A New or Improved Apparatus for Lubricating Heavy Bearings or Journals.
Year: 1896

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Apparatus for Lubricating Heavy Bearings or
Journals.
I, JAMES LUMB, of Perseverance Brass Works, Elland, in the County of York,
Engineer and Brassfounder do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to new machinery or apparatus for lubricating heavy
revolving or rubbing surfaces.
The present method adopted for lubricating heavy bearings or journals such as
the footsteps of a vertical shaft or the bearings of a fly wheel or the crank shaft of
an engine or the bearings of other revolving shafts or other surfaces has been to
apply the lubricant at the most accessible part of the journal and then allow the
said lubricant to work its own way between the rolling or rubbing surfaces. In
many cases the lubricant fails to get in sufficient quantities to the parts where it is
most required in consequence of the great pressure or weight of the parts on that
portion of the journal or bearing requiring it.
The object of my invention is to force or inject the lubricant between those parts
of the journal or bearing which are subject to the greatest pressure and this I effect
by the use of one or more force pumps.
In carrying out my invention I employ one or more force pumps with one or
more rams or plungers constructed practically on the principle of hydraulic pumps.
The framework of the apparatus is made hollow and forms a tank or vessel for
containing the lubricant, and it is conveyed therefrom by means of the pump
through hydraulic tubing direct to the journal or bearing to be lubricated. The
bush of the bearing, or, in the case of an upright shaft, the bottom of the footstep
is made to receive the end of the feed pipe and around the entrance in the bearing
I form a well or recess giving a superficial area sufficient that pressure of the pump
will be able to force or inject the lubricant under the shaft or other rolling or
rubbing surface and so slightly lift the said shaft froin the bearing whereby the
lubricant will pass between the surfaces permitting the lubricant to be freely
distributed and this separation of the rolling or rubbing parts is continuous so long
as the bearings are working. The apparatus is preferably fixed below the parts to
be lubricated so that the lubricant which is passed through the journal or bearing
can be conveyed back into the tank to be re-used again, thus the lubricant is
continuously circulating.
In the upper part of the tank I fix a sieve or filter through which the lubricant
passes before it enters the pumps a second time.
For receiving sediment from the lubricant I may employ a chamber at the
bottom of which is a quantity of water and oil floating on the top of the said
water, but grit or other heavy matter in the lubricant will gravitate therefrom into
the water in the chamber, which grit and heavy bodies are removed when thought
desirable by opening an outlet tap.

page_text: In some cases where the apparatus cannot be fixed below the parts to be
lubricated, I may use an auxiliary pump of ordinary construction to pump the
lubricant into the tank.
Dated this with dox of Mar 1906
TASKER & CROSSLEY,
Patent Agents,
Halifax, Agents for Applicant.
A New or Improved Apparatus for Lubricating Heavy Bearings or
Journals.
I, JAMES LUMB, of Perseverance Brass Works, Elland, in the County of York,
Engineer and Brassfounder, 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 :-
My invention relates to a new means or method of lubricating heavy revolving
or rubbing or rolling surfaces, and to improvements in machinery employed
therefor.
The present method adopted for lubricating heavy bearings or journals such as
the footsteps of a vertical shaft or the bearings of a fly wheel shaft or the crank
shaft of an engine or the bearings of other revolving shafts or other moving
surfaces has been to apply the lubricant at the most accessible part of the journal
and then allow the said lubricant to work its own way between the rolling or
rubbing surfaces. In many cases the lubricant fails to get in sufficient quantities
to the parts where it is most required in consequence of the great pressure or
weight of the parts on that portion of the journal or bearing requiring it.
The object of my invention is to force or inject a continuous (and not inter-
mittent) supply of lubricant or other liquid between those parts of the journal or
bearing which are subject to the greatest pressure, and this I effect automatically
by the use of a series of force pumps with or without accumulators or other
sources of pressure having sufficient power as to force the revolving or moving
surfaces apart so that the lubricant or liquid can get freely to the parts
requiring it.
In carrying out my invention I employ a series of force pumps with one or more
rams or plungers constructed practically on the principle of hydraulic rams.
A portion of the framework of the apparatus is made hollow and forms a tank or
vessel for coutaining the lubricant or liquid and it is conveyed therefrom by means
of the pumps through hydraulic tubing direct to the journal or bearing to be
lubricated.
Such being the nature and object of my invention, I will now proceed to
describe the same more fully, and for that purpose make reference to the
accompanying sheets of drawings which illustrate a horizontal shaft lubricated
according to my invention, but the apparatus I employ is equally applicable for
lubricating the footsteps of vertical shafts or other forms of apparatus requiring
lubricating whether they be rolling or rubbing surfaces.
Fig. 1 illustrates one method of carrying out my invention which primarily
consists in the use of a number of force pumps, Fig. 3 is an enlarged elevation
partly in section, Fig. 4 is an end view of same partly in section, and Fig. 5 is
plan view of some of the inner parts.
1 represents the force pumps, connected by links 2 to eccentrics 3 mounted upon
the shaft 4 driven by spur wheel 5 and pinion 6 and driving pulley 7. The oil,

page_text: lubricant or other suitable liquid to be used is placed into the chamber 8 which
for the sake of convenience forms part of the framework of the machine. The
lubricant passes through perforated nozzles 9 through the aperture or opening 10
into the cylinder of the rams 1. The rams in their downward motion force the
lubricant or liquid in such a manner as to open valve 11, such said liquid being
forced through pipes 12 and 13 up the vertical pipe 14 when it enters through a
small opening 15 in the footstep 16, a plan of which is shewn in Fig. 2. The
innerside of the footstep is recessed or cut away as shewn at 17 in Fig. 2, so that
the lubricant can spread and therefore obtain greater power so as to slightly elevate
or lift and separate the revolving disc 18 from the said footstep 16 thus permitting
the lubricant to be freely distributed, and this separation of the rolling or rubbing
parts is continuous so long as the pumps are at work. The nozzles 9 are connected
to short boxes or chambers 19 which have also within them valves 20 which are
opened by the suction of the ram or pump 1. In order to regulate the quantity
of oil which is forced to the shafting or rolling surfaces, I employ a valve 21 which
can be raised and lowered to regulate the quantity of lubricant passing through
the pipes 12 and 13. The superfluous oil or liquid which is injected to the
shafting 18 falls into one or more dishes 22 and is conveyed therefrom by pipe 23
back again to the machine, but before doing so, it falls into sieves 24, see Fig. 4,
passing therefrom to the oil or liquid represented at 25 but in the bottom of the
chamber 8 1 place a quantity of water 26. The oil flows on the top of this water,
but grit or other heavy matter which drops through the sieves 24 or which may be
found in the oil will gravitate into the water which grit and heavy bodies are
afterwards removed by opening taps 27 at the bottom of the said chamber.
provide against accidents or breakages of the parts through the lubricant not being
injected through pipes 12 and 13 when the pumps are at work, I provide an escape-
ment or relief valve shewn at 28 adjusted to a given pressure so that should any
impediment arise to prevent the pumps forcing lubricant or liquid to the shafting
the said pumps would force the lubricant or liquid through pipe 29 and through
valve 28 and up pipe 30 into the sieve 24 or oil chamber consequently it is obvious
that no breakages could thus occur as the oil or liquid will simply be circulating
from the chamber 8 and through the pipe 29. In combination with the force
pumps I may employ an accumulator placed in any suitable position between the
pumps and the parts to be lubricated, this arrangement may be provided with a storage
vessel supplied with liquid under pressure from the pumps. When the storage
vessel is fully charged with liquid, the pumps may remain idle, weights or springs
on the top of the ram of the accumulator will exert sufficient pressure as to force
the liquid and separate the bearings, it therefore follows that as the pressure of
liquid is continuous the separation of the bearings will be continuous and so will
the supply of liquid. The valve 21 for regulating the supply of liquid would
be employed as already described. When the storage vessel becomes empty or
nearly so the pumps can be re-started for the purpose of again supplying the
said storage vessel.
To
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I am aware that
lubricant or liquid has been injected (on to shafts or into cylinders of steam
engines) by springs or by a single acting pump or ram, but springs are uncertain
and unequal in pressure because on their tension becoming reduced the pressure
thereof is also reduced, and when using single acting pumps the injection of liquid
is necessarily intermittent, and in neither case have they exerted sufficient force as
to separate the revolving or moving surfaces which is a primary object of my
invention, therefore what I claim is :-
Firstly. The employment of a series of pumps or equivalents, for forcing
lubricant or liquid to shafts or rolling or bearing surfaces of machinery with
sufficient power as to separate the rolling or moving surfaces from their bearings

page_text: for the better distribution of lubricant or liquid and thereby maintain a continuous
lubrication of the parts, all arranged and operating in the manner described.
Secondly. The employment of a series of pumps or equivalents in combination
with an accumulator for forcing the lubricant or liquid with sufficient power as to
separate the rolling or moving surfaces from their bearings for the better distribution
of lubricant or liquid and thereby maintain a continuous lubrication of the parts,
all arranged and operating in the manner described.
Thirdly. For lubricating the bearings of heavy machinery the formation of wells
or recesses 17 in the footstep as shewn in Fig. 2 so as to enlarge or increase the
power or pressure of lubricant when used in combination with pumps as herein
described and illustrated.
Lastly. The general arrangement, combination and construction of parts con-
sisting of force pumps or equivalent means, oil or liquid tanks, inlet pipes, together
with return and relief valves with or without accumulators all employed for
lubricating the surfaces of machinery, arranged substantially as herein described
and illustrated in the drawings.
Dated this 13th day of February 1897.
TASKER & CROSSLEY,
Halifax, Patent Agents.