Oil mist reclassifying system

Claim 2

In a system for reclassifying micro particles of oil from a lubricating oil mist to liquid droplets of oil and in which said oil mist is delivered under positive pressure to bearing areas requiring lubrication and is vented from said bearing areas under positive pressure, the combination comprising a vent conduit connected to and communicating with said bearing areas, an oil drain device in said vent conduit for receiving reclassified oil therefrom, an oil mist reclassifying assembly connected to and communicating with said vent conduit to receive pressurized oil mist therefrom, a vacuum tank connected by a vacuum tank conduit to said reclassifying assembly to receive reclassified oil therefrom, a vacuum pump connected by a vacuum pump conduit to said vacuum tank to apply negative pressure to said reclassifying assembly, an air discharge tank connected by an air discharge tank conduit to said vacuum pump to receive air substantially free of oil mist therefrom, a pre-loaded, oil soaked filter unit on the downstream side of said air discharge tank to remove the remainder of said oil mist and release air from said air discharge tank, and said oil mist reclassifying assembly comprising a housing, an inlet in said housing for said vented pressurized oil mist, a mixing chamber in said housing communicating with said oil mist inlet, a port through a wall of said housing communicating with said mixing chamber to admit atmospheric air thereinto, an oil mist reclassifying unit secured to said housing and having a body, an oil mist inlet and a vacuum chamber in said body communicating with said mixing chamber, a reclassifying element in said vacuum chamber having inlet and discharge ports and passageways therethrough providing a tortuous direction-changing path for said oil mist, and an impingement element disposed in the path of the downstream flow of said oil mist from said discharge port and spaced from the discharge end thereof to reclassify said micro particles of oil upon their impingement, said reclassifying unit connecting to and communicating with said vacuum tank conduit, said vacuum tank conduit receiving reclassified oil discharged from said reclassifying element.

Claim 3

The system defined in claim 1, and including a pressure regulating conduit connecting and communicating with said vacuum tank and said air discharge tank having a pressure responsive control valve therein for adjustably controlling the negative pressure in said vacuum tank with positive pressurized air from said air discharge tank so as to maintain the negative pressure in said vacuum tank and said reclassifying assembly at a predetermined level.

Claim 4

The system defined in claim 1, and including a check valve conduit connecting and communicating with said vacuum tank and said air discharge tank, arranged at a vertical angle from the former downwardly to the latter tank, and provided with a check valve therein to permit the flow of reclassified oil from the former to the latter tank by gravity when said vacuum pump is inoperative and to restrict such flow when said vacuum pump is operative.

Claim 5

The system defined in claim 1, and including a pressure responsive and indicating device secured to said housing and communicating with said oil mist inlet,

Claim 6

The system defined in claim 1, and wherein the area of said air port through said housing wall to said reclassifying assembly valve mixing chamber is so related to the input positive pressure of said oil mist and the suction negative pressure of said vacuum pump that said oil mist flow is directed into said reclassifying unit.

Claim 7

The system defined in claim 5, and including means for adjustably controlling the open area of said air port through said housing wall.

Claim 8

The system defined in claim 6, and whereiN said means for adjustably controlling the open area of said air port comprises a damper device pivotally movable across said port.

Claim 9

The system defined in claim 1, and wherein the inlet and discharge port areas in said reclassifying element are so arranged as to substantially increase the velocity of oil mist flow through said reclassifying element under the negative pressure applied thereto by said vacuum pump.

Claim 10

The system defined in claim 1, wherein said reclassifying element comprises a body, one or more reclassifying ports for said oil mist extending longitudinally of said body and communicating with a transversely disposed passageway, the area of said reclassifying ports being substantially about one-half the area of said transversely disposed passageway to accelerate the flow of oil mist through said reclassifying element, and a discharge port communicating with said transversely disposed passageway for egress of said oil mist therefrom, the discharge end of said reclassifying element communicates directly with said vacuum tank conduit connecting said reclassifying valve and said vacuum tank.

Claim 11

The system defined in claim 1, wherein said reclassifying unit is threadedly secured in said housing in alignment and communication with said mixing chamber.

Claim 12

The system defined in claim 9, wherein said reclassifying element body is further provided with a counterbore on the downstream side of said oil mist discharge port to provide spacing between the exit end of said discharge port and said impingement element therebelow.

Claim 13

In the system defined in claim 1 wherein said housing is provided with a plurality of ports through a wall thereof communicating with said mixing chamber to admit atmospheric air thereinto.

Claim 14

The system defined in claim 1, wherein said reclassifying element is slidably movable in said reclassifying unit vacuum chamber.

Claim 15

In a recirculating system for reclassifying micro particles of oil from a lubricating oil mist to liquid droplets of oil and in which said oil mist is delivered under positive pressure by an oil mist generator conduit-connected to bearing areas requiring lubication and is vented from said bearing areas under positive pressure, the combination comprising a vent conduit for said pressurized oil mist connected to and communicating with said bearing areas, an oil drain device in said vent conduit for receiving reclassified oil therefrom, an oil mist reclassifying assembly connected to and communicating with said vent conduit to receive pressurized oil mist therefrom, a vacuum tank connected by a vacuum tank conduit to said reclassifying assembly to receive reclassified oil therefrom, a vacuum pump connected by a vacuum pump conduit to said vacuum tank to apply negative pressure to said reclassifying assembly, a high pressure tank connected by a high pressure tank conduit to said vacuum pump on the discharge side thereof, a high pressure tank outlet conduit connecting and communicating with said high pressure tank and said oil mist generator to provide a pressurized air supply to said generator, an air discharge chamber connected by an air discharge chamber conduit to said high pressure tank to receive air substantially free of oil mist therefrom, a pre-loaded, oil soaked filter unit on the downstream side of said air discharge chamber to remove the remainder of said oil mist and release air from said air discharge chamber, a pressure control valve in said air discharge tank conduit connecting said high pressure tank and said air discharge chamber for adjustably controlling the air pressure in said high pressure tank, and said oil mist reclassifying assembly comprising a housing, an inlet in said housing for said vented pressurized oil mist, a mixing chamber in said housing communicating with said oil mist inlet, a port through a wall of said housing communicating with said mixing chamber to admit atmospheric air thereinto, an oil mist reclassifying unit secured to said housing and having a body, an oil mist inlet and a vacuum chamber in said body communicating with said mixing chamber, an annular groove in said body and within said housing defining an air inlet chamber, passageways through said body communicating with said groove and extending longitudinally of said reclassifying unit to discharge openings adjacent the distal end of said reclassifying unit, conduit means connected to said housing for conducting pressurized air to said annular groove and said longitudinally extending passageways through said reclassifying unit, a reclassifying element in said latter vacuum chamber having inlet and discharge ports and passageways therethrough providing a tortuous direction-changing path for said oil mist, said air-conducting passageways terminating adjacent the distal end of said reclassifying element and in an attitude thereto so as to direct said pressurized air tangentially to discharge port of said reclassifying element, and an impingement element disposed in the path of the downstream flow of said oil mist from said discharge port and spaced from the discharge end thereof to reclassify said micro particles of oil upon their impingement, said reclassifying unit connecting and communicating with said vacuum tank conduit connected to said vacuum tank for receiving reclassified oil discharged from said reclassifying element.

Claim 16

In a recirculating system for reclassifying micro particles of oil from a lubricating oil mist to liquid droplets of oil and in which said oil mist is delivered under positive pressure by an oil mist generator conduit-connected to bearing areas requiring lubication and is vented from said bearing areas under positive pressure, the combination comprising a vent conduit for said pressurized oil mist connected to and communicating with said bearing areas, an oil drain device in said vent conduit for receiving reclassified oil therefrom, an oil mist reclassifying assembly connected to and communicating with said vent conduit to receive pressurized oil mist therefrom, a vacuum tank connected by a vacuum tank conduit to said reclassifying assembly to receive reclassified oil therefrom, a vacuum pump connected by a vacuum pump conduit to said vacuum tank to apply negative pressure to said reclassifying assembly, a high pressure tank connected by a high pressure tank conduit to said vacuum pump on the discharge side thereof, a high pressure tank outlet conduit connecting and communicating with said high pressure tank and said oil mist generator to provide a pressurized air supply to said generator, an air discharge chamber connected by an air discharge chamber conduit to said high pressure tank to receive air substantially free of oil mist therefrom, a pre-loaded, oil soaked filter unit on the downstream side of said air discharge chamber to remove the remainder of said oil mist and release air from said air discharge chamber, a pressure control valve in said air discharge tank conduit connecting said high pressure tank and said air discharge chamber for adjustably controlling the air pressure in said high pressure tank, and said oil mist reclassifying assembly comprising a housing, an inlet in said housing for said vented pressurized oil mist, a mixing chamber in said housing communicating with said oil mist inlet, a port through a wall of said housing communicating with said mixing chamber to admit atmospheric air thereinto, an oil mist reclassifying unit secured to said housing and having a body, an oil mist inlet and a vacuum chamber in said body communicating with said mixing chamber, an annular groove in said body and within said housing defining an air inlet chamber, passageways through said body communicating with said groove and extending longitudinally of said reclassifying unit to discharge openings adjacent the distal end of said reclassifying unit, conduit means connected to said housing for conducting pressurized air to said annular groove and said longitudinally extending passageways through said reclassifying unit, a reclassifying element in said latter vacuum chamber having inlet and discharge ports and passageways therethrough providing a tortuous direction-changing path for said oil mist, said air-conducting passageways terminating adjacent the distal end of said reclassifying element and in an attitude thereto so as to direct said pressurized air tangentially to discharge port of said reclassifying element, and an impingement element disposed in the path of the downstream flow of said oil mist from said discharge port and spaced from the discharge end thereof to reclassify said micro particles of oil upon their impingement, said reclassifying unit connecting and communicating with said vacuum tank conduit connected to said vacuum tank for receiving reclassified oil discharged from said reclassifying element.

Claim 17

The system defined in claim 14, and including a pressure regulating conduit connecting and communicating with said vacuum tank and said high pressure tank having a pressure responsive control valve therein for adjustably controlling the negative pressure in said vacuum tank with positive pressurized air from said high pressure tank so as to maintain the negative pressure in said vacuum tank and said reclassifying assembly at a predetermined level.

Claim 18

The system defined in claim 14, and including a pressure responsive and indicating device secured to said housing and communicating with said oil mist inlet.

Claim 19

The system defined in claim 14, and wherein the area of said air port through said housing wall to said reclassifying assembly valve mixing chamber is so related to the input positive pressure of said oil mist and the suction negative pressure of said vacuum pump that said oil mist flow is directed into said reclassifying unit.

Claim 20

The system defined in claim 17, and including means for adjustably controlling the open area of said air port through said housing wall.

Claim 21

The system defined in claim 18, and wherein said means for adjustably controlling the open area of said air port comprises a damper device pivotally movable across said port.

Claim 22

The system defined in claim 14, and wherein the inlet and discharge port areas in said reclassifying element are so arranged as to substantially increase the velocity of oil mist flow through said reclassifying element under the negative pressure applied thereto by said vacuum pump.

Claim 23

The system defined in claim 14, wherein said reclassifying element comprises a body, one or more reclassifying ports for said oil mist extending longitudinally of said body and communicating with a transversely disposed passageway, the area of said reclassifying ports being substantially about one-half the area of said transversely disposed passageway to accelerate the flow of oil mist through said reclassifying element, and a discharge port communicating with said transversely disposed passageway for egress of said oil mist therefrom, the discharge end of said reclassifying element communicates directly with said vacuum tank conduit connecting said reclassifying valve and said vacuum tank.

Claim 24

The system defined in claim 21, wherein said reclassifying element body is further provided with a counterbore on the downstream side of said oil mist discharge port to provide spacing between the exIt end of said discharge port and said impingement element therebelow.

Claim 25

The system defined in claim 14, wherein said reclassifying unit is threadedly secured in said assembly housing in alignment and communication with said assembly mixing chamber.

Claim 26

In the system defined in claim 14, wherein said housing is provided with a plurality of ports through a wall thereof communicating with said mixing chamber to admit atmospheric air thereinto.

Claim 27

The system defined in claim 14, wherein said reclassifying element is slidably movable in said reclassifying unit vacuum chamber.

Claim 28

The system defined in claim 14, and including a pressurized air supply conduit communicating with said reclassifying unit annular groove and said high pressure tank outlet conduit connecting and communicating with said high pressure tank and said oil mist generator, to supply said reclassifying unit longitudinally extending passageways with pressurized air, and a pressure responsive control valve in said pressurized air supply conduit communicating with said reclassifying unit annular groove to adjustably control said pressurized air supply to said reclassifying unit.