Improvements in Lubricating Locomotive and other Engines.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Feb., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Nov., 1888
Complete Specification Accepted. 22nd Jan., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Lubricating Locomotive and other Engines.
I WILLIAM STROUDLEY of Bosvigo Preston Park Brighton in the County of Sussex,
Locomotive and Carriage Superintendent to the London Brighton and South Coast
Railway Company London Bridge do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
This Invention relates to improvements in lubricating the slide valves and pistons
and the various parts of locomotive and other engines exposed to the action of
steam or air by means of the positive action of steam direct from the boiler the
apparatus employed being so constructed and arranged as to operate automatically
when steam is turned on or at the drivers pleasure when the engine is running down
inclines and the steam shut off, and being also under the eye and absolute control of
the driver.
The nature of the said apparatus as constructed according to my invention is as
follows:-
A cylinder or other vessel of convenient form and size is suitably placed in a corner
of the cab, or other suitable place so as to be under the drivers eye and within his
reach, said cylinder or vessel being preferably divided into two chambers situate one
above the other. The lower chamber which contains the oil or lubricant is provided
at the bottom with a valve seat, having connection through a condenser with a
steam-pipe leading from the boiler, and closed by a valve on the end of a rod which
passes through the top of said chamber and is provided with a shoulder so that
when raised the aperture through which it passes is rendered oil tight. Within the
upper chamber is a spring of convenient form which bears upon the end of this
rod, and under ordinary circumstances holds the valve on the extremity thereof down
upon its seat against the steam pressure which is always striving to lift said valve
the pressure of this spring being readily adjusted with a touch of the drivers hand by
a quick pitched screw cover or other suitable contrivance fitted to the top of the upper
chamber and bearing on said spring.
In order to render the apparatus automatic a diaphragm, or a piston fitting in
a cylinder, or other suitable contrivance is internosed between the spring and the

page_text: top of the valve rod, the space between this diaphragm and the top of the lower
or oil chamber being connected with a passage leading to the cylinders or steam
chest of the engine.
When steam is turned on the pressure will act upon the diaphragm or piston as
the case may be and relieve the valve rod from the pressure of the spring, the steam
pressure from the boiler then forces the water from the condenser up underneath the
oil in the lower chamber, which oil escapes therefrom through an outlet passage at
the top and is permitted by means of a suitable cock to pass into and drop through
the centre of a glass tube the lower extremity of which is in connection with a
passage or passages which conducts the oil to the cylinders and other working parts
of the engine the driver being able to see at a glance and regulate as desired the
rate at which the oil is passing. The instant steam is shut off the lifting pressure
on the diaphragm is relieved and the spring returns the valve to its original closed
position again.
When the engine is running down an incline and no lifting pressure is exerted on
said diaphragm by reason of the steam being shut off, the driver may if he desires
cause the apparatus to operate by giving a slight turn to the quick pitched screw
cover of the upper chamber, which bears upon the spring, thus relieving the
pressure of said spring upon the valve and permitting said valve to be raised by the
steam pressure from the boiler, as above described, a slight turn of the cover in
the opposite direction causing the spring to close the valve again.
1000

page_text: Improvements in Lubricating Locomotive and other Engines.
I WILLIAM STROUDLEY of Bosvigo, Preston Park, Brighton in the County of Sussex,
Locomotive and Carriage Superintendent to the London Brighton and South Coast
Railway Company, London Bridge 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 relates to improvements in lubricating the slide valves, pistons, and
the various parts exposed to the action of steam or air in Locomotive and other
engines, such lubrication being effected by the positive action of steam direct from
the boiler and the apparatus employed being so constructed and arranged as to
operate automatically when steam is turned on or at the driver's pleasure when the
engine is running down inclines with the steam shut off and being also under the eye
and absolute control of the driver. The apparatus employed consists of a cylinder
or vessel of convenient form and size suitably fixed in the corner of the cab or other
convenient place where it will be under the driver's eye and within his reach. This
cylinder or vessel contains a chamber for the oil or lubricant provided with a valve
seat which communicates with a pipe having connection through a water cooler or
condenser with a steam pipe leading from the boiler. This valve seat is closed by
a valve upon the end of a rod the other extremity of which passes through the
top of the oil chamber and is provided with a shoulder so that when raised (upon
the valve being lifted) the aperture through which it passes is rendered oil tight. A
spring bears upon the valve rod and under ordinary circumstances holds the valve down
upon its seat against the steam pressure from the boiler which is always striving to
lift the valve; the pressure of the spring being regulated as desired with a touch of
the drivers hand by means of a quick pitch screw cover fitting the top of the cylinder
or vessel and bearing upon the spring.
In order to render the apparatus automatic a disc or diaphragm (or a piston fitting
within a cylinder) is interposed between the top of the valve rod and the spring, the
action of the spring being transmitted to the valve rod through this disc or diaphragm
(or piston as the case may be) which closes a space in communication with a pipe
leading to the cylinders or steam chest of the engine.
Upon steam being turned on, the steam from the cylinders or steam chest will
rush into and fill the space closed by the disc or diaphragm (or piston) and force it
upwards thus relieving the valve rod from the pressure of the spring when the steam
pressure from the boiler will raise the valve and force the water from the condenser
into the oil chamber beneath the oil therein, the oil escaping through an outlet passage
at the top and being permitted by means of a suitable cock to drop through a
nozzle situate within a glass tube communicating with a passage or passages which
conducts the oil to the slide valves, pistons, and other working parts of the

page_text: engine, the glass tube permitting the driver to see at a glance and regulate by
means of the cock the rate at which the oil is passing. The instant steam is
shut off the lifting pressure on the diaphragm is relieved and the spring closes the
valve again.
When running down inclines and no lifting pressure is exerted upon the disc or
diaphragm by reason of the steam being shut off the driver may if he desires cause
the apparatus to act by giving a slight turn to the quick pitch screw cover thus
relieving the pressure of the spring upon the valve and permitting the steam pressure
from the boiler to lift such valve as above described, a slight turn of the cover in the
opposite direction closing the valve again.
In the accompanying drawings similar letters indicate corresponding parts in all the
figures.
Figure 1 of the drawings is a side view in vertical section of the apparatus.
Figure 2 is a plan thereof.
Figure 3 is a front elevation.
Figure 4 shews the apparatus in position attached to the cab of a locomotive
engine.
A is the cylinder or vessel provided with lugs B for attachment to the cab or other
convenient part of the engine. C is a horizontal partition, dividing the cylinder A
into two chambers D and E. The lower chamber E serves as the container for the
oil or lubricant and is provided at the bottom with a valve seat F communicating with
a pipe G having connection through a water cooler or condenser H (see figure 4)
with a steam pipe leading from the boiler. This valve seat is closed by a valve I on
the end of the rod K the other extremity of which passes through an opening in the
partition C into the upper chamber D and is furnished with a shoulder L so that
when the valve is lifted the opening in the partition will be closed oiltight and
prevent any oil from entering the upper chamber. The steam pressure from the
boiler is always striving to lift the valve 1 and under ordinary circumstances this
lifting pressure is resisted and the valve maintained closed by the spring M which
exerts a constant downward pressure upon the valve I. N is a horizontal dise or
diaphragm resting upon the top of the valve rod and extending across the upper
chamber D and having a steam space O beneath. The action of the spring is here
shewn as transmitted to the valve rod and valve I through the disc or diaphragm
by means of the disc P and rod Q sliding in the guide R. S is a pipe leading from
the cylinders or steam chest of the engine the upper part of which consists of a glass
tube T. U is a passage connecting the steam pipe S with the steam space O beneath
the disc or diaphragm N. W is the outlet for the oil which flows from thence to the
nozzle X situate within the glass tube T the cock Y serving to regulate the flow of
the oil. The oil drops from the nozzle down the centre of the glass tube into the
pipe S and from thence passes along branch pipes leading to the piston and slide
valves and other working parts of the engine, the pipe S serving for the double
purpose of conveying steam to the space O beneath the disc or diaphragm N and
transmitting the lubricant to the passages leading to the various working parts of
the engine, Z is a quick pitch screw cover closing the chamber D and bearing upon
the spring M; this cover is provided with a convenient handle a and its object is to
relieve the pressure of the spring upon the valve I when required. b is a tap com-
municating with the interior of the chamber E and furnished with a cup c for filling
said chamber with the lubricant employed, and d is a tap also communicating with the
interior of the chamber E for drawing off the water accumulated in the chamber
after the oil has been expelled. e is a spring for assisting the steam pressure from
the boiler to lift the valve I.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-
The water from the condenser H is forced by the steam pressure from the boiler up
the pipe G and is always striving to lift the valve I from its seat. This effort is
however resisted and the valve maintained closed upon its seat by the pressure of the
spring M. The instant however that steam is turned on the steam from the
cylinders or steam chest (as the case may be) will rush up the pipe S and through

page_text: the passage U into the space O beneath the disc or diaphragm N and force the
diaphragm upwards thus diminishing the pressure of the spring M upon the valve I
and permitting the water from the condenser H (under the positive action of direct
steam pressure from the boiler) to lift the valve and pass into the chamber E beneath
the oil which escapes through the outlet passage Ŵ and drops from the nozzle X
down the centre of the glass tube T thus permitting the driver to see at a glance the
rate at which the oil is passing its flow being regulated by means of the cock Y.
The oil is finally conveyed by passages branching off from the tube S to the pistons,
slide valves, and other working parts of the engine exposed to the action of steam
or air.
Should it be desired to lubricate the engine when the steam is shut off as for
example when running down inclines this may be instantly effected with a touch of
the driver's hand by slightly unscrewing the quick pitched screw cover Z which
relieves the pressure of the spring M upon the valve I and permits it to be raised by
the steam pressure from the boiler whilst upon screwing the cover down again the valve
will be caused to return to its original closed position.
Although I have illustrated the automatic action of the apparatus as being
effected by means of a diaphragm (which arrangement I prefer) it will be obvious
that a disc or piston sliding within a cylinder would answer for the purpose.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1. The improvements in lubricating locomotive and other engines consisting in
effecting the fubrication by means of a lubricator conveniently placed within the driver's
sight and reach, the oil in which is expelled by the positive action of steam direct
from the boiler substantially in the manner specified.
2. The improvements in lubricating locomotive and other engines consisting in
effecting the lubrication by means of a lubricator conveniently placed within the
driver's sight and reach the oil in which is automatically caused to be expelled by the
positive action of steam direct from the boiler, the instant steam is turned on,
substantially in the manner specified.
3. The improvements in lubricating locomotive and other engines consisting in
effecting the lubrication by means of a lubricator conveniently placed within the
driver's sight and reach, in which are combined an oil chamber provided with a
valve maintained closed against the positive action of the steam pressure direct from
the boiler by a spring, a diaphragm or disc in connection with said valve and a
screw cover bearing upon the spring substantially in the manner and for the purpose
specified.
4. For the purpose of lubricating locomotive and other engines the combination
with a cylinder or other vessel containing an oil chamber having a valve
normally maintained closed by a spring against the positive action of steam pressure
direct from the boiler of a screw cover bearing upon said spring substantially as
specified.
5. For the purpose of lubricating locomotive and other engines the combination
with the cylinder or vessel A, containing the oil chamber E, of the valve seat F,
valve I, valve rod K, diaphragm or disc Ñ, spring M and screw cover Z substantially
in the inanner specified and illustrated by the drawings.
6. For the purpose of lubricating locomotive and other engines the combination
with a cylinder or vessel A containing an oil chamber E, provided with a valve I
and valve seat F, and spring M of a disc or diaphragm N closing a space O com-
municating by a suitable passage U with a pipe S leading from the cylinders or steam
chest of the engine substantially as specified and illustrated.
7. For the purpose of lubricating locomotive and other engines the combination
with an oil chamber E, of a valve seat F, pipe G, and water cooler or condenser H
substantially in the manner specified and illustrated.

page_text: 8. For the purpose of lubricating locomotive and other engines the combination
with the cylinder or vessel A containing the oil chamber E provided with a valve
seat and valve maintained closed by the spring M, of the screw cover Z substantially
as and for the purpose specified.
9. For the purpose of lubricating locomotive and other engines the combination
with the oil chamber E provided with an oil outlet W of the cock Y nozzle X and
glass tube T arranged and disposed substantially as specified and illustrated.
Dated the 20th day of November 1888.