Constant level oilers, which can be abbreviated CLO, are a type of lubrication equipment that serve to maintain a desired level of lubricant in a machine part or component. By maintaining the optimum fluid level, constant level oilers ensure that proper lubrication is sustained.
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Constant level oilers are necessary to automatically replenish lost lubricants in machine parts, which often become depleted as a result of friction and wear caused by repeated use. Lubricants may also be lost as a result of high temperatures and the resulting evaporation of fluids. As a result, being able to maintain proper lubrication due to constant level oilers provides many advantages including decreased maintenance costs, increased maintenance efficiency and increased production time efficiency as well. Typical industries that utilize constant level oilers include: industrial manufacturing, to maintain lubrication in machinery components such as gears, pumps and bearing housings; automotive, to maintain proper oil levels in the transmissions of cars, trucks, vans and sports utility vehicles; agricultural, for the lubrication of various parts in farming machinery and equipment; construction, for lubrication of material handling equipment such as overhead cranes and forklift trucks; and marine, as lubricators for various parts such as propulsion and generator sets.
While there are several different styles of design, the basic design of a constant level oiler consists of a reservoir, a pump and pump housing. An oil reservoir in a constant level oiler refers to a small globe-like structure that is attached to the top of the pump housing and serves to store the oil that has returned from the area of lubrication. A filter is typically attached to the reservoir in order to remove any possible contaminants that the oil may have come in contact with in the area of lubrication. The pump housing is at the bottom of the pump, making it look similar to a lightbulb, with an upside-down trapezoidal shape. Constructed from a metallic material, the pump housing is sealed from the reservoir most often through the use of face seals. Protected within the pump housing is the pump itself, which functions to disperse lubricants. The most common type of pump used in constant level oilers are sump pumps, a type of suction pump used for the removal of liquid from a sump, which is a low-lying fluid reservoir or pit. Constant level oilers may operate by being attached to the side of a piece of equipment or machinery, or they may also be mounted below.
