Improvements in Sight-feed Lubricators.
Year: 1889

page_text: Complete Specification Left, 22nd Sept., 1890-Accepted, 25th Oct., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Sight-feed Lubricators.
I, CHARLES CHEERS WAKEFIELD of 51, Russian Drive, Stoneycroft near Liver-
pool in the County of Lancaster, Manager do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object a sight-feed lubricator, and its chief advantages
are, simplicity of construction and consequent fewness of parts, certainty of action,
and durability, especially of the sight tube connections.
The (preferably metal) reservoir containing the lubricant and which forms also
the chamber for condensed water may be of a cylindrical shape with a narrow well
at bottom. A feed opening for oil in its upper surface and a discharging opening
at its lower edge for withdrawing the condensed water, are provided, and screw
plugs are inserted therein when the apparatus is to be used. The top or neck of
the apparatus is formed of a metal bush, in which the sight tube is mounted, as
hereinafter described. The bush is provided with a sight slot or slots, and with
suitable orifices near its top for the inlet of condensed steam, and the outlet of
oil, respectively, suitable connections such as screw unions being also provided, for
the attachment thereto of pipes, or other suitable conduits. In practice, it is
preferable to arrange two or more outlets, as in this case, a single lubricator will
supply several cylinders or the like. The steam orifice is in communication with
a narrow pipe which descends through a hole in the top of the reservoir nearly to
the bottom of the same and in which the steam is condensed and descends, collect-
ing at the bottom of the said reservoir, and thereby, by its superior specific
gravity, displacing the oil, which rises drop by drop through an opening into the
metal bush aforesaid. This opening is of elongated conical form, and is partially
closed or regulated by a spindle (preferably of steel) whose top is of corresponding
shape. The lower end of the spindle is screw-threaded and turns in a bush which
forms the bottom of the reservoir. A milled head attached to the lower end of
the spindle allows of easy adjustment, and the fineness of the screw thread allows
of it being regulated to the greatest nicety. A stuffing-box or other suitable
gland serves to maintain a tight joint around the spindle below the screwed portion.
In the metal bush at top is placed the sight tube of glass, and the manner of
fastening and holding this in place, in such a way that it can expand by heat
without breaking, is one of the chief featunes of this invention.
A
The sight tube is placed loosely within the bush which is slotted to allow the
interior to be seen. An india-rubber or other similar washer is then forced round
the outside of the tube and rests upon a shoulder at the bottom of the bush.
metal sleeve having slots corresponding to those in the bush, is now pressed' down
upon the ring and another similar rubber ring placed above. A short loose metal
ring is placed above the top washer, and an annular nut is screwed in place and
the rubber rings compressed thereby, the sight tube being firmly held in place,
and the joints at top and bottom are thus rendered steam-tight.
The bush is provided with an internal annular recess which communicates with

page_text: the interior of the hollow annular nut aforesaid by means of several radial holes in
the latter.
A large nut is screwed upon the whole, and a depending plug serves to fill up the
top of the hollow in the annular nut. The large nut allows of a ready access to the
interior of the tube, for inspection or cleaning, etcetera, without the necessity of
disturbing the tube or its retaining devices.
In the passage for the escape of the oil an externally opening valve is placed, in
order to prevent a reversal of the flow of oil, if, at any time, the pressure in the exit
tube should exceed that in the lubricator.
A bracket of iron or other suitable material is provided to support the apparatus
upon a cylinder or upon any other convenient part. I prefer to form the bottom
portion of the lubricator with a slight taper, and the socket in the bracket has a
corresponding shape. A set screw is provided to secure it in place.
construction is very convenient, as the lubricator may very readily be mounted or
removed.
Dated this 20th day of December 1899.
This
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Patent Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Sight-feed Lubricators.
I, CHARLES CHEERS WAKEFIELD of 51, Russian Drive, Stoneycroft, near Liver-
pool in the County of Lancaster, Manager, 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 has for its object a sight-feed lubricator, and its chief advantages
are, simplicity of construction and consequent fewness of parts, certainty of
action, and durability, especially of the sight tube connections.
In the annexed drawings;
Figures 1 and 2 show the improved lubricator, Figure 1 being a vertical section
taken as on a line, Figure 2, and Figure 2 being a plan.
Figure 3 shows a portion of the lubricator, being a vertical section taken in a
plane at right angles to the left hand portion of Figure 1.
A, represents the reservoir containing the lubricant, and which forms also the
chamber for condensed water. A feed opening A2 for oil and a discharging open-
ing A3 for withdrawing the condensed water are provided, and screw plugs are
inserted therein when the apparatus is to be used. The top of the apparatus
is formed of a metal bush A', in which the sight tube is mounted, as hereinafter
described. The bush is provided with a sight slot or slots, and with suitable
orifices a a¹ for the inlet of condensed steam and the outlet of oil respectively,
suitable connections being also provided for the attachment thereto of pipes, or
other suitable conduits. In practice, it is preferable to arrange two or more
outlets a, as, in this case, a single lubricator will supply several cylinders or the
like. The orifice a is in communication with a pipe B, which descends nearly to
the bottom of the reservoir A, and in which the steam is condensed and descends,
collecting at the bottom of the said reservoir, and thereby, by its superior specific
gravity, displacing the oil, which rises, drop by drop, through opening C. This
opening is of elongated conical form, and is partially closed or regulated by the
spindle C, (preferably of steel), whose top is of corresponding shape. The lower
end of spindle C¹ is screw threaded, as shown as c, and turns in a bush a² which
forms the bottom of reservoir A. A milled head c', attached to spindle C₁, allows
of easy adjustment, and the fineness of the screw thread c allows of it being
regulated to the greatest nicety. A stuffing-box c² or other suitable gland serves
to maintain a tight joint around the spindle.
In the bush A¹ is placed the sight fube 1 of glass and the manner of fastening
and holding this in place, in such a way that it can expand by heat without
breaking, is one of the chief features of this invention.

page_text: The sight tube D is placed loosely within the bush A¹, which is slotted to allow
the interior to be seen. An india-rubber or other similar washer d is then forced
round the outside of the tube D and rests, as shown, upon a shoulder at the
bottom of the bush A. A metal sleeve D¹, having slots corresponding to those
in the bush A, is now pressed down upon the ring d, and another similar rubber
ring placed above. A loose metal ring d² is placed above the washer ¹, and
when the annular nut E is screwed in place and the rubber rings d d are com-
pressed thereby, the sight tube D is firmly held in place and the joints at top and
bottom are steam-tight.
The bush A¹ is provided with an annular recess e which communicates with the
interior of the hollow nut E by means of several holes e¹.
A large nut E¹ is screwed upon the whole, and a depending plug E3 serves to fill
up the hollow in the nut E. The nut E' allows of a ready access to the interior of
the tube D, for inspection or cleaning, etcetera, without the necessity of disturbing
the tube or its retaining devices.
In the passage a¹, for the escape of the oil, a valve F is placed, in order to
prevent a reversal of the flow of oil, if, at any time, the pressure in the exit tube
should exceed that in the lubricator. A bracket G of iron or other suitable
material is provided to support the apparatus upon a cylinder, or upon any other
convenient part. I prefer to form the bottom portion of the lubricator with a
slight taper, as shown, and the socket in the bracket G has a corresponding shape.
A set screw is provided, as shown at g, to secure it in place. This construction
is very convenient as the lubricator may very readily be mounted or removed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. A sight-feed lubricator having a single chamber which serves both as a
reservoir for lubricant and as a vessel for the condensed steam, being for the
latier purpose directly connected at its lower end with the steam supply sub-
stantially as described.
2. In a sight-feed lubricator, the improved valve arrangement for controlling
the admission of oil into the sight tube, said arrangement tube consisting in a screw
down valve having a fine adjustment, and having at its inner extremity an
elongated conical stem projecting into but only partially filling a similar elongated,
conical and concentric oil admission orifice, substantially as described.
3. In a sight-feed lubricator, the arrangement, substantially as described for
holding the sight tube firmly in position in a steam-tight manner, and so that it
can, at the same time, expand or contract freely under the influence of variations
of temperature, said arrangement consisting of a ring of elastic material such as
india-rubber, surrounding the sight tube at the bottom of its chamber, a loose
slotted bush resting upon said ring and surmounted by a second elastic ring, and
a circular nut screwed into the top of the sight tube chamber and provided at
its inner end with an annular piece adapted to surround the upper end of the
sight tube and press against a loose bearing ring lying upon said second elastic
ring.
4. In a sight-feed lubricator, the combination of an annular nut screwed into
the sight-tube chamber above the sight tube for the purpose of holding the tube in
position, and of a screwed plug closing the extreme upper end of said chamber,
whereby access may be had to the interior of the sight tube without disturbing it
or its holding devices, substantially as described.
Dated this 20th day of september 105.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of Liverpool, Manchester, Nottingham, and London, Patent Agents.