Lubrication system for grinding mill or the like

Claim 2

In combination, a rotary grinding mill mounted for rotation, means for rotating said mill, a trunnion forming part of and rotatable with said grinding mill, stationary bearing means supporting said trunnion for rotation, a lubrication system including a high pressure pump, fluid conduit means connecting the output of said high pressure pump to the interface between said trunnion and said stationary bearing means for applying high pressure lubricant between said trunnion and said bearing means upon mill shutdown whereby to ''''float'''' said trunnion in said bearing means, an electric drive motor in driving relation to said high pressure pump, electrical control circuitry for said lubrication system, and control means forming a part of said electrical control circuitry and being actuated upon shutdown of said grinding mill to cause a cyclic ON-OFF operation of said electric drive motor and thus of said high pressure pump whereby to cyclically pump high pressure lubRicant to the interface between said trunnion and said stationary bearing means, said control means including means for controlling said energization of the electric drive motor for said high pressure pump, said means for controlling the energization of said electric drive motor being connected to electric power prior to start-up of the grinding mill and for a predetermined time after start-up of the grinding mill in a normal circuit path, said control means comprising means actuated upon shutdown of the grinding mill for interrupting said normal circuit path and for connecting said means for controlling the energization of said electric drive motor to electrical power through an alternative circuit path and comprising timing means for cyclically and repetitively closing and then interrupting said alternative circuit path whereby to cause said cyclic ON-OFF operation of said high pressure pump.

Claim 3

In combination, a rotary grinding mill mounted for rotation, means for rotating said mill, a trunnion forming part of and rotatable with said grinding mill, stationary bearing means supporting said trunnion for rotation, a lubrication system including a high pressure pump, fluid conduit means connecting the output of said high pressure pump to the interface between said trunnion and said stationary bearing means for applying high pressure lubricant between said trunnion and said bearing means upon mill shutdown whereby to ''''float'''' said trunnion in said bearing means, an electric drive motor in driving relation to said high pressure pump, electrical control circuitry for said lubrication system, and control means forming a part of said electrical control circuitry and being actuated upon shutdown of said grinding mill to cause a cyclic ON-OFF operation of said electric drive motor and thus of said high pressure pump whereby to cyclically pump high pressure lubRicant to the interface between said trunnion and said stationary bearing means, said control means including means for controlling said energization of the electric drive motor for said high pressure pump, said means for controlling the energization of said electric drive motor being connected to electric power prior to start-up of the grinding mill and for a predetermined time after start-up of the grinding mill in a normal circuit path, said control means comprising means actuated upon shutdown of the grinding mill for interrupting said normal circuit path and for connecting said means for controlling the energization of said electric drive motor to electrical power through an alternative circuit path and comprising timing means for cyclically and repetitively closing and then interrupting said alternative circuit path whereby to cause said cyclic ON-OFF operation of said high pressure pump.

Claim 4

In combination, a rotary grinding mill mounted for rotation, means for rotating said mill, a trunnion forming part of and rotatable with said grinding mill, stationary bearing means supporting said trunnion for rotation, a lubrication system including a high pressure pump, fluid conduit means connecting the output of said high pressure pump to the interface between said trunnion and said stationary bearing means for applying high pressure lubricant between said trunnion and said bearing means upon mill shutdown whereby to ''''float'''' said trunnion in said bearing means, an electric drive motor in driving relation to said high pressure pump, electrical control circuitry for said lubrication system, and control means forming a part of said electrical control circuitry and being actuated upon shutdown of said grinding mill to cause a cyclic ON-OFF operation of said electric drive motor and thus of said high pressure pump whereby to cyclically pump high pressure lubRicant to the interface between said trunnion and said stationary bearing means, said control means including means for controlling said energization of the electric drive motor for said high pressure pump, said means for controlling the energization of said electric drive motor being connected to electric power prior to start-up of the grinding mill and for a predetermined time after start-up of the grinding mill in a normal circuit path, said control means comprising means actuated upon shutdown of the grinding mill for interrupting said normal circuit path and for connecting said means for controlling the energization of said electric drive motor to electrical power through an alternative circuit path and comprising timing means for cyclically and repetitively closing and then interrupting said alternative circuit path whereby to cause said cyclic ON-OFF operation of said high pressure pump.

Claim 5

The combination defined in claim 1 in which said lubrication system includes a low pressure pump for applying low pressure lubrication to said trunnion and to said bearing means.

Claim 6

The combination defined in claim 2 including conduit means connecting the output of said low pressure pump to the input of said high pressure pump whereby said high pressure pump derives its supply of lubricant from said low pressure pump, and means forming part of said electrical control circuitry for causing said low pressure pump to be in operation whenever said high pressure pump is in operation.

Claim 7

The combination defined in claim 1 in which said electrical control circuitry includes additional control means actuatable to stop the cyclic ON-OFF operation of said high pressure pump.

Claim 8

A lubrication system for a rotary grinding mill of the type having a trunnion forming a part of and rotatable with said grinding mill and a stationary bearing means supporting said trunnion for rotation, said lubrication system including a high pressure pump, fluid conduit means adapted to connect the output of said high pressure pump to the interface between said trunnion and said stationary bearing means for applying high pressure lubricant between said trunnion and said bearing means upon mill shutdown whereby to ''''float'''' said trunnion in said bearing means, an electric drive motor in driving relation to said high pressure pump, electrical control circuitry for said lubrication system, and control means forming a part of said electrical control circuitry and adapted to be actuated upon shutdown of said grinding mill to cause a cyclic ON-OFF operation of said electric drive motor and thus of said high pressure pump whereby to cause said high pressure pump to cyclically pump high pressure lubricant to the interface between said trunnion and said stationary bearing means, said control means including means for controlling the energization of said electric drive motor for said high pressure pump, said means for controlling the energization of said electric drive motor being adapted to be connected to electric power prior to start-up of the grinding mill and for a predetermined time after start-up of the grinding mill in a normal circuit path, said control means comprising means adapted to be actuated upon shutdown of the grinding mill for interrupting said normal circuit path and for connecting said means for controlling the energization of said electric drive motor to electrical power through an alternative circuit path and comprising timing means for cyclically and repetitively closing and then interrupting said alternative circuit path whereby to cause said cyclic ON-OFF operation of said high pressure pump.

Claim 9

A lubrication system for a rotary grinding mill of the type having a trunnion forming a part of and rotatable with said grinding mill and a stationary bearing means supporting said trunnion for rotation, said lubrication system including a high pressure pump, fluid conduit means adapted to connect the output of said high pressure pump to the interface between said trunnion and said stationary bearing means for applying high pressure lubricant between said trunnion and said bearing means upon mill shutdown whereby to ''''float'''' said trunnion in said bearing means, an electric drive motor in driving relation to said high pressure pump, electrical control circuitry for said lubrication system, and control means forming a part of said electrical control circuitry and adapted to be actuated upon shutdown of said grinding mill to cause a cyclic ON-OFF operation of said electric drive motor and thus of said high pressure pump whereby to cause said high pressure pump to cyclically pump high pressure lubricant to the interface between said trunnion and said stationary bearing means, said control means including means for controlling the energization of said electric drive motor for said high pressure pump, said means for controlling the energization of said electric drive motor being adapted to be connected to electric power prior to start-up of the grinding mill and for a predetermined time after start-up of the grinding mill in a normal circuit path, said control means comprising means adapted to be actuated upon shutdown of the grinding mill for interrupting said normal circuit path and for connecting said means for controlling the energization of said electric drive motor to electrical power through an alternative circuit path and comprising timing means for cyclically and repetitively closing and then interrupting said alternative circuit path whereby to cause said cyclic ON-OFF operation of said high pressure pump.

Claim 10

A lubrication system as defined in claim 5 which includes a low pressure pump adapted to apply low pressure lubrication to said trunnion and to said bearing means.

Claim 11

A lubrication system as defined in claim 6 including conduit means connecting the output of said low pressure pump to the input of said high pressure pump whereby said high pressure pump derives its supply of lubRicant from said low pressure pump, and means forming part of said electrical control circuitry for causing said low pressure pump to be in operation whenever said high pressure pump is in operation.