IMPROVEMENTS IN STEPS OR FOOT-BEARINGS FOR SPINDLES
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the "International Patent
Office," No. 8, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN STEPS OR FOOT-BEARINGS FOR SPINDLES." -A communication from abroad
by Thomas Marsh and David Fales, both of Smithfield, Rhode Island,
United States of America.
Sealed the 18th December 1866, and dated the 6th August 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
6th August 1866.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the "International Patent Office, No. 8,
Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Con-
sulting Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN STEPS OR FOOT-BEARINGS FOR SPINDLES," a communication, to.
be as follows:-
The said Invention consists in forming the bearing for the end or foot of a
spindle in the bottom of a circular chamber which serves as a reservoir for
oil or other lubricating material, the end of the spindle being supported.
laterally by a steadying collar or socket fitted into the said chamber. The
said circular chamber is formed by boring out a cylindrical plug which is
intended to be fitted into a corresponding hole in the step rail of a spinning.

page_text: frame, or into a suitable bed block if used as a step for the spindle of an
upright mill shaft or other similar upright shaft or spindle; this plug is bored
out cylindrically to the proper depth for the spindle whose foot is to rest
therein. The diameter of the hole bored in the said plug is considerably
greater than that of the spindle, sufficient space being left to allow of the
insertion of a steadying collar for giving lateral support to the said spindle,
A smooth cylindrical hole is bored centrally in this collar, and the spindle is
fitted to turn therein; the said collar is also furnished with a screw thread
which fits into a corresponding thread in the inner surface of the hole or cavity
in the plug. The steadying collar is provided with a flange, the edge of
which may be milled or finished in a polygonal form for convenience in
adjusting the said collar in its place; the stem of this collar (with the excep-
tion of rings or shoulders formed at one or both ends to screw into the hole
in the plug) is cut away, so that when the said collar is inserted in its proper
place there will be an annular space between the same and the interior surface
of the hole in which it is placed. A groove is formed near the top of the
collar, the same as in spindle steps of ordinary construction, to collect the oil,
whose tendency is to ascend the spindle as the latter revolves. One or more
slits are cut across the bottom of the collar to afford a free communication
between the annular space above described and the interior of the said collar,
and allow of the circulation of the oil around the step; this arrangement
however is necessary only when the collar is made with a ring or shoulder at
its lower end to screw into the hole in the plug; this is preferable, but the
stem of the collar may be made without the said ring, and then no obstacle
will exist to prevent a free circulation of oil about the spindle, but the screw
thread in such case must be cut upon the upper ring or shoulder.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 6th February 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the "International Patent Office," No. 8, Southampton
Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer;
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-six,. in the thirtieth year of Her reign, did,

page_text: for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said William
Robert Lake, Her special licence that I, the said William Robert Lake, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William
Robert Lake, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during
the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEPS OR FOOT-
BEARINGS FOR SPINDLES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
William Robert Lake, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands, and seals, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great
Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the
date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Robert Lake, do hereby declaré
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the accompanying Sheet of Drawings for ming
a part of this Specification:-
The said Invention consists in forming the bearing for the end or foot of a
spindle in the bottom of a chamber, which serves as a reservoir for oil or
other lubricating material, the end of the spindle being supported laterally by
a steadying collar or socket fitted into the said chamber.
:
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a top view of my improved step or bearing; Figure 2 is an
exterior elevation of the same; Figure 3 is a vertical section on the line x, x,
Figure 1; Figure 4 is a side view of the steadying collar or socket; Figure 5
is an under side view of the same. Like letters indicate the same parts in
each of the Figures.
A is a cylindrical metal plug, in which a circular chamber or reservoir B is
turned or otherwise formed; the said plug is intended to be fitted into a
hole of corresponding size in the step rail of a spinning frame, or into a
suitable bed block when the step is used for a mill spindle or other heavy
upright spindle or shaft. The plug A is bored out cylindrically to the proper
depth for the spindle, whose foot rests in the conical cavity a formed in the
bottom of the chamber B; the diameter of the said chamber is made consi
derably greater than that of the said spindle, an annular space being left
>

page_text: .
around the latter; this space allows of the insertion into the chamber B of a
steadying collar C for giving lateral support to the spindle. A smooth cylin-
drical hole b is bored through the collar C to correspond with the diameter of
the said spindle, which is fitted to turn freely therein. The stem d of the
collar C is formed with flanges or rings e and f, the former of which fits the
top of the chamber B, the latter being furnished with a screw thread. The
interior surface of the chamber B is formed with a corresponding thread, into
which the flange f is fitted. The collar C is also provided on its upper end
with an exterior flange or rim c, which may be either milled or finished in a
polygonal form to afford a convenient means for adjusting the said collar.
The stem d of the latter, with the exception of the portions on which the rings
or flanges e, f, are formed, is turned down, or otherwise made of such a size
that when the collar C is inserted into the chamber B an annular space g will
be left between the said stem and the interior surface of the chamber, as
more clearly shown in Figure 3. A recess his formed in the collar C near
the top of the same, as in spindle steps of ordinary construction, to collect the
oil, whose tendency is to ascend the spindle as the latter revolves. One or
inore slits or apertures h¹ are formed through the lower ring f of the collar C
and across the bottom of the same; these apertures form a communication
between the annular space 9 and the interior of the said collar, and allow the
oil or other material to circulate freely within the step and keep the foot of
the spindle supported therein properly lubricated. The collar C, though by
preference formed with the lower ring f, may, if desired, be constructed
without the same; the apertures across the bottom of the said collar will
then be unnecessary, as no obstacle will exist to prevent the free circulation
of the oil within the step around the foot of the spindle; in this case the screw
thread must be cut upon the ring or shoulder e on the upper end of the
collar C, and the thread formed on the interior surface of the chamber B
must be extended to the top or nearly so of the latter.
The chief advantage derived from the use of my improved step is, that the
spindle foot will run in a much larger body of oil than when supported in an
ordinary step with an independent reservoir. The conical cavity a, in which
the said foot rests, forms part of the oil reservoir, and is therefore always
properly filled with oil, the supply of which when an independent reservoir is
used is constantly liable to stoppage from the clogging of the ducts or passages
with dust. By the employment of the collar C the spindle is supported
laterally in as effectual a manner as though the said spindle were formed to
fit and bear against the sides of the chamber B.
Ilaving thus fully described the said Invention, as communicated to me

page_text: by my foreign correspondent, and shown how the same may be conveniently
and advantageously carried into practice, I claim, a step or bearing constructed
with an oil chamber or reservoir B and cavity or recess a, and provided with
an adjustable steadying collar C, substantially as and for the purposes set
forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto.
set my hand and seal, this Fourth day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
10 Witness,
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE. (LS.)
GEORGE HASELTINE,
8, Southampton Buildings,
London, W.C.