Lubricating mechanism

Claim 2

A lubricating mechanism wherein one member moves generally linearly relative to another member, one of the members being guided on the other member, said other member being stationary relative to said one member and having an exterior, non-shielded guide surface, bearing means comprising spaced lengthwise extending bearing portions coacting between said members, said one of said members having a recess therein extending lengthwise of the other member and circumscribing the later, said recess being defined in part by said bearing portions, the length of said recess being greater than the effective bearing length of one or the other of said bearing portions, and passageway means communicating said recess with the exterior of the last mentioned one member for insertion of lubricant into said recess for lubricating the bearing means and movement of the movable member, said recess opening directly onto the guiding member for substantially the full length and transverse extent of said recess, and sealing means coacting with said bearing means for retaining the lubricant in said bearing means and said recess and wiping said surface of said other member clean of Lubricant from said recess as the movable member moves away from said surface of the guiding member.

Claim 3

A lubricating mechanism in accordance with claim 1 including a lubricant fitting coacting with said passageway means.

Claim 4

A lubricating mechanism in accordance with claim 1 wherein said passageway means comprises spaced passageways communicating between said recess and the exterior of said last mentioned one member, and means for closing the exterior ends of the last mentioned passageways, one of the passageways being adapted for entry of lubricant into said recess for providing a supply of the lubricant in the recess while the other passageway being adapted for exiting of lubricant from said recess when it is desired to replace lubricant in the recess.

Claim 5

A lubricating mechanism in accordance with claim 1 wherein said bearing portions comprise a pair of spaced sleeve-like bearings having substantially equal effective bearing lengths and defining the ends of said recess in encompassing relation to said guiding member, the length of said recess being approximately three-fourths the total effective bearing length of said bearing means.

Claim 6

A lubricating mechanism in accordance with claim 4 wherein said guiding member is circular in transverse section and extends longitudinally, said sleeve-like bearings being cylindrical and encircling said guiding member in lengthwise slidable relation relative thereto, the inner confronting ends of said bearings defining the ends of said recess which encircles said guiding member, said sealing means being disposed adjacent the opposite end of each respective bearing.

Claim 7

A lubricating mechanism in accordance with claim 1 wherein said movable member is a reciprocal platen member of a molding machine and said guiding member comprises a tie rod of said machine on which said platen member is mounted.

Claim 8

A lubricating mechanism in accordance with claim 1 wherein said movable member has a passageway therethrough through which is received said guiding member, said passageway having spaced shoulders formed therein, said bearing portions each comprising a cylindrical sleeve-like bearing member encircling said guiding member, said bearing members being disposed in engaged relation with the respective of said shoulders at the inner ends of the bearing members, and said sealing means coacting with said bearing members adjacent the outer ends thereof.

Claim 9

A lubricating mechanism in accordance with claim 1 wherein said recess disposed intermediate said bearing portions is circular in transverse cross section, the length of said recess being approximately one and one-half times the effective bearing length of one of said bearing portions, the transverse dimension of said recess being substantially greater than the transverse dimension of said guiding member.

Claim 10

A lubricating mechanism in accordance with claim 1 wherein said sealing means comprises U-cup like seals coacting between said movable and said guiding members with the lips of said seals extending in a direction toward said recess.

Claim 11

A lubricating mechanism in accordance with claim 8 wherein said bearing portions are rigidly secured to said movable member and have a clearance fit of approximately one-thousandth of an inch on said guiding member.

Claim 12

A lubricating mechanism in accordance with claim 8 wherein the diameter of said recess is approximately the same dimension as the length of said recess.

Claim 13

A lubricating mechanism in accordance with claim 1 including a grease fitting coacting with said passageway means and accessible from the exterior of said one member for insertion of soft lubricant, such as grease, into said recess.

Claim 14

A lubricating mechanism for a molding machine wherein one member moves generally linearly relative to another member, one of the members being guided on an exterior guide surface of the other member, bearing means comprising spaced lengthwise extending bearing portions coacting between said members, one of said members having a recess tHerein extending lengthwise of the other member and circumscribing the latter, said recess being defined in part by said bearing portions, the length of said recess being greater than the effective bearing length of one of said bearing portions, passageway means communicating said recess with the exterior of the last mentioned one member for insertion of lubricant into said recess for lubricating the bearing means and movement of the movable member, said recess opening directly onto the guiding member for substantially the full length and transverse extent of said recess, sealing means coacting with said bearing means for retaining the lubricant in said bearing means and said recess and wiping said guiding member clean of lubricant from said recess as the movable member moves away from said guide surface of the guiding member, and wherein said movable member is a reciprocal platen member of the molding machine and said guiding member is a tie rod of said machine on which said platen member is mounted, said movable member being adapted to move on said guiding member at a rate of approximately 16 inches per second, said movable member being of block-like configuration and having a passageway adjacent each corner thereof through which is received a respective tie rod, each said passageway having spaced shoulders formed therein, said bearing portions received in the respective passageway comprising a pair of spaced cylindrical sleeve-like bearing members engaged in abutting relation with the respective of said shoulders therein, said recess being circular in transverse section and disposed intermediate the respective pair of said bearing members with the length of said recess being approximately one and one-half times the effective bearing length of one of said bearing members, each pair of said bearing members defining the ends of the respective recess, a grease fitting coacting with said passageway means and accessible from the exterior of said movable member for insertion of soft lubricant into said recess, the diameter of said recess being substantially greater than the diameter of the associated tie rod whereby a considerable amount of lubricant is receivable in said recess, other passageway means extending from communication with each said recess to the exterior of said movable member, means closing the exterior end of said other passageway means, said closure means being adapted for removal for permitting replacement of the lubricant in the respective recess, the diameter of each said recess being approximately the same dimension as the length of said recess, said lubricating mechanism providing for maintenance free, long service life lubrication to the movement of said platen with respect to the tie rods.

Claim 15

A lubricating mechanism for a molding machine wherein one member moves generally linearly relative to another member, one of the members being guided on an exterior guide surface of the other member, bearing means comprising spaced lengthwise extending bearing portions coacting between said members, one of said members having a recess tHerein extending lengthwise of the other member and circumscribing the latter, said recess being defined in part by said bearing portions, the length of said recess being greater than the effective bearing length of one of said bearing portions, passageway means communicating said recess with the exterior of the last mentioned one member for insertion of lubricant into said recess for lubricating the bearing means and movement of the movable member, said recess opening directly onto the guiding member for substantially the full length and transverse extent of said recess, sealing means coacting with said bearing means for retaining the lubricant in said bearing means and said recess and wiping said guiding member clean of lubricant from said recess as the movable member moves away from said guide surface of the guiding member, and wherein said movable member is a reciprocal platen member of the molding machine and said guiding member is a tie rod of said machine on which said platen member is mounted, said movable member being adapted to move on said guiding member at a rate of approximately 16 inches per second, said movable member being of block-like configuration and having a passageway adjacent each corner thereof through which is received a respective tie rod, each said passageway having spaced shoulders formed therein, said bearing portions received in the respective passageway comprising a pair of spaced cylindrical sleeve-like bearing members engaged in abutting relation with the respective of said shoulders therein, said recess being circular in transverse section and disposed intermediate the respective pair of said bearing members with the length of said recess being approximately one and one-half times the effective bearing length of one of said bearing members, each pair of said bearing members defining the ends of the respective recess, a grease fitting coacting with said passageway means and accessible from the exterior of said movable member for insertion of soft lubricant into said recess, the diameter of said recess being substantially greater than the diameter of the associated tie rod whereby a considerable amount of lubricant is receivable in said recess, other passageway means extending from communication with each said recess to the exterior of said movable member, means closing the exterior end of said other passageway means, said closure means being adapted for removal for permitting replacement of the lubricant in the respective recess, the diameter of each said recess being approximately the same dimension as the length of said recess, said lubricating mechanism providing for maintenance free, long service life lubrication to the movement of said platen with respect to the tie rods.