IMPROVEMENTS IN LUBRICATING SHAFTS AND REVOLVING METALLIC SURFACES
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Andrew Barclay, of Kilmarnock, in the County of
Ayr, North Britain, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
LUBRICATING SHAFTS AND REVOLVING METALLIC SURFACES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Andrew Barclay at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 2nd
March 1854.
I, ANDREW BARCLAY, of Kilmarnock, in the County of Ayr, North Britain,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN LUBRICATING SHAFTS AND REVOLVING METALLIC SURFACES" to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to the so arranging the journal bearings of horizontal
shafts, that the bearing surfaces may be kept uniformly lubricated, whilst
the oil or lubricating fluid is prevented from escaping from the frictional
surfaces, and oil once supplied to the bearing remains in good lubricating
order until used up by wear. In carrying out this Invention, the shaft is
formed with a projecting collar upon it of the length of the intended bearing,
and the brasses are formed to suit this modification. Each brass extends
considerably past each edge of the collar, and is slightly turned out or re-
cessed, so that the angles of the collar shall be slightly overlapped by the brass.
Beyond this overlap, on each side, the extension of the brass is hollowed out

page_text: internally, to form an annular cup for the reception of oil; and these edge
cup pieces are well overhung, and brought close to the plain part of the shaft,
to prevent the entry of dirt. The inner face of the upper brass is inclined
downwards from each side towards the centre, instead of being square across,
as usual, and the result is, that the oil supplied from the top in the usual way
is well spread over the frictional surfaces, and, flowing down it, is caught by
the annular cups of the brasses, and retained therein for continued use. This
continued use is effected by the action of the bearing collar on the shaft, for
as this revolves, its edges gather films of oil from the annular cups, and bring
up the oil so collected to the top brass. Here the revolving collar edges
apply the oil to the corresponding edges of the upper brass, and, owing to the
duplex interior, incline thereon; the oil is thence conveyed towards the centre
of the bearing, whence it is well distributed over the whole rubbing surfaces.
Instead of a plain collar projection, a couple of rings may be set fast on the
shaft, so as to carry up the oil in a similar manner.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Andrew Barclay in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 1st
September 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ANDREW
BARCLAY, of Kilmarnock, in the County of Ayr, North Britain, Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Second day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the seventeenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Andrew Barclay, Her special license that I, the said Andrew Barclay,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Andrew Barclay, my executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
LUBRICATING SHAFTS AND REVOLVING METALLIC SURFACES," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Andrew Barclay, by an instrument in
writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be

page_text: performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Andrew Barclay, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement,
reference being had to the accompanying Drawings and to the letters and
figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
My said Invention relates to the so arranging the journal bearings of
horizontal shafts that the bearing surfaces may be kept uniformly lubricated,
whilst the oil or lubricating fluid is prevented from escaping from the frictional
surfaces; and oil once supplied to the bearing remains in good lubricating
order, until used up by wear. In carrying out this Invention, according to
one modification, the shaft is formed with a projecting collar upon it, of the
length of the intended bearing, and the brasses are formed to suit this modi-
fication. Each brass extends considerably past each edge of the collar, and is
slightly turned out or recessed, so that the angles of the collar shall be slightly
overlapped by the brass. Beyond this overlap on each side, the extension of
the brass is hollowed out internally, to form an annular cup for the reception
of oil; and these edge cup pieces are well overhung, and brought close to the
plain part of the shaft, to prevent the entry of dirt. The inner face of the
upper brass is inclined downwards from each side towards the centre, instead
of being square across, as usual; and the result is, that the oil supplied from
the top in the usual way is well spread over the frictional surfaces, and
flowing down it, is caught by the annular cups of the brasses, and retained
therein for continued use. Or the same effect may be obtained by bevilling the
inner edge or edges of the lower brass alone, the upper brass being made square
across, as usual. The continued use of the oil is effected by the action of the
bearing collar on the shaft; for, as this revolves, its edges gather films of
oil from the annular cups, and bring up the oil so collected to the top brass.
There the revolving collar edges apply the oil to the corresponding edges of
the upper brass, and, owing to the duplex interior incline thereon, the oil is
thence conveyed towards the centre of the bearing, whence it is well dis-
tributed over the whole rubbing surfaces. Instead of a plain collar projection,
other forms of journal may be employed with the same result; or a couple of
rings may be set fast on the shaft, so as to carry up the oil in a similar
manner.
And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood, I
shall now proceed to describe the several explanatory Figures on the Sheet

page_text: of Drawings hereunto attached. Figure 1 on the Sheet of Drawings is a
plan of a shaft journal, formed with two collars or rings, and fitted with one
of my improved brasses or bushes, the upper brass being removed; and
Figure 2 is a transverse vertical section corresponding to Figure 1, but with
the upper brass in its place. Figure 3 is a plan of a shaft journal, also
formed with two collars or rings, but having the space between the collars of
a curved shape. This journal is also represented as fitted with a lower
brass, constructed according to my improved system; Figure 4 being a
corresponding transverse vertical section, but with the addition of the upper
brass. Figures 5 and 6 are respectively a plan and a transverse vertical
section of a shaft journal and brass, wherein the bearing portion of the shaft
consists of a collar of equal diameter throughout. Figures 7 and 8 are
respectively a plan and a transverse vertical section of another form of shaft
journal and brass, the bearing surface of the shaft consisting in this case of a
curved enlargement on the shaft, or of a collar with ends rounded down to
the shaft. In Figures 1 to 8 on the Sheet of Drawings, the same letters
refer to corresponding parts. Figure 9 is a side or end elevation; Figure 10
is a longitudinal vertical section; and Figure 11 is a transverse vertical section
of a railway axle journal and box, shewing the application of my improve-
ments to this kind of journal. In the modification represented in Figures 1
and 2, the shaft A has formed upon it two collars or rings B, between which
is the bearing space C, this being in this instance of the same diameter as
the main portion of the shaft. The portion D of the brass, which bears upon
the journal C, of the shaft, may be made of the usual form, and my Inven-
tion consists in prolonging the brass on both sides of the journal as at E,
the portions E of the brass being made hollow, and curved down to the
surface of the shaft at their extremities, in order to retain the lubricating
matter which issues from between the rubbing surfaces. The shaft being
supposed to revolve continually in the direction of the arrow, the collars B
will continually take up small portions of the lubricating matter collected in
This
the cavities E, lifting it up on the ascending side and carrying it over.
circumstance is taken advantage of to cause a portion of the lubricating
matter to return towards the central portion of the journal; for this purpose
the sides of the lower brass are made to enclose the collars B, more closely on
the descending side, as at F, and the central portion of the inner edge of the
lower brass is slightly scooped out to form a channel, as at G, for the con-
veyance of the lubricating matter towards the centre of the journal, the
channel G being inclined downwards towards the journal, and being formed
by bevilling the inner edge of the brass. The lubricating matter may also

page_text: be taken off the descending sides of the collars or ends of the journals by
means of inclined strips of metal, acting like "doctors," and directing the
lubricating matter towards the centre of the journal. In the modifications
represented in Figures 3 to 8, the channel G is shewn without the guides or
scoops F, for collecting the lubricating matter, the rotation of the shaft being
sufficient in some cases to cause the lubricating matter to find its way into the
channel G, and thence to the centre of the bearing.
In the modification of my improved brass or bush adapted for railway
axles, and represented in Figures 9, 10, and 11, on the Sheet of Drawings,
the upper brass A is fitted into the axle box B in the usual manner, but it is
formed with projecting portions C, D, on its outer and inner ends. The lower
bush E, which may be of cast iron, as is usual, is formed with outer and inner
projecting portions F, G, corresponding to those C, D, of the upper brass A.
The portions C and F overlap the end of the axle, and meeting in front,
form a closed chamber H to receive the lubricating matter issuing from
between the axle journal I and the bushes. An aperture is formed in the
front of this chamber, which is closed by the plug piece J, made tight by a
packing ring of caoutchouc. The inner portions D, G, of the bushes embrace
the shoulder K of the axle, and are made hollow, to form an annular
chamber L, which receives the lubricating matter issuing at that end of the
bearing. The entrance of dirt between the axle and the inner ends D, G, of
the bushes is prevented by a packing ring M of caoutchouc, embracing the
axle and fitted into a recess in the ends of the bushes, being kept in position
by a metal ring N bolted to the bushes. With these arrangements, very
little, if any, of the lubricating matter can escape clear away from the journal,
being retained in the chambers H and L, whence it may find its way back
again to the rubbing surfaces by suitable channels. The lower bush E may
be retained in position up against the axle by means of pins O traversing
the bush and the axle box, or by any of the means usually adopted for that
purpose. Although in Figure 11 on the Sheet of Drawings I have repre-
sented the railway axle journal as of the ordinary shape, it may be formed like
any of the other modifications of journal represented in my Drawings; and
in some cases I turn a short portion P of the journal immediately within the
shoulder K, down to the same diameter as the bearing surface I, curving in
the portions D, G, of the bushes, so as to fit close to the narrow part of the
shaft, as indicated by dotted lines. The object of this modification is to
obviate the tendency of the lubricating matter to be carried outside the bushes
by the shoulder, on account of its increased diameter.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said

page_text: Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I may observe, in conclusion, that I do not confine or restrict myself
to the precise details or arrangements which I have had occasion to describe
or refer to, as many variations may be made therefrom without deviating from
the principles or main features of my Invention; but what I consider to be
novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is,-
First, the general arrangement and construction of appliances for obtaining
the efficient lubrication of horizontal shafts or revolving metallic surfaces, as
herein-before described.
. Second, the system or mode of forming the bearing brasses or bushes of
horizontal shafts or revolving metallic surfaces, with cup-shaped projections for
collecting the lubricating matter as it issues from between the rubbing surfaces,
as herein-before described.
Third, the system or mode of forming the bearing brasses or bushes of
horizontal shafts or revolving metallic surfaces, with cavities for retaining
the lubricating matter, and with scoops and channels for reconveying it to the
rubbing surfaces, as herein-before described.
Fourth, the system or mode of lubricating the journals of horizontal
shafts or revolving metallic surfaces, wherein a "scoop" or "doctor" is applied
to the descending side of the collar, or a portion of the bearing, in such a
manner as to direct the lubricating matter to any required portion of the
rubbing surfaces, as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Andrew Barclay, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirty-first day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
ANDREW BARCLAY. (L.S.)