Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Prior Art Of Interest
~-s~pate~t~Re.l3~269 Lowry ~ July 11, 1911
~_ ~. .
4~S~ ~ e~t~ 1,607,805 Sprado November 23, 1926
~5~ Qt~a,l-982,325 Shepherd ~ovember 27, 1934
5 ~ t~n~2,839,332 Sackett June 17, 1958
.P~tcn~ ~h. 2,624,624 Kirschbaum January 6, 1953
oQ~ 3,152,333 Matt October 6, 1964
~.s~P~te~ ~,3,254,843 Huff et al June 7, 1966
Background And Summary Of The Invention
This invention relates to mobile power crane-excavators
and the like. More particularly, the invention is directed to
a device to enhance the ability to grease the exposed gears on
such machines.
Power crane-excavators are very large material handling
vehicles and their operative mechanism includes a number of
working gears which are exposed to the elements. It is, of
course, necessary that these gears be supplied with grease
from time to time. Manual application provides one method of
supplying grease to the desired area. However, for safety and 20 other reasons, it is preferable to utilize a different type of
system.
It would be possible to construct an open gear
greasing system wherein grease is supplied through fittings,
nozzles or the like which are permanently disposed adjacent the
gears. However, such a system would present difficulties in
cold weather in view of the fact that grease tends to thicken
at low temperatures.
The present invention is directed to a solution of
the difficulties caused by low ambient temperatures.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the
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engine of a mobile power crane-excavator is utilized as a
source of heat to soften the grease so that it may be applied
to the open gears on the machine, even at low ambient
' temperatures.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention,
heated water from the vehicle engine is caused to flow in
heat transfer relationship with cold grease through a
multi-conductor hose to provide a pre-heat of the grease.
In accordance with a further aspect of the invention,
the heated water is caused to heat a metallic nozzle through
, which the pre-heated grease flows, thus creating a final heating
,~ of the grease up to the desired temperature. Air supplied
through the nozzle causes the grease to be sprayed onto the
, gear.
lS In a second embodiment, the remote supply tank for
the grease may also be pre-heated with hot water from the
vehicle engine.
Brief Description Of The Dra~ s
' The accompanying,drawings illustrate the best mode
presently conte~plated by the inventor for carrying out the
invention.
In the drawings:
Fig. 1 is a schematic side elevation of a mobile
power crane-excavator employing the inventive concept;
, 25 Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram of the open gear
greasing system of the invention; and
Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram of a second embodiment
of the system.
DescriptiOn Of The Preferred Embodiments
As shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, the concept of
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the invention is adaptable for use in a material handling
crane-excavator type device mounted on crawler treads 1 and
which includes a platform 2 pivotable or swingable about an
upright axis 3. Platform 2 supports an operator's cab 4 as
well as a rear end enclosure 5 for equipment or the like.
Suitable means are provided to drive treads 1 forward
and backward, and to swing platform 2 about axis 3. For this
purpose, a hydraulic travel motor 6 is connected as by a suitable
drive connection 7 to treads 1. Similarly, a hydraulic swing
motor 8 is connected by suitable swing gears 9 and 10 to the
platform support 11 which is suitably mounted for rotation
about axis 3.
Suitable framework, not shown, is also mounted on
platform 2 for supporting the various operating elements. The
;~ 15 framework supports a first load carrying member or boom 12
with a second load carrying member or dipper arm 13 pivoted
thereon, and with a third load carrying member or dipper 14
; pivoted to the end of arm 13. One or more boom cylinders 15,
dipper arm cylinders 16 and-dipper cylinders 17 are mounted
to their respective elements in the usual well-known manner.
The vehicle also includes an internal combustion
engine 18 mounted within enclosure 5 and which drives a
suitable hydraulic pump 19 for supplying fluid through
suitable controls to operative mechanism including motors 6
and 8 as well as cylinders 15-17.
The vehicles of the type under consideration here
often have at least some large drive gearing which must be
greased from time to time. An example of such gearing is the
swing gear 9 shown in Fig. 1. The inventive concept provides
a unique system for applying grease to such a gear.
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113b~784
Referring now to Fig. 2, engine 18 is water cooled
and is connected through suitable conduits 20 and 21 to the
usual radiator 22. Conduits 20 and 21 are also respectively
connected to a supply manifold 23 and a return manifold 24.
Each manifold is adapted to service as many gear greasing
spray assemblies as desired. In the present instance, Fig. 2
shows two such assemblies 25 and 26, with assembly 25 fixedly
attached to the vehicle adjacent swing gear 9 (see Fig. 1),
and assembly 26 attached adjacent some other gear, not shown.
Assembly 25 comprises an elongated multi-conductor
hose 27 which terminates on its outer end in a nozzle block 28
of aluminum or the like. Hot water from the engine source
passes through line 20 to manifold 23 and hence through a line 29a
through hose 27 to nozzle block 28. At the block, a cross
passage 29b connects line 29a with return line 29c which leads
back to return manifold 24 and hence to the radiator 22.
The structure and circuit for nozzle assembly 26 is
; generally similar to that of assembly 25. Thus, assembly 26
has an elongated multi-conductor hose 30 which terminates in a
nozzle block 31 of aluminum or the like. Hot water from the
engine passes through line 20 to manifold 23 and hence through
1 a line 32a through hose 30 to block 31. At the block, a
cross-passage 32b connects line 32a with a return line 32c
which also leads back to return manifold 24 and hence to
radiator 22.
The grease which is to be heated and applied to a
gear is provided from a remote source, such as a storage
container or drum 33 carried on the vehicle. The upstream
side of drum 33 is connected through an air line 34 to a suitable
source of pressurized air, not shown, which may be connected
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to pump 19 in any conventional manner. A manually operable
lubrication control valve 35 is disposed in air line 34 for
purposes to be described. Furthermore, a pair of manually
operable nozzle control valves 36 and 37 are connected on their
upstream sides to air line 34, and on their downstream sides
to pilot lines 38 and 39. The latter lines extend to the
respective nozzle assemblies 25 and 26 and pass through the
i nozzle blocks to the nozzle orifices 40 and 41 for air
discharge therethrough.
!, 10 The air pressure in line 34, when it reaches drum 33,
causes grease to be discharged from the drum through a grease
supply line 42. A directional valve 43 is connected between
pilot lines 38 and ~g and also to line 42. Thus, air in
either line 38 or 39 causes valve 43 to permit grease to
flow from line 42 through the valve and selectively through
grease line 44 or 45 which respectively extend through hoses 27
or 30 and hence through nozzle orifices 40 or 41 respectively,
where the grease mixes with the pressurized air and is sprayed
onto a gear.
The device provides a selective control of grease
spraying, either from nozzle 28 or nozzle 31. Thus, when it is
1 desired to utilize nozzle 28 to spray grease onto swing gear 9,
valves 35 and 36 are actuated simultaneously. Air in pilot
line 38 causes valve 43 to shift downwardly to permit pressurized
grease to flow from line 42 through the valve and hence through
line 44 of gear greasing assembly 25. Air from line 38 joins
with the grease at orifice 40 to create the spray. When
valves 35 and 37 are simultaneously actuated, air in pilot
line 39 causes valve 43 to shift in the opposite direction,
i.e. upwardly, so that pressurized grease from line 42 is
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directed through line 45 and hence to orifice 41 for spraying.
As the pressurized grease travels through either
line 44 or 45 within the respective multi-conductor hose 27
or 30, it is subjected to pre-heat due to heat transference
from the closely adjacent circulating hot water lines 29a,
29c or 32a, 32c from the circulating system of engine 18.
Thus, the viscosity of the grease is reduced regardless of the
ambient temperature surrounding the vehicle, and even in
substantially below 0 F. weather.
It has been found that the use of a nozzle 28 or
31 of aluminum or the like and through which the hot water
; also circulates to finally further heat the grease before
it is ejected is desirable in that the grease may be lowered
to the desired viscosity for spraying in a very short time.
Tests have shown that with a 150 F. thermostat in the engine
cooling system, multi-conductors of about 20 ft. in length and
aluminum nozzles, the nozzles may be brought from 0 F. to
148 F. in about 2-1/2 minutes with the continuously circulating
engine water.
In some instances, it may be desired to add a second
or supplemental pre-heat to the grease upstream of assemblies 25
and 26, as for example in extremely cold weather. In such
! instance, and as shown in the embodiment of Fig. 3, hot water
manifolds 23 and 24 may be connected by a line 46 which forms
a coil 47 in its midportion, with the coil forming a wrap-around
heater on the external surface of drum 33. The source of grease
within drum 33 is thus also heated by the vehicle engine due
to heat transfer from the water in coil 47.
Although the grease which is selectively sprayed from
the respective nozzle will be thin and easily directed toward
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the desired gear, the grease will again thicken when it .
contacts the cold gear. Nevertheless, the results are far
; superior to applying grease when it is in a thickened condition.
