IMPROVEMENTS IN LUBRICATING THE WORKING BEARINGS OF MARINE ENGINES OR OTHER LIKE FRICTIONAL RUBBING SURFACES, AND IN THE MODES AND MEANS OF OR APPARATUS FOR EFFECTING THE SAME."
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Mitchell, of Plantation, near Glasgow, in the County
of Renfrew, North Britain, Engineer, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
LUBRICATING THE WORKING BEARINGS OF MARINE ENGINES OR OTHER LIKE
FRICTIONAL RUBBING SURFACES, AND IN THE MODES AND MEANS OF OR
APPARATUS FOR EFFECTING THE SAME."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Mitchell at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 5th March 1880.
'
JOHN MITCHELL, of Plantation, near Glasgow, in the County of Renfrew, North
Britain, Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN LUBRICATING THE WORKING, BEARINGS OF
MARINE ENGINES OR OTHER LIKE FRICTIONAL RUBBING SURFACES, AND IN THE
MODES AND MEANS OF OR APPARATUS FOR EFFECTING THE SAME."
This said Invention has reference to the application and use of certain improved
lubricating liquids or combinations thereof, and of special new or improved arrange-
ments of fittings for regulating the supply of the said or other lubricants to the
journal bearings of marine engines and other such like working or rubbing frictional
surfaces, which improvements, besides giving great saving or economy in the expense
of lubricants, maintains the said working bearings and surfaces in better working
order, rendering them much less liable to wear, ebrasion, or heating than heretofore,
and consequently most pleasant and almost perfect immunity from the stoppage of
the engines and ship from such causes.
And the nature and novelty of the Invention consist as follows:-First, in the
new or improved use and supplying of two lubricating liquids, namely, any ordinary
lubricating oil and distilled or condensed water, in drops or small regulated quantities
separately to each bearing, so as to be combined or used on the working surfaces
together, and not so used or combined heretofore. The distilled or condensed water
may have a little soap, lye, or soda, or other alkali added thereto to make the distilled
water more soft than it is, though this is found sufficiently so to work or mix well
on the working surfaces with the lubricating oils or liquid greases when so supplied
in this uniform regulated manner, so that they are not supplied in quantity to the
lubricating vessel capable of floating on and separating from each other by their
difference of specific gravity or cohesion.

page_text: And, second, in special new or improved arrangements of fittings for supplying
the said two or other such like lubricating liquids in separate regulated droppings
or small measured quantities that they combine or are led in this regulated manner
to the supply tubes or wicks of the working surfaces so as to be there used, and
lubricate these in a combined manner or together.
These arrangements of fittings consist of a separate supply cistern or vessel for
the different lubricants (preferably placed high enough to flow by gravitation
therefrom), and fitted with separate sets of service pipes or tubes with branches
and controlling regulating taps leading to each bearing on its conducting and
supplying wick cup, filler, or tube, so that both lubricating liquids are supplied
simultaneously in small regulated quantities by the said taps to lubricate each
bearing in a mixed manner or at the same time together. The said regulating
taps are set by the engineman or attendant to supply just sufficient of the respective
lubricating liquids from their respective supply vessels and service tubes as will
keep the bearing surfaces properly lubricated without collecting in the lubricating
fillers, cups, or tubes of the bearing, and thus, as before stated, prevent the separation
and floating of the oil or one lubricating liquid over the other.
Thus the novelty consists in fitting two systems or different sets of supplying
tubes from separate fountain-heads or vessels, and separate branches and taps or
equivalent regulators for supplying small measured or regular quantities of the
different lubricants simultaneously to each bearing; and further, in the use or
supplying of regular small quanties of ordinary lubricating oils and distilled or
condensed steam or water separately, but so as to be used together at the same
time for lubricating the said working bearings of marine engines and other such
like rubbing or wearing working parts.
The regulated proportions I have found to work well of the oils to the distilled
or condensed water is from equal quantities of both to one of oil to two or three of
water.
Although I have not found this necessary, it will be understood that small
quantities of other ingredients heretofore mixed with the lubricating oils may
be still so used when desired, such as sulphur, black-lead, or amalgams used in
the lubrication of bearings.
It will also be understood that where distilled water is not easily obtainable,
that the fresh water used for drinking or rain water may be used with more soap
or lye in it to make it soft and usable for lubricating with the oil, all otherwise
substantially as described in reference to the use of the distilled water.
Although one cistern has been described as used for each lubricant, and its set
of service pipes as sufficient for all the bearings and frictional moving parts of an
.engine, or set of these parts, it will also be understood that small vessels, or one
vessel with a division between them, may be employed at special or large bearings,
such as over each of the crank shaft bearings with separate tubes and regulating
tap for regulating the flow of the oil and the water to the lubricating tubes or
wicks of the bearing.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Mitchell in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 26th August
1880.
JOHN MITCHELL, of Plantation, near Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North
Britain, Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN LUBRICATING THE WORKING BEARINGS OF
MARINE ENGINES OR OTHER LIKE FRICTIONAL RUBBING SURFACES, AND IN THE
MODES AND MEANS OF OR APPARATUS FOR FACILITATING THE SAME.'
"
My said Invention has reference to the application and use of certain improved
lubricating liquids or combinations thereof, and of special new or improved
arrangement of fittings for regulating the supply of the said or other lubricants
to the journal bearings of marine engines, and other such like working or rubbing
frictional surfaces, which improvements, besides giving great saving or economy in
the expense of lubricants, maintain the said working bearings and surfaces in better
working order, rendering them much less liable to wear, abrasion, or heating than
heretofore, and consequently give almost perfect immunity from stoppage of the
engines from such causes.
The Invention consists in the application and use as a lubricant of water mixed
or in combination with oil or other ordinary lubricating liquid or grease, and an
improved apparatus for supplying the new lubricant to the bearings of marine
steam engines, and machinery and other frictional rubbing surfaces.
In carrying out the Invention an ordinary lubricating oil and distilled water or
condensed water is supplied, in drops or small regulated quantities, separately to
each bearing, so as to be combined or used on the working surfaces together. The
distilled or condensed water may have a little soap, lye, or soda, or other alkali added
thereto, to make it softer than it otherwise would be, though this is generally found
sufficiently so to work or mix well on the working surfaces with the lubricating oils or
liquid greases, when supplied on a uniform regulated manner, so long as they are not
supplied in quantity to the lubricating vessel capable of floating on and separating
from each other by their difference of specific gravity or cohesion. The said
lubricating liquids are supplied in separate regulated droppings or small measured
quantities, so that they combine or are led in the regulated manner to the supply
tubes or wicks of the working surfaces, so as to be there used and lubricate these
in a combined manner or together.
And in order that my said Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be
put into effect or practice, may be properly understood, I have hereunto appended
a Sheet of Drawings for that purpose, representing arrangements of my improved
fittings for supplying the new or improved lubricating mixture or liquid to journal
bearings, and to the crank pin of a marine engine, and which I shall now proceed
to describe. In these Drawings the same reference letters are used to mark the
same or like parts where they are shown or repeated.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal elevation, and Figure 2 is a transverso vertical section
of a revolving shaft A working in journal bearing bushes A¹ in a bracket or
plummer block A fitted with my improved construction of oil box or vessel B for
supplying the lubricating liquids in accordance with my Invention; Figure 3 is a
side elevation, and Figure 4 is an end view of the connecting rod C of a marine
engine, showing the crank pin a in section in Figure 4, and as being supplied with
the new lubricating liquids from an oil cup B, into which these liquids are led, as
will be hereinafter described. These arrangements of fittings consist of a separate
supply cistern or vessel B carried by small pillars b over the plummer block, and
divided into two compartments B, B by a longitudinal-or transverse-partition-B³,-
or it might more compartments for the different lubricants, or water and oil,
and fitted with separate sets of service pipes or tubes c, c, with branches c¹, c¹¹, and
1

page_text: preferably baving the branch c¹ from the water compartment B' fitted with a
rose c³, and a controlling or regulating tap c³, the other branch c¹ from the oil
compartment B¹¹ being fed as usual by a wick cl, and both branches joining and
leading to the bearing A, or its conducting and supplying wick cup, filler, or tube D, so
that both lubricating liquids are supplied simultaneously in small regulated quantities
by the said taps c³ to lubricate each bearing A in a mixed manner, or at the same time
together. The said regulating taps are set by the engineman or attendant to
supply just sufficient of one of the lubricating liquids, preferably the water, from
its supply vessel B¹ and service tubes c', in proportion to the supply of oil absorbed
by the wick cl, as will keep the bearing surfaces A, A¹, properly lubricated without
collecting in the lubricating fillers, cups, or tubes D of the bearing, and thus, as
before stated, prevent the separation and floating of the oils, or one lubricating
liquid over the other.
In the application of the improvements to supply the oil cup of a crank pin
bearing, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, the oil is led in the usual way by the tubes c¹¹
from the oil cistern above (not shown in the Drawings) to the cups of the hanging
wicks at el, against which the inner edge of the oil cup D comes in contact at each
revolution of the crank shaft, and removes its supply; and an additional tube is
fitted and led from a small water tank B¹, fitted to the cylinder casing E, or in any
convenient situation above, which is filled periodically with distilled water, or
water from the condenser. A separate water tube c¹ is led from this tank or
cistern B¹ to each connecting rod C with branches c to each side or end of the cross-
head at their upper end, each tube c dropping the water into the wick cup cl, so
that both the oil and water are mixed and removed from the wicks simultaneously
by the cup D, the proportion of water to the oil being regulated as before by a
cock on each water tube c. The two lubricating liquids so mixed in the oil cup D
are led down to and through the crank pin bearing bushes a¹ of the crank pin a by
one, two, or more small tubes d, on each side of the connecting rod C in a manner
similar to that at present in use for supplying the ordinary oils or other lubricants
to such bearings.
For supplying other constructions of stationary or moving bearing or rubbing
surfaces the arrangement of fitting may be slightly modified to suit the particular
circumstances or situations, but in all cases so that a regulated supply of oil and
water in the proportions already mentioned is provided.
Thus the novelty of the Invention consists essentially in fitting two systems or
different sets of supplying tubes from separate fountain-heads or vessels and separate
branches and taps or equivalent regulators for supplying small measured or regular
quantities of the different lubricants simultaneously to each bearing. And, further,
in the use or supplying of regular small quantities of ordinary lubricating oils and
distilled or condensed steam or water separately, but so as to be used together at
the same time for lubricating the said working bearings of marine engines and
other such like rubbing or wearing working parts. The regulated proportions of
the oils to the distilled or condensed water which I have found to work well are from
equal quantities of both to one part of oil and two or three parts of water.
Although I have not found this necessary it will be understood that small
quantities of other ingredients heretofore mixed with the lubricating oils may be
still so used when desired, such as sulphur, black lead, or amalgams used in the
lubrication of bearings. It will also be understood that where distilled water is
not easily obtainable that the fresh water used for drinking or rain water may be
used with more soap or lye in it to make it soft and usable for lubricating with the
oil, all otherwise substantially as described in reference to the use of distilled
water.
Although one cistern has been described as used for each lubricant and its set of
service pipes as sufficient for all the bearings and frictional moving parts of an
engine or set of these parts, it will also be understood that small vessels, or one
vessel with a division between them, may be employed at special or large bearings,
such as over each of the crank shaft bearings, with separate tubes and regulating

page_text: tap for regulating the flow of the oil and the water to the lubricating tubes or
wicks of the bearings.
Having thus particularly described my said Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, I desire it to be understood that I do not
restrict myself to the precise details herein described or delineated, but what I
believe to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to
me by the hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent-
First. The application and use for the bearings of marine engines and other
frictional rubbing surfaces of a new lubricant composed mainly of soft, distilled, or
condensed water in admixture or combination with oils or other ordinary
lubricating liquid or grease, either with or without black lead or other ingredients
of ordinary lubricants, supplied in regulated proportions or quantities of each, all
substantially as and for the purposes herein described in reference to the
accompanying Drawings.
Second. The arrangement and construction of combined oil and water vessel,
tubes, and fittings for simultaneously supplying a regulated proportion of distilled
water and oil or other ordinary lubricating liquid to the oil cups and bearings
of marine engines and other similar frictional or rubbing surfaces, all substantially
as herein described in reference to and shown in the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof,. I, the said John Mitchell, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Eighteenth day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.
Witness,
W. R. M. THOMSON,
Patent Agent,
Glasgow.
JOHN MITCHELL. (L.S.)