Improvements in Lubricating the Shafts of Machinery and other Rotating Shafts or Bodies.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 5th June, 1895
Complete Specification Left, 11th Feb., 1896-Accepted, 14th Mar., 1896
=
Improvements in Lubricating the Shafts of Machinery and other
Rotating Shafts or Bodies.
We, HENRY MILWARD & SONS LIMITED, of Washford Mills, Redditch, in the
County of Worcester, Needle and Fishing Tackle Manufacturers and CALEB
JOSEPH BRADSHAW of No. 14 Grove Street, Redditch, aforesaid, Needle Pointer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The said invention consists of the improvements hereinafter described in
lubricating the shafts of machinery working in tubular bearings as well as the
shafts of rotating grinders or pointers and like tools or machines; the said
improvements are also applicable, as hereinafter described to the lubrication of
the thrust blocks of shafts, such as propeller shafts.
By the arrangements or combinations of parts constituting this invention the
automatic lubrication of the said shafts and other rotating bodies is effected in a
simple and efficient manner.
In applying the said invention to shafts turning in hollow or tubular bearings we
make in the inner cylindrical side of the tubular part of the bearing and parallel to
its axis a longitudinal groove extending from end to end of the said bearing and in
the middle of the substance of the bearing and parallel with the groove described
we make a longitudinal passage opening into which is a cross passage extending to
the outside of the bearing. This cross passage has a diameter a little greater than
that of the longitudinal passage. The inner groove and the parallel and cross
passages described in the bearing are filled with a continuous thread of lubricating
cotton by threading the said cotton through the said groove and passages, the ends
of the continuous lubricating cotton protruding from the cross passage dipping in
the lubricating oil contained in a vessel or receptacle. By capillary attraction the
whole of the lubricating cotton in the bearing is charged with oil and that part of
the charged cotton situated in the groove in the inner or concave side of the
bearing is presented to the rotating shaft within the bearing. By the rotation of
the shaft against the charged cotton in the groove it takes up oil therefrom and
uniformly distributes it over the whole of the inner rubbing surface of the said
bearing and the shaft and bearing are thereby efficiently lubricated.
In applying the said invention to rotating grinders, pointers or polishers and
like machines the shafts of which have pointed or conical ends working in
correspondingly shaped seats in the fixed cheeks or bearings of the machines, we
make a groove in one side of each of the conical seats and fill it with a thread of
lubricating cotton, the said cotton extending from the distant end of the groove
and being conducted to an oil well or receptacle made in the fixed cheek in the oil
in which well or receptacle the end of the cotton dips; the charged lubricating
cotton delivers oil to the shaft in the manner already described.
In applying the said invention to thrust blocks of shafts, such for example as
those used with propeller shafts we lubricate the cylindrical surfaces and bearing
faces of the loose collars, say a series of three, of the thrust block essentially in the
way already described with respect to machine shafts; that is to say, we make in
the outer face of the first or front collar against which the end of the propeller or
other shaft bears a radial groove which opens into a longitudinal groove at the
iuner cylindrical surface of the collar and the said longitudinal groove opens into a

page_text: similar radial groove at the inner face of the said first collar; the second loose
collar has a longitudinal groove at its inner cylindrical surface which opens into a
radial groove at the inner face of the said second collar and the inner cylindrical
surface of the third collar is provided with a longitudinal groove but no radial
groove. The two radial grooves and the longitudinal groove of the first loose
collar are filled with a thread of lubricating cotton and the radial groove and
longitudinal groove of the second collar and the longitudinal groove of the third
collar are filled with threads of lubricating cotton. Oil is conducted to the said
threads of cotton from an oil reservoir by means of longitudinal and cross passages
made in the thrust block, the cross passages opening into the longitudinal grooves
containing the lubricating cotton.
The lubricating parts described are arranged at opposite or other points in the
loose collars of the thrust block and by their use the bearing faces as well as the
inner cylindrical surfaces of the loose collars are efficiently lubricated.
TR 1 1
T
1002
Improvements in Lubricating the Shafts of Machinery and other
Rotating Shafts or Bodies.
We HENRY MILWARD & SONS LIMITED, of Washford Mills, Redditch in the
County of Worcester, Needle and Fishing Tackle Manufacturers and CALEB
JOSEPH BRADSHAW, of No. 14 Grove Street, Redditch aforesaid, Needle Pointer
do hereby declare the nature of the said invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
- statement :-
The said invention consists of the improvements hereinafter described in
lubricating the shafts of machinery and other rotating shafts or bodies working in
tubular bearings.
By the arrangements or combinations of parts constituting this invention the
automatic lubrication of the said shafts and other rotating bodies is effected in a
simple and efficient manner. In applying the said invention to shafts turning in
hollow or tubular bearings, we make in the inner cylindrical side of the tubular
part of the bearing and parallel to its axis a longitudinal groove extending from
end to end of the said bearing and in the middle of the substance of the bearing and
parallel with the groove described we make a longitudinal passage opening into
which is a cross passage extending to the outside of the bearing. This cross
passage has a diameter a little greater than that of the longitudinal passage. The
inner groove and the parallel and cross passages described in the bearing are filled
with a continuous thread of cotton or fibrous material by threading the said cotton
through the said groove and passages, the ends of the continuous cotton protruding
from the cross passage dipping in the lubricating oil contained in a vessel or
receptacle. By capillary attraction the whole of the cotton in the bearing is
charged with oil and that part of the charged cotton situated in the groove in the
inner or concave side of the bearing is presented to the rotating shaft within the
bearing. By the rotation of the shaft against the charged cotton in the groove it
takes up oil therefrom and uniformly distributes it over the whole of the inner
rubbing surface of the said bearing and the shaft and bearing are thereby efficiently
lubricated.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings represents in side elevation; Figure 2 in
longitudinal section; Figure 3 in horizontal section and Figure 4 in cross section,
`a hollow or tubular bearing constructed according to this invention for lubricating

page_text: the rotating shaft supported in the said bearing. The cross section Figure 4 is
taken on the dotted line a, a Figure 1 and the horizontal section Figure 3 is taken
on the dotted line b, b Figure 2.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in the several figures of the
drawings.
c is the hollow or tubular bearing made, together with the oil vessel d in one
piece with the base plate e which is bolted to the upright of the machine in the
ordinary way; f_is_the_longitudinal-groove-made-in the material of the inner
or concave side of the bearing c, the said groove f extending from end to end
of the bearing. Parallel with the said longitudinal groove is a longitudinal
passage g opening into which is a cross passage h (see Figures 2 and 3) com-
municating with the oil vessel or receptacle d. The inner groove and the
longitudinal and cross passages g, h are filled with a thread of cotton or fibrous
material i which is securely held therein in the following way. The thread of
cotton being laid in the inner groove fits ends are turned back and first threaded
through the longitudinal passage g and both its ends then passed through the cross
passage and made to dip into the lubricating oil contained in the vessel d as
represented. By capillary attraction the whole of the cotton i is charged with oil
and that portion of the charged cotton situated in the inner groove f of the
bearing is presented to the rotating shaft within the bearing. On the rotation
of the shaft against the charged cotton in the groove fit takes up oil therefrom
and uniformly distributes it over the whole of the rubbing surface of the bearing
and the said shaft and bearing are effectually lubricated. Cross grooves k, k near
the ends of the inner face of the bearing prevent the oil from passing out at the
ends of the said bearing.
i
In applying the said invention to rotating grinders, pointers or polishers and like
machines, the shafts of which have pointed or conical ends working in corre-
spondingly shaped seats in the fixed cheeks or bearings of the machines, we make a
groove in one side of each of the conical seats and fill it with a thread of
cotton or fibre which is conducted to an oil well or receptacle in the fixed cheek
in which well or receptacle the ends of the cotton dip. The charged cotton on
the inner or concave side of the bearing delivers oil to the shaft in the manner
already described and represented with respect to a hollow cylindrical bearing.
In place of making the groove in the side of the inner face of the hollow bearing
for containing the charged or lubricated cotton which is presented to the rotating
shaft the groove may be arranged at the base of the hollow bearing and be curved.
instead of straight, the cotton in the curved groove being fed with oil from an
oil vessel instead of the ends of the cotton dipping into an oil vessel.
A bearing constructed according to this modification is represented in side
elevation in Figure 5; longitudinal section in Figure 6 and horizontal section in
Figure 7; Figure 8 represents the bearing in cross section taken on the dotted
linea, a Figure 7 and Figure 9 a longitudinal section of the same taken on the
dotted line y, y Figure 7; Figure 10 represents the same view as Figure 7 with
the cotton or fibrous packing omitted; Figure 11 represents a portion of Figure 6
drawn to a larger scale.
fis the curved groove at the base or bottom of the inner or concave face
of the bearing, and is the cotton thread or filling placed in the said groove,
its ends protruding from the ends of the groove and being hooked to the hooks l, l
at the ends of the outside of the bearing; k, k are the end cross grooves in the
bearing opening into the curved groove f. Into these cross grooves the oil from
the concave face of the bearing passes and is returned by them to the curved groove.
On the bottom of the groove is a curved strip or false bottom m on which the
cotton i rests. This strip or false bottom m is supported near its ends by the
light coiled springs n, occupying the holes n², n², so as to press the cotton supported
upon it lightly against the rotating shaft within the bearing. The cotton i is fed
with oil from the oil vessel d closed air tight by the cover d². The passage d³
from the oil vessel d opens at the middle of the curved groove and the said

page_text: passage is closed or partly opened by the regulating screw p situated in line with
the said passage and at the opposite side of the groove f, the acting end of the
screw p crossing the said groove as represented in Figure 1I. It will be seen
that the inner end of the regulating screw p presses the cotton in the groove f
against the end of the passage d³ so as to close or partly close it. The bottoms
of the end parts of the groove ƒ are at a slightly higher level than the top
of the end of the passage d³ so that the escape of oil at the ends of the groove f is
prevented.
At the middle of the cover d² of the oil vessel d is a hole or vent d (see
Figure 8) which can be opened and closed, so as to admit air to or cut off air
from the oil vessel, by the set screw d, the washered head of which is situated
over the said hole or vent d.
In preparing the bearing for use, the cotton or fibre i is first passed into the
curved groove and its ends suspended at 1, 7 to the outside of the bearing. The
regulating screw p is then advanced so as to press the cotton against and practically
close the passage d³. Having filled the oil vessel d, its cover d² is screwed down
so as to make the oil vessel air tight. By now partly withdrawing the regulating
screw p, the passage d³ is opened when the oil will pass into the curved groove f
and fill it to the level of the top of the oil passage d³ at which level the oil
is preserved. The cotton in the groove fis thus charged with oil which is
taken up by the rotating shaft as before described. In order to increase the
flow of the oil from the vessel d to the curved groove f, the set screw d³ is
raised. By the raising of the said set screw the hole or vent d is uncovered
and air admitted to the vessel so as to press oil therefrom into the groove f.
Instead of making the tubular part of the bearing which receives the rotating
shaft in one piece with the oil vessel and base plate as last described and
represented, the tubular part of the bearing may be made in halves, the separate
upper half being belted to the lower half in the manner represented in side
elevation in Figure 12; longitudinal section in Figure 13; horizontal section in
Figure 14 and cross section in Figure 15. In this modification the upper half of
the tubular bearing is marked and is bolted to the lower half c by the bearing
plater and set screws s, s2, the set screw 2 taking into the lug t projecting into the
oil vessel d. In other respects this bearing is the same as that last described and
corresponding parts are marked with the same letters of reference.
By the use of a curved groove at the base of the bearing as described and
illustrated a larger and better distribution of oil can be obtained than by the use
of a straight groove and further by taking hold of the ends of the cotton and
moving it backwards and forwards in the groove any dirt which may have
accumulated in the groove may be removed and also new cotton may be readily
threaded into the groove without taking the bearing to pieces.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that we claim
as the said invention of "Improvements in lubricating the shafts of machinery and
other rotating shafts or bodies
:-
First. The use in the inner or concave surface of the hollow or tubular bearing
of the rotating shaft or body and extending from end to end of the said bearing, of
a straight or curved groove filled with a continuous thread or packing of cotton or
fibrous material, the said thread or packing being charged with the lubricant by
its ends dipping into the said lubricant contained in a vessel or receptacle in
the bearing, or feeding the lubricant directly from the vessel or receptacle in the
bearing to the cotton or fibrous material in the groove, the several parts of the
bearing being arranged and used substantially as herein before described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Secondly. The combination with the straight or curved groove in the inner or
concave surface of the hollow bearing claimed in Claim 1 of the arrangement of
parts represented in Figures 5 to 15 both inclusive for feeding and regulating

page_text: the feed of the lubricant to the groove containing the cotton or fibrous packing
or material.
Dated the Seventh day of February 1896.
HENRY MILWARD & SONS, LTD.,
VICTOR MILWARD, Director.
CALEB JOSEPH BRADSHAW.