IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR LUBRICATING THE AXLES AND BEARINGS OF RAILWAY ENGINES, CARRIAGES, AND WAGONS, AND BEARINGS OF MACHINERY GENERALLY, AND OTHER CONSTRUCTIONS REQUIRING LUBRICATION
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Timothy White, of Landport, Portsmouth, in the County
of Hants, Oil Merchant, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR
APPARATUS FOR LUBRICATING THE AXLES AND BEARINGS OF RAILWAY ENGINES,
CARRIAGES, AND WAGONS, AND BEARINGS OF MACHINERY GENERALLY, AND
OTHER CONSTRUCTIONS REQUIRING LUBRICATION.”
Sealed the 1st November 1878, in pursuance of an Order of the Lord Chancellor,
and dated the 17th April 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Timothy White at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th April 1878.
TIMOTHY WHITE, of Landport, Portsmouth, in the County of Hants, Oil Merchant.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR LUBRICATING THE AXLES AND
BEARINGS OF RAILWAY ENGINES, CARRIAGES, AND WAGONS, AND BEARINGS OF
MACHINERY GENERALLY, AND OTHER CONSTRUCTIONS REQUIRING LUBRICATION."
A floating cylinder or roller of cork, or wood, or metal, or animal, vegetable, or
mineral composition, covered or not covered with other material or substance, and
with or without trunnions. When trunnions are not used other means of adjustment
must be adopted; so as to maintain the cylinder or roller in position in line to and'
in contact with the axle or bearing of the railway engine, carriage, or wagon, or
machinery or construction requiring lubrication.
The float, cylinder, or roller, for railway purposes, floats in the oil in the bottom'
of the box usually used to contain the axle and bearing of the railway engines,
carriages, or wagons, and receive the oil after it has passed from the axle: The float
or cylinder by its: buoyancy maintains a contact with the axle, so that when' the
axle rotates it causes the floating cylinder to revolve in the oil which adheres to it,
and raises the oil, which is then transferred to the axle for lubrication.
Any superabundance of oil applied will be again returned to the oil chamber for
continued re-application; thereby avoiding waste, and making almost exliaustless*
the supply of lubricant.

page_text: Trunnion channels can be cut in the box for adjusting the floats, cylinders, or
rollers, so that they have free action up or down, or rotation. Moveable frames can
be applied to the boxes to adjust the floats, cylinders, or rollers. Also portable oil
chambers can be adapted to the boxes in use on any railway, or should they not
have the under chamber this Patent can be made adaptable to the boxes in use on
any railway.
One or more floats can be applied to one axle, and spheres can be used instead of
cylinders or rollers.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Timothy White in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 6th November
1878.
TIMOTHY WHITE, of Landport, Portsmouth, in the County of Hants, Oil Merchant.
"LUBRICATING FLOATS FOR RAILWAY CARRIAGE AND RAILWAY ENGINE AXLES, AND
FOR BEARINGS OF MACHINES, ENGINES, CARRIAGES, OR WAGONS GENERALLY, AND
OTHER PURPOSES FOR LUBRICATION."
This Invention relates to means of or apparatus for effecting that class of lubri-
cation known as under lubrication.
A floating or buoyant cylinder, or roller or cylinders, or rollers or spheres, hollow
or solid, is or are employed, formed and arranged as herein-after described, of cork,
or wood, or metal, or of animal, vegetable, or mineral composition, covered or not
covered with other material or substance, and with or without trunnions or axes, or
mounted so as to revolve on an axis or axes supported by floats.
If the floats are covered internally or externally it will be for the purpose either
of preventing wear of the surface of the floats, or for facilitating the conveyance of
the lubricant, and also to prevent the absorption of oil within the hollow cylinder
that the buoyancy may be permanently and equally maintained. For instance, if I
make the floats of wood or other soft material I may coat the surface with some
impermeable compound or solution to prevent absorption; or, if hollow, I may line
them for the same purpose with an air-tight cylinder, or otherwise coat their interior
or cover them with fibrous or textile material to facilitate the conduction of the
lubricant. When trunnions are not used other means of adjustment, that is, means
for keeping the floats centrally arranged in position relative to the axle to be
lubricated, may be adopted; and I have herein-after described such means so as to
maintain the cylindrical or roller float or floats in position, and in line to and in
contact with the axle or bearing of the railway engine, carriage, or wagon, or
machinery or construction having a rotary motion and requiring to be lubricated.
The float, cylinder, or roller, for railway purposes, floats in the oil in the bottom,
of the "box" usually used to contain the axle and bearing of the railway engines,
carriages, or wagons, and to receive the oil after it has passed from the axle. The
float or cylinder by its buoyancy maintains a surface contact with the axle, so that

page_text: when the axle rotates it causes the floating cylinder, roller, or spheres to revolve in
the oil which adheres to said floats, and raises the oil, which is then transferred to
the axle or trunnion for purpose of lubrication.
Any superabundance of oil applied will be again returned to the oil chamber for
continued re-application, thereby avoiding waste, and making almost exhaustless
the supply of lubricant.
Trunnion channels or guides can be cut in the box or frame, which I have
designed for purpose of adjusting the floats, cylinders, or rollers, so that they have
free action up or down without weight or counterpoise, and are capable of rotation.
Movable frames can be applied to the boxes to adjust the floats, cylinders, or rollers.
Also portable oil chambers containing the lubricant and floats can be adapted to the
boxes in use on any railway carriage, engine, or bearing; or should they not have
the under chamber this Invention can be readily adjusted and made adaptable to
the lubricant boxes in use on any railway rolling stock.
One or more floats can be applied to one axle, and spheres can be used instead of
cylinders or rollers.
The Invention is also applicable for machines and carriages, and apparatus
generally.
In order that the said Invention may be well understood I have hereunto annexed
a Sheet of Drawings illustrative of some of the purposes to which this Invention
may be applied, and have referred thereto by figures and letters of reference.
Fig. 1 represents a plan view of the under box of the axle bearing of a railway
carriage or wagon showing floating cylinder and adjusting floats.
Fig. 1a, a transverse section of Fig. 1.
: Fig. 2, similar view to that shown in Fig. 1, but with modified arrangement of
the floats.
:
Fig. 3, a longitudinal section of the under box of the axle bearing with a further
modification of the floats.
Figs. 4 and 4 are plan and end views respectively of arrangement of floats and
movable adjusting frame.
Figs. 5 and 5, and 6 and 6ª, and 7 and 7a, are like views of further modifications.
Fig. 8 is a longitudinal section of a bearing for a shaft or trunnion with arrange-
ment of movable boxing for the adjustment of floats and supply of lubricants.
Fig. 8, a transverse section of construction represented in Fig. 8; and 8b is a
similar view to that shown in Fig. 8, but with modified arrangements of floats.
Fig. 9 is a longitudinal section of a railway carriage or wagon axle bearing box
with the movable oil and float chamber in position below the axle to be lubricated.
Fig. 9a is an end or front view of the bearing box shown in Fig. 9.
Fig. 9b is a transverse section, at line a, b, Fig. 9, of bearing box and improved
movable and adjusting float and oil chamber.
Figs. 10 and 10a represent arrangement of guide for raising and adjusting the
movable float and oil chamber to facilitate its application over or under and beyond
projections or projecting parts upon axle or trunnion.
Fig. 11 represents lubricator cylinder float mounted and free to rotate upon an
axis supported on secondary float pieces.
Figs. 12 and 12ª are front and end views respectively, the latter partly in section,
of a modified arrangement of mounted lubricator cylinder or roller with a hanging
web thereon for purpose of raising lubricant.
Like letters refer to similar parts throughout the Drawings.
A represents the under box or bearing; B, the axle shaft or trunnion to be
lubricated; C, C₁, are floats, the surfaces whereof will, by their buoyancy, maintain
a surface contact with the shaft B, said floats being shown variously arranged
throughout the Drawings either as cylinders with rounded ends or as spheres, or the
two in combination; D are frames, which are to be placed in the oil box A, and are
mainly designed for purpose of adapting this Invention to the various "under
boxes" at present in use on different railways, and they will act to adjust the floats
to: keep same.in central position for giving off the oil to the shaft or trunnion to be

page_text: :
:
lubricated on its rotation. The frames D, shown in Figs. 4, 4ª, 5, and 5ª, are open
at their under side, and those shown in Figs. 6, 6, 7, and 7a are formed as a recep-
tacle, therefore I have provided in these latter cases an arrangement of web or
wick D', which is arranged with one end or side thereof dipping into the float
frame D, and the other end whereof dips into the oil reservoir or under box A, and
by capillary attraction the said float frame will be kept replenished with oil for the
floats C, C¹.
At d, Figs. 6 and 7, in the float adjusting frame D is a channel of sufficient depth
to ensure that the proper level of the oil shall not be exceeded.
The float C, shown in Figs. 7 and 7a is a flat floating pad of suitable material,
such as cork, or of hollow structure, and with its contact surface or upper side
covered with fibrous or textile material for purpose of applying the oil to the under
side of shaft B to be lubricated, and which shaft rotates in contact therewith; E are
secondary adjusting floats for the main or lubricating floats C, C₁, and are for pur-
pose of keeping the floats C, C¹, centrally arranged in position relative to the axlel
to be lubricated that is in line therewith.
The floats E are furnished with projecting parts, either as shown in Figs. 1 to 3,
or with the projecting parts at the ends thereof, as shown in Figs. 4 and 4ª, and 6
and 6. The projecting parts of the adjusting floats E, and the rounded ends of
the cylindrical floats, and rounded surfaces of the spheres are for the purpose of
reducing or preventing the attraction of cohesion of the floats to the frames or
adjusters D or E, whereby is afforded increased facility for the rotation of the floats
within the lubricant, and any danger of obstruction to the float's rotation is
avoided.
In Figs. 8 to 10 inclusive, is shown an arrangement of movable adjusting float
and lubricant boxing F.
In the case of a bearing or plummer block, as represented in Figs. 8, 8ª, 8b, the
boxing F slides into a groove or channel in the lower part of the bearing provided
for the reception thereof.
In the case of the bearing represented in Figs. 9 to 10%, the boxing F is provided
with flanged portions F¹ which will work in the guides A¹.
At A2 of the guides, and F2 of the flanges of the box F are provided inclines upon
which the ends F and A³ will ride when the box F is pushed home. Thus on the
introduction of the box F into the guides A¹ at the first part of the time the parts
Fs and As will slide upon each other, and this will allow the back part or rear end
of the box F to pass below the flange 4 of the shaft shown in Figure 9 or other down-
ward projection, but when said end of box F has passed the obstruction which would
otherwise be offered to its introduction, the ends F³ and A³ of the flanges and guides
will come in contact with the inclines A² and F2 respectively, and so raise the box F
properly into position. The locking bolt G or other suitable fastening of the kind
will then be dropped into position and hold the box F securely, and so any liability
of the oil to waste will be avoided and provided against.
The guides E and movable frames D are not required in my adjustable and
movable lubricant boxes F, and flanges, projections, or rims can be cast within
the said boxes, to prevent the cohesion when cylinders are used for floats or
projecting rims, collars or flanges can be affixed to the floating cylinders. Thus
by this arrangement of adjustable boxes, extreme simplicity for examination and
application is obtained and effected by raising the bolt with lip of oil can, and
withdrawing the box with other hand to any desired distances.
In Fig. 11 the lubricator cylinder float C is mounted and free to rotate upon the
axis or trunnion I, which axis or trunnion is supported on secondary float pieces U,
which will float in the lubricant, and increase or add to the buoyancy of the cylin-
der C, and its contact with the axle shaft or trunnion to be lubricated. When the
lubricator cylinders are mounted upon trunnions fitted in the float frames D, before
described, the said float frames will then act to the same end as the secondary float
pieces K.
The floats K, represented in Figs. 12 and 12ª, act for the same purpose as

page_text: those shown in Fig. 11, but a hanging web or continuous band L of fibrous or textile
material is mounted on the flauged cylinder C³, the lower end whereof will dip into
the lubricant, and as the rotation takes place the lubricant will be raised by and
along with the web L from any required depth, to or in contact with the parts to be
lubricated.
If desired, other liquid heavier than oil, but not mixable therewith, or quicksilver,
can be used as counterpoise to raise the secondary floats K and lubricating appliance
to first contact, that is, to increase the height of the oil which will float thereon, and
so assist the application of the lubricant by means of the floats with the part to be
lubricated, and the floating oil on the surface of the heavier liquid will be available
for purpose of lubrication to the last drop.
When quicksilver is used, chambers may be made in the bottom of the under box,
or in the adjustable lubricant box F, and projections on the secondary floats K will
be arranged so as to correspond with and adapted to the said chambers containing
the quicksilver.
Having now described the nature and particulars of my said Invention in such-
wise that the same may be readily carried into practical effect, I claim,-
Firstly. The arrangement and application of lubricating floats C and C, as herein
described, with either the adjusting frames D or adjusting floats E, or frames D and
adjusting floats E together, substantially as and for the purpose herein described,
and shown in Figs. 1 to 7a of the Drawings.
Secondly. The arrangement and application of the frame D, floats C, C', or C², and
supply wicks D', substantially as and for the purpose herein described and shown
in Figs. 6 to 7 of the Drawings.
Thirdly. The movable and adjustable lubricator float and oil box F for the purpose
of application of floats and lubricant, substantially as and for the purpose herein set
fortli, and shown in Figs. 8 to 10% of the Drawings.
Fourthly. The guide flanges and slides of the movable lubricator boxing F and
bearing provided with the inclines A2 and F2, substantially as and for the purpose
herein set forth, and illustrated in Figs. 10 and 100 of the Drawings.
Fifthly. The use or employment of secondary floats K carrying the axis or
trunnion of an under lubricator float, substantially as herein described, and shown
in Figs. 11, 12, and 12ª of the Drawings.
Sixthly. The endless web or band L in combination with an under lubricator,
cylinder, or roller float mounted on an axis or trunnion carried or not upon secondary
floats K, substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth, and as illustrated in
Figs. 12 and 12ª of the Drawings.
Seventhly. In apparatus for under lubrication, the use or employment of quick-
silver as counterpoise for the floats and lubricant.
In witness whereof, I, the said Timothy White, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Fifth day of November, One thousand eight hundred and
seventy-eight.
In the presence of
WALTER A. BARLOW,
Patent Agent and Engineer,
6, St. Paul's Churchyard,
London,
E.C.
TIMOTHY WHITE.