Pulse liquid feeder system of the type used in lubrications systems and

Abstract

Each feeder cylinder, in addition to opposite end feeder chambers, had intermediate chambers formed in the piston at opposite sides of the centerline thereof alternately in fluid communication with the feeder chambers of another of the feeder cylinders. Additionally, each feeder cylinder has a monitoring cylinder in flow communication with the feeder chambers thereof arranged such that when lubricant is forced from a feeder chamber of a particular feeder cylinder to the associated bearing, less than one-half of the lubricant received at that bearing is forced by back pressure to one of the monitoring chambers of the associated monitoring cylinder. Thus, for each of the opposite strokes of a feeder cylinder, one associated bearing of a pair receives a major quantity of lubricant and the other bearing of that pair a minor quantity of lubricant while the associated monitoring cylinder is forced through one of its alternate strokes in supplying the minor quantity of lubricant. Use of indicating rods and appropriately positioned proximity sensors indicate monitoring cylinder piston movements. Therefore, if any lubrication line to any bearing fails, it will be detected since the associated monitoring cylinder piston will cease movement. Furthermore, lubricant flow rate to bearings may be calculated by detecting the number of monitoring cylinder piston movements in a given period of time.