Abstract: An auto-pull follower is provided for use in a grease gun of the type having a grease reservoir with a piston mounted for reciprocating movement in the reservoir. The reciprocating piston is provided with a novel auto-pull mechanism comprising a spring biased spool mounted for rotation on the piston, and a flexible cord or chain extending from the spool and out of the reservoir through a hole in a rearward end wall of the reservoir. Pulling the end of the cord outside the reservoir causes the spool to rotate against the bias of the spool spring and causes a length of cord to be unwound from the spool. After unwinding the length of cord from the spool, continued pulling of the cord from the reservoir end wall causes the piston to move against the bias of a piston spring in a direction towards the reservoir end wall. The movement of the piston toward the end wall increases the interior volume of the reservoir and enables the loading of grease into the reservoir interior.

Abstract: An improved strut spring compression tool is provided having a load screw that extends between pairs of arms that are engaged with spaced coils of a strut spring to be compressed. The improved load screw is provided with a stop block formed unitarily thereon. The stop block serves as a limit stop that prevents further adjustment of the arms of the spring compression tool toward each other that could potentially result in damage to the component parts of the strut spring compression tool.

Abstract: An insert adapter is provided for use with a grease gun having a dispensing barrel, a pump housing, and a grease supply casing of the type that is either packed with grease in bulk or receives an open ended grease cartridge. The insert adapter adapts the grease gun to receive a bellows type grease cartridge having a threaded dispensing outlet at one end. The adapter comprises a circular cone shaped body with a threaded connector socket at its center. The periphery of the cone shaped body fits securely in the interior of the grease gun pump housing, and the threaded connector socket securely receives the threaded outlet of the bellows grease cartridge, thereby adapting the grease gun to receive and be supplied by a bellows type grease cartridge.