Improvements in Oil Cups.
Year: 1892

page_text: Improvements in Oil Cups.
I, JOHN WILLIAM MORGAN, of Belleville, in the County of St. Clair, and
State of Illinois, United States of America, Gentleman, 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:-
My invention relates to apparatus for oiling the bearings of a machine, such as
those of a dynamo, steam-engine, or similar machine.
The object of the invention is to provide greater efficiency and usefulness of the
ordinary oiling process.
The invention is best explained in all its details by reference to the accompanying.
drawings, in which-
Figure is a view in elevation of the complete system applied to the bearings
of the shaft of a dynamo, in which the elements of the dynamo are mostly
omitted.
Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the oil tank, which is shown in elevation in
Fig. 1 near the top of the sheet.
Fig. 3 is an elevation of the oil-cup proper, and which is visible on a very small
scale in Fig. 1 in duplicate.
Fig. 4 is a vertical section of the device seen in Fig. 3. The section is in a plane
perpendicular to the sheet.
Fig. 5 is an end view, and Fig. 6 is a view of the opposite end, while Fig. 7
shows in elevation the inner element of the oil-cup, being the valve carrier.
The oil tank or feeder seen in Fig. 2 consists of the combination of a vessel a,
having a cover band tapering at the lower end where it terminates in a tube c,
that extends upward into the vessel to or above the level at which the tapering
begins, a netting d, stretched across the upper portion of said vessel, a gage
outside of the vessel and connected at its lower point with the inside of the
vessel, an outlet pipe f, provided with a stop-cock g, and other details-namely,
the handle by which the cover may be removed, and the rod by which the
gage is held at its upper end in an upright position. Rods j hold the tube c in
its proper position.
The tank for the oil is carried upon a tube k, having an enlargement / at its
central part, in which the tube c terminates, so that the oil may be fed from the
central portion of the tank or vessel a into the tube k.
The oil-cup consists of the combination of a ring A, having as many holes
radiating from the centre as there are bearings to be fed from it as a centre, the
holes being lettered B, an annular shoulder C on the lower side of the said ring,
in which fits a glass cylinder C, forming the sides of a sight-feed, a nozzle D
screwed upon the pipe E, which leads to the bearing F, the said nozzle carrying a
second shoulder G, within which fits the lower end of the said glass cylinder, a
perforated cylindrical projection H upon said nozzle and fastened to the valve-
holder I, which has a screw J for the purpose, and a valve K, having a handle L
i

page_text: "
and screw M, which screws into the upper end of the valve holder I and through
a nut N, which screws externally upon the upper end of the said valve holder.
Longitudinally through the valve holder is a hole O, extending into the
interior and located in the path of the valve K, so that it may be closed when
the valve is screwed downward. When the oil runs through this hole O, it may
be seen through the glass cylinder C. It may be allowed to run through drop by
drop or in a steady large or small stream. The nut N has an inwardly projecting
shoulder N, which forms a bearing and guide for the upper shank of the valve.
The ring A has an inwardly projecting shoulder A' at the top and A" at the
bottom, whereby a chamber is formed around the valve holder I, which, being
provided with a hole I', allows the oil to pass from said chamber to the said valve
holder and into the same and through the hole O whenever the valve is open. The
oil in the first place enters into the chamber, which is lettered P, by the holes B
in the side of the ring A, or at least the oil coming from one pipe-say, K-enters
into the chamber P; but if there is another pipe, as K', extending from the ring A
some of the oil may pass therein and go to lubricate other bearings at a distant
point. It is shown that the ring A has four holes, one on each side; but it is
evident that the number may be reduced or increased. In Fig. 1 at the left only
one is necessary. In Fig. 1 at the right two are used, while in Fig. 4 two are
shown, and another being supposed to exist on the opposite side.
In the beginning of the operation the operator pours oil into the vessel a, whereby
any dirt is strained by passing through the sieve d. By reason of greater specific
gravity any water in the oil settles to the funnel-shaped portion of the vessel,
where it may be drawn off' through the tube f. The gage e indicates how high the
oil stands in the vessel a. The oil can run out of the tube c and into the chamber I',
and thence into the valve-chamber P, whence it can go to the bearings through
the tube E, whenever the valve K is opened. Some of the oil may pass on through
the tube to other oil-cups and bearings. It should be noticed that the ring A is
so arranged that it can rotate independently of loosening any screws. This feature
has an important function.
The oil-cup is first screwed upon any bearing, and then the ring A can be rotated
until the hole comes in position for the pipe k. In order to be able to turn the
ring the valve holder I is turned, so as to loosen its shoulder I" from pressing upon
and holding the ring. When the latter is adjusted to the required position, the
shoulder is caused to come again against the ring and the said ring is thereby
held in a fixed position. Thereby the ring is adjustable to any position.
By the system hereinbefore described any number of bearings on any number of
machines may be oiled without the necessity of a man carrying around an
oil-can.
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. An oil-cup consisting of the combination of a valve holder provided with .a
chamber in the interior thereof and with a passage I in the side thereof, a valve
passing through the top thereof and through a nut which screws upon said valve
holder and surrounds the valve shank, a ring having upper and lower inwardly
projecting flanges A and A", which fit around the said valve holder to form a
chamber P, communicating through the passage mentioned with the inner chamber P',
and provided with passage ways B, opening to the feed-pipes, a delivering
pipe E, a nozzle D, secured to said pipe E and to the lower portion of the valve
holder centrally, and a shoulder G on the said nozzle, and a shoulder C on the
said ring, between which shoulders is a glass cylinder C, the valve holder
having a longitudinal hole O in the path of the said valve opening into the said
chamber P
2. In combination with an oil-cup, an adjustable ring thereon and provided
with radial holes, a valve holder located centrally in said ring and having a valve

page_text: chamber communicating with said holes and with the bearings of the machine to
be oiled, and a valve controlling the passage way from the said chamber to the
said bearing.
3. An oiling system consisting of the combination of a vessel a containing oil,
an oil-cup equipped upon each of independent bearings of one or more machines,
feed-pipes connecting the said vessel with said cups, delivery pipes connecting
said cups with said bearings and an adjustable ring on each oil-cup and provided
with holes in which fit said feed-pipes and which communicate with the said delivery
pipes through a valve opening, which is provided with a valve.
der of Santambor 1892
F. W. BARKER,
Applicant's Agent.