US1924841A - Grease gun piston and reservoir latch - Google Patents

Description

1933- l. L. EASTMAN 1,924,841

GREASE GUN PISTON AND RESERVOIR LATCH Filed March 2, 1933 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug. 29, 1933. LLEASTMAN 1,924,841

GREASE GUN PISTON AND RESERVOIR LATCH Filed March 2, 1933 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Zfokiggs Aug. 29, 1933. i I. L. EASTMAN GREASE GUN PISTON AND RESERVOIR LATCH Filed March 2, 1933 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 fl mm Jive/7&2 Jim/.7 Z yam??? Patented Aug. 29, 1933 UNITED STATES 1,924,841 GREASE GUN r-IsToN AND RESERVOIR LATCH H Ivan L. Eastman, Bryan, Ohio, assignor to The Arc Equipment Corporation, Bryan, Ohio, a

corporation of Ohio Application March 2, 1933. Serial No. 659,363 22 Claims. (01.221413) The object of my invention is to provide grease gun piston and reservoir latches which are sirnple, durable and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture.

' More particularly, it is my object to provide a grease gun reservoir construction having therein a follower piston which is spring, extended and to provide a novel form of piston latch for latch ing the piston in retracted position during the 0 filling operation of the reservoir.

, Still a further object is .to provide the piston latch releasable by a latch actuator which is rotatable and which is in the form of a sleeve surrounding a retracting rod for the follower piston, the sleeve having a portion exterior of the grease gun reservoir for engagement by the operator to release the piston latch upon turning the sleeve. Still another object is to provide a pistonlatch to an eccentric latching position and to provide a latch actuator engageable with the latch washer to move it toward concentric unlatching position. a p ,v 7 Still a further object is to provide a latch actuator in the form of a rotatable sleeve having an eccentric projection which, in one position, permits the latch washer to assume its eccentric latching position, while inthe opposite position of the latch actuator'the eccentric projection thereon engages the latchvwasher and moves it tow the concentric unlatching position.

Still a further. object .islto provide a reservoir latchfor retaining the reservoir in position on the discharge head of the gun. Another object is to provide the reservoir latch operable by rotating a retracting rod for the grease follower piston whereby the rod servesboth as a retracting rod and as a reservoir latching rod to retain the reservoir in position and eliminate the usual screw-threaded connection between a reservoir and a discharge head.

Still another object is to provide the-reservoir latch in the formof a spider adaptedto against a gasket interposed between the reservoir and the discharge head when the retract-.

ing rod is rotated, locking means being provided in the form of a latch washer which is biased coact with lugs on the discharge head, the lugs being tapered so as to draw the reservoir tightly to retain the retracting rod in reservoir latchin hand of the operator, atrigger being located substantially midway between the ends of the handle and operable, to control theadmission of compressed air to the power unit for dispensing grease from the reservoir and the location of the trigger with respect to the handle facilitating operation of the gun either in the ordinary position or in a reversed or up-side-down position. Still a further object is to provide a control valve which is closed by the incoming air pressure, thus eliminating the necessity for a spring to retain it closed. I

With-these and other objects in view, my invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of my device; whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointedout in my claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a sectional view through a reservoir construction showing my piston latch applied thereto, with the parts in unlatched position.

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the same, showing the parts in latched position.

,Figure 3 is a sectional view of a portion of Figure 2 showing the piston latch about to be operated to latching position. v

Figure 4 is a sectional view, on the line 4-4 of Figure l. a

Figure 5 is asirnilar sectional view on the line 5 5 of Figure 2. r I Figure 6 is a sectional view on the line 6-6 of v Figure2.

Figure 7 is a sectional view through the lower end of the reservoir showing the discharge head applied thereto. 7

Figure 8 is a sectional view on the line 88 oiFigure 7 showing a plan view of the reservoir latch with the reservoir itself and the retracting rod in section. c

Figure 9 is alayout sectional view on the line 9-9 of Figure 8 showing the coacting retracting rod and'rese'rvoir latch lugs and also illustrating their operation for latching the reservoir in position on the discharge head.v v V Figure 10 is a side elevation. of a grease gun structure having a trigger of novel construction;

and I Figure 11 is an enlarged view of a portion of Figure 10 showing the parts in section and illustrating the trigger and valve mechanism.

On the accompanying drawings the reference numeral 10 indicates a grease reservoir of cylindrical formation. It is provided with a head 12 on one end. A dischargehead 13 is provided on the opposite end thereof. The discharge head may be of nozzle, booster or any other type usable in connection with grease reservoirs.

Within the cylinder 10, I provide a grease follower piston 14. For retracting the piston 14 I provide a retracting rod 16. It extends slidably through a packing 18 of thepiston 14 and terminates in a handle 26. The rod 16-also extends slidably through a latch actuator 22, which in turn is rotatable in the head 12. The rod 16 has a head 26 adapted for engagement with the piston 14 during the retracting operation as shown in Figure 2.

A spring 28 is located within the cylinder 10 between the head 12 andthe piston 14. adapted to extend the piston for expelling grease in front thereof into the discharge head or the booster pump usually provided on the lower end of the cylinder.

During the refilling operation of the'grease reservoir 10 it is desirable to latch the piston 14 in its retracted position as shown in Figure 2. For this purpose, I provide a sleeve 30 operatively connected with the piston 14 and having a tapered nose 32 and a latch groove 34 adjacent the upper end thereof. A latch washer 36 is adapted to coact with the latch groove 34.

The latch washer is retained between a Washer 37 adjacent the head 12 and a retainer washer S8. The retainer washer 38 has a slot 39 for guiding the latch washer 36 so that it moves in a straight line when actuated between concentric and eccentric positions, as shown in Figures 4 and 5. The retainer washer 38 is held on the head 12 by screws 41 which also prevent rotation thereof relative to the head.

A spring 40 constrains the latch washer 36 to the eccentric position of Figure 5, although permitting it to move to the concentric position of, .Figure 4 when pressure is applied to cause such movement. One of the screws 41 engages a depression 43 in the spring 40 to prevent undesired rotation thereof relative to the retainer washer 38.

The latch'w'asher 36 has a bore 42 with which an eccentric projection 23'of the latch actuator sleeve 22 is adapted to coact, as in Figure 1. A knurled head 21 is provided on the latch actuator sleeve 22 for the purpose of rotating the sleeve to this position for thereby causing such coaction.

The latch actuator sleeve 22 is retained in position by a ring 25 sprung into a groove thereof, thus preventing longitudinal movement of the sleeve outward relative to the head 12.

A head 26 on the retracting rod .16 is formed with a spider or projecting arms 44 serving to latch the reservoir 10 to the discharge head 13. For coaction with each arm 44, I provide a latch llug 46, the shape of which is best shown in Figure 9. It will be noted that the lower surface of the lug 46, indicated at 46a. is slightly tapered. Therefore, upon rotation of the arm 44 in the direction of the arrow a, the rod 16 will be drawn toward the head 13, drawing with it the upper head 12 and the reservoir cylinder 10. This will compress a gasket 48 located between the cylinder 10 and the discharge head 13 so as to seal one relative to the other.

After a predetermined degree of compression of the gasket 48", one of the arms 44 will havepassed a spring pawl 50 which serves the purpose of preventing accidental rotation in a reservoir unlatching direction of the handle 20 after it has been rotated to the reservoir latching position.

- and 9.

Ibis

Upon sufficient unlatching rotation being imparted thereto by the operator however, the force of the spring pawl 50 can be overcome when it is desired to unlatch the reservoir.

Practical operation 'arms 44 to move in the direction of the arrow 22 to the dotted line. positions shown in Figures 8 The reservoir 10 can then be remove from the discharge head 13.

' The latchactuator 22 is then adjusted to the position shown-in Figures 2 and 5, whereupon the spring 40 moves the latch washer 38 to its eccentric position. It is now capable of moving back to aconcentric position, however, against the force of the spring 40. Since the interior radius of the sectioned hub of the latch 36 (see Figure 4) is the same as the exterior radius of the eccentric extension 23, the concentric position mentioned in the last sentence can be attained. As the piston 14. is drawn upwardly as shown in Figure 3, the tapered nose 32 will engage a tapered bore 36a of the latch washer and force it to concentric position until the bore 36a registers with the latch groove 34. The spring will then cause the washer to snap into the groove. After the refilling operation, the reservoir 10 can be replaced on the discharge head'l3 with the arms 44 assuming the dotted line positions shown in Figures 8 and 9. The handle 20 can then be rotated clockwise to the full line position for latching the reservoir on the head; To release the piston 14 and allow the spring 28 to extend it, the sleeve 22 is engaged and rotated to the position of Figures 1 and 4, thus causing the latch washer to assume its concentric unlatching position to release the piston and permit the spring 28 to force it downwardly for tending to force the grease into the discharge head 13.

In FigurelO, I have shown the reservoir 10 mounted on a power unit A. The power unit is of novel construction having a handle 52 which be' substantially the same in the hand of the J. v.

operator.

A trigger element 54 is mounted substantially midway between the endsof the handle so that it can be conveniently depressed. regardless of whether the handle is in the position shower in a reversed position. The trigger itself can be depressed at either end, it being arranged to extend through an elongated opening 56 in the handle 52 and having shouldered ends58 retained.

against the inner wall of the handle by a spring 60. The central part of the trigger element 54 has a projection 62 adapted to engage and swing a pivoted bell crank lever 64 for separating a valve'plug 66 from its seat 68. It will be obvious that either end of the trigger element 54 can be depressed or the entire element can be depressed to effect opening of the control valve 66. v

The spring 60 holds both the trigger element 54' and the bell crank lever 64 in a predetermined position, the spring itself being supported by a pin 70 and a retainer member 72.

An air connection is provided for the power unit A and is indicated at 74. It communicates with an intake passageway 76. The pressure of the incoming air tends to keep'the valve plug 66 seated so that no spring is necessary for this purpose. When it is unseated, air passes from thepassageway '76 into a passageway -'78 from which it flows to the operating mechanismof the power unit A.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts of my device without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents, which may be reasonably included within their scope I claim as my invention:- l

1. In a grease gun reservoir construction, spring extended piston, a retracting rod therefor, a latch for coaction with said piston to latch it in retracted position, a rotatable sleeve surrounding said rod, said sleeve having a hand engaging portion located exteriorly of the reservoir and means engageable by said sleeve to release said latch when an operators hand engages said portion and thereby rotates said sleeve.

2. In a grease gun reservoir construction, a spring extended piston, a retracting rod therefor, a latch for coaction with said piston to latch it in retracted position and means surrounding said rod and rotatable relative to said latch to release said latch upon rotation of said'means.

3. In a grease gun reservoir construction, a spring extended follower piston, a retracting rod therefor, a latch for coaction with said piston'to latch it in retracted position, said latch being movable laterally relative to said retracting rod and a separate means operable upon rotation to impart lateral unlatching movement to said latch.

4. In a grease gun reservoir construction, a spring extended-follower piston, a retracting rod therefor, a latch for coaction with said piston to latch itin retracted position, said latch being movable laterally relative to said retracting rod and eccentric means rotatable about said rod and operable upon rotation to impart lateral unlatching movement to said latch.

5. In a grease gun reservoir construction, a spring extended follower piston, a retracting rod therefor, a latch for coaction with said piston to latch it in retracted position, said latch being movable laterally relative to said retracting rod, a latch actuator rotatably movable relative to said latch and having an eccentric cam surface engageable with said latch to impart lateral unlatching movement to it.

6. In a grease gun reservoir construction, a spring extended follower piston, a retracting rod therefor, a latch for coaction with said piston to latch it in retracted position, said latch being movable laterally relative to said retracting rod, a latch actuator rotatably movable relative to said latch and having a cam surface engageable with said latch to impart lateral unlatching movement to it.

'7. In a grease gun reservoir construction, a spring extended piston, a retracting rod therefor,

a latch washer normally biased to an eccentric latching position, said latch washer coacting with said piston to latch it in retracted position and means operable upon rotation thereof to release said latch washer.

8. In a grease gun reservoir construction, a spring extended piston, a retracting rod therefor, a latch washer normally biased to an eccentric latching position, said latch washer coacting with said piston to latch it in retracted position and means surrounding said rod operable upon rotative movement relative to said latch washer to release it.

9. Ina grease gun reservoir construction, a spring extended follower piston,a retracting rod therefor, a latch washer for coaction with'said piston when said latch washer is in an eccentric position relative to said reservoir to latch said piston in retracted position, said latch washer being movable laterally relative to said retract:

rod, a latch actuator movable rotatably relative to 7 'said latch washer and having a cam surface engageable with said latch washer to impart lateral unlatching movement to it. r 1, 11. In a grease gun reservoir construction, a spring extended follower piston, a retracting rod therefor, a latch washer for coaction with said piston when said latch washer is in an eccentric position relative to said reservoir to latch said piston in retracted position, said latch washer being movable laterally relative to said retracting rod, a latch actuator surroundingsaid rod and movable rotatably relative to said latch washer and having a cam surface engageable with said. latch washer to impart lateral unlatching movement to it. r

12. In a grease gun reservoir construction, a spring extended followerpiston, a retracting rod therefor, a latch washer for coaction with said piston when said latch washer is in an eccentric position relative to'said reservoir to latch said piston in retracted position, said-latch washer being movable laterally relative to said retracting rod,- a latch actuator surrounding said rod and having an eccentric projection engageable with said latch washer, to impart-lateral; unlatching movement to it upon rotation of said latch actuator.

13. In a grease gun reservoir construction, a spring extended piston, a retracting rod therefor, a latch washer normally biased to an eccentric latching position, said latch washer coacting with said piston to latch it in retracted position, a guide element limiting said latch washer to movement in substantially a straight line and means operable upon rotation to move said latch washer relative to said guide element to thereby release said latch washer.

14. In a grease gun reservoir construction, a reservoir cylinder having a discharge head on one end thereof and means for retaining said reservoir cylinder on said discharge head comprising a rod extending longitudinally through said reservoir cylinder and means for quickly effecting connection and disconnection of said reservoir cylinder relative to said discharge head, said means comprising a plurality of circumferentially spaced lugs extending from said rod and a plurality of circumferentially spaced lugs on said discharge head for engagement therewith upon rotation of said rod relative to said discharge head, the engaging surfaces of at least one of said plurality of lugs being inclined for drawing said reservoir cylinder toward said discharge head. 7

15. In a grease gun reservoir construction, a

reservoir cylinder having a discharge head on one end thereof, means for retaining said reservoir cylinder on said discharge head comprising a rod extending longitudinally through said reservoir cylinderand having reservoir latch means thereon to retainingly coact with said head upon rotation of said rod in one direction and to cause nonc'oactionupon rotation of the rod in an opposite direction and stop means to prevent accidental rotation in such opposite direction;

16, In an air operated grease gun construction, a handle for supporting a grease gun, a depressible trigger located substantially midway between the ends of said handle and a control valve for admitting compressed air to the operating mechanism of said gun, said control valve being norinally seated by air pressure from the intake of said gun and operably connected with said trigger to be opened thereby when the trigger is depressed.

17'. 111 an air operated grease gun construction, ah'aiidle 'for supporting a grease gun, 'a trigger located substantially midway between the ends of said handle and comprising a trigger element,

said handle having an opening for said trigger element to project through, said trigger element having shouldered ends, means for constraining said shouldered ends against said handle adjacent the ends of said opening and a control valve for admi'tting'co'mpr'essed air to the operating mechaiilsm of said gun and operably engaged by the central part of said trigger element to be opened thereby when the trigger element is depressed.

18. In a grease gun reservoir construction, a reservoir cylinder having a discharge head on one end thereof, means for retaining said reservoir cylinder on said discharge head comprismg a rod extending longitudinally through said reservoir cylinder and lug means on said rod and on said head for coaction with or disconnectio'n from each other and spring actuated stop means to prevent accidental disconnection 'of said lug means from each other.

19. In an air operated grease gun construction, a handle for supporting a grease gun, a depressible trigger located substantially midway between the ends of said handle and a control 'valve for admitting compressed air to the operating mechanism of said gun, said control valve being operably connected with said trigger to be opened thereby when the trigger is depressed.

20. In an air operated grease gun construction, a handle for supporting a grease gun, a'trigger in said handle and comprising a trigger element, 'said handle having an opening for said trigger element to project through, said trigger element having shouldered ends, means for constraining said shouldered ends against said handle adjacent the ends of said opening and a control valve for admitting compressed air to the operating mechanism of said gun and operably engaged by the central part of said trigger element to be opened thereby when the trigger element is depressed.

21. In an air operated grease gun construction,

a handle'for supporting a grease gun, a trigger in said handle and comprising a trigger element, said handle having an opening for said trigger element to project through, said trigger element having shouldered ends, a control'valve for ad niitting compressed air to the operating mocha nism of saidgun and operably engaged by the central part of said trigger element to be opened thereby when the trigger element is depressed and means acting upon the central part of said trigger element to constrain said shouldered ends against said handle adjacent the ends of said opening.

22. In an air operated grease gun construction, the combination of agrease gun unit with a reservoir, said unit having a handle for sup porting both the unit and the reservoir, air actuated mechanism for receiving grease from said reservoir and expelling it from said unit and a trigger for controlling the operation or said air actuated mechanism and quickly operable connecting means for connecting said reservoir with and disconnecting it from said grease gun unit by rotation of the connecting means" through less than a full turn of rotation.

IVAN L. EASTMAN.

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