What Is a Lubricator?
A lubricator is a device used to supply lubricant to a specified part of a machine.
Lubricating oil may be supplied by natural dripping, but if it is highly viscous, it may not drip properly, so pressure must be applied to feed the lubricating oil. In addition, the amount of drops must be adjusted according to the application.
As a means of adjusting the amount of drops by applying pressure, grease cups that apply pressure to the top surface of the container and grease guns that inject lubricant manually, electrically, or pneumatically have been developed and are in use. Machines have also been developed for stable supply of lubricant that requires continuous supply due to low viscosity of lubricant.
Uses of Lubricators
Lubricators are widely used to reduce friction in the driving parts of operating machines by supplying lubricating oil, to maintain machine performance, or to clean or cool the parts to be lubricated.
The type of lubricator used depends on the type of oil to be lubricated. When grease is used to reduce friction or for maintenance-free operation, a grease cup or grease gun is used. When a less viscous lubricant is required for cleaning or cooling rather than for reducing friction, a continuous supply system is used.
Principle of Lubricators
The grease cup used for lubrication consists of a body and a lid. By injecting grease into the cup body and tightening the lid, grease is supplied to the target part according to the degree of pressure with which the lid is closed. In addition, when oil with lower viscosity than grease is used, a string is built into the cup (this shape is called an oil cup) to prevent a single drop of oil from dripping, and the oil is devised to drip in such a way that it is transmitted through the string. The method using grease cups and oil cups is inexpensive and the amount of oil can be adjusted, but it is somewhat complicated to manage because pressure must be applied periodically.
A grease gun is used to supply oil to a machine by filling the oil barrel with oil and applying pressure to make the nipple at the tip of the gun adhere to the target part. Most grease guns are supplied by pushing the container by hand or pulling a lever, but electric or pneumatic grease guns are also available.
Grease guns are also inexpensive and can be used for high-pressure lubrication, but care must be taken because it is somewhat difficult to adjust the injection volume and leaks may occur.