WO1997017592A1

WO1997017592A1 - Grease gun mechanism

Info

Publication number: WO1997017592A1
Application number: PCT/US1996/018323
Authority: WO
Inventors: William R. Clark
Original assignee: Epicor Industries Inc
Current assignee: Epicor Industries Inc
Priority date: 1995-11-09
Filing date: 1996-11-12
Publication date: 1997-05-15
Anticipated expiration: 1998-05-09

Abstract

A grease gun (10) including a grease gun mechanism incorporating an actuating lever (40) which is manually operable for the selective dispensing of grease or lubricant from the grease gun (10) under pressurized conditions, and which eliminates or simplifies the usual complex linkage structure currently employed in conjuntion with various types of lever actuated grease guns. The actuating lever (40) is at one point hingedly connected to an axially slidable piston member (34) of a valve arrangement which is arranged in the head end (14) of a grease gun (10) and which communicates with the valve arrangement; and wherein a further extension of the lever includes a transverse pin member (60) displaceably engaged within a slotted or elongated aperture (58) located in an extension arm (52) on the head end (14) of the grease gun housing, or conversely (Fig. 7-8) the lever (90) possesses the slotted aperture (86) engaged by the transverse pin member (84) which is mounted on the extension arm (82) of the housing.

Description

GREASE GUN MECHANISM

The present invention relates to a grease gun, and more particularly a grease gun mechanism incorporating an actuating lever which is manually operable for the selective dispensing of a grease or lubricant from the grease gun under pressurized conditions, and which eliminates or simplifies the usual complex linkage structure currently employed in conjunction with various types of lever-actuated grease guns .

In industrial applications and virtually unlimited kinds of machinery, those types which necessitate the utilization of movable components, lubrication or greasing is frequently required during their operation in order to protect and/or enhance the useful service life thereof. Thus, for instance, among numerous other types of machines and mechanical devices, automotive components and farming machinery require the presence of portable grease guns to enable implementation of the lubrication of the various machinery components. In its generally most basic and widespread applications, a portable grease gun is ordinarily constituted of a housing, normally having a cylindrical configuration, with a lubricant or grease-containing cartridge positioned therein, and which may possess a handle operatively connected to a plunger and rod assembly for pushing grease forwardly from the cartridge into a head end structure of the housing which, in turn, may contain a valving arrangement including a laterally slidable valve piston enabling the selective dispensing of the grease or lubricant through a dispensing extension communicating therewith to grease fittings on the machinery or components which are to be greased or lubricated. The valving device generally has the slidable valve piston positioned in a close-fitting bore formed in the head, and a pivotable actuating lever which is hingedly connected to one end of the slidable valve piston and also to a linkage structure whereby the axial displacement of the valve piston is in response to a basically arcuate movement of the pivotable actuating lever upon operative displacement thereof. This type of actuating lever structure and its connection to the grease gun normally necessitates the provision of three pivot or connecting points of which two are utilized as interconnections between an end of the lever and a linkage element hinged to the head of the housing, whereas the third pivot point is at the connection of the lever to the end of the valve piston.

The foregoing arrangement in the connection of an actuating lever to the grease gun, in essence, requires a considerable number of movable components, including a relatively complex linkage and rivet system for the connecting points. Representative of typical lever-actuated grease guns, as currently employed in the art, is the Funderburgh U.S. Patent No. 4,219,131 which discloses a grease gun incorporating an actuating lever pivotally connected to the housing structure of the grease gun containing a grease cartridge or lubricant container. In this grease gun construction, three pivot points including rivets and a linkage member are required in order to enable the actuation of the grease gun lever to dispense grease or lubricant.

A similar linkage and actuating lever structure which is connected to the head end of a grease gun is disclosed in Spray U.S. Patent No. 4,093,170, and also requires three pivot points and commensurate numbers of rivets and linkage components.

Sundholm U.S. Patent No. 3,393,840 discloses a complex arrangement for a miniaturized hand grease gun having a trigger handle with a cam actuated valve structure which requires a plurality of pivot points and complex camming surfaces.

Similarly, Fox et al. U.S. Patent No. 3,788,427 discloses a grease gun having a trigger or actuating lever member which is connected to a head end by means of a pivot and also includes a complex plate structure and camming surface for actuating a piston valve device.

Similarly, Sundholm U.S. Patent Nos. 3,209,957 and 3,209,958 each disclose a grease gun head assembly including a trigger lever which is connected to a lubricant discharge valving arrangement through the intermediary of a linkage, and which require three pivot connections and a linkage device.

The foregoing also is applicable to Helgerud et al . U.S. Patent No. 3,780,830 which also provides for a grease gun possessing a complex linkage and pivot riveted arrangement for articulating the actuating lever of the grease gun.

In order to improve upon the operating systems for grease guns of the type described, the present invention provides for a novel lever-actuated grease gun which eliminates the -normally required linkage member and at least one rivet pivot point so as to appreciably simplify the grease gun operating structure and reduce the component parts and cost of manufacture thereof .

Pursuant to the inventive concept, rather than employing a linkage system and a plurality of pivot points and rivets, the present invention employs an actuating lever which at one point is hingedly connected to an axially slidable piston member of a valve arrangement which is arranged in the head end of a grease gun housing containing a cartridge with a supply of a grease or lubricant, and which communicates with the valve arrangement; and wherein a further extension of the lever includes a transverse pin member displaceably engaged within a slotted or elongate aperture located in an extension arm integrally formed with or mounted on the head end of the grease gun housing. Consequently, upon the lever being pivotably actuated relative to the head end of the housing, an axial movement is imparted to the piston member within the housing head end responsive to the displacement of the lever in that the latter has the pin member displaced in an arcuate and concurrent sliding motion within the slotted aperture in the extending arm on the head, and simultaneously sliding movement of the valve member. This composite longitudinal and curvilinear motion within the slotted aperture enables the lever to be moved and pivotably actuated so as to impart axial displacement to the valve piston without the necessity of having to interpose a linkage member and third pivot point on the actuating lever structure.

Alternatively, pursuant to a modified embodiment of the invention, the slotted aperture may be formed in the end portion or further extension of the lever, and with the transverse pin member being fixedly mounted on the extension arm so as to engage into the slotted aperture in the lever so as to enable actuation of the valve member as described in connection with the previous embodiment .

The foregoing simplifies the construction and cost of the grease gun due to its basically extremely simple and inexpensive structure by eliminating the necessity for the provision of plurality of rivets and linkage components heretofore employed in grease guns of this type. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a lever-actuated grease gun in which the lever is hingedly connected at a short distance from one end thereof to an axially slidable valve piston which is arranged within the head end of a grease gun housing having a grease-receiving interior or containing a grease or lubricant-containing cartridge; and whereby a further projecting end portion of the lever near the hinged connection to the valve piston includes a pin member which engages into a slotted aperture in an extension arm formed on the head end of the housing so as to facilitate pivotable movement of the lever while concurrently imparting axial displacement to the valve piston to enable selective dispensing of grease or lubricant from the cartridge to a discharge orifice controlled by the valve piston.

Another object of the present invention resides in the provision of a head end structure for the housing of a grease gun including a projecting arm member formed on the head end structure having a slotted aperture in its distal end which is engageable by a pin member mounted on the end portion of an actuating lever which is connected to a valve piston of a valving arrangement slidably arranged in the head end of the housing, and which facilitates displacement of the pin at the end of the lever within the slotted aperture between ends thereof so as to enable axial movement to be imparted to the valve piston in the housing head end responsive to lever actuation. Another object of the present invention resides in the provision of a novel head end construction for the housing of a grease gun of the cartridge type having an integrally formed projecting arm member including a slotted aperture into which there engages a hinge pin mounted at one end of an actuating lever which is adapted to actuate an axially slidable valve piston arranged within a piston bore in the head end of the housing so as to enable selective dispensing

10 of grease from the grease gun.

A further object of the present invention resides in the provision of a novel head end construction for the housing of a grease gun which ^■^^■5 comprises a grease-receiving containment or which houses a grease cartridge, including an integrally formed projecting arm member mounting a hinge pin which engages into a slotted aperture formed at one end of an actuating lever which is adapted to actuate an axially

20 slidable valve piston arranged within a piston bore in the head end of the housing so as to enable selective dispensing of grease from the grease gun.

25 The foregoing and other advantages of the invention may now be more readily ascertained from a detailed description of preferred embodiments of the lever-actuated grease gun, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings; in which:

30

35 Figure 1 illustrates, generally diagrammatically, a grease gun incorporating an actuating-lever structure pursuant to the invention;

Figure 2 illustrates, on an enlarged scale and partly in section, a first embodiment of a head end portion of a housing for a grease gun including the actuating lever connected thereto, shown in a first operative position thereof;

Figure 3 illustrates a view similar to

10 Figure 2 illustrating the lever in a second operative position thereof;

Figure 4 illustrates a top plan view of a portion of the embodiment of Figure 3, as shown in the direction of line 4-4; -"-5 Figure 5 illustrates a view similar to that of

Figure 2 showing a modified embodiment of the head end portion of a housing for a grease gun;

Figure 6 illustrates a top plan view of the head end portion of the housing of Figure 5; and

20 Figures 7 and 8 illustrate two operative positions of a further embodiment of the actuating lever and head end portion of the housing, similar to the views of Figures 2 and 3.

25

Referring in more specific detail to the drawings, Figure 1 illustrates a grease gun 10 pursuant to the invention, including a housing 12 which may be of generally cylindrical configuration and which includes a

30

35 generally cup-shaped head end 14. The latter may be screw-threadingly mounted on the housing 12 as shown in Figure 2 through 4 of the drawings, or press-fitted thereon or swaged thereto along contact surface 18, as illustrated in Figures 5 and 6 of the drawings and as described in further detail hereinbelow.

The cylindrical portion of the housing 12 is adapted to receive a cartridge 20 which is normally filled with a lubricant, such as grease, under pressurized conditions whereby the grease may be forced forwardly out of the cartridge 20 under the action of a spring-loaded plunger 22 and an external handle 24, as is known, through an outlet 26 into a passageway 28 in the form of a laterally extending bore extending within the head end 14 of the housing 12, and which communicates with a discharge connector 30 attachable to an outlet grease or lubricant pipe or hose. The latter may be fastened to an internal screwthread 32 in the discharge connector 30.

Alternatively, instead of the cartridge 20, the housing 12 itself may be the container for the grease in the grease gun. In that instance, the grease may be filled in bulk from an external supply source into the housing 12 of the grease gun through the filling opening 36 in the head end 14, as shown in

Figure 4. The filling opening 36 may be self-sealing in nature, and closed by means of the hexagonal nut member 38. As illustrated in detail in Figures 3 and 4, arranged within the bore 28 in the head end 14, and which communicates with the discharge connector 30, is an axially displaceable valve piston 34 which, in the closed position of the valving arrangement, extends forwardly within the bore 28 so as to inhibit communication and any flow of grease between the outlet 26 from the interior of housing 12 or of the cartridge 20 and the discharge connector 30 leading to the grease pipe or hose. This valve piston displacement is effected by means of an essentially elongate actuating lever 40 which is hingedly connected to a proximal end 42 of the valve piston 34 at a location or pivot point 44 a short distance from. one end 46 of the lever 40, and which includes a surface 48 contacting a surface 50 on the head end 14 in that position, as shown in Figure 2.

Integrally formed with, or rigidly fastened to the head end 14 for the housing 12 is an upwardly and outwardly extending arm member 52, such as at an angle of about 45° from the upper surface 54 of the head end

14. The arm member 52, which may be plate-like in shape and have a thickened free distal end 56, includes an elongate or slotted aperture 58 extending therethrough at end 56. The end 46 of the lever 40 may have a clevis or bifurcated shape providing a space therebetween for receiving the distal end 56 of arm member 52, so as to enable a pin or rivet 60 at that lever end 46 to pass through slotted aperture 58 and form a linked connection between the lever 40 and the head end 14 of the grease gun housing 12.

The slotted aperture 58 which is at an angled position relative to but axially aligned within the plane of the hinged connection between the lever 40 and the valve piston 34 receives the therethrough-extending pin or rivet 60 on the lever end 46 so as to permit not only relative rotation thereof within the slotted aperture 58 during the pivotal movement of the lever 40 along the direction of double-headed arrow A, but upon the lever 40 being swung or extended outwardly into the operative position for the grease gun, as shown in Figure 3, the pin 60 moves towards the lower end of the slot 58 to enable sliding, of the valve piston 34 towards the right end of bore 28 opening of the passage permitting grease to be dispensed from the outlet 26 of cartridge 20 through the bore 28 and discharge connector 30 towards the pipe for the grease fitting.

The length of the slotted aperture 58 on the arm member 52 of the head end 14 of the housing 12 determines the limit of pivotal outward displacement for the lever 40, and consequently the axial displacement of the valve piston 34 within the bore 28 in its most retracted position as shown in Figure 3, while concurrently upon the lever being pivoted into the inoperative position of the grease gun as shown in Figure 2, the pin will contact the upper end of the slotted aperture 58, or a surface on the lever 40 will contact a surface on the head end 14 of the housing 12 so as to position the valve piston 34 in order to prevent any dispensing of grease or lubricant from the cartridge 20.

The head end 14 may be cast or die cast from a relatively inexpensive material, and particularly such as zinc, which will eliminate the previously usual types of grease gun heads constructed of steel parts which were machined and then assembled. However, it is also within the scope of the invention that the head end 14, and possibly the other major grease gun components, such as the housing 12 and the lever 40, may be constituted of other materials; for example, such as steel or hard, high-strength injection-molded plastics.

The embodiment, of Figures 5 and 6 of the drawings illustrates a modification of a head end 70 for the housing of a grease gun 10, wherein components which are similar to or identical with those described in the embodiment of Figures 1 to 3 are identified by the same numerals; but rather than employing a screwthreaded connection between the grease gun head end 70 and the cylindrical housing component 12, this provides for a smooth surface enabling either a clamping or press- fitted engagement between the parts.

Moreover, the arm portion 76 projecting from the head end 70 and possessing the slotted aperture 58 for engaging the lever pin, rather than thickening at the end thereof possessing the slotted aperture, is designed to be of a uniform thickness and is integrally cast, preferably such as being die cast, with the remaining head end structure containing the bore 28 for the valve piston 34.

Referring to the embodiment of Figures 7 and 8 of the drawings, in which components similar to or identical with those in the previous embodiments are identified by the same numerals, in this instance the head end 80 for the housing 12 of the grease gun has the arm portion 82 projecting therefrom provided with a lever pin 84 which engages into a slotted aperture 86 formed proximate the end 88 of the lever 90. In all other respects, the construction and function of the grease gun of this embodiment is similar to that of the precedingly described embodiments.

From the foregoing, it becomes readily apparent that the inventive construction of the head end 14, 70 or 80 for the grease gun 10 and its interconnected actuating lever 40 or 90, by eliminating the necessity for a link and an additional rivet and pivot point, provides for a simplified structure while facilitating the use of standard grease gun cartridges or housing structures containing grease or lubricants, and concurrently reducing production and sales costs due to its simplified structure.

While there has been shown and described what are considered to be preferred embodiments of the invention, it will, of course, be understood that various modifications and changes in form or detail could readily be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is, therefore, intended that the invention be not limited to the exact form and detail herein shown and described, nor to anything less than the whole of the invention herein disclosed as hereinafter claimed.

Claims

WΗAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A grease gun comprising a cylindrical housing for the containment of a supply of grease having a first end structure and a second end structure; said cylindrical housing including operative means for discharging grease from said cartridge towards said first end structure of said grease gun housing; said first end structure including a laterally extending bore communicating with an outlet from said cartridge with a discharge connection leading to a grease pipe fitting; a piston valve slidably positioned in said bore for movement between a first position inhibiting the flow of grease from said outlet to said discharge connection and a second position facilitating the flow of grease therebetween; an actuating lever having a first hinged connection with an end of said valve piston extending from said bore, and having a second hinged connection with an arm member extending from said first end structure in proximity to said first hinged connection, said second hinged connection comprising a hinge pin fastened to one said member and being slidably articulated in a slotted aperture formed in the other said member.

2. A grease gun as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said actuating lever comprises an elongate lever extending along the length of said cylindrical housing, said second hinged connection includes a pin fastened to said lever and extending through said slotted aperture in said arm member so as to be rotatable and longitudinally movable within said slotted aperture responsive to pivoting movement of said lever about said second hinged connection.

3. A grease gun as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said actuating lever comprises an elongate lever extending along the length of said cylindrical housing, said second hinged connection includes said hinge pin fastened to said arm member and extending through said slotted aperture formed in said actuating lever member so as to be rotatable and longitudinally movable within said slotted aperture responsive to pivoting movement of said lever member about said second hinged connection.

4. A grease gun as claimed in Claim 2 or 3 , wherein said slotted aperture has a length dimensioned to restrict outward pivoting movement of said lever to limit the outward displacement of said valve piston from said bore to said second position in said bore.

5. A grease gun as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said first end structure comprises a cup-shaped component, and internal screwthreads being formed in said component for engaging complementary screwthreads on said cylindrical housing.

6. A grease gun as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said lever includes a bifurcated portion extending over said slotted aperture on said arm member, said pin extending through said slotted aperture and having ends fastened to opposite finger members of said bifurcated lever portion.

7. A grease gun as claimed in Claim 1, wherein at least said first end structure is constituted from a metal or plastic material.

8. A grease gun as claimed in Claim 6, wherein said metal comprises zinc or steel.

9. A grease gun as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said operative means for discharging grease from said housing comprises spring-loaded rod and plunger means for imparting grease-ejecting pressure to said grease.

10. A grease gun as claimed in Claim 9, wherein said housing contains a grease cartridge which is acted upon by said rod and plunger means.

11. A grease gun as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said first end structure contains a filling aperture for enabling the bulk-filling of said housing with grease.