Lubrication – Systems – With measuring or metering value system
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-12
2001-06-05
Bucci, David A. (Department: 3682)
Lubrication
Systems
With measuring or metering value system
C184S007100, C137S56100R
Reexamination Certificate
active
06241046
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mechanical arrangement for feeding fluid at a minute flow rate, which is adaptable to a multiplicity of applications.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In, for example, weaving machines, the shedding operations of the shedding motion means such as cam machines, Dobby machines or the like are transmitted to harness frames through suitable transmission means to generate the vertical movements of these harness frames, whereby the warps are allowed to make the shedding motion means. This achieves the co-weaving of the warps with the wefts. The transmission means, which is applied to the shedding operation of the shedding motion means is divided into the negative type in which a spring means is used to carry out one of the upward vertical movement and the downward vertical movement of the harness frame, and the positive type in which the harness frame is driven for both of the upward and downward vertical movements thereof. (See Official Gazette No. 4-228654 to Open Inspection of Patent Applications.)
In the negative type transmission means, wire is generally used as a transmission member for the shedding operation of the shedding motion means. In order to maintain the tension of this wire, pulleys are employed. The pulleys are arranged to turn reciprocatively within the limits of a predetermined angle.
On the other hand, the positive type transmission means generally employs linking mechanisms as transmission means for the shedding operation of the shedding motion means. Swinging levers incorporated in the linking mechanisms are designed to swing reciprocatively within the range of a predetermined angle.
The pulleys and the swinging levers are both provided with bearing members and shafts which support the bearing members. The bearing members or surfaces of the shafts in contact with the bearing members are arranged to be constantly lubricated.
In a generally known construction in which the bearing members and the like are lubricated, the mating shafts are axially provided with oil holes. Similarly, the shafts have oil outflow grooves diametrically located in positions corresponding to the bearing members engaged with them, thereby allowing the oil holes and the oil outflow grooves to be communicatively connected to each other.
On the other hand, it is also known that the bearing members incorporated in the pulleys and the swinging levers are separately provided with oil holes. (See the Official Gazette mentioned in the foregoing.)
In the lubricating construction described in the foregoing, in which the shafts are axially provided with oil holes, it is difficult from the viewpoint of machining techniques to make small diameter oil holes. This difficulty is increased as the axial length of the shafts is increased.
Therefore, the oil holes in the axial directions must inevitably be increased in diameter. However, an increase in the diameter of the axial oil holes makes it difficult to allow lubricant to flow to the oil outflow grooves having smaller diameters, thereby causing frequent oil shortages in the shafts. This results in the problems of heating and singeing. Therefore, in order to prevent such problems, lubricant is required to be fed under a high pressure from the oil holes to the oil outflow grooves, thereby bringing about an oil feeding system having a much larger capacity.
On the other hand, when the bearing members are separately arranged to be provided with oil holes, these oil holes are required to be periodically replenished with lubricant. Replenishment of lubricant necessitates the operational stoppage of, for example, weaving machines each time it is performed. This causes a drop in the operating efficiency of the machines as well as an increase in the working trouble of a machine operator.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing disadvantages or problems of the conventional construction for feeding oil to the bearing members and the like, it is an object of the present invention to provide a mechanical arrangement for feeding fluid at a minute flow rate. It is also an object to provide a device which can meet the requirements of an infallible, quantitatively constant and continuous feed of lubricant or other fluid with no regard to a small flow rate thereof per unit time, and also which can prevent any concomitant incurrence of the foregoing disadvantage of a drop in the operating efficiency of the machines as well as an increase in the working trouble of a machine operator.
In the present invention, in order to achieve the foregoing object thereof, the following technical provision is made.
That is to say, in a mechanical arrangement for feeding fluid at a minute flow rate, the principal portion of the arrangement has a shaft-shaped configuration and is axially formed with holes which are relatively easily produced by simple machining. In addition, fluid guide means having a rod-shaped configuration are inserted through the fluid feeding holes throughout the entire length of the holes. The resulting dimensional difference between the opening areas of the fluid feeding holes and the sectional areas of the fluid guide means creates clearances which serve as flowing passages for lubricant or other fluid which flows through the fluid feeding holes.
Such a mechanical arrangement for feeding fluid at a minute flow rate facilitates the formation of the fluid feeding holes, and at the same time, ensures that clearances of minute opening area are created between the fluid feeding holes and the fluid guiding means. Moreover, the mechanical arrangement according to the present invention allows the insertion of the fluid guide means to enhance the fluid feeding pressure through the fluid feeding holes made in the shaft. The arrangement also accelerates the linear advancing movement or flow of the fluid from one end of the shaft to the other.
Such an arrangement in which the clearances between the inner circumferential surfaces of the fluid feeding holes and the outer circumferential surfaces of the fluid guide means are used as the fluid passages is the most effective and advantageous use of the application of the present invention if the principal portion thereof is a shaft, and the shaft is axially formed with a main fluid passage.
In this case, the main fluid passage is required to be provided with a tributary fluid passage formed diametrically outwardly of the principal portion such that the main fluid passage and the tributary fluid passage are communicatively connected to each other. This tributary fluid passage is then furnished with the combined construction of the fluid feeding holes and the fluid guide means.
That is to say, a first fluid feeding hole axially formed in the principal portion is provided with notches having a slit-shaped configuration such that they axially intersect the principal portion at right angles. The notches are produced by a simple machining operation. Therefore, the width of the notches is created by the simple machining operation so that they suffice for embodying the present invention. This product results in easily made notches.
The notches are formed with a portion communicatively connected to the first fluid feeding hole. Also, the notches have pad members having a plate-shaped configuration inserted therein to cover portions unnecessary for the formation of the fluid passage. Thus, a second fluid feeding hole is formed in the notches such that it passes across the communicatively connected portion to the first fluid feeding hole, and extends outside. Moreover, the second fluid feeding hole thus obtained has a second fluid guide means inserted therethrough.
In order to apply such an arrangement, the second fluid guide means is preferably provided with an arched portion which can be inserted into the first fluid feeding hole from the second fluid feeding hole. That is to say, if the first fluid guide means which is inserted into the first fluid feeding hole is formed of a first rod member and a second rod member, the second rod member is
Bucci David A.
Kim Chong H.
Wenderoth , Lind & Ponack, L.L.P.
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