U.S. patent application number 11/803319 was filed with the patent office on 2008-11-20 for grease cartridge management system.
Invention is credited to Christopher Curran, Michael S. Joss, Michael Tony Kilian, Tony Christer Kilian, Mark Zavada.
Application Number | 20080283431 11/803319 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40026417 |
Filed Date | 2008-11-20 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080283431 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Joss; Michael S. ; et
al. |
November 20, 2008 |
Grease cartridge management system
Abstract
A grease cartridge management system having a multi-piece caddy
and a chamber mounted thereon in a secured position for inserting
grease cartridges therein to protect them from damage in the
handling, storage and transportation of grease cartridges from a
storage location to the point of use with a grease gun.
Inventors: |
Joss; Michael S.; (Chicago,
IL) ; Zavada; Mark; (Evanston, IL) ; Curran;
Christopher; (Oak Park, IL) ; Kilian; Tony
Christer; (Safety Way, WA) ; Kilian; Michael
Tony; (Naperville, IL) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MICHAEL J. FEMAL
640 N. LaSalle Street, Suite 590
Chicago
IL
60610
US
|
Family ID: |
40026417 |
Appl. No.: |
11/803319 |
Filed: |
May 14, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
206/384 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B25H 3/04 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
206/384 |
International
Class: |
B65D 85/72 20060101
B65D085/72 |
Claims
1. A grease cartridge management system comprising: a caddy having
three panels assembled together, one panel vertically disposed and
the other two panels affixed in stationary positions on the
vertical panel in generally a horizontal spaced apart and parallel
relationship to one another, both horizontal panels having
apertures therethrough axially aligned with one another; a chambers
having two halves removable joined together in the middle to define
the chamber, the chamber capable of being unjoined to insert a
grease cartridge therein for protecting the cartridge during
transporting, storing and handling against potential damage to
functionality of the cartridge or a label instructions on the outer
surface of the cartridge.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the caddy is made of plastic
panels, the vertical panel having a generally rectangular shape
having a front and rear elevated surface and of a predetermined
height, width and thickness and having a top edge connected to a
base by a pair of opposing side edges, the vertical panel having at
least two key surfaces, one at the base and the other spaced above
the one a predetermined distance, and the horizontal panels having
a length greater than the width of the vertical panel and a width
greater than the thickness of the vertical panel, the horizontal
panels having a key slot extending longitudinally across each panel
and disposed in generally the middle of the width of each panel,
the key slot on one horizontal panel having a dimension equal to or
greater than the vertical cross section of the vertical panel in
order to insert the panel over the top edge and slide it downwardly
to the base key, the key slot on the other panel having a dimension
equal to the cross section of the vertical panel to a point equal
to the other key location spaced a predetermined distance above the
one at the base so that the key slot on the other panel when
inserted over the top edge and slid downwardly only goes to the
other key a predetermined distance above the base of the vertical
panel.
3. The system of claim 1, wherein the other two panels are affixed
in place and spaced apart by locking tabs disposed on the vertical
panel and a pair of keying members.
4. The system of claim 1, wherein the chamber is two halves of a
conical frustum shape joined at the larger bases having mating
threading on the halves permitting them to be screwed together in a
watertight relationship when the grease cartridge is insert
therein.
5. The system of claim 1, wherein the chamber is made of clear
shock resistant plastic to view the grease cartridge therein and
the chamber further comprises a hanger rotatably connected to the
top of the chamber to hang the chamber on a wall bracket or another
storage rack.
6. A grease cartridge management system, comprising: a caddy having
a vertical panel with a front and rear surface of a predetermined
height, width and thickness generally increasing from top to bottom
of the panel, locking tabs in a horizontal lines across the front
and rear surfaces of the vertical panel, one horizontal line of
locking tabs located approximately midway between the top and
bottom and the other line of locking tabs located near the bottom
of the vertical panel, and a pair of keys located below each
horizontal line of locking tabs, two horizontal panels of a
predetermined length, width and thickness having key slots of a
different size, one horizontal panel having the larger key slot
allow it to be place over the top of the vertical wall and slid
downwardly to the last line of locking tabs and over them to insert
the base key in the larger key slot and locking the one horizontal
panel in place with the locking tab pressing against its top
surface, the other panel having a key slot smaller than the one
horizontal panel allowing it to be placed over the top of the
vertical panel and slid downwardly to engage the key below the
first line of locking tabs to hold it securely in place, recesses
in the one panel axially aligned with apertures in the other panel,
the recesses having at least two key slots in the sides of the
recess to receive a key therein; a chamber having to hollow halves
jointed together in a sealed removable affixed relationship to one
another having a top and bottom closed end with two keys protruding
therefrom and an openable middle joint defining the chamber for
inserting a grease cartridge therein, a raised ridge defining a
closed wall enclosure on the top closed end for inserting
identification information concerning the inserted grease cartridge
therein and an insert lid affixed against the closed walls of the
ridge to protect the information inserted therein from the
elements, and wherein the chamber is inserted through the apertures
on the other panel and pushed downwardly into the recesses on one
panel where the two protruding keys are forced into the key slots
on the one panel locking the chamber to the caddy and supported by
both horizontal panels to avoid the chambers from falling out of
the caddy during handling.
7. The system of claim 6, wherein the chamber comprises two hollow
conical frustum halves having mating threads on the larger base for
joining the two halves together to define the chamber for inserting
a grease cartridge therein, and wherein the apertures are circular
in dimension to engage the assembled halves at the greatest
diameter which is at the larger base end or the middle of the
chamber to frictionally hold the chambers in place on the caddy
once inserted thereon.
8. The system of clam 6, wherein the recesses on the one panel are
hexagonal or octagonal and the bottom of the chamber is hexagonal
or octagonal to key into the recess to avoid rotation of the
chambers once inserted onto the caddy.
9. A grease management method, comprising the steps of: assembling
three panels; a vertical panel and a first and second horizontal
panels; placing a first horizontal panel over the vertical panel
having keyed slot in the recesses in the top surface of the first
panel; sliding the first horizontal panel down to the base of the
vertical panel; locking the first panel in place by a keying
relationship between the vertical and horizontal panel and locking
tabs located on the vertical panel pushing against the first panel;
placing a second panel over the vertical panel and sliding it
downwardly a predetermined distance above the first panel having
apertures axially aligned with the first panel recesses; inserting
a chamber having a dimension to fit through the first panel
apertures and a bottom that fits into the recesses with a keying
member engaging the keyed slots in the recesses to hold the chamber
stationary in its fully inserted configuration within the caddy.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The invention relates to a grease cartridge management
system, and more particularly, a grease cartridge management system
for identifying, organizing and storing new and partially used
grease tubes used to lubricant various equipment and similar
devices in residential, commercial and industrial applications.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Grease cartridges come in standardized sizes for use with
grease guns to lubricant a number of devices requiring lubrication.
One of the problems whether it is home owner greasing ball joints
on his vehicle or a maintenance man lubricating a machine tool on
the factory floor, is that the used and partially used grease
cartridges often end up on the garage or factory floors,
respectively. Also, when the grease gun is used to lubricate
various factory equipment requiring different greases to be used, a
partially used grease cartridge is often removed from the grease
gun at the point of use with no place to put it before replacing it
with another to do the lubrication job at hand. What happens to
that partial used grease cartridge when removed from the grease
gun? Often the partially used grease cartridge ends up on the
factory floor or workbench where it is subject to contaminants and
damage. The typical maintenance work bench is often a place where
the grease cartridge housing is exposed to other fluids and is able
to soak up moisture on its surface causing it to swell and thereby
ruining the ability to reuse the cartridge again in a grease gun or
introducing contaminants to the grease within the cartridge. Also,
the cartridges get crushed and abused when stored out in the open
by other tools that are laid across the tubular cartridges or even
cut through the housing material of the cartridge causing the
grease to leak. Grease cartridge housings are often made out of a
coated laminated paper housing that are subject to deformation and
destruction by many handling abuses and causes. For example, loose
grease cartridges are often thrown in the back beds of a pickup
truck or open toolboxes and exposed to the elements of nature like
rain, sleet or snow. The grease cartridges housings swell when rain
soaks their skins or come apart from tools when tools are thrown on
top of them. Therefore, it is important to be able to store new and
partially used grease cartridges in a safe place whether in the
back of a pickup truck or on a bench shelf in a factory or garage
setting. Another reason for storing the various grease cartridges
in a safe place is that these cartridges with specialized greases
can costs hundreds of dollars per cartridge. So a system that helps
to identify, store and maintain the integrity of the cartridges in
relative safety yet has the mobility to carry one or more
cartridges to be stored in the bed of a pickup truck without damage
when going to and from the job site or transported to the point of
use would be a valuable and ideal system.
[0003] Often times due to the environmental and other conditions
impacting upon the housing of the grease cartridge exposed to the
outdoor elements carried in a pickup truck bed, a tool box, a shed
or a farm field next to the tractor or other equipment requiring
constant lubrication, the identifying cartridge label with
directions or instruction on it application are unreadable due to
label damage. Thus with missing instructions and directions, the
grease can be misapplied causing problems for the end user.
[0004] Any advanced lubricant management system must be very robust
especially when going into rough environmental conditions where the
grease cartridges having the typical vulnerable paper laminated
housings. Also, to save money, it is important to be able to reuse
partially used grease cartridges and to maintain the integrity of
the labeling on the cartridge housing throughout the lifetime of
the cartridge for future use.
[0005] Therefore, there is a definite need for a grease cartridge
system for storage, transporting and handling to the point of use
that protects the grease cartridge, its labels and instructions.
There is also a requirement that lubricants are identifiable at all
times form storage to point of use whether the lubricants are
stored on an offsite or onsite location exposed to the elements. In
short, a lubricant inventory management/process control begins with
the ability to track and use the proper lubricants for the proper
application in residential, commercial and industrial settings.
Also, application, direction and warning information needs to
accompany the lubricants from storage to the point of use in the
residential, commercial or industrial applications without any
errors in the identification of the lubricant or errors in the
instructions related to its application.
[0006] In addition, it is often important to have two or more spare
grease cartridges at hand so the greased gun can be rapidly changed
out of the empty grease cartridges and replaced by a new one. Also,
it is often important to have more than one type of grease to
handle different lubrication applications or if a problem occurs
with the current grease cartridge being used so that the
lubrication of the equipment can be fully completed to prevent
damage of continuous operation without the proper lubrication. In
outdoor applications, the grease cartridge and its labels might
receive damage due to moisture or to the other fluids being spilled
directly onto the labels or outer shell of the laminated paper
housing when dispensing grease. Some applications require more
detailed instructions on how to apply the lubricants, and in that
case, it may require the ability to handle multiple sets of
instructions or warnings in separately organized literature that
accompany the grease cartridge to market. But one thing that
remains and that is the ability to management the deployment of
grease cartridges from storage to the job site without
misidentifying, damaging or losing the instructions.
[0007] Therefore, it is an essential aspect of any grease
identification and management system to have a cartridge management
system capable of handling multiple grease cartridges with
different greases, labels and information associated therewith. The
present invention solves above discussed problems and even other
problems, and provides advantages and aspects for maintaining the
integrity of the grease cartridge and its application at the point
of use. A full discussion of the features and advantages of the
present invention is deferred to the following detailed
description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] According to the present invention, a grease cartridge
management system comprises a hand caddy and a protective chamber
for housing a grease cartridge releasably mounted on the caddy. The
caddy comprises at least a three piece assembly of generally flat
panels, one vertically disposed and the other two panels are
interlocked horizontally on the vertical panel and spaced apart
with respect to each other a predetermined distance to mount and
hold the protective chamber thereon. The vertical panel is
generally rectangular in shape with generally identical front and
rear surfaces of a predetermined length, width and thickness
terminating in a top, a bottom and two opposing vertical edges
connected between the top and bottom edges. The vertical panel
increases in thickness going from top to bottom.
[0009] An opening through the vertical panel disposed near the top
and intermediate the vertical edges serves as a gripping place for
the digits on a hand to carry the caddy. The first of the two
horizontal panels includes a keyed slot opening having a length and
width corresponding to the width and thickness at the bottom of the
vertical panel. The second of the two horizontal panels includes a
keyed slot opening having a length and width corresponding to the
width and thickness at a predetermined point intermediate the top
and bottom edges of the vertical panel.
[0010] The vertical panel further includes vertical locking tabs on
the front and rear surfaces thereof. In assembling the caddy, the
keyed slot of the first panel is inserted over the top edge of the
vertical panel and the first panel is slid downwardly to the bottom
of the vertical panel, the top surface of the first panel passes
the vertical locking tabs on the front and rear surfaces of the
vertical panel and locks the first panel in place at the bottom of
the vertical panel. The combination of the first panel locked to
the bottom of the vertical panel provides a base for the caddy so
that the vertical panel remains oriented upright. Then the keyed
slot of the second panel is inserted over the top edge of the
vertical panel and the second panel is slid downwardly a
predetermined distance on the vertical panel until the second panel
top surface passes the locking tabs on the front and rear surfaces
of the vertical panel and stops the downwardly movement on the
vertical wall a predetermined distance from the top edge due to
frictional engagement with the thickness of the vertical panel
against the keyed slot and a keyed location on the vertical
panel.
[0011] To disassemble, the locking tabs engaging the top surface of
the second horizontal panel are pushed inwardly to the front and
rear surfaces on the vertical panel while pulling the second
horizontal panel upwardly releasing it from the keyed position on
the vertical panel and then removed over the top edge of the
vertical panel. The locking tabs engaging the top surface of the
first horizontal panel at the bottom of the vertical wall are
pushed inwardly on both front and rear surfaces of the vertical
panel while pulling the first panel upwardly and pass the keyed
location of the second horizontal panel on the vertical panel.
Next, the locking tabs holding the second panel are pushed inwardly
to the front and rear surfaces releasing the first panel to travel
upwardly again an over the top edge to remove the first horizontal
panel. This permits the caddy to be disassembled, packaged and
shipped as a generally flat item when ordered from a customer of
the caddy.
[0012] Thus the varying thickness of the vertical panel, which
increases going from the top edge to the bottom edge for the
purposes of frictionally engaging and keying the slot of each
horizontal panel to a predetermined position on the vertical panel
when assembled. In assembly, the vertical panel is upright and the
slot with the greatest width, the first horizontal panel, is placed
over the top edge of the vertical panel and slid downwardly to
approximately the bottom of the vertical panel by passing over the
first set of locking tabs and keying surfaces for the second
horizontal panel and then passing over the second set of locking
tabs where it mates with the second keying surface on the rear and
front surfaces of the vertical panel to key and lock the first
panel in its assembled place. The second horizontal panel with a
small keyed slot width is assembled the same way as the first panel
only it slides down the vertical panel and passes over only the
first locking tabs to key and lock in place against the first
keying surface on the front and rear surfaces of the vertical
panel. The first and second panels are spaced apart a predetermined
distance from and parallel to one another on the vertical wall when
the three panels of the caddy are assembled.
[0013] The first horizontal panel includes spaced apart recesses on
the top surface corresponding to the bottom dimensions of the
bottom of the chamber. The second horizontal panel includes spaced
apart openings extending through the top and bottom surfaces of the
panel having a dimension sufficient to accommodate generally the
dimensions of the chamber at its approximate midpoint between the
top and bottom of the chamber. In using the grease cartridge
management system of the present invention, a grease cartridge is
inserted into the chamber. The chamber is closed before inserting
the chamber through one of the openings extending through the
second panel until the bottom of the chamber engages a spaced apart
recess on the first panel disposed axially below the opening on the
second panel when placing grease cartridges into the assembled
caddy.
[0014] The chamber of the grease cartridge management system
includes a generally tubular enclosure for storing and transporting
a grease cartridge therein having two halves of approximately the
same size to house the grease cartridges. Each half of the chamber
is generally a hollow conical frustum shape closed at the smaller
base end and open at the larger base end. Each larger base end
includes mating threads for screwingly joining the two halves
together to define a one-piece storage chamber for grease
cartridges sealed in the openable middle against the elements when
the two halves are screwed together to form the chamber. The volume
of the chamber is a predetermined size sufficient to enclose a
grease cartridge.
[0015] The small base end on the top half of the chamber has a
raised circular ridge extending above the top a predetermined
distance with two opposing pin eyelets on an outer surface of the
ridge to receive a pair of pins on an arcuate or semicircular
hanger where the pins are pivotally mounted within the eyelets to
make the hanger rotatable in an arc above the small base end. A
generally flat circular insert fitting within the inner perimeter
of the generally circular ridge to cover a generally circular
identification tag that can be inserted on the small base within
the perimeter of the ridge. The lower half of the chamber having a
key raised portion extending from the small base end a
predetermined distance to mate with the keying recess of the first
horizontal panel. When the keyed bottom of the chamber is inserted
into the keying recess, a hooked tab forming a part of the key on
the base or bottom of the chamber engages a corresponding opening
in the recess to removably lock the chamber in the recess.
[0016] According to another aspect of the invention, a caddy
includes six circular openings in the second panel having a
diameter slightly larger than the diameter of the chamber midpoint
when assembled and the first panel includes six corresponding
recesses axially disposed beneath each opening to receive the
bottom of each inserted chamber into the caddy.
[0017] According to still another aspect of the present invention,
each chamber with the hanger attached to the top of the chamber
allows for the storage of a plural number of chambers on a grease
cartridge wall bracket system side by side on a peg or other
horizontally extending rod.
[0018] Other features and advantages of the invention will be
apparent from the following specification taken in conjunction with
the following drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] To understand the present invention, it will now be
described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying
drawings in which:
[0020] FIG. 1 is a perspective side view of a grease cartridge
management system including a caddy and chamber mounted thereon
according to the teachings of the present invention;
[0021] FIG. 2 is a front elevation of FIG. 1;
[0022] FIG. 3 is a left end elevation view taken along lines 3-3 of
FIG. 2;
[0023] FIG. 4 is an exploded frontal perspective view of the three
components of the caddy in FIG. 1;
[0024] FIG. 5 is a right end elevation view taken along lines 5-5
of FIG. 2:
[0025] FIG. 5A is a partial exploded cross section view of the
connection between the bottom of the caddy and chamber of FIG.
5;
[0026] FIG. 5B is a partial exploded cross section view of the
connection between the bottom of the caddy and chamber showing an
alternative embodiment of FIG. 5;
[0027] FIG. 6 is an elevation view of the chamber of FIG. 1;
[0028] FIG. 7 is an exploded view of the two mating halves of the
chamber with components for housing a grease cartridge, a tag
identifier and a hanger of the chamber as shown in FIG. 6; and
[0029] FIG. 9 is a top plan view of the chamber shown in FIG.
6.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0030] While this invention is susceptible of embodiments in many
different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be
described in detail preferred embodiments of the invention with the
understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an
exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not
intended to limit the broad aspect of the invention to the
embodiments illustrated.
[0031] The present invention is a grease cartridge management
system. In FIG. 1, the systems comprises a caddy 10 and a chamber
12 for handling, storing and transporting a grease cartridge 14 in
an enclosure protecting the grease cartridge 14 and its label
instructions from storage to the point of use in a grease gun. The
caddy 10 is a three-piece assembly of panels. A vertical panel 16
is comprised of several generally flat layers 16a making up the
vertical panel having of a predetermined height, width and tapered
thickness increasing in thickness when going from a top edge 20 to
a bottom base 22 as shown in FIG. 3, and having generally opposing
side edges 24 connecting the top edge 20 to the bottom base 22. The
vertical panel 16 includes an opening 18 through the panel 16 near
the top edge 20, a carrying handle 25 encompasses the top edge 20
and extends into the opening 20 to accommodate the digits of a hand
to carry the caddy 10 in a comfortable manner.
[0032] In FIG. 2, a front surface 26 of the caddy 10 a first pair
of locking tabs 28 is spaced apart and disposed a predetermined
distance down from the top edge 20 on a line parallel to the top
edge 20. A second pair of locking tabs 30 are spaced apart a
predetermined distance above the base 22 in a line parallel to the
base 22. The panel 16 includes a rear surface 32 that is a mirror
image of the front surface 26 with two pairs of locking tabs 34 and
36 opposite the two pairs of locking tabs 28 and 30 on the front
surface 26 and along the same parallel lines from the top edge 20
and the bottom base 22, respectively.
[0033] In FIGS. 1-5, a first and second horizontal panels 38 and 40
have keyed openings 42 and 44, respectively. The keyed openings or
slots 42 and 44 varying in width so that the first panel keyed slot
42 is wider than the second panel keyed slot 44 to permit the panel
38 to be inserted over the top edge 20 and handle 25 and slide
downwardly to the bottom base 22 passing over the all eight locking
tabs 28, 30, 34 and 36 to lock in placed with the base 22. The
keyed slots 42 and 44 engage corresponding keys 46 and 48, on the
front and rear surfaces 26 and 32 of the vertical panel 16. The
first keyed opening 42 of the first horizontal panel includes a
generally rectangular portion 50 disposed in the middle of two
perpendicular opposing arm portions 52 extending outwardly on
either side of the portion 50 to define the key opening 42 and to
match the width and thickness of the panel 16 at its base 22 with
respect to the combination of the opposing arms and rectangular
portions of the opening 42. The rectangular portion 50 of the
opening is dimensioned to pass over the handle 25 too. The second
keyed opening 44 of the second horizontal panel includes same
configuration as keyed opening 42 with a rectangular portion 54 and
arm portions 56 except the overall opening 44 only matches with
width and thickness of the vertical panel at a predetermined point
between the top edge 20 and base 22.
[0034] A pair of keys 58 and 60 is located on the vertical panel 16
at the base 22 and at the predetermined point between the top edge
20 and the base 22, respectively. The base key 58 includes a bar 62
on the front surface 26 of the panel 16 having a length and height
that matches the rectangular portion 50 of the opening 42 and a
corresponding bar 64 on the rear surface again matching the
rectangular portion 50 of the opening 42 to define a complete key
for the key slot 42. The exact same configuration is applicable to
key 60 at essentially the predetermined point on the panel 16. A
bar 66 on the front surface 26 is duplicated on the rear surface 32
to define a bar 68 performing the same function with the keyed slot
44 as the bars 62 and 64 perform with the keyed slot 42. Therefore,
when panel 38 is inserted over the handle 25 and top edge 20 and
slid downwardly on the panel 16 the panel 38 passes over the
locking tabs 28 and 34 at the midpoint and continues over the key
bars 66 and 68 and a pair of support flanges 70 and 72 extending
horizontally from the bottom edge of the bars 66 and 68 a
predetermined distance to snap the key 58 into the key slot 42 at
the base 22 as the panel 38 passes over the locking tabs 30 and 36
and rests on a pair of supports flanges 74 and 76 extending
horizontally from the bars 62 and 64 a predetermined distance and
rests on a pair of horizontal ledges 78 and 80 in the same plane as
the support flanges 74 and 76 at the base 22. The locking tabs
pressing against the top surface of the panel 38 captures the panel
securely between the locking tabs and the combination of the
support flanges 74 and 76 plus the ledges 78 and 80 on the front
and rear surfaces of the panel 16. Likewise, the panel 40 is
inserted over the handle 25 and top edge 20 and slid downwardly
into place below locking tabs 28 and 34 on the front and rear
surfaces of panel 16 to engage the top surface of the panel 40 with
the bottom surface of the panel 40 engaging a pair of support
flanges 70 and 72 and a pair of horizontal ledges 70a and 72a on
the front and rear surfaces 26 and 32, respectively, of panel 16.
In this manner, the second horizontal panel 40 is securely
supported and locked in place between the locking tabs 28 and 34
and the support flanges/ledges 70 and 72, 70a and 72a.
[0035] The first panel 38 includes keyed recesses 82 on the top
surface of the panel that include hexagonal or similar sides 84
with openings 86 in at least two of the sides 84 to receive a barb
88 mounted on a mating hexagonal or similar shaped bottom portion
90 of the chamber 12 to hook into openings 86 to secure the bottom
of the chamber 12 to the first panel 38.
[0036] The grease cartridge system further includes a generally
tubular chamber 12 for storing and transporting a grease cartridge
therein having two halves 92 and 94 of approximately the same size
to house the grease cartridges 14. The two halves 92 and 94 are
generally hollow conical frustum shape closed at the smaller base
96 and open at the larger base 98 with mating threads 100 on the
larger base ends for joining the two halves at their large bases 98
together to define a one piece storage chamber 12 sealed in the
middle against the elements when the halves are screwed together to
form the chamber 12. The volume of the chamber is sufficient to
enclose at least one grease cartridge therein. The small base 96 on
the top half 92 of the chamber 12 has a raised circular ridge 102
extending above the top base 96 a predetermined distance with two
opposing pin eyelets 104 on an outer surface of the ridge to
receive a pair of pins 106 on an arcuate or semicircular hanger 108
where the pins 106 are pivotally mounted within the eyelets 104 to
make the hanger 108 rotatable in a 180.degree. arc about the top. A
generally flat circular insert 110 fitting within the inner
perimeter of the ridge 102 to cover a generally circular
identification tag 112. The lower half 94 of the chamber 12 having
the keyed raised portion 90 extending from the small base 96 a
predetermined distance with the pair of barbs 88 extending into the
recessed keyed slots 86 in each recess 82 that the chamber 12 is
inserted. Circular openings 91 in the second horizontal panel 40
are axially aligned with the recessed slots 82 in the first panel
38. The openings 90 include ribs 114 to grip the sides of the
chamber 12 in a frictional fit when fully seated in the recesses 82
in the first panel 38.
[0037] The caddy is generally made from a durable, scuff
resistance, opaque plastic material and the chamber is generally
made from a clear plastic material allowing the viewing of the
grease cartridge within the chamber to help in quick identification
of the grease cartridge in the event the ID tag in the top of the
chamber was not filled out and place therein to help identify the
particular grease tube within. Generally, the chamber 12 is
watertight when the two conical frustum halves are screwed together
tightly so that no moisture gets to the housing of the cartridge
causing it to swell. The drawings show a six pack for carrying the
grease cartridges in a safe environment but the caddy could be
extend or short with respect to the horizontal panels 38 and 40
with a greater number or lesser number of holes and recessed keyed
slots axially aligned to carry more or less grease cartridges in
the system.
[0038] As can easily be seen by the FIGS. and written description
herein the caddy vertical member could be a trapezoid, a triangle,
a circle and many more geometric shapes and make out of metal,
fiberglass, various plastics, nylons and other similar rigid
materials. It could even be made out of coated paper like cardboard
or laminated paper with a protective sealing to prevent moisture
from destroying the caddy in keeping with the present invention.
Also, the horizontal panels might have other geometric shapes so
long as they are fixed in place by a locking mechanism between the
vertical and horizontal members of the caddy 10. The chamber 12
could also be made of many different high tech materials that are
now
* * * * *