Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1891-05-02
HOLMES LUBRICANT.
Story Of lis DsceIsry, Per.
fiction and Success,

| ltctl0n and Succtss,
Tod b. tho hIsnl1, II. Philip 4.
HAnas Of GaldillR.
Dff1cu.tiss ovsEocms - Il Has Til.
unphsd ovsr the Most Dsvsrs Tssts.
Especial to the KxsxEBxc JouasAL.l
GARDlsER, May L. The Importance
OF fabrication - department Of
mechanical economy has always been
accepted AMI ihs one object has been
to secure 3 ms.efial which should
10 the greatest degree overcome the fric
ton and 81 the same time be comparatively
inexpensive. 1t would sesm, In the light
Of recent discoveries, that the form O!
carbon known as graphite, possesses in
the greatesl degree the desired lubricating
qualities and is with all quite inexpensive.
1t has been employed as . lubricant fol
over 200 yesrs, hut not until quite recently
has it, full value for this purpose been
realized. 1t is claimed On good authority
| that graphite possesses tenfold more labri-
/ eating qualities than any oil or lubricant
ever used, being infusible, insoluple and
most i,des.fs csible, resisting . very high
| degree o. tempe. .ure without chs ngin :
i.s wonderful, unique nature. 1t forms on
be si1g strfsces perfect slippery q zs
which reduces friction, Rsaiu aud repairs
Of machinery to . minimum, allows
10 sximum power, prevents he t, coiros on
and o. ;dasion; avoids trouble and gfea.ly
sccelarsses speed. Among other expert
nisuts with graphite, and rs-t',v IS the
le,dipg ore 80 far as is known, 10 the
pre- psrstion Of gfspsite and wood fibre
which wss dill ovesed in 1855 BY Phillip II.
| Holmes of C rdiner. Bat little has been
said regarding this ma yellous discovery,
which has received suNa Lear.y welcome
by leading mechanical expsrs, that the
| JoU RsAL takes pleasure in presenting to its
readers this morning, The story Of iss die
coyery. perfec on, src esses and uses a.
sscirsd in g recent n srview. While we
hsve from the 10 +, ne siven tie res Its Of
iae several experiments in psr;ec ng this
| lab. lcsn. IS they have frcm time to time
| bsep made. sill we believe that this il the
ilrst full. authentic and connected account
ever gwen 70 he public BY the press Of the
State.
Mr.. Philip II. Holmes, the inventor Of
:his iubrio lting material, is . man yet
| you9g in years, who has spent the greater
part of his life about the machine shops Of
his company and has become . skilled
| workman. Mr.. Holmes tells very enter
| tsinirg story Of the manner in which he
came to make the 6i.cove2y and improve
| ments upon the lub4 which, in tew
short years hss at. scted The a..ention of
the leading men in the mechanical world
and il pronounced to be the third great
ibysn;iou of the age, accepting only IL
discovefies Of ste. and electricity ~
supe rior.
Mr. Holmes says: The idea first came
TO me by seeing the great trouble ex-
~ lienced wi the SIPS Of water wheels.
They would sometimes be unde, wa.ec sad
some ines ont Of water. When in the
former condition they world US !. ly run all
right, bus would ol.ea burn ont under these
conditions srd when they were out Of
water the wooden steps would become
heated burn off and del ~ operations badly
until t1ey we're rep .ired. The idea came
10 me ,hAs l could find something that
would rnn under ", ,e-, lubiica,ipg itself,
ard would also lab, .es-5 itself when ous Of
water. Anc her thing which contributed
to facilitate nislters was the great d ifficu.ty
which we had in secu..og the rock mspie
for our mor.ised gears. Again it came 70
.-l b,tA - aryn1thip0 ot
would se tie place Of wooden cogs and
do avsy Wit, machine gfe1se.
But there was difficulty which expect
ed to expe, ieroe in the using OF blsck lead.
a. 1t vas doubtful whether | could hold The
black lesd ia the mold and allow The water
to ccme away perfectly clear aud white.
This was the first thing to consider aud to
be thoroughly tesyed. The fret time
rsde he ct however, the wa r csme
through perfectly clear and white. This
was the proof that decided the whole fu-
ture of tie invention. l knew then that
nsd accomplished the first point, that Of
holding ihe black lead. Then the idea
came to me that the material which
worked perfect in so severe st4st might
also be NIL in the ma, lfacture OF bear
ines and boxes, s7d accordingly expert
meHfS1 Win luAt emu view.
Some two ears and a half ago We put in
the first box in he machine shop in our
plant ia this city. II w3s placed on the
main shaft in hayd place, but it has never
been removed 81 it performed its work in
a perfectly satisfactory l.auner. requiring
70 s-s.eution of any kind. Several others
we're put in various p. about the shop
shortly afier and have ueen running ever
since, showing no signs OF wear ar giving
the same sa.isfac ion as when frat put 10.
The M xt boxes were puj in at the mill
Of .hs 3. N. Maxey Manufacturing Co, in
this city. That was about two years sgo
ard they ara running those same boxes TO-
day. They Iun smooth, show no wear
ehGtever snd required absolutely no atten'
ton since set in place.
About two years ago we built our new
foundry bui'dirg AID used the lubricant
boxes on the nhaftirg. There is gresr
zeal o grit and steam in the building yet
e boxes show no signs of wear and a.e
running perfectly smoosh.
The Foss-Packari Shoe Co. OK Auburn,
tod us thai Trey had always bad q great
deal of ..ouh.e with the oil dropping down
on their workmsn and wished us to put in
our brxss wh'cii we did ard those boxes
are running today fho same as wien nfst
{ .fied so far rs l know. The hfth Of
February was the date they were put in
ard ol the 18th Of February we received q
,e.ser from them a regard to the Holmes
pat mt boxes, ssy ng, 1--WE are glad to state
at they axe giving perfect satisfsction,
being aeee ircm dirt, requiring no attention
Whatever from US. We regard it as a
vouderful invenGon, fully sustaining the
eisirs made BY Mr. Holmes
On the 6;b of March follow ing, M. N.
| |. Jordan ~.i,es frem Auburn: "The
Holmes boxes that Fess, PAcsa,d q Co :.
put in sre swing perfect sati.faction, run
uipg cool anu smooth
Shortly after that I made trip 10
Waishsm ard Tbils there ] showed the
be xes to she agent Of tie Boston Msnufse-
.urirg Co, whom [ Ges. This gentleman
referred to . place in the mill fer which
sh,y hsd never been able 10 Sc
cure 8 bearing which would .uccess-
fully Withstand the vssf and tear
trough. to bear upon it, ard togeste We
sxsminsd the place. 1t Was indeed .
TeDpirle CAcasrseE