IMPROVEMENTS IN LUBRICATORS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Westinghouse, junior, of No. 20, Southampton
Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN LUBRICATORS."
Sealed the 4th July 1879, and dated the 29th January 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Westinghouse at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 29th January 1879.
GEORGE WESTINGHOUSE, junior, of No. 20, Southampton Buildings, Chancery
Lane, in the County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN LUBRICATORS.'
"
My Invention relates to lubricators employed for admitting oil or other fluid
lubricant into steam cylinders, in which there is a varying pressure generally in
excess of the external pressure of the atmosphere. For this purpose I provide a
vessel, which is screwed or otherwise secured steamtight to an aperture in the lid
or upper side of the cylinder. In the upper part of this vessel I provide a taper
hole, forming a seating for a conical plug like that of a stop cock which is fitted
therein with its axis horizontal. A tube extends from the aperture of the cylinder
through the vessel and into the seating of the plug. Another tube extends down
from the seating to nearly the bottom of the vessel where it terminates with an
open mouth. There are also two passages from the top of the vessel to the seating,
and a passage from the seating to the outer air. The plug has a hollow tapered
handle forming a funnel, into which the lubricant is poured when the handle stands.
upright, the interior of this funnel communicating with a passage along part of the
length of the plug and out at its side. From the opposite end of the plug (which
is secured in the seating with a nut and washer in the usual way) there is a
passage along part of its length and out at its side; there are also two passages
across the plug, these as well as the side passages above referred to corresponding
in position respectively with the several passages in the seating. The lubricator
is operated in the following manner:-The handle of the plug when standing
upright forms a funnel into which the lubricant is poured, and from which it flows
by the side passage of the plug into the vessel, whilst at the same time one of the
cross passages of the plug permits escape of air from the vessel. The handle being
Dins 671

page_text: turned quite down the communication of its interior with the vessel and also that
of the vessel with the outer air is quite closed, but there is communication from the
upper part of the vessel with the tube leading into the cylinder. Steam rising by
this-tube-into-the-oil-vessel-condenses more or less therein, and the lubricant
floating above-the water of condensation trickles or flows down into the cylinder,
its flow being regulated by a conical plug which is inserted into the lateral hole by
which it flows; and -is-adjusted by a screw worked from outside the vessel.
another position of the handle all the passages-are-closed, and in another position
steam is admitted into the vessel to blow out the water of condensation by the
passage opening out at the end of the plug.-
In

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said George Westinghouse in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 18th
July 1879.
GEORGE WESTINGHOUSE, junior, of No. 20, Southampton Buildings, Chancery
Lanc, in the County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN LUBRICATORS."
My Invention relates to lubricators employed for admitting oil or other fluid
lubricant into steam cylinders, in which there is a varying pressure generally in
excess of the external pressure of the atmosphere. For this purpose I provide a
vessel which is screwed or otherwise secured steam tight to an aperture in the lid
or upper side of the cylinder. In the upper part of this vessel I provide a taper
hole, forming a seating for a conical plug like that of a stop cock, which is fitted
therein with its axis horizontal. A tube extends from the aperture of the cylinder
through the vessel and into the seating of the plug. Another tube extends down
from the seating to nearly the bottom of the vessel, where it terminates with an
open mouth. There are also two passages from the top of the vessel to the seating
and a passage from the seating to the outer air. The plug has a hollow tapered
handle forming a funnel into which the lubricant is poured when the handle stands
upright, the interior of this funnel communicating with a passage along part of the
length of the plug and out at its side. From the opposite end of the plug (which
is secured in the seating with a nut and washer in the usual way) there is a
passage along part of its length and out at its side; there are also two passages
across the plug, these as well as the side passages above referred to corresponding
in position respectively with the several passages in the seating. The lubricator is
operated in the following manner :-The handle of the plug when standing upright
forms a funnel into which the lubricant is poured, and from which it flows by the
side passage of the plug into the vessel, whilst at the same time one of the cross
passages of the plug permits escape of air from the vessel. The handle being.
turned quite down the communication of its interior with the vessel and also that
of the vessel with the outer air is quite closed, but there is communication from
the upper part of the vessel with the tube leading into the cylinder. Steam rising
by this tube into the oil vessel condenses more or less therein, and the lubricant
floating above the water of condensation trickles or flows down into the cylinder,
its flow being regulated by a conical plug which is inserted into the lateral hole by
which it flows and is adjusted by a screw worked from outside the vessel. In
another position of the handle all the passages are closed, and in another position
steam is admitted into the vessel to blow out the water of condensation by the
passage opening out at the end of the plug.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section, and Figure 2 a transverse section, partly in
elevation, and Figure 3 is a plan of the lubricator according to my Invention;
Figure 4 is a sectional plan through the plug, and Figures 5, 6, and 7 are transverse
sections through the plug respectively on the lines A, A, B, B, and C, C, of Figure 1,
showing it in three different attitudes.
a is the oil vessel, which is screwed or otherwise tightly secured to an aperturo
into the cylinder or other part to be lubricated. The vessel a is covered by a screw
cap b, having a central boss in which is fitted a taper plug c that can be turned by
a funnel shaped handle d. The plug c is kept in its seat by a washer and nut e in
the usual way. Passages are formed in the plug c and its seating, which are
arranged to operate as follows:-When the handle d is turned upwards, as shewn

page_text: escape from the vessel by a passage h through and out at the end of the plug by a
passage p. When the handle d is turned downwards, as shewn in Figure 6, the
passages g and h are closed, but a passage k in the plug opens communication from
the oil tube to an aperture m, which can be more or less closed by the taper end
of a setting screw n adjustable from the exterior. Steam rising through will thus
find its way into the vessel a and condense therein, and the water of condensation
will sink, leaving the oil floating on the top. When sufficiently high in level a
-portion-of-this-oil-will find its way past the nose of the screw n to the oil tube.l,
and descend into the cylinder. When the handle is turned about one-quarter-
round, as shewn-in-Figure-5,-the-water-of.condensation can issue from the vessel a
by the tube o and passage p opening at the end of the plug.
Figures 8 and 9 represent sections, partly in elevation, of a lubricator such as is
above described, with its bottom part arranged to be applied to the cylinder of a
locomotive. For this purpose it has two branches, q, which may open into the
steam pipe leading to the cylinders, and r, which is connected by a pipe to the
steam space in the boiler. The branch has a small passages through it by which
steam can pass to the lubricator, while the branch q has a small passage t by which
the mingled oil and steam passes to the cylinders; this supply of lubricant con-
tinuing while the pistons are working in the cylinders without steam, as in the
case of a train running down a gradient.
In consequence of the arrangement, as above described, of the passages, all
governed by the one plug, there is no possibility of opening the passage for.intro-
ducing lubricant without first closing the steam passage.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I claim,-
The construction, herein described, of lubricator, having a plug with a funnel
handle for supply of lubricant and suitable passages for the admission of steam
and lubricant and for the emission of air and water of condensation, the said
passages being all governed by the movement of the one plug.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Westinghouse, junior, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.
GEO. WESTINGHOUSE, JR. (L.S.)