Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 17th June, 1887
Complete Left, 9th Mar., 1888
Complete Accepted, 4th May, 1888
We, WILLIAM JAMES of 8, Lightfoot Street, Chester in the County of Chester and
GEORGE CROWE of 156, Barrel Well, Hill of the same City, Engineers do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is the construction of an automatic lubricator, capable
of feeding solid grease or other plastic lubricant against pressure, and which shall also
possess the advantages of a sight feed lubricator such as is frequently used with fluid
lubricants.
We are aware that lubricators have previously been made with the object of feeding
solid grease and lubricants of a similar nature under pressure, but we are not aware
that any apparatus has hitherto been constructed in which the rate of flow of solid
grease or a similar lubricant can be watched and adjusted by means of a sight feed
device.
The invention consists mainly of a cylinder fitted with a piston, the top end of the
cylinder communicating with the lubricating tube, and the bottom end with the sight
feed. The solid grease or plastic lubricant is placed in the cylinder above the piston,
and the fluid medium enters under pressure, and in a regulated quantity through
the sight feed into the lower end of the cylinder, forcing the piston upwards, which
injects the solid grease in a similar regulated quantity into the lubricating tube.
In carrying out our invention, we construct a cylinder of any suitable size and
provide it with an easy working piston. The top end of the cylinder is closed by a
cover of such a form that it may readily be removed and replaced as required, being
jointed and locked in position by any suitable device. Near the top of the cylinder is

page_text: an opening, which communicates with the lubricating tube, along which the lubricant
is forced to the part to be lubricated. This tube or pipe is fitted with a valve,
preferably a back pressure valve, which is especially useful when the apparatus is
being filled or removed. A stop may be provided above the piston to prevent it
rising beyond the opening into the lubricating pipe. The piston is also fitted with a
vent plug for escape of air when first starting the apparatus.
Opening into the bottom of the cylinder is the sight tube of the sight-feet device,
the inlet to this tube being controlled by a valve of any suitable construction.
Surrounding the cylinder for a great part of its length is an annular chamber or
jacket. Near its upper extremity this chamber communicates by a downward pro-
jecting passage with the sight tube inlet above referred to, whilst near its lower
extremity an upward projecting passage connects it with a three way cock hereinafter
to be described. The bottom of the cylinder is also provided with an escape valve
which opens only from the cylinder to the downward projecting passage above referred
to, but will not open in the opposite direction. The object of this valve will appear
shortly.
The three way cock may he of any ordinary construction. One of its passages is
connected with any convenient source of fluid pressure, preferably condensed steam,
having the steam pressure behind it, and its two other passages communicate, the one
with the upward projecting passage above referred to, and the other with an open
drain tube. In one position the cock will admit the condensed steam from the inlet
pipe to the upward projecting passage, and in the other position it, closes the inlet
pipe, and allows the condensed steam to escape from the said passage into the drain.
The position of the three way cock may be regulated to a nicety, and by this the rate
of feed of the lubricant may be adjusted, though if preferred, it may be adjusted
wholly or partly by the sight tube inlet valves.
When first starting the lubricator we proceed as follows:
Having unlocked and removed the cylinder cover and taken out the vent plug in
the piston, we draw the latter freely out of the cylinder. The sight tube inlet valve
being closed the tube is filled with a transparent fluid, preferably clean water. A
lighter fluid than the previous one, preferably oil, is now poured on top of it until the
cylinder is full to the underside of the lubricating-tube-opening. The piston is
put in and pressed down firmly on the oil, till the latter issues at the vent hole, and
the vent plug is then replaced. The three way cock is so turned as to put the drain
tube in communication with the upward projecting passage, and the piston is pressed
down to the bottom of the cylinder, which causes the oil previously contained therein
to be forced through the escape valve along the downward projecting passage and
over into the annular casing, the air previously contained in the said passage and
chamber being forced out through the upward projecting passage and three-way cock
into the drain tube. The annular chamber and passages are preferably made of such
a total capacity that the oil shall quite or nearly fill them when the piston is at the
bottom of the cylinder. The cylinder is now filled up to the inside of the cover with
the solid grease or other lubricant, and the cover put on, jointed, and locked in
position. The apparatus is now ready for working.
The mode of action is as follows:-
The three way cock is reversed so as to admit the condensed steam under pressure
into the upward projecting passage, which together with the annular casing and
downward passage is now full of oil, and the sight tube inlet valve is opened. The
pressure behind the condensed steam is preferably greater than the back pressure in
the lubricating tube. The condensed steam descending the upward passage into
the annular chamber elevates the oil in said chamber and depresses that in the
downward passage. From this passage the oil finds an exit, through the sight feed
inlet valve into the bottom of the sight tube up which it rises, (the globules being
visible as they pass through the water in the sight tube), and enter the cylinder,
where, having no means of egress it forces up the piston to the extent of its own
volume. The piston in turn injects into the lubricating tube a portion of solid
grease similar in amount to the oil which entered below the piston. This operation is

page_text: repeated until the piston reaches the limit of its upward travel, when the apparatus
ceases to lubricate, as may be seen by the air globules ceasing to rise in the sight tube.
During the action of the apparatus, the oil in the cylinder is prevented from forcing
the escape valve, by reason of the total pressure on its lower side being in excess
of that on its upper side. To recharge the apparatus the three way cock is
reversed, the cover again removed, and the piston pressed inwards, forcing the
condensed steam into the drain tube. The cylinder is refilled with grease, the cover
replaced and locked, the three-way-cock turned to admit condensed steam, and the
action continues as before.
Although our apparatus, as described, is worked by condensed steam under
pressure, we do not confine ourselves to this form of power as other forms of fluid
pressure might be used. Nor do we confine ourselves to water and oil as fluid
mediums, as other fluids might be used, but we prefer water and oil.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool,
Agents for the Applicants.

page_text: Improvements in Lubricators Applicable for Use with Solid Grease
or other Plastic Lubricants.
WILLIAM JAMES, 8 Lightfoot Street, Chester, Engineer, and GEORGE CROWE, 156
Barrel Well, Chester, Engineer 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 :-
The object of this invention is the construction of an automatic lubricator, capable
of feeding solid grease, or other plastic lubricant against pressure, and which shall also
possess the advantages of a sight feed lubricator, such as is frequently used with fluid
lubricants.
We are aware that lubricators have previously been made with the object of feeding
solid grease and lubricants of a similar nature under pressure, but we are not aware
that any apparatus has hitherto been constructed, in which the rate of flow of
solid grease or a similar lubricant can be watched and adjusted by means of a sight
feed device.
Referring to the accompanying drawings figures 1 and 2 are vertical sections on
planes at right angles to each other.
The passage A has attached to it an ordinary three way cock, by which it may be
placed in communication with the source of fluid pressure, preferably condensed
steam by means of the three way cock, the passage A can be placed in communica-
tion with the drain when recharging the cylinder 1 with the lubricant. The fluid
under pressure passes through passage A, into the annular space B, elevating the oil
with which this space has been previously charged, causing the oil to flow down the
passage C, from which it is admitted by valve I, to bottom of glass tube E, which is
filled with clean water, the globules of oil being visible through the slots H, H, as
they pass up the tube E, into cylinder D, causing piston F to advance and force
the lubricant through the passage G, a back pressure valve and pipe being attached to
its outer end for conveying the lubricant to part to be lubricated.
As the oil continues to flow into the cylinder D, the piston will advance until the
handle N meets the cover J, which will be known by the cessation of the oil globules
up the sight tube E.
When first starting the lubricator, we proceed as follows
Having unlocked and removed the cross bar M, and cover J, and unscrewed the
vent plug in the piston F, we draw the latter freely out of the cylinder. The sight
ube inlet valve I being closed, the tube E is filled with a transparent fluid preferably
clean water.
A lighter fluid than the previous one preferably oil, is now poured on top of it, until
the cylinder is full to the under side of the lubricating-tube opening G. The piston F
is put in cylinder D, and pressed down firmly on the oil, until the latter issues at the
vent hole, and the plug N is then screwed down tight. The three way cock at outside

page_text: of passage A is so turned as to place the aforesaid passage in communication with the
drain tube in the above cock, and the piston F is pressed down to the bottom of the
cylinder, which causes the oil previously contained therein, to be forced through the
escape valve P, along the passage C, and into the annular space B, the air previously
contained in the said passage and space being forced out through the upward projecting
passage A, and the three way cock into the drain tube. The annular space B and
passages C, are preferably made of such a capacity combined, that the oil shall quite
or nearly fill them, when the piston F is at the bottom of cylinder D. The cylinder D
is now filled up to the inside of the cover with solid grease or other lubricant, and
the cover M put on, and fastened in position. The apparatus is now ready for
work.
We do not confine ourselves to the use of the automatic discharge valve P, as our
object may be attained by using a tap or valve which may be opened or closed by
hand as required.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is :-
The construction of a sight feed lubricator for feeding solid grease, or lubricants of
a similar nature, substantially as described and illustrated.