Automatic lubricant dispenser

Abstract

An automatic pressurizable lubricant dispenser has a vessel adapted to hold a supply of a fluent lubricant and having one side formed with an outlet adapted to be connected to a machine to be lubricated, a cover, and a cap fittable like a piston in the vessel and forming with the cover a substantially closed compartment holding a supply of a reactive liquid. The cover is formed with a seat opening into the compartment and extending along an axis and a removable partition closes the seat and segregates it from the liquid-holding compartment. A cartridge body fittable in the seat is movable therein between a partially inserted position and a fully inserted position and is formed unitarily of plastic with a cylindrical collar formed with a pair of diametrally opposite cutouts and having an outer end. The outer end moves from nonengagement with the partition in the partially inserted position to engagement through the partition in the fully inserted position. An element capable of reacting with the liquid and forming a gas is held by respective arms on the cartridge pivotal on the collar in the cutouts between holding and releasing positions. The arms each have an outer end formed with an inwardly directed retaining formation engaging the reactive element and holding same in the collar only in the holding position and an inner end engageable outwardly with the seat to pivot the respective outer end into the releasing position on movement of the body into the fully inserted position.