Improvements in the Method of and Apparatus for Supplying Lubricant to Steam Engines and other Machinery.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Aug., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 18th Mar., 1890-Accepted, 19th Apr., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Method of and Apparatus for Supplying
Lubricant to Steam Engines and other Machinery.
1, WALTER LEES of Prospect Mill, Sowerby Bridge, Yorkshire, Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to means to be employed for supplying lubricant to the
various parts of steam engines or other machinery requiring to be lubricated. Hitherto
separate and self contained lubricators have been connected to different parts of an
engine; for instance, it is customary to connect one or two lubricators to the cylinder,
and also separate lubricators to the slide valves, but as the steam at these several places
is unequal in pressure, each lubricator has been differently adjusted to suit the varving
pressures of steam.
The object of my invention is to provide one large lubricator, placed in any con-
venient position warm enough to dissolve or keep the lubricant in a liquid condition,
and from a compression chamber or accumulator in such lubricator, branch pipes are
connected, the opposite ends of which are attached to the parts requiring to be
lubricated, and if necessary a glass tube, or what is commonly called a sight feed,"
may be attached to the said branch pipes so that the lubricant can be seen as it is
injected through the said glass tube.
::
In carrying out my invention I employ a vessel of suitable size containing lubricant,
and within the said vessel is a force pump operated by a crank or other means, which
pump forces the lubricant through any suitably arranged valve, from which it passes
into a receiver or compression chamber also fixed within the oil vessel, such said
branch pipes being connected to the said receiver or accumulator so that the lubricant
is forced out of the receiver or accumulator though the branch pipes to the parts
requiring to be lubricated, but in order to obtain the necessary pressure against the
steam, the receiver or accumulator is provided with a piston for the purpose of
regulating the pressure of the lubricant in the vessel to a pressure greater than the
pressure of steam at any of the parts in the engine to which the branch pipes are in
communication, so that the pressure of the steam can be overcome, care being taken
that such pressure is greater than the steam at any of the parts so that if the greater
pressure is overcome it follows that the lesser pressures are likewise overcome.
pressure on the piston is obtained by a spiral spring and an adjustable screw, or
the pressure may be obtained by a lever and weight or a dead weight, as will be well
understood. The receiver or accumulator is provided with an overflow, to allow the
lubricant to escape when the piston is at its highest point.
The
By employing a compression or accumulator chamber, the lubricant is in a state of
compression between the receiver and the sight feeds; and by employing one large
tallow cup with the compression or accumulator chamber as herein described, with
branch pipes to the parts being lubricated, very little attention is required on the part
of the workman, as he only needs to see that the large oil cup is supplied with
lubricant, and if need be the oil cups may be continuously fed by means of a pipe
from any ordinary oil cistern.
Dated this 1st day of August 1889.
TASKER & CROSSLEY,
Halifax, Agents.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Method of and Apparatus for Supplying
Lubricant to Steam Engines and other Machinery.
I. WALTER LEES, of Prospect Mill, Sowerby Bridge, Yorkshire, 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:
This invention has reference to means to be employed for supplying lubricant to
the various parts of steam engines or other machinery requiring to be lubricated.
Hitherto separate and self-contained lubricators have been connected to different parts
of an engine, for instance, it is customary to connect one or two lubricators to the
cylinder, and also seperate lubricators to the slide valves, but as the steam at these
several places is unequal in pressure, each lubricator has been differently adjusted to
suit the varying pressures of steam.
The object of my invention is to provide one large lubricator, placed in any con-
venient position warm enough to dissolve or keep the lubricant in a liquid condition;
and from a compression or accumulator chamber in such lubricator one or more
branch pipes are connected, the opposite ends of which are attached to the parts
requiring to be lubricated, and if necessary a glass tube, or what is commonly called
sight feed," may be attached to the said branch pipes so that the lubricant can be
seen as it is injected through the said glass tube.
6
In carrying out my invention I employ a vessel of suitable size containing lubricant,
and within the said vessel is a force pump operated by a crank or other means, which
pump forces the lubricant through any suitably arranged valve, from which it passes
into a compression or accumulator chamber also within the oil vessel, such said branch
pipes being connected to the said compression or accumulator chamber so that the
lubricant is forced out of the said accumulator through the branch pipes to the parts
requiring to be lubricated, but in order to obtain the necessary pressure against the
steam, the accumulator is provided with a piston, kept under pressure by an adjustable
spring, for the purpose of regulating the pressure of the lubricant in the accumulator
to a pressure greater than the pressure of steam at any of the parts in the engine to
which the branch pipes are in communication, so that the pressure of the steam can
be overcome, care being taken that such pressure is greater than the steam at any of
the parts so that if the greater pressure is overcome it follows that the lesser pressures
are likewise overcome. The pressure on the piston is obtained by a spiral spring and
an adjustable screw, or the pressure may be obtained by a lever and weight or a dead
weight, as will be well understood. The compression or accumulator chamber is
provided with an overflow, to allow the lubricant to escape when the piston is at its
highest point.
In order that my invention may be better understood, I will now make reference to
the accompaning sheet of drawings illustrative thereof, wherein Fig. 1 is vertical
section of my improved form of apparatus for feeding or supplying lubricant to one
or more parts of a steam engine. My improved apparatus comprises an outer case or
vessel A, which may or may not be provided with a cover or lid. Within the said
vessel A is a compression or accumulator chamber or cylinder B having a piston C
and piston rod D passing through a guide or steading part E. In communication
with the accumulator cylinder B is a force pump F operated by connecting rod G,
crank arm H, lever I, and rod J, the latter receiving a reciprocatory motion from a
convenient part of the engine, or from other sources.
The lubricant is ejected or
forced from the compression chamber K formed at the bottom of the cylinder B by
the piston C, which lubricant is forced up the pipe L from whence it may pass to one
or more cylinders or steam chests of an engine, as the Drawing illustrates. The
letter M indicates any suitable form of sight feed for the purpose of shewing that the
lubricant is passing to the parts requiring to be lubricated, but if necessary these

page_text: sight feed lubricators may be dispensed with and the pipes L attached direct to the
various cylinders and steam chests.
The modus operandi is as follows:-The lubricant is first of all poured into the
sieve N for the purpose of filling or charging the outer vessel A. On the pump F
being put in motion the lubricant enters therein through the aperture a, the pressure
of the pump forcing the said lubricant through the valve b, whereby it enters the
compression chamber K, and if there were no back pressure of steam to contend
against, the lubricant would pass direct to the parts requiring to be lubricated; but
there is such steam, and of various pressure, between the low pressure cylinder and
high pressure cylinder and also in the low and high pressure steam chests, it follows
that the lubricant must be in a state of compression greater than the back pressure of
steam in any of the parts just enumerated. In order therefore to overcome the
pressure of steam at the point where it is greatest, I place onto the piston rod a
spiral spring O situated above the piston Cand underneath the regulating guide
screw E, which spring is employed for the purpose of forcing the piston C down
upon the lubricant lodging in the compression chamber K, therefore when the ram in
the force pump F is at its lowest position the pressure in the chamber K is greatest,
and it is at this time that the pressure of the steam is overcome and lubricant injected
onto the parts. As soon, however, as the ram in the force pump is raised to its
highest position, the pressure in the compression chamber is removed, but at the next
downward movement of the ram in the pump, the pressure is again renewed, and this
goes on so long as the pump is at work, the spiral spring O being sufficiently strong
to overcome the pressure of the steam. An adjustable collar c is placed on the piston
rod D so as to regulate the pressure of the spiral spring O. The cylinder B is provided
with an overflow at to allow the lubricant to escape when the piston is at its highest
point.
By employing a compression or accumulator chamber, together with a spiral spring
as herein described, the lubricant is in a state of compression between the accumulator
and the sight feeds, and by employing one large oil cistern very little attention is
required on the part of the workman, as he only needs to see that the large cistern A
is supplied with lubricant, and if need be the cistern A may be continuously fed by
means of a pipe from any oil cistern.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what I
claim is:-
The improved apparatus comprising vessel A, accumulator cylinder B, piston C,
and pump
F in combination with spring O, compression chamber K and feed pipe L
for supplying two or more cylinders or steam chests at one and the same time, all
arranged substantially as herein shewn and described.
Deted thi.
day of
TASKER & CROSSLEY,
Commercial Street, Halifax, Agents.