IMPROVEMENTS IN OIL-CANS USED FOR LUBRICATING MACHINERY AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Gustavus Adolphus John Schott of Bradford in the
County of York and George Robinson of Sheffield also in the County of York
for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN OIL-CANS USED FOR LUBRICATING
MACHINERY AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Gustavus Adolphus John
Schott and George Robinson at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents
on the 30th May 1883.
GUSTAVUS ADOLPHUS JOHN SCHOTT, of Bradford in the County of York, and
GEORGE ROBINSON of Sheffield. also in the County of York. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
OIL-CANS USED FOR LUBRICATING MACHINERY AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
"
This Invention relates to oil-cans used for lubricating machinery and other
purposes, and more especially to that class containing a valve for checking the
outflow, which has hitherto been operated by the thumb of the person using the
can. Our Invention consists firstly in the means or method of filling the can,
which is effected by way of a funnel fixed by preference in the bottom of the can.
This funnel discharges in a second funnel enclosing the first in such a manner as
to leave a space between the two funnels, such space serving as a trap for catching
any return flow from the second funnel, the latter runs out into a tube, which
ascends into the interior of the can to the upper part thereof above the level of
the liquid and held in the tilted position which naturally assumes when it is being
used for oiling, when the can is filled to its normal height the vertical tube
referred to is bent and its end is closed by a plug, valve or cover, which is pressed
against the opening of the tube by a spring. The said plug valve or cover is
connected with the spindle or lever, which is used for opening and closing the
ordinary valve, in such a manner that both the ordinary valve and the plug, valve
or cover of the filling tube before mentioned can be simultaneously closed or opened.
by the working of such spindle or lever.
When it is not desirable that the latter should be opened every time the
ordinary valve is opened, the stroke required to work the valves can be easily
adjusted in such a manner that the operator by a short stroke opens the ordinary
valve only, whilst a longer stroke opens both valves.
Instead of covering the orifice of the filling tube it may be left open altogether
and will answer very well for many practical purposes, but small quantities of the
liquid may escape occasionally, when the can is placed into certain irregular
positions by falling over or other causes.
.

page_text: When the funnel for filling is placed in the bottom of the can the latter is held
upside down whilst being filled and the valves opened so as to allow the liquid to
enter and the air contained in the can to escape by the spout. The valve spindle
enters the can through a stuffing box or is provided with a washer or other stopper
for closing the aperture by which it enters so as to prevent the escape of liquid by
that way.
The second part of our Invention relates to an improved manner of working the
spindle or lever, which operates the valve or valves. This has hitherto been done
by the thumb of the person using the can, pressing down a knob on the end of
such spindle or lever, but for many purposes, such as oiling spindles and other
purposes we find it useful and as saving both time and material to constract the
can in such a manner, that the valve or valves are operated directly by the handle
of the can, which for this purpose we construct so as to be movable and turning
on a hinge to a sufficient extent. The handle is maintained in its normal position
by its own weight and the weight of the can, assisted by a spring. In this
position the lower lower part of the handle which is below the hinge, is in contact
with the can whilst a small space say of about 1%, inch intervenes between the
upper part of the handle above the hinge, and the can. But when the tip of the
spout of the can in oiling is gently pressed down upon the spindle cup or other
part about to be oiled the handle, yielding to the pressure turns slightly upon the
hinge, so that its lower part comes out of contact with the can and its upper part
approaches the can to a corresponding degress and a prolongation of the upper part
of the handle is thereby pressed upon the knob fixed on the spindle or lever and
operates the valve or valves in the same manner, as if the knob was pressed by the
thumb. This new method of working the valve or valves by the handle may be
combined in the same can with the old method in such a manner, that they can be
worked either by the one or the other.
To this purpose we fit the spindle or lever with two knobs, one on the end
thereof to be worked by the thumb and another at a short distance from the end
to be acted on by the handle.
may
Our third improvement consists in constructing the can in such a manner that
the spout is affixed to the can at or near the usual place near the bottom of the
can, but it enters and is continued all through the can bending upwards and
ascending through the interior of the can in a straight but slanting line to that
point of the top of the opposite side of the can where the valve spindle usually
enters the can. Here the spout ends and for convenience of filling, when a spout
of small diameter is used may be made to expand into a funnel, which in
order to guard against any possible return flow be constructed with a trap to
catch such return flow in a similar manner to the double funnel described in
the first improvement. By way of this end of the spout the can is filled with
oil as will be hereafter explained. The spout where it enters the can, and at its
upper extremity is hermetically connected to the can by solder so that no com-
munication exists between the interior of the spout and the interior of the can
except by two apertures in the spout, one on its under side immediately after
entering the can and the other on its upper side near its upper extremity which is
the highest part of the interior of the can. The valve spindle which consists of a
tube of a smaller diameter than the spout enters the spout at its extremity at the
top of the can and proceeds down the straight portion of the spout to near the
point where the latter bends upwards again outside the can.
Two sinall pistons made of leather or other suitable material and acting as
valves and which fit the interior of the spout closely, are fixed upon the valve
spindle in such positions that when the valve spindle is in its normal position, held
by a suitable spring, that is to say when the can is not being used the said pistons
cover and close up the two apertures which form the communication between the
interior of the spout and the interior of the can as before mentioned, but when the
valve spindle is pressed down, the two pistons are thereby pushed forward in the
spout to such a degree, that the two apertures become uncovered.
Behind each o

page_text: the two pistons on the side nearest to the outer end of the valve spindle the latter
is transversely perforated by one or more holes. Consequently when the can
contains oil and is used for lubricating as soon as the valve spindle is pressed down
the oil will flow from the can through the lower aperture into the spout and into
the interior of the hollow valve spindle and by that way through the lower piston
and the outside portion of the spout forward to the Outflow opening of the spout,
whilst the upper aperture of the spout near the top of the can serves as an airvent.
The Outflow opening of the spout is placed at a somewhat higher level than any
other portion of the can. When the can has to be filled, the valve spindle is
pressed down and the oil poured into the opening of the spout at the top of the
can, and passing down, will flow through the hollow valve spindle and the upper
piston and enter the can by the lower aperture of the spout, whilst the upper
aperture allows the air contained in the can to escape. The main advantages and
distinctive features of this of this mode of construction are that that part of the
can which serves as a reservoir for the oil contains no working parts whatever,
that all the working parts are outside the reservoir and easily accessible for the
purpose of repairs, that there are only two apertures, by which the reservoir
communicates with the outside, which are efficiently closed when the can is not
being used, so that no liquid can then escape from the reservoir, that the spout
from end to end is always open to the air and consequently the liquid left therein.
after the valves are closed can readily flow out and be used, leaving the spout
empty after use, instead of being left filled with oil as is the case with the cans
constructed on the old models aud which for want of ventilation will not readily
flow therefrom and is liable to trickle out to waste.
The fourth improvement refers to another mode of construction which has some
features in common with the one last described, whilst it varies therefrom in other.
respects. It is of a simpler construction than the former but does not possess the
same advantages, though it is an improvement on the cans hitherto in use in so far
as the spout is ventilated and can therefore be emptied after the valves are closed,-
and it is more efficiently protected against leakage than most of the old cans. The.
spout is fixed on the outside of the can in the usual manner and has an ordinary
valve mounted in its end nearest the can, to close up the aperture in the can near
the base thereof, by which the oil flows into the spout from the can, when being
used. The spindle which works the valve passes into the can through a separate
aperture just above the one first mentioned and obliquely through the can in a
straight line coming out at the top on the opposite in the usual manner.
The valve spindle may consist of metal wire or other suitable material and is
enveloped by a tube, the open ends of which enclose the two apertures by which
the valve spindle enters and leaves the can, such ends being soldered to the can, so
that the said two apertures are cut off from communication with the interior of the
can, and form the open ends of the tube.
The upper aperture may if the can is to be filled that way expand in to a funnel
like the one described in the last improvement, but if preferred an additional
aperture provided with an ordinary screw plug may be fitted in the top of the can
by which the the can may be filled.
The valve spindle is fitted with a piston, perforated lengthways parallel to the
spindle and opening or closing an airvent, arranged as described in the last.
improvement and communicating between the interior of the can and the tube in
which the valvespindle works. Whilst the can is being filled by way of this tube,.
the valve spindle must be pressed down so as to open the valve and airvent and
allow the oil which flows through the tube and the perforated piston to enter the
can through the valve. But if the can is filled by an aperture in the top of the can
it is not necessary that the valve spindle should be pressed down
,

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Gustavus Adolphus John Schott and George Robinson in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 30th November 1883.
GUSTAVUS ADOLPHUS JOHN SCHOTT, of Bradford in the County of York and
GEORGE ROBINSON, of Sheffield in the County of York IMPROVEMENTS IN OIL-
CANS USED FOR LUBRICATING MACHINERY AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
This Invention relates to oil-cans used for lubricating machinery and other
purposes, and more especially to that class containing a valve for checking the
out-flow, which has hither to been operated by the thumb of the person using
the can.
Our Invention consists firstly in the means or method of filling the can,
which is effected by way of a funnel fixed in the bottom of the can. This funnel
discharges into a second funnel enclosing the first in such a manner as to leave a
space between the two funnels, such space serving as a trap for catching any
return flow from the second funnel, the latter runs out into a tube, which ascends.
into the interior of the can to the upper part thereof above the level of the liquid,
when the can is filled to its normal height and held in the tilted position which it
naturally assumes when it is being used for oiling, the vertical tube refered to is
bent and its end is closed by a plug, valve or cover, which is pressed against the
opening of the tube by a spring. The said plug, valve or cover is connected with.
the spindle or lever, which is used for opening and closing the ordinary valve, in
Buch a manner that both the ordinary valve and the plug, valve or cover of the
filling tube before mentioned are simultaneously closed or opened by the working
of such spindle or lever.
This part of our Invention is shewn at Fig 1 which is section of oil can
with our improvements applied thereto, a is the can, at the bottom of which is a
funnel b provided with an opening c. Surrounding this funnel is another funnel d
connected to a pipe e having its outlet terminating towards the top of the can at a
position higher than the level of the liquid.
The outlet or mouth ƒ of the pipe e is covered by a diaphragm g connected to
the lever so that when the spindle i is opened by pushing the thumb against the
part the valve k is opened at the same time, such movement also removes the
diaphragm g from the mouth of the pipe e consequently the two openings f and k
are always opened and shut together. Inorder to fill the can with oil, the can is
held upside down, the valves opened and the diaphragm g removed from the
mouth of the pipe e so as to allow the oil to enter and the air in the can to escape
by way of the spout.
It will be seen that by these means the can is filled from the underside and the
oil prevented from escaping by any other way than the spout.
Instead of covering the orifice of the filling tube it may be left open altogether
and will answer very well for many practical purposes, but small quantities of the
liquid may escape occasionally, when the can is placed in certain irregular
positions by falling over or other irregular causes.
This mode of construction is illustrated in Fig 3 the tube 7 being bent first to
one side of the can and then to the other and terminating at the top of the back
part of the interion near to where the valve spindle enters the can, so as to
minimise the risk of the oil flowing out by the tube.
The second part of our Invention relates to an improved manner of working the
spindle or lever, which operates the valve or valves. This has hitherto been done
by the thumb of the person using the can, pressing down a knob on the end of
such spindle or lever, but for many purposes, such as oiling spindles and other

page_text: purposes I find it useful and as saving both time and material to construct the can
in such manner, that the valve or valves are operated directly by the handle of
the can, which for this purpose I construct so as to be moveable and turning on a
hinge to a sufficient extent. The handle is maintained in its normal position by
its own weight and the weight of the can, assisted by the spring on the valve
spindle. In this position the lower part of the handle which is below the hinge, is
in contact with the can whilst a small space, say about half an inch, intervenes
between the upper part of the handle above the hinge, and the can.
But when the tip of the spout of the can in oiling is gently pressed down upon
the spindle, cup or other part about to be oiled, the handle yielding to the pressure,
turns slightly upon the binge, so that its lower part comes out of contact with the
can and its upper part approaches the can to a corresponding degree, and a
prolongation of the upper part of the handle is thereby pressed upon the knob
fixed on the spindle or lever and operates the valve or valves in the same manner,
as if the knob was pressed by the thumb. This new method of working the valve
or valves by the handle may be combined in the same can with the old method, in
such a manner that they can be worked either by the one or the other.
To this purpose we fit the spindle or lever with two knobs, one on the end
thereof to be worked by the thumb and another at a short distance from the end
to be acted on by the handle.
This part of our Invention is shewn at Fig 4 which is elevation of an oil can
with our improved handle attached. It will be observed that the handle n is
hinged at the point o where it can swivel so that when the can is being used and
the tip of the spout gently pressed down upon the article being oiled, the handle
will yield to such pressure and would rock upon its hinge o pressing upon the
additional knob or washer m and assume the position shewn in dotted lines,
whereby the upper part of the handle would press down the valve spindle i and
open the valves, instead of using the thumb as is the case with the present
construction of oil can. The valve may however be opened by pressing the thumb
upon the part j
Instead of the can handle working upon a hinge, it may be constructed as shewn
in Fig
where the handle n is made partially hollow for receiving the two ends of
the cranked handle p which is soldered to the side of the can, by which means the
handle n will slide up and down on the cranked handle, one motion being obtained
by pressing the point of the spout where oiling, and the other or reverse motion
obtained by the acting of the spring on the valve spindle i, and the weight of the
can itself.
Our third improvement consists in constructing the can in such a manner that the
spout p¹ Fig 6 enters, and is continued all through the can, in a straight line, slanting
upwards to that point of the top of the opposite side of the can, where the valve
spindle usually enters. Here the spout ends and for convenience of filling, when a
spout of small diameter is used, may be made to expand into a funnel, which may
in order to guard against any possible return flow, be constructed with a trap to
catch such return flow in a similar manner to the double funnel described in the
first part of this specification. Or a funnel r may be constructed at any convenient
place in the top of the can and connected with that part of the spout situated
between the two pistons & and s¹ as shewn in Fig 6. By way of such funnel or
when there is no funnel by the upper end of the spout the can is filled with oil as
will be hereafter explained. The spout where it enters the can, and at its upper
extremity p is hermetically connected to the can, by solder, so that no communication
exists between the interion of the spout and the interion of the can except by two
apertures and t' in the spout, one on its underside immediately after entering the
can, and the other on its upper side near its upper extremity, which is the highest
part of the interior of the can. The valve spindle which consists of a smaller
tube u, enters the spout at its extremity at the top of the can and proceeds down
the straight portion of the spout near the point where the latter bends upwards
again cutside the can.

page_text: Two small pistons 8 and a¹ made of leather or other suitable material fitting the
interior of the spout, are fixed upon the valve spindle u in such positions, that
when the valve spindle is in its normal position, held by a suitable spring or
springs vand v¹, that is to say, when the can is not being used, the said pistons
cover and close up the two apertures t and t', but when the valve spindle is pressed
down, (as shewn in Fig 6) the two pistons are thereby pushed forward in the spout
so far as to uncover the two apertures t and t'. Behind each of the two pistons on
the side nearest, to the outer end of the valve spindle, the latter is transversely
perforated by one or more holes w, consequently when the can contains oil and is
used for lubricating, as sood [sic] as the valve spindle is pressed down the oil will flow
from the can through the lower aperture t into the spout and into the interior of
the hollow valve spindle and by that way through the lower piston 8 and the
outside portion of the spout forward to the outflow opening of the spout, whilst
the upper aperture t¹ serves as an airvent. The outflow opening of the spout is
placed at a somewhat higher level than any other portion of the can. When the
can has to be filled the valve spindle is pressed down and the oil poured into the
upper end 222 of the spout or the funnel r and passing down (in the former case
through the hollow valve spindle, and the upper piston) enters the can by the
lower aperture t, whilst the upper aperture t¹ allows the air contained in the can
to escape.
The main advantages and distinctive features of this mode of con-
struction are, that the part a of the can which serves as the reservoir for the oil,
contains no working parts whatever, that all the working parts are outside the
reservoir and can be conveniently taken out for the purposes of repairs or cleaning
and that the apout from end to end is always open to the air and consequently the
liquid left therein after the valves are closed can readily flow out and be used,
leaving the spout empty after use, instead of being left filled with oil as is the case
with the cans constructed on the old models, and which for want of ventilation
will not readily flow therefrom and is liable to trickle out to waste.
A modification of this part of our Invention for, oil cans adapted for filling lamps
is illustrated in Fig 7. The reservoir or can a is filled by an aperture in the top
(not visible in the drawing Fig 7) and which can be hermitically closed by a screw
plug. For the hollow valve spindle and pistons mounted thereon as described in the
last construction we substitute the solid valve spindle u upon which is mounted
the cock or tap a pierced with two ways or channels d' and e¹ which correspond
with the two apertures f¹ and g', the former acting as the outflow opening of the
reservoir into the spout and the latter as airvent. For convenience of construction
these apertures are placed nearer together, than they were in the construction last
described; but in order that the air vent may not be stopped by the outflowing
liquid we connect to the aperture g¹ the tube h¹ proceeding to the highest part of
the reservoir, so that its opening is above the level of the liquid in the reservoir,
when the same is being poured out. The airvent is continued from the aperture g¹
upwards through the opening e¹ of the tap a to the tube x¹ which ascends up the
spout to the outflow opening thereof and there ends. The purpose of this arrange-
ment is to prevent overfilling. When the tip of the spout is inserted into the
vessel to be filled to the level to which it is purposed to be filled, the liquid as
soon as it reaches the level will close up the spout and also the airvent and no
more liquid will then flow from the reservoir owing to the airvent being thus
closed up.
On the upper end of the valve spindle u is fixed the lever or handle k¹ in such a
position that the thumb of the hand holding the can by its handle can conveniently
turn the said lever k' and thereby the tap x so as to close up or open the apertures f¹
and gas required. The spout is closed by the screw cap m¹ which also serves to
hold in position the valve spindle u and tap x. When the cap m³ is screwed off
the said valve spindle and the tap can be taken out for the purpose of being
cleaned. The use of the additional lid is merely to improve the outward appear-
ance of the can and to prevent dust settling on the top of the reservoir and being
washed into it in the act of filling. This can being hermetically closed, when the

page_text: tap is closed, is of especial advantage when petroleum or other volatile and easily
inflamable oils are used, as the danger of ignition is thereby diminished.
Having now shewn and described our Invention and the manner of carrying the
same into practice, we would have it understood that we do not confine ourselves
to the precise details herein shewn and described, but what we claim is.
Firstly. The combination with the valve k of a double funnel for filling the
can substantially as described in Figs 1, 2 and 3.
Secondly-The combination of apparatus such as is shewn at Figs 1 and 2
whereby the two openings fand k are opened simultaneously.
Thirdly. The use and employment of a hinged or loose handle for the purpose
of opening the valves of oil cans in manner substantially as herein described and
shewn in Figs 4 and 5.
Fourthly. The double valve arrangement working within the spout or tube p¹
as shewn in Fig 6.
Fifthly. The hollow perforated spindle u for opening and closing the valves
and supplying oil to the spout in manner substantially as described.
Sixthly. The general combination and arrangement of the parts comprising
the oil can as shewn in Fig 7 and provided with a rotary tap for purposes set
forth.
In witness whereof I the said Gustavus Adolphus John Schott for and on behalf
of myself and the said George Robinson have hereunto set my hand and seal this
twenty seventh day of November in the year of our Lord one thousand eight
hundred and eighty three.
GUSTAVUS ADOLPHUS JOHN SCHOTT
(L.S.)