IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF AXLE BOXES AND PLUMMER BLOCKS, ALSO IN BRASSES CONNECTED THEREWITH, FOR THE AUTOMATIC OIL LUBRICATION OF AXLES AND SHAFTS REVOLVING THEREIN
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas James Smith, of the Firm of Robertson, Brooman,
and Company, of 166, Fleet Street, in the City of London, Patent Agents, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF AXLE BOXES
AND PLUMMER BLOCKS, ALSO IN BRASSES CONNECTED THEREWITH, FOR THE
AUTOMATIC OIL LUBRICATION OF AXLES AND SHAFTS REVOLVING THEREIN."
A communication from abroad by Jules Hignette, of Rue des Halles, Paris,
France, Engineer.
Sealed the 29th January 1878, and dated the 2nd August 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas James Smith at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 2nd August 1877.
THOMAS JAMES SMITH, of the Firm of Robertson, Brooman, and Company, of 166,
Fleet Street, in the City of London, Patent Agents. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
CONSTRUCTION OF AXLE BOXES AND PLUMMER BLOCKS, ALSO IN BRASSES CONNECTED
THEREWITH, FOR THE AUTOMATIC OIL LUBRICATION OF AXLES AND SHAFTS
REVOLVING THEREIN." (A communication from abroad by Jules Hignette, of
Rue des Halles, Paris, France, Engineer.)
This Invention relates to improvements in the construction of axle boxes and
plummer blocks, also in brasses connected therewith, for the automatic oil lubrication
of axles and shafts revolving therein, and consists in forming one or more reservoirs
at the sides or ends of axle boxes and plummer blocks into which a supply of
oil may be placed, in addition to a supply in a reservoir directly under or at the
lower sides near the brasses, in order that the axle may be lubricated by suction from
the lower reservoir when the vehicle is running in one direction, and from the side
reservoir when running in an opposite direction.
The reservoirs are connected by pipes or passages which lead to one or more spiral
grooves arranged in the "brass" either at bottom only or at the top only, or continuous
from one end of the brass to the other, in order that the oil which is drawn into the
grooves by suction may spread itself over the plain parts of the brass, and thus
thoroughly lubricate the axle, the speed of which determines the quantity furnished

page_text: to the grooves, the excess from which runs into, the non-feeding reservoir, to be
returned in a filtered condition to the feed reservoir by an overflow pipe.
In adapting this Invention to railway and tramway axle boxes the "shell" is
made with a chamber at one or at both of its sides, or at one end, in addition to the
lower chamber, all of which are in direct communication by pipes or passages with
the "brass," in the inner face of which one or more grooves are formed, and along
which the oil can flow until it finds an outlet into the side chamber by a pipe or
passage, and in which chamber the oil accumulates until it overflows by another pipe
or passage back into the lower reservoir, to be again used in a similar manner, but in
a clearer condition, on account of the settlement or subsidence of the debris in the
additional chamber where there is no agitation.
In the case of horizontal shafts of machinery the same means of lubrication may
be adopted, the "brasses" proper having helical, semi-helical, or segmental helical
grooves in their inner face as before explained; this grooving forming an important
feature in this Invention.
In the case of vertical shafts the bearings are furnished with an oil reservoir above
and below the brass proper, to which a conical shoulder is provided for a conical
collar of the shaft to rest upon, and be thereby supported, a plan facilitating the
support or suspension of a shaft apart from the step bearing with which it may be
used in conjunction if desired.
It is purposed to fit a washer on the shaft to ensure the escaping oil to be thrown
off by centrifugal action into the lower reservoir.
The helical grooves or portions of helices may be of any shape, and the openings
or passages leading to or from them, as also the pipes or like passages to the
reservoirs, may be arranged in any suitable manner for establishing an automatic
lubrication of an axle or shaft in a perfect manner, without wicks, threads, pads, or
other porous body being applied.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Thomas James Smith in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 2nd
February 1878.
THOMAS JAMES SMITH, of the Firm of Robertson, Brooman, and Company, of 166,
Fleet Street, in the City of London, Patent Agents. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
CONSTRUCTION OF AXLE BOXES AND PLUMMER BLOCKS, ALSO IN BRASSES CONNECTED
THEREWITH, FOR THE AUTOMATIC OIL LUBRICATION OF AXLES AND SHAFTS
REVOLVING THEREIN.' (A communication from abroad by Jules Hignette, of
Rue des Halles, Paris, France, Engineer.)
"
This Invention relates to "Improvements in the Construction of Axle Boxes and
Plummer Blocks, also in Brasses connected therewith, for the Automatic Oil Lubrica-
tion of Axles and Shafts revolving therein," and consists in forming one or more
reservoirs at the sides or ends of axle boxes and plummer blocks into which a
supply of oil may be placed in addition to a supply in a reservoir directly under or at
the lower sides near the brasses, in order that the axle may be lubricated by suction
from the lower reservoir when the vehicle is running in one direction, and from the
side reservoir when running in an opposite direction.
The reservoirs are connected by pipes or passages which lead to one or more
spiral grooves arranged in the brass, either at bottom only or at the top only, or
continuous from one end of the brass to the other, in order that the oil, which is
drawn into the grooves by suction, may spread itself over the plain parts of the
brass, and thus thoroughly lubricate the axle, the speed of which determines the
quantity furnished to the grooves, the excess from which runs into the non-feeding
reservoir, to be returned in a filtered condition to the feed reservoir by an overflow
pipe.
"
In adapting this Invention to railway and tramway axle boxes the "shell" is mado
with a chamber at one or at both of its sides, or at one end, in addition to the lower
chamber, all of which are in direct communication by pipes or passages with the
brass," in the inner face of which one or more grooves are formed, and along which
the oil can flow until it finds an outlet into the side chamber by a pipe or passage,
and in which chamber the oil accumulates until it overflows by another pipe or
passage back into the lower reservoir, to be again used in a similar manner, but in a
clearer condition, on account of the settlement or subsidence of the debris in the
additional chamber where there is no agitation.
In the case of horizontal shafts of machinery the same means of lubrication may
be adopted, the "brasses" proper having helical, semi-helical, or segmental helical
grooves in their inner faces as before explained; this groving forms an important
feature in this Invention.
In the case of vertical shafts the bearings are furnished with an oil reservoir above
and below the brass proper, to which a conical shoulder is provided for a conical
collar of the shaft to rest upon, and be thereby supported, a plan facilitating the
support or suspension of a shaft apart from the step bearing with which it
used in conjunction if desired.
may be
It is purposed to fit a washer on the shaft to ensure the escaping oil to be thrown
off by centrifugal action into the lower reservoir.
The helical groove or portions of helices may be of any shape, and the openings or
passages leading to or from them, as also the pipes or like passages to the reservoirs,
may be arranged in any suitable manner for establishing an automatic lubrication
of an axle or shaft in a perfect manner without wicks, threads, pads, or other porous
body being applied.
The Invention will be clearly understood with reference to the annexed Dawings.
Figure 1, transverse section of a block with horizontal axle furnished with a
top lateral reservoir; Figure 2, horizontal section through the axis of the same
block.
A is the body of the block; B, the cap; C, the brass; D, the eye of the block;

page_text: E, the lower oil reservoir; F, suction tube of the oil when the movement below the
axles takes place in the direction of the arrow a; F¹, prolongation of the cavity
formed in the brass; F", escape tube for the excess of oil drawn in; G, helical or
other shaped channel, starting from the orifice F, rising to the one O, arriving at F",
forming junction at r, following F¹ to orifice O'; R, upper lateral reservoir; S, waste
pipe; 0, 0, tubes plunged in the reservoir R, and which are always full.
The axle in turning sucks or draws in the oil contained in the tube O, the level
m, n, is lowered, say, the quantity h¹. This first suction produces a vacuum in the
branch G and the tube F. The lower oil rises in it and mixes with that of the
reservoir R. The excess of oil drawn partly escapes by the other extremity of the
branch G and by the tube F, but the largest quantity follows the junction and
returns by the tube O' into the reservoir R, where the level soon rises to m, n, for
example. The reverse movement may take place in the same way. The oil drawn
into the reservoir R stays there and cools.
Figure indicates the arrangement of lubricating block with vertical axis. The
upper block of this Figure only differs from the lower one by the collar or bearing
H, conical, spherical, or with flat shoulder, which carries the axle, and has for object
to dispense with pivots and sockets. With this exception only it has the same
organs. A is still the body of the block; C, its brass; D, the axle; E, lower fixed
reservoir; F, suction tube in connection with the helical channel; G, groove or gutter
formed in the brass C, and terminating in the little upper reservoir R; O, return
tube of said reservoir in the intermediate lateral reservoir R'; S, waste pipe of this
reservoir conducting the refined oil into the lower reservoir F.
The axle in turning in the required direction draws, firstly, the oil brought by
the plunged tube O, which could also be horizontal.
The level m, n, falls, for example, to h'. In the meantime the oil in the groove G
is raised into the reservoir, and forms a vacuum in the tube F. The oil rises in this
and soon joins that coming by O. The level falls a little at F, and rises at R¹ to
'm, n, the waste pipe S conducting the excess into the reservoir F.
The oil which flows along the axle is collected by a circular gutter J and flows
into the reservoir E.
A suitable joint is established between the heights h, h¹, h¹, for the priming to be
made successively in a favourable condition.
The application just described may be applied to the lubricating boxes of railway
vehicles, tramways, etc.
Figure 4 is a vertical section through the axis of an oil box adapted according to
my system. Figure 5 is a horizontal section following the same axis, showing under
side of the brass.
A is the body of the box; B is the lower cover serving as a lower reservoir of oil; C
is the brass; D, axle spindle; E, lower oil reservoir, serving as a receptacle; F, F1, side
tubes alternately serving as suction and return tubes, and reciprocally according to the
direction of the movement; G, G', helical or other shaped branches from the tubes
F, F, and terminating in a longitudinal channel S, and with two smaller side
channels S, S; G", G, are radiating branches similar to branches G, G¹, where
the oil accumulates for lubricating the spindle, the excess flowing latterally into the
little parallel grooves S¹, S¹¹; S, groove or channel in which the excess of oil for
lubricating the spindle accumulates, and which then naturally drops into the lower
reservoir E; R is the upper exterior lateral reservoir, its function being a little
different from the block reservoirs; it is, so to speak, the real reservoir, previously
receiving the oil, and only gradually distributing it to the spindle in proportion to
its movement, the said spindle when at rest obturating or closing up the access
openings of the tubes F, F¹.
At the commencement of the movement (the reservoir R having been previously
supplied with the required quantity of oil) the tube F or F' conducts the oil into
the branch G or G', a part of this oil flowing along the grooves S¹, S". This oil is
raised into the channel or passage S which takes up and distributes a part, the excess
returning by the branches G, G₁, G, G, and the tubes F or F¹ into the reservoir R,

page_text: thus establishing a differential circulation. A part of the oil in the groove S
distributes itself in the branches G, G, the number of which I may, however,
increase, and flows into the small grooves S₁, S¹¹; the remainder flows by the back
into the lower reservoir E. Sufficient oil for a given time having been placed
in the reservoir R it will follow that it would flow slowly during the action into the
reservoir E, after having lubricated the top and sides of the spindle.
When the time given has taken place the oil in the lower reservoir is sucked up
by means of a pump or its equivalent, and is replaced fresh and refined into the
reservoir R. The residuum remains at the bottoin of reservoir E, from whence it is
removed from time to time.
The suction of the oil in the reservoir E and its replacement into the reservoir R,
are operated by openings closed by springs in the interior, the valves of which yield
to the pressure of the pump or syringe nozzle. The larger openings are used for
cleaning.
The tubes F, F', may also be at an angle instead of horizontal.
The grease holes O, O, in the case of running short of oil would feed the branches
G, G¹, G. The application of the same means indicated for the plummer blocks,
Figures 1 and 2, may also be applied to grease boxes in the same way as for the
blocks, by arranging the two reservoirs E and R in the cover, at the same time
terminating in the form of a brass bearing beneath for the spindle. This false brass,
having only for its object to facilitate the action at first and to aid the ascent of the
oil to the upper brass, would then be furnished with several suction tubes F, F, the
action always being promoted by the tubes 0, 0¹
And having now described the nature of the said Invention and in what manner
the same is to be perfomed, I declare that I claim,-
Firstly. The suction of the lubricant contained in a fixed principal lower reservoir
by means of tubes or orifices in connection with curved or straight channels, the
whole constituting with the axle closed conduits, which puts in communication the
said lower reservoir and one or two upper side reservoirs, as shown.
Secondly. The addition of a principal upper reservoir, or of two of these reservoirs,
by the aid of which the level of the lubricant is raised to assist the action at the
commencement of the movement, and to maintain the lubrication whilst in motion
by the aid of horizontal inclined tubes arranged in the manner before described.
Thirdly. The branch junction that is established by the side of the continuous
spiral from one orifice to the other for the object of ensuring the suction by one or
the other of the tubes dipping in the lower reservoir, according to the direction of
the movement.
Fourthly. The special arrangement by which by reason of this system of
lubrication vertical axles revolving with great rapidity may be suspended, dispensing
with lower supports.
Fifthly. The combinations, described and specified, having for object to ensure
the various modes of lubrication, as described.
Sixthly. The application of those means for the oil and grease boxes of vehicles
having revolving axles, according to the modes above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas James Smith, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this First day of February, One thousand eight hundred
and seventy-eight.
T. J. SMITH. (L.S.)