US3664462A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Lubricant metering valve
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1970-05-27
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Granted: 1972-05-23
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Expires: 1990-05-27
Abstract
Abstract A self-contained metering valve for a centralized lubrication system in which the metering valve comprises a valve body having a longitudinal bore, an input passageway leading to one end of the bore, and a normally closed one-way valve assembly comprising a check valve sleeve and spring-biased piston disposed adjacent the input passageway. The bore of the valve body further includes a spring-biased main discharge piston located above the check piston, together with transfer passageways leading from the oneway valve assembly to the opposite sides of the spring-biased discharge piston. The arrangement is such that the lubrication system supplies timed surges of high pressure lubricant, forcing the check piston open and permitting lubricant to pass to the lower end of the main discharge piston, thus forcing the piston upwardly. The bore above the main piston comprises a metering chamber which dispenses a metered quantity of lubricant through an output passageway to a bearing as the piston is forced upwardly. When the pressure in the system drops to zero, then the check piston is closed by its biasing spring, blocking the inlet passageway and opening the transfer passageway to transfer lubricant from the pressure chamber below the piston to the metering chamber above the piston so as to condition the valve for the next cycle.
Inventors
- 👤 William O Smith Sr
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 06:15
CPC Classifications
F; F16; F16N; F16N25/00; F16N25/02; F16N13/00; F16N13/02; F16N13/22; F16N27/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
371 words
A metering valve for a centralized lubrication system, said metering valve being adapted to eject a metered amount of lubricant in response to a lubricant pressure surge from the lubrication system, comprising a valve body having a main bore therein, the longitudinal bore having an inlet port interconnectable with the lubrication system and an outlet port through which the lubricant is ejected, a check valve located to cooperate with the inlet port of the main bore, first spring means biasing said check valve closed except when said check valve is exposed to a lubricant pressure surge, a main discharge piston slidably confined in the main bore between said check valve and the outlet port, second spring means biasing said discharge piston toward said check valve except when said discharge piston is exposed to a lubricant pressure surge, said check valve, discharge piston and main bore being arranged to define a pressure chamber between one side of said discharge pistion and said check valve and a metering chamber between the other side of said discharge piston and the outlet port, a check transfer passageway extending from said check valve to the pressure chamber, said check passageway being arranged with said check valve to allow flow of lubricant to the pressure chamber only when said check valve is opened in response to a lubricant pressure surge, the injection of lubricant from the lubrication system into the pressure chamber forcing said discharge piston away from said check valve and causing said discharge piston to deliver lubricant from the metering chamber through the outlet port, thereby ejecting a metered amount of lubricant, and a metering transfer passageway extending from said check valve to the metering chamber, said metering passageway being arranged with said check valve to allow flow of lubricant from the pressure chamber to the metering chamber only when said check valve is closed in response to the lack of a lubricant pressure surge, said second spring means forcing said discharge piston toward said check valve when said check valve is closed and causing said discharge piston to deliver lubricant from the pressure chamber through the metering transfer passageway to the metering chamber, thereby charging the metering chamber with a metered amount of lubricant.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
371 words
A metering valve for a centralized lubrication system, said metering valve being adapted to eject a metered amount of lubricant in response to a lubricant pressure surge from the lubrication system, comprising a valve body having a main bore therein, the longitudinal bore having an inlet port interconnectable with the lubrication system and an outlet port through which the lubricant is ejected, a check valve located to cooperate with the inlet port of the main bore, first spring means biasing said check valve closed except when said check valve is exposed to a lubricant pressure surge, a main discharge piston slidably confined in the main bore between said check valve and the outlet port, second spring means biasing said discharge piston toward said check valve except when said discharge piston is exposed to a lubricant pressure surge, said check valve, discharge piston and main bore being arranged to define a pressure chamber between one side of said discharge pistion and said check valve and a metering chamber between the other side of said discharge piston and the outlet port, a check transfer passageway extending from said check valve to the pressure chamber, said check passageway being arranged with said check valve to allow flow of lubricant to the pressure chamber only when said check valve is opened in response to a lubricant pressure surge, the injection of lubricant from the lubrication system into the pressure chamber forcing said discharge piston away from said check valve and causing said discharge piston to deliver lubricant from the metering chamber through the outlet port, thereby ejecting a metered amount of lubricant, and a metering transfer passageway extending from said check valve to the metering chamber, said metering passageway being arranged with said check valve to allow flow of lubricant from the pressure chamber to the metering chamber only when said check valve is closed in response to the lack of a lubricant pressure surge, said second spring means forcing said discharge piston toward said check valve when said check valve is closed and causing said discharge piston to deliver lubricant from the pressure chamber through the metering transfer passageway to the metering chamber, thereby charging the metering chamber with a metered amount of lubricant.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
58 words
A metering valve as set forth in claim 1 including a main cylinder sleeve fitted into the main bore, said main discharge piston being slidably confined in said main cylinder sleeve, and a slot formed in the main bore, said slot having an open side sealed off by said main cylinder sleeve to delineate said metering transfer passageway.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
80 words
A metering valve as set forth in claim 1 including a check cylinder sleeve fitted into the main bore adjacent the inlet port, a check piston slidably confined in said check cylinder sleeve, and an external slot having lateral ports at opposite ends thereof formed in said check cylinder sleeve, the external slot having an open side sealed off by the main bore into which it is fitted, and the external slot and lateral ports delineating the check transfer passageway.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
81 words
A metering valve as set forth in claim 2 including a check cylinder sleeve fitted into said main cylinder sleeve adjacent the inlet port, a check piston slidably confined in said check cylinder sleeve, and an external slot having lateral ports at opposite ends thereof formed in said check cylinder sleeve, the external slot having an open side sealed off by the main bore into which it is fitted, and the external slot and lateral ports delineating the check transfer passageway.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
84 words
A metering valve as set forth in claim 1 including a closure member disposed at an open end of the main bore and sealing that open end, said closure member having a guide bore therethrough, an indicator stem fixed to said discharge piston, said indicator stem being slidably carried in the guide bore, and wherein said second spring means is in the form of a coil spring fitted about said indicator stem and disposed in compression between said closure member and said discharge piston.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
93 words
A metering valve as set forth in claim 1 including a closure member disposed at an open end of the main bore and sealing that open end, said closure member having a guide bore therethrough, an indicator stem fixed to said discharge piston, said indicator stem being slidably carried in the guide bore, and adjustable stop means adapted to cooperate with said discharge piston for limiting the stroke of said discharge piston and, thereby, allowing the metered amount of lubricant ejected by said metering valve to be regulated as desired by the user.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
48 words
A metering valve as set forth in claim 6 wherein said adjustable stop means includes a stop collar slidably confined on said indicator stem within the main bore, said stop collar being interchangeable with another of a different thickness through selective removal and replacement of said closure member.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
47 words
A metering valve as set forth in claim 6 wherein said adjustable stop means includes a stop external to said valve body and engageable with the upper end of said indicator stem, said stop being manually adjustable relative to said valve body from outside said valve body.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
72 words
A metering valve as set forth in claim 8 wherein said external stop includes an adjusting nipple threaded into said closure member, said nipple having a bore therethrough to receive said indicator stem and having a closed upper end that provides a stop engageable with the top end of said indicator stem, the stroke of said discharge piston being regulated by manually threading said nipple into and out of said closure member.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-05-23 | 1975-11-22 | 1976-05-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-05-23 | 1979-11-22 | 1980-05-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-05-23 | 1983-11-22 | 1984-05-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |