Lubrication apparatus

Abstract

A standard grease fitting for the bore of a main shaft is replaced with an integral lube shaft rotatably supported within the main shaft bore with bearing assemblies. Snap rings hold two sealed bearings, spaced by a spacer element, against a stepped shoulder of the lube shaft, and axially position the lube shaft within the main shaft bore. Seals on the inboard side of the innermost bearing assembly prevent grease from escaping about the outside of the lube shaft. The rotatably mounted lube shaft permits lubrication of the main shaft even as it rotates. Grease may be manually applied, or remotely applied with a grease gun having a controlled, mechanized actuator. Flexible tubing interconnects the grease gun output with the lube shaft so that even readily inaccessible devices may be relatively remotely lubricated, even during their operation. An automatic timer, or other presetable control circuit may be used to automatically actuate the grease gun at timed intervals, or responsive to some other condition such as energization of the device to be lubricated. A sealable housing protects the automatic control circuitry, grease gun, and corresponding actuating mechanisms.