Improvements in Means for Lubricating Tub Axles and the like.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Mar., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 7th Dec., 1891-Accepted, 5th Mar., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Means for Lubricating Tub Axles and the like.
We ROBERT BOWMAN, of 110 Shank House, Cramlington, in the County of
Northumberland, Miner, and WILLIAM HAGGERSTONE TELFORD of Hedley
Hope Collieries Tow Law in the County of Durham Mining Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention refers to improvements in means for lubricating tub axles and
the like. To effect our purpose we place near to and on the outside of the tram or
other rail a cylinder or receptacle for lubricant having a pipe or connection passing
therefrom underneath the rail. On the opposite side of the rail a vertical pipe or
connection is fitted with a hollow tube or piston in connection with the lubricant
receptacle, the upper end of the tube being arranged with a cap or bow or segmental
plate intended to be operated by the tub axle.
A spring may be used to keep the cap or bow at the requisite level. Thus when
an axle touches the bow it depresses it and the hollow tube, and a certain quantity
of grease is at the same time caused to adhere to the axle which thus lubricates
the journal.
The head of grease in the receptacle outside the rails thus constantly replenishes
the greasing outlet. One such arrangement may be fitted on either side of the
tramway or one receptacle may be provided with duplex grease supplying pipes and
apparatus to operate both journals of an axle from one side.
When a lighter lubricant than grease is used such as oil a fixed brush or sponge
may be arranged within the hollow tube which may thus be constantly saturated
so that when the axle depresses the bow, the brush shall protrude and thus lubricate
the journals.
Dated this 5th day of March 1891.
A. CRAWHALL CHAPMAN,
3, St. Nicholas Buildings, Newcastle-on-Tyne,
Patent Agent for Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Means for Lubricating Tub Axles and the like.
We ROBERT BOWMAN, of 10 Shank House, Cramlington, in the County of
Northumberland, Miner and WILLIAM HAGGERSTONE TELFORD of Hedley Hope
Collieries Tow Law in the County of Durham Mining Engineer, 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 invention refers to improvements in means for lubricating tub axles and
the like. To effect our purpose we place near to and on the outside of the tram or
other rail a cylinder or receptacle for lubricant having a pipe or connection passing
therefrom underneath the rail.
On the opposite side of the rail a vertical pipe or connection is fitted with a
hollow tube and piston in connection with the lubricant receptacle, the upper end of
the tube being arranged with a cap or bow or segmental plate intended to be
operated by the tub axle.
A spring may be used to keep the cap or bow at the requisite level.
Thus when
an axle touches the bow it depresses it, and the hollow tube, and a certain quantity
of grease is at the same time caused to adhere to the axle which thus lubricates
F

page_text: the journal. The head of grease in the receptacle outside the rails thus constantly
replenishes the greasing outlet.
One such arrangement may be fitted on either side of the tramway or one
receptacle may be provided with duplex grease supplying pipes and apparatus to
operate both journals of an axle from one side.
We will fully describe our invention with reference to the accompanying drawings,
in which the left hand portion of
?"
Figure 1 shows a sectional elevation with the piston and bow hereinafter referred
to in their normal elevated positions, the right hand portion being an elevation
showing the axle c of the wheel w running on rail in the act of being greased with
the bow and piston hereinafter referred to in their lowest or depressed positions.
Figure 2 is a plan view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1 the cylinder nearest
the lubricant reservoir being shown in the extreme left position of its pipe box
while the cylinder furthest therefrom is indicated in dotted lines in the extreme
right position of its pipe box, the cylinder itself and bow being in this case removed
for the purpose of showing a plan view of the pipe box in this condition.
Figure 3 is a cross-section of the pipe box and cylinder,
Figure 4 a side view of the bow and hollow tube, and
Figure 5 a section of the latter.
Like letters indicate like parts throughout the following description.
Referring to the drawings, a is the grease or lubricant receptacle which is
constructed of sufficient height to cause a natural gravitation of the grease towards
the greasing outlet hereinafter referred to, the adhesive properties of common
axle grease being such as to prevent any undue overflow at that point until the axle
journal actuates the apparatus as hereinafter described.
ala are pipes leading from the reservoir to the cylinders a³ at which are provided
as shown with pistons as having hollow rods a terminating in greasing outlets at
the crowns of the bows a'. Each cylinder has portways a thus giving com-
munication between reservoir a and greasing outlets. Springs s, fitted between the
tops of the cylinders and the stops si on the hollow piston rods serve to keep the
bows in the requisite elevated position so that the tub axles may strike and depress
them in passing thereover which has the effect of depressing the pistons within the
cylinders and the displacement thus produced causes a certain quantity of grease
to be ejected from the hollow rods a which finds egress at the greasing outlets
or orifices a just at the moment when the axle journal is passing thereover.
For convenience in adapting the apparatus to different gauges of rail or tramway,
the position of the cylinders a a' may be made adjustable by fitting them in pipe
boxes P with slotted flanges f so that the corresponding slotted flanges f' of the
cylinders may be easily bolted thereto.
The position of a cylinder can thus be easily changed by simply unclamping
the cylinder cover, adjusting its position and reclamping it in the requisite position
in the slot.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is:-
1. For lubricating tub axles and equivalent surfaces the arrangement or com-
bination of parts consisting of a bow or striking surface mounted on one end of a
hollow rod normally maintained in an elevated position by a spring the other end
of the said rod being provided with a piston working in a cylinder, the said cylinder
being in communication with a lubricant reservoir so that the depression of the
bow by an axle journal passing thereover compresses the spring and depresses the
piston within the cylinder which has the effect of causing a portion of the lubricant
to be ejected from the hollow rod and lubricate the journal substantially as herein
set forth.
2. The arrangement or combination of parts for lubricating both journals of an
axle simultaneously by means of the duplex system of bows a', hollow rods a*,

page_text: springs, pistons a³, cylinders a³ a' with ports a³, lubricating pipes a¹ a³ and
reservoir a all arranged and operating substantially as herein described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 5th day of December 1891.
A. CRAWHALL CHAPMAN,
3, St. Nicholas Buildings, Newcastle-on-Tyne, Patent Agent.