Point of lube monitor
First Claim
1. A flow sensing device comprising:
- a barrel having a discharge aperture at a first end;
a bushing having an inlet at one end and a cylinder section at an opposite end, said cylinder section having at least one port piercing a side wall thereof, said bushing having a flow channel from said inlet to said port, said cylinder section terminating in an open end within said barrel;
said bushing sealingly mounted to said barrel with said cylinder section extending inside said barrel;
a magnetic piston reciprocally housed inside said cylinder section, said piston and said cylinder section sized in length for said piston to protrude at a first end outwardly of said open end of said cylinder section;
a means for biasing said piston into a first position along an axis of said cylinder section, covering said port; and
a magnetic sensing means mounted to said barrel and in magnetic communication through said barrel with said magnetic piston for registering a signal corresponding to the movement of said magnetic piston in said cylinder section.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A piston-type point of lubrication magnetic flow indicator providing a barrel interfit with a bushing having a cylinder portion penetrating the barrel coaxially and a magnetic piston which reciprocates closely interfit inside the cylinder portion of the bushing. Lube oil enters an inlet port of the bushing, flows through a check valve into the cylinder portion, and impinges on one end of the magnetic piston. The impinging causes the magnetic piston to move in the cylinder portion uncovering at least one port formed through the cylinder portion which opens the cylinder portion to the barrel, directing flow thereto. The lubricating oil flows through the barrel and out of an aperture formed at a forward end of the barrel to a lubrication point. Movement of the magnetic piston through the cylinder portion triggers a magnetic reed switch mounted on an outside circumference of the barrel and generally overlying the relative axial position of the piston in the cylinder portion. The opening and closing of the reed switch can be electrically monitored by electronic lubrication monitoring systems or controls as are known.
117 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A flow sensing device comprising:
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a barrel having a discharge aperture at a first end; a bushing having an inlet at one end and a cylinder section at an opposite end, said cylinder section having at least one port piercing a side wall thereof, said bushing having a flow channel from said inlet to said port, said cylinder section terminating in an open end within said barrel; said bushing sealingly mounted to said barrel with said cylinder section extending inside said barrel; a magnetic piston reciprocally housed inside said cylinder section, said piston and said cylinder section sized in length for said piston to protrude at a first end outwardly of said open end of said cylinder section; a means for biasing said piston into a first position along an axis of said cylinder section, covering said port; and a magnetic sensing means mounted to said barrel and in magnetic communication through said barrel with said magnetic piston for registering a signal corresponding to the movement of said magnetic piston in said cylinder section. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A flow sensing device comprising:
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a fitting having a channel therethrough with an inlet for receiving a flow of fluid under pressure and an outlet for discharging said fluid; a magnetic piston reciprocably carried in said channel and having a front face exposed to said fluid flowing in through said inlet; biasing means for urging said piston towards said inlet to a first position within said channel; an end cap mounted to an end of said piston opposite said front face, said end cap arranged between said biasing means and said piston; a bypass passage having an inlet in communication with said channel in a portion of said channel occupied by said piston when said piston is in said first position, said piston closing said inlet when in said first position and having an outlet communicating with said channel upstream of said channel outlet; a stop means fixed in position with respect to said barrel and abuttable to said end cap for limiting movement of said piston toward said inlet to said first position; a magnetic sensing mans outside of said channel in magnetic communication with said magnetic piston for registering a signal corresponding to movement of said magnetic piston in said channel; whereby, when said fluid under pressure flows into said fitting it impinges on said front face of said piston moving it against said biasing means toward said outlet to expose said bypass inlet allowing said fluid to flow through said bypass passage to said channel outlet. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification