Improvements in Oil Cans.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Aug., 1892-Accepted, 10th Sept., 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by FRANK EDWARD MORGAN, of 546, Chapel
Street, in the City and County of New Haven, State of Connecticut, United
States of America, Manufacturers.]
Improvements in Oil Cans.
I HENRY HARRIS LAKE of the firm of Haseltine Lake & Co. Patent
Agents 45 Southampton Buildings in the County of Middlesex do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement :-
This invention relates to an improvement in that class of oilers which are
provided with some means for closing the ejector-tube, so as to prevent the escape
of oil, such oilers being specially adapted for the pockets of cycles, and other
purposes where it is necessary to prevent the accidental escape of oil through the
ejector-tube, the object of the invention being the construction of an oil-can in
which the ejector-tube will be closed so as to positively prevent the escape of oil,
and also to provide the oil-can with means for conducting the oil from the ejector-.
tube to the desired point, and in a regulated or limited quantity, and the invention
consists in the construction as hereinafter described and particularly recited in the
claim, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this
Specification, which represent in
Figure 1, a side view of the can complete.
Figure 2, vertical section of the same.
Figure 3, vertical central section with the cap removed.
Figure 4, the spindle detached.
this
The body A, of the oil-can is preferably made of cylindrical shape, and this is
best made from a sheet-metal tube, closed at the bottom. The bottom B, is made
from elastic sheet-metal, and of concavo-convex shape with the convex surface
outside, and so that the convex surface may be depressed to operate as a com-
pressor on the contents of the can, as a means to force ejection. At the upper
end of the can a neck C, is attached or made as a permanent part of the can;
neck is constructed with an annular flange D, upon which rests a hard rubber
packing E. The neck is tubular, and into the neck the ejector-tube F, is screwed,
The neck
as shown, so that it may be removed for the purpose of filling the can.
projects, above the packing-collar E, and is screw-threaded upon its outside.
G, represents a cap, the cavity in which is somewhat deeper than the depth of the
projecting ejector-tube, and at its open end is screw-threaded corresponding to the
screw-thread on the neck, and so that it may be screwed thereon down upon
the packing E, as seen in Fig. 2. Within the cap and at the end of the cavity
therein, a flexible plug H, is introduced, to fill that end of the cap, and so as to
become stationary therein. This plug is adapted to bear against the end of the
ejector-tube, and so that when the cap is screwed down, this plug comes to a close
bearing upon the end of the ejector-tube, and so as to securely close that end
against the possibility of the escape of oil.
Any oil which shall work through the screw-thread around the ejector-tube, as it
naturally and unavoidably will do, will pass into the cap, but it cannot escape
therefrom because of the packing E, upon which the cap closely fits, so that while
possibly the oil may escape around the ejector-tube, as in all constructions of oil-cans
it will do, the oil so escaping cannot escape from the cap, but will be retained
within the cap.
The amount of oil so escaping around the ejector-tube is slight, but no matter
how slight that escape is. it is desirable to prevent the possibility of contact

page_text: between the oil so escaping, and surrounding objects, or to prevent its flow onto
the outside of the can as it will do in cans where there is no protection of this cap-
like character.
By the peculiar construction of the cap and packing, the oil is prevented from
escaping onto the exterior of the can, so that the soiling of the fingers or articles
with which the can may come in contact is avoided.
Within the can a spiral spring I, is arranged. one end bearing upon the elastic
bottom B, of the can, and the other end toward the tube end of the can.
J, represents a spindle which is arranged through the ejector-tube, and is of a
length considerably greater than the length of the tube; it is best made from wire
and tapering. A bend K, is formed in the wire at a point distant from the end
greater than the length of the ejector-tube, and so as to form a shoulder or stop
within the can. The spindle is constructed with a tail L, which extends down into
the spring, and the spring bears against the shoulder K, on the spindle. When the
cap is in place on the can, as seen in Fig. 2, the spindle is forced down through
the tube, and compresses the spring, but when the cap is removed, as seen in
Fig. 3, the spring forces the spindle outward, and so as to project the end of the
spindle to a considerable distance beyond the end of the tube. The diameter of
the spindle is less than the internal diameter of the tube, so that there will be a
practical oil-space within the tube around the spindle when it is so projected; as
seen in Fig. 3. The shoulder K, strikes the inner end of the ejector-tube, and so
as to arrest the spindle when the desired extent of projection is produced. The
spindle thus projected serves as a conductor for the oil, and so as to lead it to any
desired point, the oil following the spindle after it leaves the tube, and so that the
quantity of oil flowing may be readily seen.
To eject the oil, the spring-bottom B. is employed, the thumb is placed upon
that bottom, and pressure produced accordingly as more or less oil is required.
Without the spindle the pressure upon the bottom would eject a quantity of
oil corresponding to the passage through the tube, that passage is necessarily of
some considerable extent in order to prevent its clogging the result of the use
of such a tube without the spindle is that a much greater quantity of oil
is generally ejected than is required or desirable, but by the introduction of
the spindle the passage through the tube is very considerably contracted, and the
movement of the spindle through the tube as in the opening and closing of the
cap keeps that passage clear. Again, the spindle is free in the tube when the cap
is removed, and if the end of the spindle be applied to the point where the oil is
to be conducted, a slight pressure on the can will cause the spindle to move inward;
and so that an up and down movement of the can toward and from the point to
bė oiled, will cause a play of the spindle, and a consequent free but limited flow
of oil.
The spindle does not operate in any sense as a valve and care must be taken
that the shoulder which is formed to limit the movement of the spindle shall be
such as by no possibility to close, or to any considerable extent, interrupt the
passage of oil into the tube.
The shoulder is formed in the manner described as being a convenient way of
producing that shoulder, and so as to prevent possible clogging of the passage, the
extent of the shoulder is less than the diameter of the opening through the neck
into which the tube is placed, so that the spindle may be readily removed or
introduced as occasion may require.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent I declare that what I claim is
First. In an oil-can, the combination of the tubular neck C, secured to or made
a part of the can, the tube constructed with an annular shoulder D, its outer end
screw-threaded, a packing E, resting on said shoulder D, an ejector-tube in said
neck and projecting therefrom, a cap G, having a cavity to permit it to bé sét over

page_text: the ejector-tube, the cap screw-threaded corresponding to the thread on the neck,
and adapted by such screw-thread to be brought to a bearing upon the said packing,
and a flexible plug within the cap adapted to bear upon and close the end of the
ejector-tube, substantially as described.
Second. An oil-can of substantially cylindrical shape, and provided with a
concavo-convex elastic bottom, an ejector-tube at the upper end of the can,
combined with a spiral spring within the can, a spindle through the ejector-tube,
of less diameter than the internal diameter of the tube, and constructed with a
shoulder within the tube, the length of the spindle from the shoulder to its point
greater than the length of the ejector-tube, the said spiral spring adapted to bear
upon the tube with a tendency to force the tube outward when free to do so, and a
cap over the ejector-tube, and adapted to force the spindle into the cam and close
the end of the tube, substantially as described.
Third. An oil-can, the body of which is of substantially cylindrical shape, con-
structed with a concavo-convex elastic bottom, the upper end of the can provided
with a neck, and an ejector-tube therein, combined with a spindle through said
ejector-tube, of a length greater than the length of the said tube, but of less
diameter than the internal diameter of the tube, the spindle constructed with a
shoulder within the can adapted to limit the extent of projection of the spindle,
and a spiral spring within the can adapted to bear upon the said spindle with a
tendency to yieldingly force it outward through the tube, substantially as
described.
Dated this 4th day of August 1892
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.