An Improved Lubricator for use in connection with Steam Engine Cylinders and Valves.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Dec., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Sept., 1892-Accepted, 8th Oct., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Lubricator for use in connection with Steam Engine
Cylinders and Valves.
I ALEXANDER OBERMEYER of Barmen-Rittershausen, Rhenish Prussia, in the
Empire of Germany, Machine Maker, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
My said invention relates to an improved form of lubricator for giving an
automatic and adjustable supply of lubricant to the cylinder or valve chest at each
stroke or at intervals as desired. I utilise the water of condensation formed in the
lubricator to keep the level of the oil at such a height as will maintain the supply
and by varying the capacity of the chamber to which the steam is admitted 1 thus
vary the amount of condensation water thrown down and consequently vary the
extent of the lift of the oil level and consequently the amount of oil feed. The
lubricator consists of an upper chamber to which the steam is admitted and from
which the oil is drawn, and a lower vessel or bottle preferably of glass in which the
oil supply is kept and into which the condensation water sinks by gravity. The
upper chamber and lower vessel are connected by a screwed and packed connection
and free way exists between the two. The orifice by which the upper chamber is
connected to the cylinder, steam pipe or valve chest is closed by a stopper which
is drilled or channelled at or near its circumference so that a comparatively
restricted communication exists between the chamber and the other side of the
stopper. This stopper may be made one with or fixed to the connecting pipe in
which case the pipe is turned to adjust the stopper or it may be made revolvable
in the pipe so that the hole or channel can be turned so as to give the lowest or
highest or any intermediate level of oil in the chamber. The steam enters the
lubricator through this channel or hole in the stopper and on making its exit
takes with it a proportion of the oil. A portion of the steam is condensed and falls
as water into the bottom oil vessel thus proportionately raising the level of the oil
in the upper chamber. The condensation is limited by the capacity of the upper
chamber and if I turn round the stopper so as to lift the hole or channel this raises
the level of the oil and correspondingly decreases the capacity of the upper
chamber above the oil level, so that I can thus adjust the amount of condensation
and consequently the feed of oil by varying the capacity of the chamber in this
manner. The bottom of the upper chamber is beneath the level of the lowest outlet
for the oil so as to leave a space for deposit. The bottom of the lower vessel
serves the same purpose. The oil vessel can be filled by removing a screw plug in
the top of the cliamber. I might vary the method of adjusting the oil level in the
upper chamber.
Dated this 1st day of December 1891
DUTTON & FULTON,
1, St. James Square, Manchester, Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
0 An Improved Lubricator for use in connection with Steam Engine
Cylinders and Valves.
I ALEXANDER OBERMEYER of Barmen-Rittershausen, Rhenish Prussia, in the
Empire of Germany, Machine Maker, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described
15 and ascertained in and by the following statement and accompanying drawings
:-
My said invention relates to an improved form of lubricator for giving an

page_text: automatic and adjustable supply of lubricant to the cylinder or valve chest, at each
stroke or at intervals as desired.
I utilise the water of condensation formed in the lubricator to keep the level of
oil at such a height as will maintain the supply and by varying the capacity of the
chamber to which the steam. is admitted I thus vary the amount of condensation
water thrown down and consequently vary the extent of the lift of the oil level
and consequently the amount of oil feed. The lubricator consists of an upper
chamber to which the steam is admitted and from which the oil is delivered, and
a lower vessel or bottle preferably of glass in which the oil supply is kept and into
which the condensation water sinks by gravity. The upper chamber and lower
vessel are connected by a screwed and packed connection and free way exists
between the two.
The orifice by which the upper chamber is connected to the cylinder, steam
pipe or valve chest is closed by a plug or stopper which is drilled or channelled at
or near its circumference so that a comparatively restricted communication exists
between the chamber and the other side of the plug. The condensation is limited
by the capacity of the upper chamber and such capacity is varied by turning the
stopper so as to raise or lower the passage in the stopper.
The improved apparatus is represented by the accompanying drawings
in which
Fig. 1 represents a vertical section wherein is the upper chamber d the lower
chamber or oil reservoir and the said plug.
Fig. 2 is a section at ==.
The oil reservoir d is made of glass so as to enable the amount of oil and the
working of the apparatus to be observed. The connection of the reservoir with
the condensing chamber c is effected by means of the screw-nipple m which has a
flange m which will pass through the mouth of the glass. The screw-nipple has a
bore of square or suitable section to enable the nipple to be turned by a key inserted
from above through the condensing chamber. On the flange m' are placed washers
which are bent to enable them to pass through the mouth of the glass reservoir.
Over these washers is laid an asbestos ring y, next to which comes a layer of
cement made of plumbago and glycerine, then a smaller ring g' saturated with the
said cement, and lastly between the glass and the neck of the condensing vessel,
another asbestos ring g².
::
On tightening the screw-nipple m the packing will be firmly pressed together.
The heat of the steam acting upon the cement, will have the effect of " welding
the packing, the glass and the other parts firmly together, thus forming a permanent
hermetically closed joint. This formation of joint may be varied.
For pouring in the oil and inserting the nipple-key the condensing vessel c is
provided with an opening at the top which is closed by means of a screw plugs.
The apparatus is connected with the cylinder, slide valve case, or steam delivery
pipe by means of a pipe a which is attached to the part e by means of a coupling a
in which is fitted a plug b. The said plug has, at a point on its outer surface a
channel or passage o o' through which the steam has access into the condensing
chamber c.
A. portion of the steam condenses in the said chamber and the water
thus produced sinks to the bottom of the oil reservoir d. and in proportion to the
production of this water of condensation the surface of the oil is raised and
accordingly a larger or smaller. quantity of oil passes out to be taken up by the
steam. As the amount of water depends upon the steam capacity of the condensing
chamber C, the larger the space in this chamber above the surface of the oil the
more oil will be delivered in a given time.
.
The said space can be varied by turning the plug so as to alter the position of
the passage o. This is effected by turning the plug so as to raise or lower the
passage o. It will be seen that the steam space may be greatly varied by turning
the plug within the limits of half a complete turn. When the passage o occupies
the lowest position on the line a y, nearly the whole of the interior of the vessel e
serves as condensing space, so that a large quantity of steam will be condensed

page_text: thereby increasing the supply of oil but by turning the passage o in an upward
direction, the condensing space and as a consequence the supply of oil will be
diminished such supply being reduced to its minimum when o has attained to its
highest position on the line ay. The adjustment of the plug can be effected without
removing the lubricator from the pipe a by turning the coupling u.
In order to readily ascertain the setting of the plug or the position of the
passage a scale may be affixed to the tube a or the coupling u an index carried by
the part c indicating on such scale the position of the passage o or, in other words,
the amount of steam space in the vessel c. The plug may be provided with a
spindle extending outside the chamber through a stuffing box, and be adapted to
be turned by means of a handle or a wheel so as to change the position of the
passage o. In such a case the index may be fitted to the axle and show on a
incasured scale the position of the passage.
In order to lessen the shock occasioned by the pulsations of the steam on its
ingress into the condensing chamber, a cavity is filed in the outer surface of the
plug and the steam is conveyed into this cavity through a narrow passage o¹
whilst the larger passage o connects the said space with the condensing chamber c.
The steam proceeding by fits and starts" from the tube a is now, to some extent
checked in its course through o¹ and at whereby the effect of the shock is reduced.
The water of condensation and other accumulation can be drawn off from the
vessel d by means of a tap h. The oil reservoir d might be connected by means
of pipes, or in any suitable manner, with a large oil-tank. The water would then
find its way into the latter and gradually force the oil into the reservoir d.
I do not confine myself to the use of the coupling u or to the exact details so
long as the position of the passage o or o' is varied by turning the plug or the
part in which it is mounted. I am aware that the regulation of the flow of
lubricant by the condensation of steam is not novel.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is.
1) In lubricant supply apparatus controlled by the condensation of steam;
regulating the supply of lubricant by enlarging or contracting the steam con-
densing space by raising or lowering the level of the oil in the said chamber
by raising or lowering the oil ontlet passage substantially as set forth and
indicated.
2) In apparatus of the indicated nature the plug or part having the oil outlet
passage excentrically situated and adapted to be turned so as to raise or lower
such passage substantially as and for the purpose set forth and indicated.
3) The cavity, in the plug b, in connection with a narrow passage for
admitting the steam to the cavity and a wider opening o for conducting the steam
from the said cavity into the condensing vessel c for the purpose set forth.
4) The method of and means for connecting together the metal condensing
chamber and the glass oil reservoir as set forth.
Dated this 1st day of September 1892.
DUTTON & FULTON,
1, St. James Square, Manchester, Agents.