Lubrication – Lubricators – Force feed
Patent
1994-05-16
1995-10-24
Denion, Thomas E.
Lubrication
Lubricators
Force feed
222389, F16N 1110, F16N 1316
Patent
active
054602432
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
This invention relates to a dispensing device of the kind comprising a cylinder, dispensing means (e.g. a piston device, an extendable membrane or a combination of a piston and an extendable membrane) movable within the cylinder and separating the cylinder into a first chamber containing fluent material and having a discharge outlet and a second chamber containing an electrolyte, a sacrificial first electrode, a gas-releasing second electrode electrically connected to the first electrode, the first and second electrodes being of different gavanically active materials, e.g. metallic or carbon, and which, on activation of the device, are brought into contact with the electrolyte so as to electrochemically generate gas within, and increase the pressure within, said second chamber thereby causing the dispensing means to move within the cylinder to discharge said fluent material through the discharge outlet. The invention primarily relates to lubricant dispensing devices which are mounted on machinery and dispense lubricant into lubricating channels of bearings of the machinery at a steady rate over a prolonged period of time, e.g. from one to twelve months. However the invention may also find application in the automatic dispensing over a period of time of other types of fluent material, such as other liquids, pastes, gels or even powder material. The invention also relates to a method of dispensing fluent material at a controlled rate over a period of time.
A known dispensing device of the kind referred to for dispensing lubricant is described in GB-A-1401535. In this known device the first and second electrodes are formed as a bi-polar galvanic element which is initially contained in a third chamber separated from the second chamber by a common frangible wall. A separate screw-threaded activating member is inserted into the third chamber and, on being turned, pushes the galvanic element against the common frangible wall fracturing the latter and pushing the galvanic element into the electrolyte contained in the second chamber. The second chamber has flexible, elastomeric walls and a piston device and, as gas is electrochemically generated, the second chamber expands moving the piston device towards the discharge outlet. Such known dispensing devices are well proven in practice and the means for activating the device to initiate and preserve the steady electrochemical generation of gas has been both accurately predictable and reliable. However there is a disadvantage with such known dispensing devices in that the rate of discharge of lubricant from the discharge outlet is determined by the construction of the galvanic element and in particular is dependent on the exposed surface area of the gas-releasing electrode which contacts the electrolyte. These galvanic elements are sealed into the dispensing devices during manufacture and cannot be changed or replaced after manufacture. It is thus necessary for manufacturers to make, and for distributors and purchasers to stock, a range of devices which are able to discharge lubricant at a steady rate over different periods of time, e.g. from one to twelve months.
In order to overcome the above-identified disadvantage, it has been proposed in WO-A-8909907 to modify the design of dispensing device shown in GB-A-1401535 by incorporating the galvanic element in a cavity within the screw-threaded activating member which is sealed by a destructible or soluble foil. In use, the screw-threaded member is screwed into the third chamber causing both the destructible or soluble foil which seals the cavity and the common frangible wall to break so that the galvanic element is released into the electrolyte contained in the second chamber. In practice the destructible or soluble foil has been dispensed with and the activating-member has mechanical claws which grip the galvanic element until the activating member is screwed home. In both these devices a common electrolyte containing body part can be used with any one of a plurality of different screw-threaded members incorporating d
REFERENCES:
patent: 3430731 (1969-03-01), Satzinger et al.
patent: 3842939 (1974-10-01), Satzinger
patent: 3983959 (1976-10-01), Satzinger
patent: 4306001 (1981-12-01), Brown
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