Improvements in a Combined Brush, Brush-holder, and Lubricator for Dynamo Electric Machines.
Year: 1891

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in a Combined Brush, Brush-holder, and Lubricator
for Dynamo Electric Machines.
TOM SUTCLIFFE of 19 Kings Road Finsbury Park, London, Middlesex,
Engineer and EDWARD HAROLD ATKINSON of Marshfield Road Goole, Yorks.
Electrician 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 :-
In the operation of magneto, dynamo, and motor electric machines, sparking is
very generally produced at each set of commutator brushes as they pass from one
bar of the commutator to another. Apart altogether from the ascribed cause of this
phenomenon as being the manifestation of certain resultant electrical effects which
it is here unnecessary to specify much sparking and consequent waste of both com-
mutator and brushes is due to defective mechanical appliances. Any spark denotes
waste of energy which being converted into heat injures the face of the com-
mutator and the brushes which bear thereon. The face of the commutator once
abraded requires that the brushes shall press more heavily in order that they may
make as perfect contact as possible with the commutator. The increase of pressure
with which the brushes bear on the commutator proportionately increases
mechanical friction which together with the sparking always resulting from
imperfect contact considerably augment the heating of the commutator and brush
tips the which again, in addition to directly causing undue wear and tear, aggra-
vates further sparking.
The object therefore of this invention is to supply means whereby the sparking
of these machines shall be reduced to the minimum.
In order that our invention may be better understood we now proceed to describe
the same in relation to the drawing hereunto annexed reference being had to the
letters marked thereon.
Fig. 1. shows the general appearance as viewed from a point in alignment with
the axis of the commutator and it portrays the more prominent features which
characterize our invention.
Our invention consists of a reservoir A. to contain any lubricant and constructed
in one with the brush-holder B, so that by placing and attaching the aforesaid
parts a clasp C will be formed, whereby the device shall be attached to and sup-
ported by the bar provided for that purpose. We are aware that a lubricator for
such electrical appliances has been used whose feed is due solely to capillary
attraction. We conduct the lubricant from the reservoir A either by cause of the
attraction of gravity or by invoking the aid of capillary attraction in addition to
the attraction of gravity through several small and practically parallel channels D
and through any channel E to the surface of the brush F the tip of which smears
the lubricant over the face of the commutator. The channel E may, if desired,
hold any fibrous material such that this fibrous material may touch the surface of
the brush as before mentioned at F; or this fibrous material may be made of
sufficient length that it will although in contact and combination with the brush
surface F, touch the commutator in connection with and jointly with the brush
tip of which it practically is part; or fourthly and lastly we may modify the
channels D, and E, to allow the lubricant to pass into and among and filter through
the substance of the brush by the tip of which the lubricant is smeared over the
face of the commutator.
In order to regulate the flow of the lubricant we apply a compress G, con-
veniently regulated by a set-screw H, thumbscrew and spring or any device for
the same purpose by which the size of the orifice through which the lubricant

page_text: leaves the receptacle may be altered in order that the feed of lubricant may be
regulated or checked at will.
1. represents a finger which is permanently attached to the supporting bar. The
said fixed finger is the medium through which all springs, screws, and other
appliances, which are designed and intended to operate in order that the brush
shall fulfil its proper functions with regard to the commutator are mechanically
operated, such springs, screws or similar appliances which engage with the finger I
are represented in the drawings by letters N and O. L is a catch which when
the brush is pressed from off the commutator engages with the upper fork of
letter I.
With regard to the means of actuation and the many devices such as springs
screws and the like whereby any efficient brush is caused to be thus efficient we
use any mechanical device and in any manner in which such device may be legiti-
mately operated to render efficient our combination both as a lubricator, a brush,
and a brush-holder.
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 :-
Firstly In a magneto, dynamo, or motor electric machine the modification of
the brush-holder and the addition and structural combination with such modification
of a lubricating device such that the combination shall serve both as lubricator and
brush substantially as here-in-after described.
Secondly-In such machine that by means of a compress of shape assigned by
any necessary shape of the lubricant receptacle the feed of lubricant shall
be checked or regulated by medium of devices substantially as herein-before
described.
Thirdly-The four methods by which the lubricant is passed from the receptacle
to the commutator substantially as here-in-before described.
Fourthly-That neither brush, brush-holder, nor lubricator shall be enabled to
perform its allotted duty unless the structural combination of brush, brush-holder,
and lubricator, is substantially as here-in-before described.
Fifthly The use of set-screw or screws thumb-screw or screws spring or
springs and other appliances to the same purpose whereby our new combination
shall be enabled to perform its specified functions substantially as here-in-before
described.
Dated this 3rd day of October 1891.