Kelgraf Lubricator Information

The original design for the Kelgraf Lubricators dates back to 1964. G. P. Reeves Inc. purchased the manufacturing division in 1988 and has made many improvements. Older Kelgraf lubricators generally consist of three major components:

1. Motor-pump-reservoir assembly consisting of a motor, gear pump, and one gallon cast aluminum reservoir.
2. Controller consisting of housing, Lube timer, Skip timer, and drops size controller.
3. Four lube injectors and necessary tubing, fittings, and wiring leads.

Some of the components were custom designed and manufactured by Kelgraf, but others were selected from catalogs and purchased "off the shelf". Many of these items are either no longer available or their price and availability has become a real problem.

Parts for the motor-pump-reservoir assembly are almost impossible to obtain so we now offer the K-Pump Res-1000. Its price is $996.00.
K-Pump Res-1000 Data Sheet

The controllers have so many obsolete components that we have almost given up on replacement parts. However, we do offer replacement Mercury Wetted Relays (K-1021) at $398.00 each. Prices lists from the '60's show these at $25.30, but they are now custom made and purchased "one at a time". We also offer a complete replacement controller as our part number K-1178 Controller. It sells for $3,120.00 and uses a PLC with count control, an interface panel, a proximity sensor, a solid state drop size controller, and a solid state relay to momentarily energize the injectors. The PLC with count control allows the customer to enter the number of proximity sensor inputs expected in one complete chain revolution, the number of times that complete chain revolution should be lubricated, and the number of timers that complete chain revolution should be skipped (not lubricated). Repeat will be automatic and power interruptions will not cause the counters to reset. The K-1178-96 Controller requires 120 v.a.c., and also includes a NEMA12 enclosure and the proximity sensor.

The tubing, fittings and electrical leads for injectors are readily available from our stock, but the Injectors are no longer available. The K-1088 Kelgraf lubricator used K-1070 injectors (.018" drilled orifice). The replacement for this was our KA1164 injector (.017" diameter ruby orifice). This new injector sold for $328.00 each and included a resilient seal at the metering pin seat, a redesigned metering pin to facilitate short stroke full flow operation, and a ruby (jewel) orifice with smooth surfaces to resist build-up and clogging.

The older injector design had the nozzle tips integral with the injectors and this required the complete injectors with brackets, cords, and supply tubing be installed directly above the chain. This caused the problems shown below:

1. The service life and reliability of the injectors and cords was shortened because they were located in the higher temperature adjacent to the chain.
2. Any leaking at the lubricant supply tube connection (which was pressurized constantly during lubrication) would allow lubricant to drip onto the chain, wickets, or brackets.
3. The lubricant outputs at the nozzle tips of the injectors were difficult to verify because the sight lines were blocked by the injectors and brackets.
4. The lubricant ejections were difficult to aim because aiming required moving complete injectors with supply tubing and cords attached.
5. The location of the injectors near the moving chain and the high temperature at that location resulted in the injectors being ignored. Any build up or contamination of the nozzle tip was also usually ignored.

Because many original Kelgraf lubricators are more than 20 years old, we have engineered new lubricators using the current technology. Our SS1000 two strand chain lubricator can replace obsolete Kelgraf K-1088, K-1089, K1090, K1035, K-1057, and K-1178 lubricators. Our KB1145 and MICRO 1000 series lubricators can replace obsolete Kelgraf K-4088HS, K-4088 HS-1 pin chain lubricators. New lubricators include modern components such as inductive proximity sensors, programmable logic controllers, flow sensors, and interface displays.
KB1145 Data Sheet
MICRO 1000 Data Sheet
Please note that all components listed are subject to availability and all prices shown are subject to change. Please contact G. P. Reeves for updated information and current prices.