IMPROVEMENTS IN BEARINGS
Year: 1884

page_text: I GUSTAF DE LAVAL Doctor of Philosophy of Stockholm in the Kingdom of
Sweden do hereby declare the nature of my said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
BEARINGS," to be as follows:-
This invention relates to certain improvements in bearings for effecting a new
mode or method of lubrication of shafts and axles revolving with very high velocity
and has for its object to allow of such rate of velocity being carried consider.bly
above that bitherto attainable.
The difficulty well known to practical engineers of securing a satisfactory
lubrication of shafts or axles revolving at a very high rate of speed results from the
centrifugal power taking effect at the circumference of such shafts or axles by
which power the lubricating matter is thrown back and consequently prevented
from reaching all supporting parts of the corresponding bearing.
According to the present invention this centrifugal power of the revolving shaft
or axle, is applied for sucking or drawing the lubricating matter into the supporting
part or parts of the bearing and the higher such rate rises, the more energetically
is the sucking action and the more lubricating matter is passed into and through
the supporting part of the bearing.
The oil or other fatty liquid is brought in contact with a conically shaped or
tapering portion of the shaft (revolving with sufficient speed) and the tendancy is
to cause the lubricant to rise along the shaft from that part having a smaller
diameter up to that part of larger diameter. This tendancy arises from the
centrifugal power which is greater at the circumference of the thicker part of the
shaft than at that part of smaller diameter.
The oil or fatty matter is sucked upward and rises along the shift from its
thinner part to that part of greater diameter.
The construction of the new bearing is such that the oil or lubricating liquid
generally is fed to one or more parts of the shaft or axle of a smaller diameter
than that part or those parts supported by the bearing and also of that part of the
shaft at which the waste lubricating matter is intended to be removed from the
supporting boss. The oil is during the revolution of the shaft or axle sucked into

page_text: the supporting part or parts of the boss and forced or thrown out at the opposite
end.
In some cases the lubricating liquid is fed to the shaft at the centre and not at
one end as before described at which centre point the shaft is of smaller diameter
than at its neighbouring parts and likewise smaller than at the ends where the
shaft leaves the boss.
The action is such that whilst the shaft is revolving at sufficient speed the
lubricating liquid is from the centre point sucked up along the thicker parts of the
shaft and removed out of the boss at its both ends.
WALTER A. BARLOW,
6, St. Paul's Churchyard, E.C.

page_text: I GUSTAF DE LAVAL Doctor of Philosophy Stockholm Sweden do hereby
declare the nature of my said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BEARINGS" 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 a new mode or means of lubrication of shafts and axles
revolving with very high velocity and has for its object to admit of the raising of
such velocity considerably above that hitherto attainable.
The difficulty well known to practical engineers of securing a satisfactory
lubrication of shafts or axles revolving at high surface velocity, results from the
centrifugal power taking into effect at tho circumference of such shafts or axles by
which power the lubricating matter is thrown back and consequently prevented
from reaching all the supporting parts of the corresponding bearing.
According to the present invention this centrifugal power of the revolving shaft
or axle, is applied for sucking the lubricating matter into the supporting part or
parts of the bearing and the higher such velocity rises the more energetically is
the sucking action and the more lubricating matter is brought into and passed
over the supporting parts of the bearing.
It may be observed that oil or other fatty liquid brought in contact with a
conical shaped or tapering shaft revolving with sufficient speed tends to rise along
the shaft from that part having the smaller diameter up to that part of larger
diameter. This tendency arises from the centrifugal power being greater at the
circumference of the thickest part of the shaft than at that part of smaller diameter.
The oil or fatty matter is sucked upward and rises along the shaft from its
thinner part to that part of greater diameter.
The construction of the new bearing is such that the oil or lubricating liquid
generally is fed to one or more parts of the shaft or axle of a smaller diameter than
that part or those parts supported by the bearing and also of that part of the
shaft at which the waste lubricating matter is intended to be removed from the
supporting boss. The oil is during the revolution of the shaft or axle sucked into
the supporting part or parts of the boss and forced or thrown out at the opposite
end.
This invention is illustrated by the accompanying drawing. A designates a
shaft constructed to revolve at a high rate of speed M and M¹ designate supporting
bosses or boxes of brackets the general construction of which can be modified or
altered according to circumstances or as convenient for cach case.
In the bearing M the lubricating liquid is at i fed to the diminished part a of
shaft A. The diameter of the shaft rises successively to that part supported by
the boss and whilst revolving at sufficient speed the liquid is sucked into the
bearing boss, passed through the same and exits at end b of the shaft which part
is of larger diameter than part a.
In the bearing M¹ is shown a modification in which the lubricating liquid is fed
to shaft A not at one end as before described but at the centre part of the boss
at i. At this part the shaft is of smaller diameter a' than at its neighbouring
parts and likewise smaller than at the ends where the shaft leaves the boss.
The action is such that whilst the shaft is revolving at sufficient speed the
lubricating liquid is from point a¹ sucked up along the thicker parts of the shaft
and is removed out of the boss at both ends thereof.
By constructing the boss or brass in a manner so as to overlap the supporting or
bearing part of the shaft as shown by the drawings by narrowing the ends of the

page_text: opening of the boss, some lubricating liquid will be retained in the brass or boss
during the revolution of the shaft even if the feed of lubricating liquid should
accidentally be interrupted for some time.
Having now particularly decribed and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
Firstly. The mode or means of lubricating shafts or axles revolving at a high
rate of speed by the centrifugal action of the revolving shaft in such manner that
the lubricating liquid is fed to a part or parts of the shaft inside the boss having a
smaller diameter than that part or parts of the shaft forming the actual supporting
part or parts substantially for the purpose as herein described and shown by the
diawing.
Secondly. The mode of reducing the openings of the ends of the brass or boss
of a bearing in such a manner that the brass or boss overlaps the bearing or
supporting part of the shaft for the purpose of preventing the lubricating matter
being thrown out of the boss during the revolution of the shaft.
TJOLL
Sn 1001
WALTER A. BARLOW,
Agent for Gustaf de Laval.