Grease Gun Cartridge Construction

Abstract

A grease gun cylinder walled cartridge adapted for direct attachment to any of a variety of grease gun head constructions and grease pumping systems, wherein the cartridge wall can be of any color or completely clear and see through, wherein the grease column within the cartridge is pressured toward and through an inlet port in the gun head, which port opens on the section stroke of a piston mounted in said cylinder into a loading portion of a cylinder of the grease pumping system, and wherein the grease column pressuring means is ambient air pressure.

1 - 24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . A grease cartridge comprising:
 an elongate cartridge body having
 a cartridge wall extending along a length of the elongate cartridge body, 
 an open top end portion, 
 thread means formed on an outer surface of the cartridge wall adjacent to the top end portion and adapted to be screwed into a thread mounting socket of a grease gun head, and 
 a closed bottom end portion; and 
   an air pump integrally located on the elongate cartridge body, an inlet of the air pump in fluid communication with ambient atmosphere, and an outlet of the air pump in fluid communication with an interior of the elongate cartridge body.   
     
     
         26 . The grease cartridge of  claim 25 , wherein the air pump is located on the closed bottom end portion of the grease cartridge. 
     
     
         27 . The grease cartridge of  claim 25 , wherein the cartridge wall and closed bottom end portion are molded as a single piece. 
     
     
         28 . The grease cartridge of  claim 25 , wherein the thread means formed on the outer surface of the cartridge wall are integrally molded into the cartridge wall. 
     
     
         29 . The grease cartridge of  claim 25 , the air pump comprising a flexible, resilient bulb attached to the closed bottom end portion of the elongate cartridge body. 
     
     
         30 . The grease cartridge of  claim 29 , the air pump further comprising a valve structure in communication with the resilient bulb for allowing a flow of ambient air into the elongate cartridge body to form a positive pressure within the elongate grease cartridge. 
     
     
         31 . The grease cartridge of  claim 30 , wherein the flexible, resilient bulb and valve structure are formed as a single piece. 
     
     
         32 . The grease cartridge of  claim 30 , the valve structure comprising a pair of opposing resilient lips closing an air passage, wherein the opposing resilient lips allow the air passage to open when air pressure is generated by the air pump. 
     
     
         33 . The grease cartridge of  claim 25 , further comprising a removable closure formed on the open top end portion of the elongate cartridge body. 
     
     
         34 . The grease cartridge of  claim 25 , further comprising a column of grease located within the elongate cartridge body and extending from a first end adjacent the open top portion to a second end within the elongate cartridge body. 
     
     
         35 . The grease cartridge of  claim 34 , further comprising a wiper disc located within the elongate cartridge body adjacent the second end of the elongate cartridge body. 
     
     
         36 . The grease cartridge of  claim 35 , wherein the wiper disc is slidably sealed along an inner surface of the elongate cartridge body such that the column of grease is substantially sealed an air chamber formed between the wiper disc and closed bottom end portion of the elongate cartridge body. 
     
     
         37 . The grease cartridge of  claim 25 , wherein the elongate cartridge body is formed into a cylinder. 
     
     
         38 . A grease cartridge comprising:
 an elongate cartridge body having
 a cartridge wall extending along a length of the elongate cartridge body, 
 an open top end portion, 
 thread means formed on an outer surface of the cartridge wall adjacent to the top end portion and adapted to be screwed into a thread mounting socket of a grease gun head, and 
 a closed bottom end portion; and 
   an air pump integrally located on the elongate cartridge body, an inlet of the air pump in fluid communication with ambient atmosphere, and an outlet of the air pump in fluid communication with an interior of the elongate cartridge body;   wherein the cartridge wall and closed bottom end portion are molded as a single piece.   
     
     
         39 . A grease cartridge comprising:
 an elongate cartridge body having
 a cartridge wall extending along a length of the elongate cartridge body, 
 an open top end portion, 
 thread means integrally molded on an outer surface of the cartridge wall adjacent to the top end portion and adapted to be screwed into a thread mounting socket of a grease gun head, and 
 a closed bottom end portion; and 
 an air pump integrally located on the elongate cartridge body, an inlet of the air pump in fluid communication with ambient atmosphere, and an outlet of the air pump in fluid communication with an interior of the elongate cartridge body; 
 wherein the cartridge wall and closed bottom end portion are molded as a single piece.