Related Application: Priority is claimed to U.S. Provisional Patent Application, Serial No. 61/919,184 having filing date December 20, 2013.

This invention is in the field of lubrication systems for knitting machines, and particularly for direct injection lubrication systems that will either spray oil or project solid oil drops onto the knitting elements of a knitting machine, and will lubricate such elements in a metered and controlled manner.

Machines where the present invention is particularly applicable include single knit knitting machines, double knit knitting machines, circular and flat sweater knitting machines and numerous other machines that require frequent periodic lubrication. Some examples of machines in current use include those sold under the trade names, Mayer and Cie, Terrot, Fukuhara, Orizio, Vanguard, Pai Lung, etc.

Lubrication methods for the above-noted machines include solid drop pulse lubricators and micro-drop projectile lubricators by Memminger Pulsonic Lubricators, and mist/spray lubricators sold by Uniwave, Inc., Div. of Memminger.

One of these systems ejects an oil mist/spray from multiple ports (up to 24 ports) through multiple nozzles that are connected by plastic or other tubing. The system uses electricity and compressed air to form the spray and distribute the oil in an even steady flow to each nozzle outlet.

The second system ejects pulses of solid drops of oil several times each minute through multiple ports also using nozzles and tubing. The system uses electricity only, as no compressed air is needed to perform the function.

Both of these solid drop and mist/spray lubrication systems have features that are either unsatisfactory and/or could be improved.

1. (1) It is not possible for either of the systems to provide both types of spray and solid drop lubrication; and thus, without common components the volume of each is less and the cost per unit is more;
2. (2) both lubrication systems are difficult to repair when clogs occur;
3. (3) the Uniwave mist/spray lubricators use a relatively large amount of compressed air which in a factory with a large number of knitting machines, is quite expensive.
4. (4) in such systems it is not practical to use a central source of oil supply, so that each unit needs its own oil tank.

This has been the situation in operation of knitting machines for at least sixty-five years.

It is recognized within the industry that the oil drop pulse systems do not distribute the lubricant evenly on the knitting elements. While the spray systems do a better job of oil distribution, they use relatively large amounts of compressed air which has a high energy cost and can contaminate the lubricant with water that is inherent with compressed air systems.

While the industry has been well aware of certain problems including: (a) that oil mist pervading the air and environment in the vicinity of a large number of knitting machines in a factory setting is both dangerous to human health and unpleasant and can stain or otherwise damage the knitted product, and (b) can cause dust or other particles in the air to clump together and fall onto machinery, the floor and persons.

One known solution has been to employ lubrication systems where the oil/compressed air flow employs anti-fog nozzles which re-condense the oil via cyclone spinning into droplets instead of mist. This solves the problem of oil mist in the environment, but adds considerable cost.

EP 0 427 047 A1 describes a lubrication device which includes oil/air mixing sections. The mixing sections each are adapted to mix lubrication oil and compressed air, resulting in the lubricating oil being fed to a lubrication section of the knitting machine while being carried on the compressed air.

Further lubrication devices are disclosed in DE 20 40 770 A1 and in GB 1 218 324.

Thus, the industry has had a solution for over thirty years but an expensive one, with no known evidence of any different or less expensive approach being developed to dealing with the inherent problems. My new invention is a "direct injection" apparatus with improved characteristics of both spray and pulse systems while reducing cost of operation.

A first object of the new device is to provide the end user a choice of spray or pulse oil lubrication and be able to switch between the two types of lubrication at any time.

Oil lubrication and an oil lubricator do not form part of the invention but represent background art that is useful for understanding of the invention.

Another object is to reduce the cost of manufacture by using common parts in the manufacture of both types of lubricator,

A further object is to allow the water to pass through the system in such a small amount to result in less ill effects.

An additional object is to reduce the cost of manufacture for making a "pulse only" model.

Another object is to reduce the amount of compressed air needed for mist/spray lubrication and thus reduce the cost of operation.

A still further object is to provide a practical way to have a central source of lubricant for multiple lubricators rather than have mandatory individual oil reservoirs.

A further object is to allow use of one nozzle type for both spray and pulse lubrication. The new nozzle would be less expensive than the present spray nozzle.

A still further object is to allow for easier and less expensive repair when and if repair is necessary.

Another object is to improve efficiency and profitability of the operation including cost and operation of apparatus and operation of factory using such apparatus,

Another object is to provide apparatus that can use a wider variation of lubricants including lubricant types that have emulsifying agents with the tendency to form clogs when contaminated with moisture. This will allow lubricants that are easier to remove from fabric.

The new "Direct Inject" system (to be called a "Direct Inject" system in this patent application) can perform both functions mentioned above from one unit. That is each output can be mist/spray or solid oil drops depending on the nozzle and tubing configuration.

The Direct Inject lubricator will be less prone to allowing water from the compressed air to mix with the lubrication oil in the spray/mist mode.

In a pulse only model, the Direct Inject unit will be less expensive to manufacture then the present pulse units.

When using a central source of oil to multiple lubricators, the Direct Inject system will be more compact and can be mounted in a smaller space then the present systems (no separate oil tank supply on each unit)

The use of pulse lubrication with the present invention will avoid the need for large compressed air volume and the large energy cost associated with compressed air in the spray mode lubrication. Alternately, use in spray mode will provide for even distribution of the lubricant when such is needed. When purchased in the pulse only version, the new unit will be less expensive to manufacture. Due to the simplicity of design, the new unit will need less maintenance and be easier to repair when repair is necessary.

This new lubrication system can be made into many configurations. The most important four will be:

1. 1. A lubricator that can spray oil from each of its multi nozzles or put out solid, pressure driven drops oil. Each output can be changed from spray to pulse or vice versa by simply changing the configuration of the plastic coupling tube that runs from the "oil generator" to the output nozzle. Due to the fact that the output is ejected under pressure, the lubricant will be propelled at least several centimeters (inches) from the nozzle.
2. 2. A lubricator that can expel solid oil drops only.
3. 3. Either of the above can receive its oil supply from its own individual reservoir or receive the supply from a central source that can be supplying multiple units, thereby eliminating the need for individual reservoirs.
4. 4. Each nozzle will be of the special design which will allow the use of a wide variety of viscosities. By adjusting the air pressure from 0,14 bar (2 pounds per square inch) to 0,69 bar (10 PSI) or more, both lower viscosity and higher viscosities lubricants can be used. Due to the special design of the nozzle tip, the nozzle will allow oil spray to eject the oil several centimeters (inches) from the tip without causing wasteful oil dripping at the exit point. That special "no drip" design accomplishes its task due to the inside hole (bore) of the nozzle (axially inward of the tip) being approximately 0,508 mm (0.020 of an inch) in diameter with the bore of the tip of the nozzle being approximately 1,016 mm (0.040 of an inch) in diameter. This same nozzle will also allow pulsed solid oil drops to properly exit the nozzle without oil dripping at the exit point.

In the spray mode, pressurized oil input is supplied either by a pressurized central source or a pressurized oil reservoir. When the individual reservoir model is used, filtered compressed air will power the oil tank pressurization. Oil output will be controlled by a solenoid valve that is controlled by a pulse timer that can be set to opening the valve in a pulse manner several times per minute depending on what volume of output is required. The oil then enters a pressure regulator with gauge so that the oil pressure can be set to whatever the operator prefers. The oil then enters the oil chamber of the "Direct Inject Oil Generator" that is shown in drawing marked Direct Inject Oil Generator.

For a better understanding of terminology used in this invention, "fog" is oil whose droplets are so small as to stay airborne in the environment rather than adhere to metal surfaces, and "mist" is oil droplets that are so large that they adhere to solid services and do not become airborne. In one of the embodiments disclosed herein as seen in Fig. 2, an oil reservoir is placed after the air regulator and before the timed solenoid valve. Nozzles are the final point of the system that are aimed at the knitting machine portion that is to be lubricated. Barbs are the part of the soft were flexible tubing that fits with its proximal end over the top of the generator, and its distal end engaging a nozzle

When a pressurized oil pulse is released by the solenoid valve, the oil is forced up the tubes at the top of the oil chamber. These metal oil chamber exit tubes have one way check balls so that the ejected oil cannot go back in the oil chamber. At the exit of the tube, the oil is joined by compressed air (suggested air pressure at this point is from 0,14 bar to 0,34 bar (2 to 5 PSI)) that is supplied by the air chamber of the Oil Generator and exits from inside of the outer barb and causes the oil/compressed air mix to travel through a plastic coupling tube that is mounted on the outside of the larger outside barb and finally the nozzle (see drawing marked Injection Outlet and Direct Inject Oil Generator and nozzle). Suggested oil pressure at the Direct Inject oil chamber is approximately 0,69 bar (10 PSI). If the operator wishes to have any or ail of the nozzles be pulse oil instead of spray, the plastic tube that has been placed on the outside barb is replace with plastic tube that mounts on the inside oil chamber tube. This inside plastic tube also serves as a seal to block the escape of compressed air.

The "pulse only" model of the Direct Injection lubricator is the same as the spray except that the filter, solenoid and air regulator used for the preparation of the compressed air to the air chamber of the oil generator is eliminated. The direct injection lubrication system can be used in any application that needs metered constant spray or solid oil drop lubrication, such as gears, chains, escalators, oil rig equipment, looms, etc.

• Figure 1A is a top plan view of a factory floor plan showing schematically a plurality of knitting machines coupled to a common compressed air supply.
• Figure 1B is an enlarged fragmentary view showing an oil lubricator of Fig. 1A,
• Figure 1C is a flow diagram showing how the new lubricator is fluid coupled to a source of lubricant, Figure 2 is a schematic outline of elements in a solid oil drop lubricator not forming part of the invention,
• Figure 3 is a fragmentary schematic elevation view partially in section of the oil generator, Figure 4 is an enlarged schematic view of an injection outlet barb,Figure 5 is an enlarged schematic top plan view of the top, middle and bottom coins of the oil generator,
• Figure 6 is a greatly enlarged schematic elevation view of the middle coin in the oil generator, and
• Figure 7 is an enlarged schematic elevation view of a nozzle.

Figure 1A shows schematically a factory floor plan 1 which includes a plurality of knitting machines 2, supplied by compressed air from compressor 3 via air conduits 4. Also shown schematically are oil containers 5 for providing required oil supplied to each of the knitting machines 2.

Figure 1B shows schematically an oil supply lubricator 5 with its multiple ejection tubes 6 each terminating in an injection outlet 7.

Figure 1C shows a flow diagram for an oil spray lubricator 10 of the present invention which includes source 12 of compressed air at approximately 6,21 bar (90 PSI) which air typically includes some percentage of water. The compressed air flows through filter 14 to clean the compressed air and reduce the water quantity therein. The compressed air flows next to solenoid-operated valve 16 which effectively is an on/off valve that is turned on each time the system is to direct the lubrication spray onto the knitting machine knitting elements. From the solenoid the air flows through regulator 18 which reduces the initial approximately 6,21 bar (90 PSI) air pressure down to 0,14 to 0,69 bar (2-10 PSI) or sometimes preferable 0,14 to 0,34 bar (2-5 PSI) depending on the operation parameters selected. This air flow proceeds next into the oil generator 20.

Also in this system, is oil from a source 22 which is usually from an individual reservoir as seen in Fig. 2, or from a central source at about 0,34 bar (5 PSI) or more. Oil flows into regulator 24 where pressure is reduced from said approximately 0,34 bar (5 PSI) or more down to the preferred operating pressure, and thence to solenoid-operated pulse timer 26, 28 which ejects the oil in this example, 5 times per minute (once every 12 seconds), with each opening lasting for a split second such as about two or three tenths of a second. The oil then flows into the oil generator where it is combined with the air input from regulator
18 and ejected (spit out) as spray through multiple outlets 29, as further described below.

Figure 2 illustrates schematically a solid oil drop lubricator 30 not forming part of the invention that differs in part from the above-described spray lubricator 10 in figure 1C, in that it has no compressed air input mixing with the oil. Accordingly there is oil from a source 22S after the regulator 24S, then to solenoid-operated pulse timer 26S, 28S, and finally to oil generator 30S and its output nozzles 32S.

The oil generator 20 in figure 1C and generator 30S in figure 2 share common features, but generator 20 in figure 1C mixes oil with compressed air as further described below, Figure 3 illustrates schematically a Direct Inject Oil Generator 40 as may be used with a spray lubricator or a solid drop lubricator.

In figure 3, within housing 42 has oil inlet 44 at the bottom providing oil at approximately 0,69 bar (10 PSI) corresponding generally to oil from regulator 24, in figure 1C. Within housing 42 of oil generator 40, are lower coin 46, herein called "coin" because of its configuration, middle coin 48 and upper coin 50, where the oil chamber 52 is defined between lower and middle coins 46 and 48 respectively; coins may also be referred to as partitions or walls. Above middle coin 48 is an air inlet 54 (that corresponds to the airflow out of regulator 18 in figure 1C), flowing into air chamber 56 in figure 3, or flowing directly into air ducts, i.e. the annular space surrounding oil tubes 58. Oil from oil chamber 52 in figure 3 flows into tubes 58 with outlets 58a, while air into air chamber 56 flows upward and out of the annular space 60 that surrounds oil flow tubes 58. As will be further described, the oil flow out of each tube 58 has been pulsed into a drop form (as described above for figures 1C and 2), which is spit outward, while there is a tubular flow of air in annular space 60 surrounding and carrying this droplet to each of the outlet nozzles as further described below. The lower middle and upper coins 46, 48 will be described later.

Figure 4 shows the oil and air flow ducts, oil tube 58 (fig. 3), 72 (fig. 4) and air tube 76, that extend from the top of the oil generator 40 in figure 3. Figure 7 shows a nozzle 82 that is situated at the top end of (extension) coupling tube 90 coupling it to the outlet air and oil tubes 72, 76 of figure 4, which correspond
to the outlets at the top of figure 3. Figure 4 as an enlarged view illustrates an injection outlet 70 which includes the small central oil tube 72 with a central bore 73 that carries the oil 75 to the nozzle 82, see figure 7. Surrounding inner oil tube 72 is outer air tube 76 with annular space 60 between said inner oil tube 72 and outer oil tube 76. This annular space 60 is seen earlier in figure 3. As earlier mentioned, annular space 60 is the flow channel through which the compressed air flows. At the outer surface of outer oil tube 76 are barbs 80, figure 4, which function to secure this outlet air tube arrangement 76 in the end of coupling tube 90 that surrounds outlet air tube 76 and leads to the nozzle 82. Barbs 80 are typically discs or inclined washers which frictionally and sealingly engage the bore surface of the coupling tube 90 made of plastic into which they are inserted. As seen in figures 3 and 4 coupling tube 90 has its lower end slid over outer air tube 76 and over and engaging barbs 80. Nozzle 82 has nozzle barbs 94 that sealingly engage the upper end of coupling tube 90.

Figure 3 illustrates two separate modes of oil discharge: (a) the three outlet tube assemblies indicated in the drawing by I, II and III on the left, provide air/oil spray; and (B) the outer tube assembly indicated by IV on the right, provides oil droplets only because the airflow has been blocked off. For the outlet on the right side on the right side for pulsed oil mode the lower end 90L of plastic coupling tube 90 is situated in the annular space 60 to block and bar air flow, so that only oil is ejected through nozzle 82. Thus, this oil generator can be operated in spray mode per the nozzle connection shown in I, II or III on the left side of this figure, or in solid oil drop mode per the nozzle connection shown on the right side IV of this figure. An operator can elect to have all nozzles of a generator set for spray mode or all in oil drop mode or some combination thereof. Thus, a single generator design with its nozzles can be used for a variety of situations, for example with cotton yarn the operator may prefer pulsed oil droplets to save the use of costly compressed air, or spray for nylon yarn to avoid staining the fabric.

Figure 5 provides enlarged top plan views of the top coin 50, middle coin 48 and lower coin 46, Each of said three coins has the form of a disk perforated by various holes, and each of said coins is sealed with O-rings. Lock retainer rings 46R and 50R secure lower and upper coins within the housing

Returning now to figure 5, upper and middle coins 50 and 48 have identical hole patterns through which are situated and supported fourteen tubes 58 which are also shown in figure 3. Alternate hole patterns for other numbers of oil tubes are possible. Bottom coin 46 has a central aperture 46A which is threaded to receive oil inlet pipe as seen in figure 3. Coins 48 and 46 are inserted upward to a shoulder and secured by lock ring 46R; coin 50 is inserted downward to a shoulder and secured by its lock ring 50R.

Figure 6 is an enlarged elevation view of the middle coin 48 and one typical oil flow tube 58 as seen in figure 3. Tube 58 includes a one-way check valve 62 that allows oil flow upward and bars any reverse downward flow. For convenience and description the embodiment disclosed herein employs terms "up and down"; however the oil generator is not restricted to this orientation.

When a drop of oil is pulsed out of the inner oil tube 58 in figure 3 or 72 in figure 4 which drop is joined by the airflow through annular space 60 in figure 3 or annular space 78 in figure 4, the air oil mix is ejected outward. The coupling tube 90 is along the outside diameter of the outer air tube 76. Airflow via the annular space 78 in figure 4 between the tubes 72, 76 will blow the oil drop along until it arrives at its nozzle 82 and is ejected out into the knitting machine elements.

Oil droplets from the inner tube 72 are blown along by the very low-pressure air perhaps, about 0,14 to 0,34 bar (2 to 5 PSI). This low pressure will not break the oil up into mist, as this air has laminar flow along the inside wall of the plastic coupling tube 90 until it arrives at the nozzle 82, and from the nozzle 82 the air/oil mixture is ejected into the part of the machine to be lubricated, all without mist formation. This is one of the principal achievements of the present invention.

If the outlet nozzle 82 receives an air/oil mixture or solid oil from its plastic feed coupling tube 90 that extends at the top of the direct inject oil generator or the spray lubricator, it will still operate properly. If the nozzle 82 receives solid oil, it will spit out a droplet on the time of the pulsed cycle. If the nozzle 82 receives air/oil mixture, it will spit out the oil in such a way that
it will spit the output several centimeters (inches) from the nozzle 82 without oil drip at the nozzles 82 and without any breakup of the oil into fog. The oil arrives at the inlet of the nozzle 82 as solid oil unbroken and in this apparatus will be ejected undisturbed and without forming oil fog that could contaminate ambient air in the factory.

And additional feature of the present invention concerns the form of the top of the exit nozzle 82. When oil comes to the tip of a conventional nozzle formed with a straight (continuous bore diameter) it may be blown into a mist and/or result in a drip and not be regularly spitted out in the desired oil droplet form. In the new nozzle 82 as seen in figure 7, the nozzle 82 has bore diameter D1 (about 0,762 mm (0.030 inches) but may vary to a much larger diameter), that is reduced to diameter D2 (about 0,508 mm (0.020 inches)), and that is expanded at the tip to diameter D3 (about 1,016 mm (0.040 inches)). The D3 portion has length L3 (about 3,175 mm (0.125 inches) but may be longer). In an alternative, the D2 plus D3 portions have length L2 + L3 (about 3,175 mm (0.125 inches)). From this the airflow carrying the oil droplet will expand slightly in the D3 portion to a lower pressure such that the oil will resist dripping at the nozzle tip and will remain in droplet form. As described earlier pressure drops between the D2 and D3 diameter portions. Also, as described above, this is a significant achievement to avoid oil dripping from the nozzle and the negative consequences of wasting expensive lubricant.

As already mentioned, oil lubrication and especially the solid oil drop lubricator 30 shown in figure 2 does not form part of the invention.