Improvements in or relating to Lubricators.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 13th June, 1895-Accepted, 17th Aug.,
1895
Improvements in or relating to Lubricators.
A communication from GUSTAV JOSEPH DECHENNE. Engineer, of Seraing-sur-
Meuse, in the Kingdom of Belgium.
I ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex,
Chartered Patent Agent 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 apparatus is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein
Figure 1 is a general perspective view thereof.
Figures 2 and 3 are elevations of the same at right angles to each other partly
in section, and
Figures 4 and 5 are sectional views of details of the apparatus hereinafter
particularly referred to.
Like letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.
The apparatus is composed of a cylinder A inside which works a piston B with a
packing possessing qualities similar to those of the Bramah leather or cup joint,
that is to say, that it expands automatically under the influence of pressure, and
that on the other hand, it can be regulated and adjusted by means of a set screw C
which unites the disc D to the piston B thus compressing or releasing or permitting
the expansion of the indiarubber or other material E forming the packing to
prevent any loss or waste by leakage of the lubricating material.
The piston B is pushed by a cam F so shaped that each equal angular displace-
ment of the cam gives rise to a uniform and equal rise in height of the piston. The
piston consequently moves with the same constant and regular speed, whatever
peripheral point of the cam may be the actuating origin of its motion.
It is to be remarked that the piston is absolutely independent of the cam i.e. is
not in any way connected therewith. This has for its object to ensure a freer
motion, and to allow the piston to be pushed down again, by an external pressure
whenever the apparatus being empty, it becomes necessary to renew the supply of
the lubricant.
The cam F is secured to the shaft G by means of two pins H H preferably of
annealed copper whose cross sectional area is sufficient to enable them to resist the
normal stress of working but which would be severed if the stress were abnormally
increased by any cause whatsoever; in which case the apparatus would remain
uninjured; and this makes the arrangement, practically, a "safety keying."
Keyed to the shaft G is a worm wheel I customarily toothed over only oths
of its periphery. The object of this discontinuance of the teeth is to cause the
apparatus to stop automatically when it is empty. In fact the moment arrives
when the driving worm rotates in a void and ceases, therefore, to exercise any
driving power. This gap K is therefore the cause of throwing the lubricator out
of gear; a little before this occurs, the cam similarly constructed over only 15ths
of its circumference, has quitted the piston. This extremely simple arrangement
prevents all risk of damage or accident from the forgetfulness or negligence of the
engineer.
The driving worm Jis keyed on the shaft L which also carries keyed on its
outer end a ratchet wheel M actuated by the alternate reciprocation of a set of

page_text: driving pawls N N which may be indefinite in number or consist of only a single
one. These pawls are carried by the lever Q (of any cross section) and pivot upon
the pin P.
The object of having a set of pawls is as follows;-
With a single pawl only, the ratchet wheel must necessarily be moved over the
full interval of a single whole tooth and nothing less; whereas with two pawls it
may be advanced to the distance of one half of a tooth with three pawls, to the
distance of one third of a tooth, and so on; which is tantamount to causing the
variation of the amplitude of the are described by the lever O in such manner that.
the conditions are exactly such as would arise if the ratchet wheel had twice,
thrice etc. the number of teeth. That is exactly the same thing, with the same
results as if the wheel I had twice, thrice or times the number of teeth. To this
end the lever O is provided with a suitable series of holes, or a sliding connection
intended to regulate connection between the oscillating lever O and the actuating
part effecting the same.
In the preceding description the apparatus.is practically complete and may suffice
for engines or machines to be lubricated with grease of a certain consistency or with
oil for the same working at ordinary speeds.
For high-speed engines and machines, as well as for those working at very low
speeds, only employed in out of the way places or little frequented or difficult of
access, one may double the number of the working parts as in the dotted portion
of Figure 2 wherein another worm-wheel J is mounted on the shaft L carrying
the first worm J and is in its turn driven by an endless screw R itself carried on
the end of the shaft S which latter is driven by lever, pawls and ratchet wheel
which in this case are shifted and fixed to the supplementary sleeve or socket T.
As accessories, however, there is a safety-cock 'W, when the lubricant is to be
delivered into a fluid motor; and a pipe terminating in a non-return valve or
cock Z which allows of the interception of the fluid on its way into the cylinder A
of the lubricator.
When it is a question of lubrication for a shaft, there is neither safety-cock, nor
stop-cock; the lubricating material is delivered directly to the point between the
shaft and bearing at which the friction is the maximum.
In order to put the lubricator in working order the lubricating material is
introduced by the aperture U into the cylinder A and afterwards under the
pressure of the pistou A is driven out of the cylinder by the outlet V.
If through forgetfulness or neglect the safety-cock W were left closed no
inconvenience would result, the passages being so arranged that the grease would
simply fall back into the recessed top of the lubricator.
This cock W also serves to control and to measure and gange the lubricant, in
fact, far better than the ordinary sight-tubes which are of little or no use for this
purpose.
For twin-lubricators all that is needed is to properly proportion the respective
organs.
In case it should be desirable at any time to increase momentarily the supply of
the lubricating material, it would suffice simply to turn by hand the ratchet-
wheel M, which is attained by means of the knob or handle X secured to that
wheel.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is ;-
1. The apparatus as a whole as constituted in accordance with the preceding
description and notably the employment of the cam of the geared screw-wheel with
its solution of continuity in the teeth ensuring automatic stoppage of the expansion
piston of the "safety-key" the driving method by one or more pawls of the
cylinder with its reservoir in the upper part and of the safety controlling cock the
whole intended for the purposes described.

page_text: 2. In a lubricator the employment of a "safety-keying" substantially as and for
the purpose described.
3. In a lubricator the employment of a mutilated wheel such as I substantially
as and for the purpose described.
4. The lubricator substantially as and for the purpose described and illustrated
in Figures 12 and 3 of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 13th day of June 1895.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.