IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR LUBRICATING THE CYLINDERS AND VALVES OF STEAM ENGINES
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR LUBRICATING THE CYLINDERS AND VALVES OF STEAM
ENGINES." A communication from abroad by Andrew Langdon Harrison,
of the City of Bristol, in the County of Hartford, State of Connecticut, United
States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Melville Clark
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 30th March 1880.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR LUBRICATING THE
CYLINDERS AND VALVES OF STEAM ENGINES." [A communication from abroad by
Andrew Langdon Harrison, of the City of Bristol, in the County of Hartford,
State of Connecticut, United States of America.]
These improvements relate to apparatus for lubricating the cylinders and valves
of steam engines, wherein the lubricating material is forced out of a reservoir by
pressure in regulated quantities to effect an automatic supply.
According to this Invention I make use of a chamber for containing oil fitted
with a flexible diaphragm, beneath which diaphragm the pressure is applied to
raise the same and force the oil out, the flow being regulated by a cock, and the
oil passing through a transparent chamber which permits observation of the
quantity passing. The diaphragm is balanced by the steam pressure, and the force
to expel the oil is obtained by atmospheric pressure obtained by the use of a
vacuum chamber, or by the use of a water column. The oil chamber is filled by
the exhaust action beneath the diaphragm obtained by connecting to the exhaust
of the engine, or by the vacuum chamber before mentioned.
The oil and pressure chamber is formed by two concavo discs which are bolted
together upon a flanged ring. The flexible diaphragms are clamped by the discs,
and are separated by the flange of the ring, so that there is a space between them.
A single diapragm might be used, but I prefer two with the space between them
filled with glycerine or other non-freezing liquid, such material, while elastic, forming
a solid partition between the diaphragms which prevents unequal stretching, and
equalises the pressure upon the diaphragms. The diaphragms are of indiarubber or
other suitable material, and the space between them is to be filled through openings
in the ring, which openings will usually be closed by screw plugs. A tube is

page_text: screwed to the underside of the chamber, and through a packing nut in said tube
passes a rod, the inner end of which is rigidly connected to the centre of the
diaphragms by means of clamping washers with a thimble intervening between the
diaphragms, and to the outer end of the rod is secured a loop, by which the rod
can be moved by hand to draw the diaphragms to the bottom of the chamber. On
the lower end of the tube is screwed a short cylinder, having its lower end open,
and upon the rod is a disc or head which fits closely in the cylinder, and is provided
with a cup leather or metallic packing to render it air tight.
At the upper side of the oil reservoir or chamber is a projection, to which is
attached the oil cup, and also a tube for the discharge of oil from the chamber.
The cup and tube communicate with the chamber by separate passages fitted with
cocks to cut off communication between the chamber and the cup or tube. Upon
the upper end of this tube is secured a chamber, having sides of glass or other
transparent inaterial, and in the bottom is a small opening communicating with
the tube, and in the top an opening to a tube, and coupling to which is to be
connected the pipe that leads to the parts to be lubricated. This chamber is to be
filled with glycerine. Pipes fitted with cocks are connected to the underside of
reservoir, 50 as to have communication separately to the space beneath the
diaphragms, the one pipe being connected to the exhaust of the engine, when the
lubricator is used in connection with condensing engines, and the other connected
to the steam pipe from the boiler.
These pipes are connected by elbows with vertical pipes that pass through a
bracket, to which the flanged ring of the reservoir is rigidly connected, and they are
fitted with union couplings for connection to the exhaust and steam pipes
respectively. This connection permits attachment of the lubricator to the engine
or to a wall as desired. There is also a second exhaust pipe that opens into the
tube and cylinder at the bottom of the reservoir, fitted with a pipe for connection
with the exhaust of the engine, and provided with a two way cock for closing and
opening the connection between the cylinder and the exhaust and the outer air.
To charge the reservoir with oil, the oil is first poured in the cup, and its cock
opened to allow the oil to enter the reservoir, and the cock in the pipe leading to
the exhaust also opened, so that the space beneath diaphragm may be exhausted,
and the diaphragm thereby drawn down, and the oil drawn into the chamber.
The twoway cock will at the same time be open to cut off the exhaust pipe and
open the cylinder to the outer air. The chamber being thus filled, the cocks are
closed, and the two way cock turned to connect the exhaust pipe with the cylinder,
and the cock on the steam pipe opened to admit steam beneath the diaphragms.
The diaphragms are balanced by the steam pressure, and the cylinder being
exhausted above the head therein, the atmospheric pressure beneath said head forces
the rod and diaphragms upward, and the oil is forced into the glycerine chamber in
drops at more or less frequent intervals, or in a continuous stream, the flow being
regulated by the cock. The oil passes up through the glycerine to the tube at the
top of the chamber, from whence it flows to the cylinder of the engine. With high
pressure engines, instead of using the exhaust cylinder and atmospheric pressure
to forco the oil out, I make use of a column of water which acts by gravity to
overcome the steam balance on the diaphragm, and force out the oil.
A check valve is seated in the pipe leading from the oil reservoir to the glycerino
chamber, which closes when the reservoir is being filled, and prevents back flow by
suction in case the cock is open. The reservoir may also be filled by drawing
down the rod by hand. The glycerino vessel being of glass and filled with a
transparent material, the amount of oil passing may be seen and the flow regulated
as desired. Glycerine in the said vessel is better than water, for the reasons that
it will not freeze or become discolored by the oil, and may be used a long time
without requiring renewal, while water loses its transparency by discoloration, and
must be frequently renewed.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Alexander Melville Clark in the Great Soal Patent Office on the 30th
September 1880.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR LUBRICATING THE
CYLINDERS AND VALVES OF STEAM ENGINES." A communication from abroad by
Andrew Langdon Harrison, of the City of Bristol, in the County of Hartford,
State of Connecticut, United States of America.
These improvements relate to apparatus for lubricating the cylinders and valves
of steam engines wherein the lubricating material is forced out of a reservoir by
pressure in regulated quantities to effect an automatic supply. I make use of a
chamber for containing oil fitted with a flexible diaphragm, beneath which
diaphragm the pressure is applied to raise the same and force the oil out, the flow
being regulated by a cock, and the oil passing through a transparent chamber,
which permits observation of the quantity passing. The diaphragm is balanced by
the steam-pressure, and the force to expel tho oil is obtained by atmospheric
pressure obtained by the use of a vacuum-chamber, or by the use of a water-column.
The oil-chamber is filled by the exhaust action beneath the diaphragm, obtained by
connecting to the exhaust of the engine, or by the vacuum-chamber before inentioned.
The Invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combination,
whereby the operation is rendered uniform and reliable, which features will be
described in connection with the accompanying Drawings, and pointed out in the
claims.
In the Drawings Figure 1 is a vertical section of the lubricator; Figure 2 is a
side elevation of the same; Figure 3 is a sectional plan view on line x, x. Similar
letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.
The oil and pressure chamber A is formed by the two concave discs a, a, which
are bolted together upon a flanged ring b. The flexible diaphragms c, c, are clamped
by discs a, and are separated by the flange of ring b, so that there is a space
between them. A single diaphragm might be used, but I prefer two, as shown,
with the space between them filled with glycerine or other non-freezing liquid, such
material, while elastic, forming a solid partition between the diaphragms, which
prevents unequal stretching, and equalizes the pressure upon the diaphragms.
The
diaphragms are of india rubber or other suitable material, and the space between
them is to be filled through openings a' in ring b, which openings will usually be
closed by screw plugs. At the under side of chamber A is screwed a tube d.
Through a packing-nut d¹ in tube & passes a rod e, the inner end of which is
rigidly connected to the centro of diaphragms c, by means of clamping-washers,
with a thimble intervening between the diaphragms, and to the outer end of rod e
is secured a loop e', by which the rod can be moved by hand to draw the
diaphragms to the bottom of chamber A. On the lower end of tube d is screwed a
short cylinder f, having its lower end open, and upon rod e is a disc or head g
which fits closely in f, and is provided with a cup leather or metallic packing, to
render it air tight. At the upper side of the chamber A is a projection, to which is
attached the oil cup or receptacle h, and also the tube i for the discharge of oil
from chamber A. The cup h and tube i communicate with the chamber A by
separate passages that are fitted with cocks h' and ' respectively, whereby they
may be closed, and communication from chamber A to cup h or tube i cut off.
Upon the upper end of the tube i is secured the chamber k, the sides of which are
made of glass or other transparent material. In the bottom of & is a small opening
communicating with tube i, and in the top of k is an opening to a tube ¹, and
coupling to which is to be connected the pipe that leads to the parts to be lubricated.
The chamberk is to be filled with glycerine.

page_text: To the under side of chamber A the pipes l, m, aro connected so as to have
communication separately to the space beneath the diaphragms c, and are fitted
with cocks n, o. The pipe is to be connected to the exhaust of the engine when
the lubricator is used in connection with condensing engines, and the pipe m is to
be connected to the steam-pipe from the boiler. I have shown the pipes l, m,
connected by elbows with vertical pipes ', m³, that pass through the bracket p, to
which the flanged ring b of chamber A is rigidly connected. The pipes l', m³, are
fitted with union couplings for connection to the exhaust and steam pipes. This
connection permits attachment of the lubricator to the engine or to a wall, as
desired, by screws passed through the bracket p, and the parts will be firmly
sustained by the bracket. There is also a second exhaust-pipe r that opens into
tube d and cylinder f, and is fitted with a pipe for connection with the exhaust
of the engine. In pipe r is a two-way cocks for closing connection between the
cylinder and piper, and opening connection between cylinder fand the outer air
through piper, or vice versa.
To charge the reservoir A with oil, the oil is first poured in the cup h, the cock
opened to allow the oil to enter A, and the cock n also opened, so that the space
beneath the diaphragm may be exhausted by pipe l, the diaphragm c drawn down
thereby, and the oil drawn into A The two-way cock will at the same time bo
open to cut off the exhaust pipe 7, and open the cylinder f to the outer air. The
reservoir A being thus filled, the cocks h, n, are to be closed, and 8 turned to
connect the exhaust pipe ↑ with the cylinder f, and the cock o opened to admit
steam by pipe m beneath the diaphragms. The diaphragms are balanced by the
steam-pressure, and the cylinder being exhausted above the head g, the atmospheric
pressure beneath g forces the rod e and diaphragm c upward, and the oil is forced
through pipe i into tho glycerine-chamber in drops at more or less frequent
intervals, or in a continuous stream, the flow being regulated by cock it. The oil
passes up through the glycerine to tube k, from whence it flows to the cylinder.
With high-pressure engines, instead of using the exhaust-cylinder f and
atmospheric pressure to force the oil out, I make use of a column of water in the
pipe m, which acts by gravity to overcome the steam balance on the diaphragm c,
and force out the oil. In the pipe i is seated a check-valve t, which closes when
the reservoir A is being filled, and prevents back flow by suction, in case cock i¹ is
open. Tho reservoir may also be filled by drawing down rode by hand. The
vessel k being of glass, and filled with a transparent material, the amount of oil
passing may be seen, and the flow regulated as desired. Glycerine in the said
vessel is better than water, for the reasons that it will not freeze or become
discolored by the oil, and may be used a long time without requiring renewal,
while water loses its transparency by discoloration, and must be frequently
renewed.
Having described the nature of the said Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I would observe, I am aware that it is not new, broadly, to feed oil to a
journal by means of hydrostatic pressure, but what I claim as the Invention to be
protected by the herein before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
1st. In lubricators for steam-engines, the oil reservoir A divided by a single or
double flexible diaphragm c, having an outlet at its upper side to the parts to be
lubricated, and fitted at its under side with connections for a steam or water
column pipe, substantially as described and shown, and for the purpose set forth.
2nd. In lubricators for steam-engines, the combination with oil-reservoir and
pressure chamber A and its diaphragm c, of the rod c connected to diaphragm c,
and provided at its outer end with the hand-loop c¹, substantially as and for the
purposes set forth.
3rd. In lubricators for steam-engines, the combination with the oil-reservoir A,
having a flexible diaphragm c, and connecting beneath the diaphragm with the
engine-exhaust of the cup h, cock h, and inlet passage, substantially as and for the {
purposes specified.
4th. In lubricators for steam-engines, the combination with the oil and pressure

page_text: chamber A, balanced diaphragm c, and rod e, of the exhaust chamber or cylinder f,
head g, and exhaust-pipe r, substantially as and for the purposes described.
5th. In lubricators for steam-engines, wherein the oil passes through a transparent
vessel containing a liquid, the use of glycerine in such transparent vessel, substan-
tially as and for the purposes set forth.
6th. In a lubricator for steam-engines, the combination with an oil reservoir,
having a diaphragm balanced by steam pressure, of a vacuum chamber, whereby
atmospheric pressure is obtained upon the diaphragm to feed the oil to the cylinder
or other parts to be lubricated, substantially as described and shown.
7th. In lubricators, the combination with the oil and pressure chamber A, of the
diaphragm c, c, separated by an intervening space that is filled with glycerine or
similar material, as and for the purposes specified.
8th. In lubricators, the oil and pressure chamber A formed of two concave discs a
attached to the flanged ring b, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
9th. The combination with the oil-reservoir A, and its attached parts, of the
brucket p connected to the ring b of the reservoir A, and sustaining the steam and
exhaust-pipes, as shown and described.
10th. As a means for connecting the cylinder f to the oil-reservoir A, the tubo d
screwed to A, formed with a screw for cylinder f, and surrounding the packing-nut
of the piston-rod, as described and shown.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty ninth day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty.