An Improved Method of and Means for Lubricating.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Oct., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 8th Aug., 1893-Accepted, 16th Sept., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by GEORGE HAMBRUCH, of 124, Wilhelmstrasse,
Berlin, S.W., in the Empire of Germany, Civil Engineer.]
An Improved Method of and Means for Lubricating.
OSCAR AUGUST BEREND of 61, Fore Street, London E.C. Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:--
The object of this invention is to lubricate automatically a number of bearings
from one central point, thereby saving time & labor. To this end the invention
consists of an air-compresser, lubricators of special construction, the means of
communication between air-compresser & lubricators, & the pressure regulator,
which regulates the pressure of air in a network of thin piping connecting lubricators
& air-compresser.
By using the above details in connection with each other, I am able to lubricate
automatically & perfectly reliably, all the bearings of a plant of machinery from
one central point.
Reference being made to the accompanying diagrams,
Fig. 1. illustrates the air-compresser, consisting of a closed vessel A. with a
tube B. extending upwards from the bottom of A. The tube B. has a funnel shape
In the illustration the
top. Water is supplied to vessel A. through tube B.
supply is taken from tap E.
The tap E. can be turned on or off at will. Now any water flowing into tube B.
compresses the air in A. & forces it through the top opening of vessel A. into the
system of piping D. communicating with the lubricators. The air may however be
compressed by any other means such as an air-pump worked by the main motive
power or any other suitable device.
Figs. 2. & 3. illustrate the lubricators in detail. The same consist of two parts,
the outer cup F. and an inner part G K. placed inside F. Both of these parts are
From the
cylindrical, the former has a bottom to it, the latter a covered top.
centre of the bottom of F. a tube H. projects into F. and is surrounded by another
tube G. fixed to top of G. K. Besides this there is a second wider tube K.
which fits into outer wall of cup F. This latter has a vertical semi-circular
projection I; on the conical top of G. is placed a lid N. A small tube C. in the
top of G. communicates with the system of piping D. The cup F. is screwed on
to bearing by means of M. & is filled with oil through I. The air entering the
chamber I. through C. forces oil from this chamber & causes it to flow through H.
on to bearing.
The piping D. made of either lead or iron has a branch off to each lubricator, &
can be connected with each lubricator by an india-rubber or other tube fastened
to C. The other end of the piping is connected with reservoir A. Fig. 1.
Figs. 4. & 5. illustrate the pressure regulator. The pressure of air in the
lubricators must steadily increase, i.e. when the lubricators are filled with oil, the
pressure is equal to nil; but when the same are empty, then the pressure must be
sufficient to counterbalance a column of oil equal to the distance from lower edge
of G. to upper edge of H. Now as this distance must be the same in all
lubricators, in order that they shall (all) be emptied at one & the same time, there-
fore the lubricators are all the same height; but because some bearings will
require more oil in the same time than others the oil cups are of different
diameters.
The pressure in the lubricators as well as in D. increases for each unit of time
only by a minimum, and this is not to be arrived at by simply turning the tap E.

page_text: besides this the variations in the temperature affect the pressure of air in the
apparata and it is therefore desirable to have a means for annihilating these
inconveniences, & this is effected by the pressure regulator illustrated in Figs. 4.
& 5. The same consists of a vertical tube D. open at one end connected with the
piping D. & dipping with open end into a fluid contained in a glass vessel O. which
is closed at bottom end, but communicates with the atmosphere through the other
end. This vessel is supported by a screw P, which actuated by the disc Q. and by
a clutch, slowly raises the vessel O. thereby causing tube D. to become more &
more immersed. When the lubricators are full this tube D. just touches the level
of fluid but on being emptied the tube D. has become so far immersed as to be
equal to distance from upper edge of tube H. to lower edge of tube G. Fig. 2.
On account of this regulator one can always compress more air than is really
necessary for the maintenance of pressure required, as the superfluous air passes
from tube D. into fluid & thence escapes out of vessel O. By means of this constant
superfluity of air which is forced into the piping D. & is being continually reduced
to the temporarily required pressure, all disturbances caused either by heating of
air in leads & lubricators, or small leakages in same are rendered harmless.
Dated this Seventh day of October 1892.
O. A. BEREND.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Method of and Means for Lubricating.
OSCAR AUGUST BEREND, 61 Fore Street, London, E.C. Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement :-
same is to be
The object of this invention is to lubricate automatically a number of bearings
from one central point, thereby saving time and labor.
To this end the invention consists of an air-compressor, lubricators of special
construction, the means of communication between air compressor and lubricators,
and the pressure regulator, which regulates the pressure of air in a net-work of thin
piping connecting lubricators and air compressor.
By using the above details in connection with each other, I am able to lubricate
automatically and perfectly reliably, all the bearings of a single machine or a com-
bination of machinery from one central point.
Reference being made to the diagrams accompanying the Provisional Specifi-
cation:
Fig. 1 illustrates the air compressor, consisting of a closed vessel a with a tube b
extending upwards from the bottom of a. The tube has a funnel shape top.
Water is supplied to vessel a through tube b. In the illustration the supply is
taken from tap e. The tape can be turned on or off at will.. Now any water
flowing into tube b compresses the air in a and forces it through the top opening of
vessel a into the system of piping d communicating with the lubricators. The air
may however, be compressed by any other means, such as an air pump worked by
the main motive power or other suitable device.
Figs. 2 & 3 illustrate the lubricators in detail. The same consist of two parts,
the outer cup and an inner gk placed inside f. Both of these parts are cylindrical,
the former has a bottom to it, the latter a covered top. From the centre of the
bottom of a tube h projects into fand is surrounded by another tube g fixed to
top of gk. Besides this there is a second wider tube k which fits into outer wall of
cup This latter has a vertical semi-circular projection ; on the conical top of g
is placed a lid n. The tube g is fitted with a conical top spreading out upwards so
that by removing the lid n the ascent of the oil to the tube h may be watched. A
small tube c in the top of g communicates with the system of piping d. The cup f
is screwed on to the bearing by means of m and is filled with oil through i. The

page_text: air entering the chamber i through c forces oil from this chamber and causes it to
flow through on to bearing. The piping d made of either lead or iron or other
suitable material has a branch off to each lubricator, and can be connected to each
lubricator by an indiarubber or other tube fastened to c. The other end of the
piping is connected with reservoir a. Fig. 1.
a
Figs. 4 & 5 illustrate the pressure regulator. The pressure of air in the
lubricators must steadily increase, i.e. when the lubricators are filled with oil, the
pressure is equal to nil; but when the same are empty, then the pressure must be
sufficient to counterbalance a column of oil equal to the distance from lower edge
of g to upper edge of h. Now, as this distance must be the same in all lubricators,
in order that they shall (all) be emptied at one and the same time, therefore the
lubricators are all the same height; but because some bearings will require more
oil in the same time than others the oil cups are of different diameters.
The pressure in the lubricators as well as in d increases for each unit of time
only by minimum, and this is not to be arrived at by simply turning the tap e
besides this the variations in the temperature affect the pressure of air in the
apparatus, and it is therefore desirable to have a means for annihilating these
inconveniences, and this is effected by the pressure regulator illustrated in Figs. 4
& 5. The same consists of a vertical tube d. open at one end connected with the
piping d. and dipping with open end into a fluid contained in a glass vessel 0, which
is closed at bottom end, but communicates with the atmosphere through the other
end. This vessel is supported by a screw p. which actuated by the disc q and by a
clutch, slowly raises the vessel o, thereby causing tube d. to become more and more
immersed. When the lubricators are full this tube d. just touches the level of fluid
but on being emptied the tube d. has become so far immersed as to be equal to
distance from upper edge of tube h. to lower edge of tube g, Fig. 2.
On account of this regulator one can always compress more air than is really
necessary for the maintenance of pressure required, as the superfluous air passes
from tube d. into the fluid and thence escapes out of vessel o. By means of this
constant superfluity of air, which is forced into the piping d and is being continually
reduced to the temporarily required pressure, all disturbances caused either by
heating of air in leads and lubricators, or small leakages in same are rendered
harmless.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same to be performed, 1 declare that what I
claim is :-
1. An arrangement for lubricating bearings at different places at one time from
one central spot comprising separate lubricators on each bearing whence the oil is
expelled on to the bearings by means of compressed air, the compressed air being
adjusted in pressure to correspond with the increased pressure required as the
lubricators are emptied, an arrangement at the central spot for producing the
compressed air either by means of a fluid, or mechanically driven air pump; and
in connection with the lubricators and the source of compressed air, pipes to convey
the compressed air from the compressor to the lubricators substantially as shewn
and described.
2. In the combination described in Claim 1, a lubricator made either solid or in
parts, from the top of which an open tube g projects below the surface of the oil,
inside which tube another tube his so arranged, that when compressed air is
introduced into the lubricator the oil in g rises and flows away through h.
3. A lubricator as described in Claim 2 consisting of an external cylindrical case
fitted with the tube h screwed on to the bearing, a cap k provided with an inner
tube 9 surrounding the tube, and an outer tube k fitting inside the outer case f
thus hermetically sealing the oil within the lubricator, forming the outer case ƒ with
projecting lip to facilitate the filling of the lubricator, and spreading out the
upper part of the inner tube g conically so that the ascent of the oil to the top of
tube h may be watched,

page_text: 4. In the combination described in Claim 1, an air compressor for production of
the compressed air under an increasing pressure consisting of two vessels a & b
connected together, one of which (a) contains the air for compression, whilst a fluid
is introduced into the other (6) which is open at the top, this fluid forcing its way
into a compresses the air therein and forces it into the air tubes.
5. A pressure regulator to control the gradually increasing pressure in the air
tubes consisting of a vertical tube d connected to the air tubes, and open at the
bottom, the open end dipping into a fluid, and which can be adjusted therein to
correspond with the increased pressure required in the lubricators, either by
hand or by means of machinery to allow air to escape from the open end of the
tube whenever the pressure of air exceeds that then requisite for working the
lubricators.
Dated this Eleventh day of July 1893.
OSCAR AUGUST BEREND.