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A friend of mine, an English-to-Spanish translator, asks what this word means. In a quick search, I couldn't find it anywhere but maybe one of y'all has a clue? Meanwhile, I'll keep hunting. Here's the sentence he sent me:
"Fill reservoirs with grease, then apply grease to shoes using zerks."
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Carpal Tunnel
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When I take my car into the shop for a lube and oil change, the technician produces a long computer print-out of all of the exciting things done to my trusty steed. One of the items on this list of services is lubrication of the parts of the chassis which are supposed to move, one against the other. The technician actually notes how many places he/she squoze grease. These are recorded as "Number of zerks: __"
A zerk is a grease fitting on a machine, a sort of hollow nipple, over which a grease gun is fit, and through which grease is applied to moving parts.
It is also very cool to say aloud.
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High-wear engine parts [and other moving parts] have "grease zerks" designed to receive grease to reduce friction.
The passage reading "apply grease to shoes using zerks" means inject grease into the shoe mechanism using the grease zerks designed for that purpose.
I see you posted before I did, Father Steve. "a sort of hollow nipple" is a better description of the entry point than I came up with.
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Carpal Tunnel
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Thanks!
Now, what are shoes? Like brake shoes, is that it?
And since I can't find it in any dictionary, would Zerk be a brand name?
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Carpal Tunnel
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Why anyone would take a picture of zerks is beyond me; why anyone would trouble to then post it on the internet is also beyond me; but someone did. Here ya go, Anna: http://www.mmsacc-stainless.com/assets/images/zerk.jpg
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Carpal Tunnel
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formerly known as etaoin...
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Jackie, that's great! It didn't occur to me (or, obviously, to him) to google images! I'm going to suggest to him that he take the picture with him to an auto maechanic's there in Buenos Aires, describe the function as per above, if need be, and Viola's your aunt!  ...and thank you, eta! I hadn't looked at onelook. So it is a guy's name.
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Like brake shoes, is that it?Yes, it appears that a "brake shoe" is the "shoe" referred to in the passage you supplied. Here is some online advice instructing do-it-yourselfers to apply grease to particular points [grease zerks] in the brake backing plate once the brake shoes have been removed: Apply brake-shoe grease on the plate at the locations where the shoes move (figure H).Figure H is a photo where someone is pointing a finger at a grease zerk on a brake shoe backing plate. Scroll down to Figure H photo. This photo could be used as an illustration for the passage your friend is translating. http://snipurl.com/fz01
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Oscar U. Zerk was born in Austria but lived in the United States. In the 1920's, while working for the Alamite Corporation, he invented the Zerk fitting. He died in 1968 ... and probably slid effortlessly into his coffin.
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[He] probably slid effortlessly into his coffin.
No doubt, there were grease zerks on the hinges.
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