GB2505474A - A device for the continuous lubrication of a drive shaft - Google Patents

A device for the continuous lubrication of a drive shaft Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2505474A
GB2505474A GB1215533.9A GB201215533A GB2505474A GB 2505474 A GB2505474 A GB 2505474A GB 201215533 A GB201215533 A GB 201215533A GB 2505474 A GB2505474 A GB 2505474A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
drive shaft
grease
unit according
cartridge
auto lube
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
GB1215533.9A
Other versions
GB201215533D0 (en
Inventor
Paul Philip Ibbitson
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Priority to GB1215533.9A priority Critical patent/GB2505474A/en
Publication of GB201215533D0 publication Critical patent/GB201215533D0/en
Publication of GB2505474A publication Critical patent/GB2505474A/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
    • F16N—LUBRICATING
    • F16N9/00—Arrangements for supplying oil or unspecified lubricant from a moving reservoir or the equivalent
    • F16N9/02—Arrangements for supplying oil or unspecified lubricant from a moving reservoir or the equivalent with reservoir on or in a rotary member
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
    • F16C—SHAFTS; FLEXIBLE SHAFTS; ELEMENTS OR CRANKSHAFT MECHANISMS; ROTARY BODIES OTHER THAN GEARING ELEMENTS; BEARINGS
    • F16C3/00—Shafts; Axles; Cranks; Eccentrics
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
    • F16C—SHAFTS; FLEXIBLE SHAFTS; ELEMENTS OR CRANKSHAFT MECHANISMS; ROTARY BODIES OTHER THAN GEARING ELEMENTS; BEARINGS
    • F16C3/00—Shafts; Axles; Cranks; Eccentrics
    • F16C3/02—Shafts; Axles
    • F16C3/03—Shafts; Axles telescopic
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
    • F16C—SHAFTS; FLEXIBLE SHAFTS; ELEMENTS OR CRANKSHAFT MECHANISMS; ROTARY BODIES OTHER THAN GEARING ELEMENTS; BEARINGS
    • F16C3/00—Shafts; Axles; Cranks; Eccentrics
    • F16C3/02—Shafts; Axles
    • F16C3/03—Shafts; Axles telescopic
    • F16C3/035—Shafts; Axles telescopic with built-in bearings
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
    • F16C—SHAFTS; FLEXIBLE SHAFTS; ELEMENTS OR CRANKSHAFT MECHANISMS; ROTARY BODIES OTHER THAN GEARING ELEMENTS; BEARINGS
    • F16C3/00—Shafts; Axles; Cranks; Eccentrics
    • F16C3/04—Crankshafts, eccentric-shafts; Cranks, eccentrics
    • F16C3/06—Crankshafts
    • F16C3/14—Features relating to lubrication
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
    • F16D—COUPLINGS FOR TRANSMITTING ROTATION; CLUTCHES; BRAKES
    • F16D3/00—Yielding couplings, i.e. with means permitting movement between the connected parts during the drive
    • F16D3/16—Universal joints in which flexibility is produced by means of pivots or sliding or rolling connecting parts
    • F16D3/26—Hooke's joints or other joints with an equivalent intermediate member to which each coupling part is pivotally or slidably connected
    • F16D3/38—Hooke's joints or other joints with an equivalent intermediate member to which each coupling part is pivotally or slidably connected with a single intermediate member with trunnions or bearings arranged on two axes perpendicular to one another
    • F16D3/40—Hooke's joints or other joints with an equivalent intermediate member to which each coupling part is pivotally or slidably connected with a single intermediate member with trunnions or bearings arranged on two axes perpendicular to one another with intermediate member provided with two pairs of outwardly-directed trunnions on intersecting axes
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
    • F16C—SHAFTS; FLEXIBLE SHAFTS; ELEMENTS OR CRANKSHAFT MECHANISMS; ROTARY BODIES OTHER THAN GEARING ELEMENTS; BEARINGS
    • F16C2326/00—Articles relating to transporting
    • F16C2326/01—Parts of vehicles in general
    • F16C2326/06—Drive shafts
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
    • F16N—LUBRICATING
    • F16N11/00—Arrangements for supplying grease from a stationary reservoir or the equivalent in or on the machine or member to be lubricated; Grease cups
    • F16N11/10—Arrangements for supplying grease from a stationary reservoir or the equivalent in or on the machine or member to be lubricated; Grease cups by pressure of another fluid

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Ocean & Marine Engineering (AREA)
  • General Details Of Gearings (AREA)

Abstract

A device for the continuous lubrication of a drive shaft is provided. The device comprises a grease cartridge #7 and hydraulic lubrication pipe #3 attached thereto which are accommodated in a chamber within the drive shaft and can be accessed via a shaft chamber lid #1. The lubrication pipe #3 is attached to the grease cartridge #7 via a fixture nut #4 and to the drive shaft via a quick release compression fitting #5.The device is removed from the chamber by removing the drive shaft lid #1, and loosening securing bolts /fixtures #2, making the grease cartridge #7 and hydraulic tube #3 accessible. By pressing the compression fittings #5 inward the grip on the hydraulic lubrication pipe is released, in turn removing the grease cartridge from its position within the chamber.

Description

Auto Lube Drive Shaft This invention relates to a device for the continuous lubrication of drive shafts.
Throughout the world of transmission, be it the automotive or manufacturing industry, there will always be drive shafts found at the centre of the mechanics. Like everything mechanical, a drive shaft needs adequate lubrication for it to be used to its full potential. To prevent this important piece of equipment from failure due to seizing, it needs) at pre-arranged intervals, lubrication.
However, many conventional drive shafts have a fundamental flaw in that they need to be stopped (known as machine down time') at regular intervals for maintenance. Many companies throughout the world now foster preventative maintenance procedures (to prevent breakdowns) that can mean an increase in down time of machinery which can be costly for a company and so must be kept to a minimum wherever possible.
In some cases, due to the location of the drive shaft/greasing nipples, it can be hazardous/awkward for a maintenance engineer to grease in accordance with the greasing schedule. Problems encountered by maintenance personnel can have a detrimental effect on the time spent on a simple, yet important process. These problems can include the current grease points being in hard to reach and obscure places which can mean the engineer being unsure as to whether they have greased the points adequately (human error), ultimately resulting in component failure. Many situations, which may include dirty, dangerous environments, have to be endured to carry out said maintenance. This highlights potential Health & Safety risks to personnel carrying out the work.
The grease cartridges currently available today are unable to be used to lubricate drive shafts autonomously as there is no method of supporting/attaching them safely to the moving part. If the grease cartridge were to be fitted to the exterior of the shaft this would effectively unbalance the shaft potentially causing mechanical failure of the part. If the grease cartridge were to be fitted to an external point and a flexible tube fed into the drive shaft there would inevitably be a tangling up of the flexible tube within the moving parts of the machinery.
The present invention proposes a drive shaft or coupling with an integral grease cartridge within a hollow tube section which has the ability to distribute a constant and controlled flow of grease over a period of time.

Claims (9)

  1. Claims 1. An automatically lubricated drive shaft (Auto Lube Drive Shaft) comprising:- * The means for attaching a hollowed out coupling unit to an existing drive shaft or, * A replacement drive shaft consisting of a new improved design implementing the hollowed out cavity access chamber in which the grease cartridge will be held.
  2. 2. An Auto Lube Drive Shaft unit according to claim 1 which can be coupled up to an existing inline drive shaft and be connected up to the grease point via a flexible high pressure tube allowing the grease from the installed cartridge to flow to the moving parts freely over a preset amount of time which can be set on the lubrication applicator.
  3. 3. An Auto Lube Drive Shaft unit according to claim 1 which can replace the current drive shaft design by incorporating a grease cartridge within a hollowed out chamber that can then be accessed by removal of bolts set within its body.
  4. 4. An Auto Lube Drive Shaft unit according to claim 1 which can replace the current drive shaft within industry and can be manufactured from high grade stainless steel or a more economical Bright Drawn mild steel or any other high tensile structured material which could be manufactured to suit this invention in its chosen working environment.
  5. 5. An Auto Lube Drive Shaft unit according to claim 1 which consists of inserting a lubrication cartridge which can disperse grease through a hydraulic tube fixture onto mechanical components which require adequate lubrication to prevent mechanical failure. For this current model the grease cartridge being used as an example consists of a chemical/mechanical process whereby the activated cap of the cartridge released an amount of gas over a period of time, which in turn pushes a sliding plate along the grease cartridge and in doing so forces the grease out into the flexible tube and onto the moving parts. A spring operated plate could work as effectively depending on factors such as manufacturers design and sizes available to fit into the Auto Lube Drive Shaft. Automatically purged grease cartridges are freely available today -the Auto Lube Drive Shaft has been developed to fit many of the cartridges currently available.
  6. 6. An Auto Lube Drive Shaft unit according to claim 1 consisting of components that are of a high tensile structure and are fully sealed using the appropriate 0-rings and locking fixtures ensuring that all components are free from vibration and movement which could cause the release or contamination of the grease cartridge within the enclosed chamber.
  7. 7. An Auto Lube Drive Shaft unit according to claim 1 consisting of parts that are readily available from many stockists. Parts listed below:- * Automatically purged grease cartridges * High tensile bolts * 0-rings * Sealant * Hydraulic tube (high pressure) * Quick-release tube fixings * Standard tools to carry out removal of replacement cartridges, e.g. Allen keys
  8. 8. An Auto Lube Drive Shaft unit according to claim 1 consisting of parts that can easily be replaced and in some cases the grease cartridges can be refilled thus being environmentally friendly.
  9. 9. An Auto Lube Drive Shaft unit according to claim 1 which includes any form of counterbalance. The centrifugal forces in play should ensure the Auto Lube Drive Shaft remains central. However, where this is not the case, a counterbalance may be required.
GB1215533.9A 2012-08-31 2012-08-31 A device for the continuous lubrication of a drive shaft Withdrawn GB2505474A (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB1215533.9A GB2505474A (en) 2012-08-31 2012-08-31 A device for the continuous lubrication of a drive shaft

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB1215533.9A GB2505474A (en) 2012-08-31 2012-08-31 A device for the continuous lubrication of a drive shaft

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB201215533D0 GB201215533D0 (en) 2012-10-17
GB2505474A true GB2505474A (en) 2014-03-05

Family

ID=47075054

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB1215533.9A Withdrawn GB2505474A (en) 2012-08-31 2012-08-31 A device for the continuous lubrication of a drive shaft

Country Status (1)

Country Link
GB (1) GB2505474A (en)

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1728903A1 (en) * 2005-05-31 2006-12-06 F.I.R.S.T. S.p.A. Improved lubrication device for bearings of leverages actuating heald frames in weaving looms
JP2007002936A (en) * 2005-06-24 2007-01-11 Hitachi Constr Mach Co Ltd Transmission device
US20070230848A1 (en) * 2006-03-17 2007-10-04 Honda Motor Co., Ltd. Marine drive shaft-bearing structure

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1728903A1 (en) * 2005-05-31 2006-12-06 F.I.R.S.T. S.p.A. Improved lubrication device for bearings of leverages actuating heald frames in weaving looms
JP2007002936A (en) * 2005-06-24 2007-01-11 Hitachi Constr Mach Co Ltd Transmission device
US20070230848A1 (en) * 2006-03-17 2007-10-04 Honda Motor Co., Ltd. Marine drive shaft-bearing structure

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB201215533D0 (en) 2012-10-17

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WAP Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1)