Reusable viscous material dispensing apparatus

Abstract

A reusable viscous material dispensing system. The system has a sealed pressure cylinder with a rounded upper region with an inert gas inlet, and a rounded bottom region with a viscous material ingress and egress opening. A pressurizing boat is contained in the cylinder. The pressurizing boat has a lower, hull portion which is weighted with ballast, and an upper portion. The lower, hull portion and upper portion join along a circular interface region. The diameter of the circular interface region is smaller than the inner diameter of the cylinder. The boat floats in the cylinder filled with viscous materials, such as thick lubricating greases. The viscous material forms a gaseous pressure seal between the interface region of the boat and inside of the pressure cylinder. Fins extend radially outwardly from the interface region of the pressurizing boat. These fins prevent the interface region from scraping viscous materials off the sidewalls of the pressure cylinder. In use of the system, the cylinder is filled with a viscous material through its ingress and egress opening. This raises the pressurizing boat and forms the gaseous pressure seal. By applying inert gas pressure to the pressurizing boat from above, the pressuring boat will force the viscous material out of the container through the viscous material ingress and egress opening, until the bottom of the boat seats on and blocks the ingress and egress opening.