Improvements in Oil Feeding, Lifting, and Circulating Apparatus for Application, to the Bearings of Shafts.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Jan.. 188
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Oct., 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 6th Feb., 1889
Improvements in Oil Feeding, Lifting, and Circulating Apparatus
for Application, to the Bearings of Shafts.
I GEORGE THOMSON of Crompton Fold, Shaw, in the County of Lancaster
Mechanic, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My said Invention relates to apparatus for feeding oil to the bearings of shafts
and for circulating or returning the oil which has escaped from the journals, back
again to the bearings so as to prevent waste and effect economy in lubricant. The
apparatus at present employed for this purpose is usually connected to a reservoir
into which the oil is placed or into which it runs from the bearing or from the
lower part of the wall-box, hanger, plummer-box, bracket or standard which carries
the bearing, and is isolated from the shaft, so that to drive the apparatus it is
necessary to employ a belt. This belt frequently becomes slack or slips or breaks
with the result that there is a failure in the supply of lubricant to the shaft causing
heating and firing of the journals to ensue. To obviate this defect I drive my
improved apparatus by direct contact with the shaft and without the intervention of
a belt.
As constructed in accordance with my invention the apparatus consists of a
hollow sleeve or barrel formed with a flange or foot at the bottom by which it is
fixed in the lower part of a wall-box for example, or in a receptacle forming part of
or attached to a wall-bracket, hanger, or standard such as are used to support
shafting. The said hollow sleeve or barrel is situated directly beneath the shaft and
contains a revolvable spindle formed at the foot and within the barrel with a screw
thread or spiral blade or blades or it might be with spiral grooves, and at the upper
projecting end provided with a frictional driving pinion or disc which is in contact
with the shaft or with a collar or driver on the shaft. The friction pinion or disc
may be covered with leather or other material at its driving periphery and is held
with an elastic pressure against the shaft by a spring, and is secured to the spindle
by a slip feather and groove or by a slot and pin so as to yield to the shaft if it
should descend or follow it up if it should rise. Where the spindle passes out.

page_text: through the top of the barrel a fluid tight joint is made by means of a packed
gland. The barrel stands with its lower part immersed in the oil which has been
supplied to the reservoir or has run from the bearing. Passages admit the oil to
the lower part of the lifting screw so that when the spindle and screw revolve the
oil is lifted and forced from above the screw or spiral through a side tube to the oil
cup at the top of the shaft bearing. The lubricant is thus kept constantly circulating
and the direct contact between the periphery of the shaft and the driving wheel or
disc on the oil circulator spindle prévents the possibility of such a stoppage of the
supply as frequently happens under the present arrangements. Instead of the
frictional driving arrangement described I might use toothed gearing to connect
the oil lifter spindle to the shaft:
Dated this 31st day of December 1887
DUTTON & FULTON,
1, St. James Square, Manchester,
Agents.

page_text: Improvements in Oil Feeding, Lifting, and Circulating Apparatus.
for Application to the Bearings of Shafts.
I, GEORGE THOMSON of Crompton Fold Shaw, in the County of Lancaster,
Mechanic, 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 :-
My invention relates to apparatus for feeding oil to the bearings of shafts, and
for circulating or returning the oil which has escaped from the journals, back again,
to the bearings so as to prevent waste and effect economy in lubricant. The apparatus
at present employed for this purpose is usually connected to a reservoir into which
the oil is placed or into which it runs from the hearing or from the lower part of the
wall box, hanger, plummer box, bracket or standard which carries the bearing, and
is isolated from the shaft so that to drive the apparatus it is necessary to employ a
belt. This belt frequently becomes slack, or slips, or breaks, with the result that
there is a failure in the supply of lubricant to the shaft causing heating and firing of
the journals to ensue. To obviate this defect I drive my improved apparatus by
direct contact with the shaft and without the intervention of a belt. As constructed
in accordance with my invention the apparatus consists of a hollow sleeve or barrel
formed with a flange or foot at the bottom by which it is fixed in the lower part of a
wall box for example or in a receptacle forming part of or attached to a wall bracket
hanger or standard such as are used to support shafting. The said hollow sleeve or
barrel is situwated directly beneath the shaft and contains a revolvable spindle formed
at the foot and within the barrel beneath with a screw thread or spiral blade or it
might be with spiral grooves and at the upper projecting end provided with a frictional
driving pinion or disc which is in contact with the shaft, or with a collar or driver
on the shaft. The friction pinion or disc may be covered with leather or other
material at its driving periphery and is held with an elastic pressure against the shaft
by a spring and is secured to the spindle by a slip feather and groove or by a slot
and pin so as to yield to the shaft if it should descend or follow it up if it should rise.
Where the spindle passes out at the top of the barrel a fluid tight. joint is made by
means of a packed gland.
The barrel stands immersed in the oil which has been supplied to the reservoir or
has run from the bearing. Passages admit the oil to the lower part of the lifting
screw so that when the spindle and screw revolve the oil is lifted and forced from
above the screw or spiral through a side tube to the oil cup at the top of the shaft
bearing. The lubricant is this kept constantly between the periphery of the shaft and
the driving wheel or disc on the oil circulator spindle prevents the possibility of such
a stoppage of the supply as frequently happens under the present arrangement.
Instead of the frictional driving arrangement described I might use toothed gearing
to connect the oil lifter spindle to the shaft which will enable me to work the disc in
a perpendicular instead of an horizontal position.

page_text: DISCRIPTION OF DRAWING.
Fig. 1 is a sectional view of the lubricator in position A being the oil reservoir
B the barrell or hollow sleeve containing the revolvable spindle with the screw thread
spiral blade or spiral grooves C is the frictional driving pinion or disc which is in
contact with the shaft.
Fig. 1 is the lubricator complete.
Fig. 2 is the spindle and disc showing the spring A which adjusts the disc B to
the shaft.
Fig. 2 is the spindle showing the screw thread spiral blade or spiral grooves.
Fig. 3 shows the oil reservoir and the base of the barrel or hollow sleeve. Fig. 3ª is
another design of oil cistern or reservoir. Fig. 4 is elevation of lubricator showing
the toothed gearing arrangement A being the disc B the small bevil wheels for
revolving the spindle is the spring D the barrel or hollow sleeve E the spiral blade
F the oil cistern Fig. 5 is section of the same Fig. 6 is another variation of
the same.
Fig. 6ª shows the disc and portion of the barrel in this arrangement A being the
disc &B the barrel or hollow sleeve.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed what I claim is
1st. That its efficiency is not impaired even in the event of the shaft being out of
centre as the spring enables the disc to follow the shaft.
2nd. By the use of the toothed gearing arrangement, the position of the apparatus
may be varied.
3rd. By using the disc in direct contact with the shaft there is no liability of stoppage
as is the case when belts or bands are used by their slackening or breakage.
Dated this day October 1st 1888.