the accumulator piston toward the accumulator inlet, a fluid connection between said pump and the first port of the first manifold in the series, a fluid connection between the second port of the first and every other manifold in the series and with the first port of the next manifold in the series, and a fluid connection between the second port of the last manifold in the series and the inlet of the accumulator.

Claim 10

An injector according to claim 6 including stop means limiting movement of each manifold piston from the second compartment of its manifold, and wherein the volumetric displacement of the accumulator is at least equal to that of each manifold piston in the second compartment of its injector.

Claim 11

An injector according to claim 6 including stop means limiting movement of each injector piston from the second compartment of its injector and wherein the volumetric displacements of the accumulator piston and of each injector piston in the second compartment of its injector are equal.

Claim 12

An injector according to claim 8 wherein each injector piston completely empties the second compartment of its injector in moving into it.

Claim 13

An injector according to claim 9 including signal means operable by the accumulator piston to indicate when the accumulator cylinder has been filled.