Bearing lubrication system

Abstract

A bearing lubrication system for providing supplemental lubrication to a bearing mounted within a bearing housing may include a pump having an inlet and an outlet. The inlet of the pump is fluidically connected to a lubricating fluid sump, whereas the outlet of the pump is fluidically connected to the bearing. A pump control system operatively connected to the pump operates the pump on an intermittent basis to provide a controlled amount of lubricating fluid to the bearing.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for lubricating a sleeve bearing in a machine, comprising:
 sensing an operational state of the machine;   based on the sensed operational state of the machine, drawing a first controlled amount of lubricating fluid from a sump defined within a housing, the housing comprising an opening within which the sleeve bearing is positioned, and providing the controlled amount of a lubricating fluid to the sleeve bearing;   adding a second controlled amount of lubricating fluid to the sleeve bearing on a periodic basis during machine operation; and   providing an interlock signal to a machine control system, said interlock signal preventing the machine control system from initiating machine operation until the first controlled amount of lubricating fluid has been provided to the sleeve bearing.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said sensing comprises sensing a machine start-up sequence and wherein said drawing and providing comprise drawing the first controlled amount of lubricating fluid from the sump and providing the first controlled amount of lubricating fluid to the sleeve bearing during the start-up sequence. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said drawing and providing comprise pumping lubricating fluid from the sump to the sleeve bearing. 
     
     
         4 . A bearing lubrication system for providing supplemental lubrication to a bearing, comprising:
 a bearing housing, the bearing housing defining a lubricating fluid sump therein;   a pump having an inlet and an outlet, the inlet of said pump being fluidically connected to the lubricating fluid sump, the outlet of said pump being fluidically connected to the bearing; and   a pump control system operatively connected to said pump, said pump control system operating said pump on an intermittent basis to provide a controlled amount of lubricating fluid to the bearing.   
     
     
         5 . The bearing lubrication system of  claim 4 , wherein said pump control system further comprises a timer, said timer being adjustable to control the amount of lubricating fluid provided to the bearing, said pump control system operating said pump in response to signals from said timer to provide the controlled amount of lubricating fluid to the bearing. 
     
     
         6 . The bearing lubrication system of  claim 4 , further comprising a switch operatively associated with said pump control system, said switch causing said pump control system to operate said pump to provide the controlled amount of lubricating fluid to the bearing. 
     
     
         7 . The bearing lubrication system of  claim 4 , further comprising a flow sensor fluidically connected to the outlet end of said pump, said flow sensor also being operatively connected to said pump control system, said flow sensor producing an output signal related to a flow of lubricating fluid. 
     
     
         8 . The bearing lubrication system of  claim 7 , further comprising a flow indicator operatively connected to said flow sensor. 
     
     
         9 . The bearing lubrication system of  claim 7 , wherein said flow sensor comprises a flow switch, said flow switch being switchable between a first state and a second state, said flow switch being in the first state when there is no flow of lubricating fluid to said bearing, said flow switch being in the second state when there is a flow of lubricating fluid to said bearing. 
     
     
         10 . The bearing lubrication system of  claim 4 , wherein said pump control system is operatively connected to a machine control system, said machine control system controlling an operation of a machine comprising said bearing, said pump control system producing an interlock signal, the machine control system being responsive to said interlock signal, the machine control system operating the machine in accordance with said interlock signal. 
     
     
         11 . The bearing lubrication system of  claim 10 , wherein said interlock signal is based on the output signal from said flow sensor. 
     
     
         12 . The bearing lubrication system of  claim 4 , further comprising a first fluid conduit having an inlet end and an outlet end, the inlet end of said first fluid conduit being fluidically connected to the outlet end of said pump, the outlet end of said first fluid conduit being positioned adjacent said bearing. 
     
     
         13 . The bearing lubrication of system of  claim 12 , further comprising a second fluid conduit having an inlet end and an outlet end, the inlet end of said second fluid conduit being fluidically connected to the lubricating fluid sump, the outlet end of said second fluid conduit fluidically connected to the inlet end of said pump. 
     
     
         14 . The bearing lubrication system of  claim 4 , wherein the inlet of said pump is fluidically connected to the lubricating fluid sump at a location that is elevated from a bottom of the lubricating fluid sump so that said pump draws in substantially clean lubricating fluid from the lubricating fluid sump. 
     
     
         15 . The bearing lubrication system of  claim 4 , further comprising a valve operatively connected between the inlet end of said pump and the lubricating fluid sump. 
     
     
         16 . The bearing lubrication system of  claim 4 , wherein said pump control system operates said pump in response to a sensed lubrication signal. 
     
     
         17 . A machine system, comprising:
 a rotatable shaft;   a housing having an opening therein, said housing defining a lubricating fluid sump therein;   a bearing positioned within the opening in said housing, said bearing being sized to receive said rotatable shaft, lubricating fluid from said bearing draining into the lubricating fluid sump defined by said housing;   a pump having an inlet and an outlet, the inlet of said pump being fluidically connected to the lubricating fluid sump defined by said housing, the outlet of said pump being operatively associated with said bearing so that lubricating fluid from said pump is provided to said bearing; and   a pump control system operatively connected to said pump, said pump control system operating said pump in response to a lubrication signal to provide a controlled amount of lubricating fluid to said bearing based on a sensed operational state of said machine system.   
     
     
         18 . The machine system of  claim 17 , further comprising a machine control system operatively associated with said shaft and said pump control system, said machine control system controlling rotation of said shaft in said bearing, said machine control system producing the lubrication signal for said pump control system. 
     
     
         19 . The machine system of  claim 17 , wherein said pump control system produces an interlock signal, said machine control system being responsive to the interlock signal to initiate rotation of said shaft in said bearing after the controlled amount of lubrication fluid has been provided to said bearing. 
     
     
         20 . The machine system of  claim 17 , further comprising a flow switch fluidically connected to the outlet end of said pump and to said pump control system, said pump control system producing the interlock signal based on a sensed state of said flow switch. 
     
     
         21 . The machine system of  claim 17 , further comprising a timer operatively associated with said pump control system, said timer being adjustable to vary the controlled amount of lubrication fluid provided to said bearing, said pump control system operating said pump to provide the controlled amount of lubrication fluid to said bearing in response to signals from said timer. 
     
     
         22 . A bearing lubrication retro-fit kit, comprising:
 a pump having an inlet and an outlet;   a first fluid conduit having an inlet end and an outlet end, the inlet end of said first fluid conduit being sized to connect to the outlet of said pump, the outlet end of said first fluid conduit being sized to operatively engage a lubrication port provided on the bearing;   a second fluid conduit having an inlet end and an outlet end, the outlet end of said second fluid conduit being sized to connect to the inlet of said pump, the inlet end of said second fluid conduit being sized to operatively engage a port provided in a lubricating fluid sump associated with the bearing; and   a pump control system for operating said pump on an intermittent basis to provide a controlled amount of lubricating fluid to the bearing.   
     
     
         23 . The bearing lubrication retro-fit kit of  claim 22 , wherein said pump control system comprises a machine control system interface for interfacing with a machine control system, said pump control system sensing an operating state of the machine control system via the machine control system interface and operating said pump in response to the sensed operating state of the machine control system. 
     
     
         24 . The bearing lubrication retro-fit kit of  claim 22 , wherein the outlet end of said first fluid conduit further comprises:
 a cap sized to engage a filler neck provided on the bearing housing; and   a filler tube extending through said cap so that said filler tube is substantially aligned with the lubrication port on the bearing when said cap is engaged with the filler neck.