IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINE LUBRICATORS
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Hodgson Butterfield, Engineer, Great Horton,
Bradford, and Francis Butterfield, Painter, Dudley Hill, near Bradford, both
in the County of York, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM
ENGINE LUBRICATORS."
Sealed the 13th November 1877, and dated the 12th September 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Hodgson Butterfield
and Francis Butterfield at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the
12th September 1877.
JAMES HODGSON BUTTERFIELD, Engineer, Great Horton, Bradford, and FRANCIS
BUTTERFIELD, Painter, Dudley Hill, near Bradford, both in the County of York.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINE LUBRICATORS."
Our Invention relates to self-acting lubricators employed in connection with the
working cylinders of steam engines, and has for object the prevention of waste and
admixture of condensed steam or other impurities with the lubricant, and in
supplying grease, oil, or other lubricants to the pistons and cylinders at such times
and in such quantities as may be required or desirable. For this purpose, instead
of employing an ordinary valve or tap, as usual, for admitting or allowing the
lubricant to pass into the cylinder when operated by the attendant, we employ a
cup in which is placed grease, oil, or other lubricant.
For high-pressure engines the cup is made with a neck, which screws in a hollow
chambered pillar fitted on the cylinder of the engine; the bottom part of this pillar
is fitted with a small valve, which shuts with the steam pressure and opens when
the pressure is released; in the pillar and over the valve are formed chambers, in
which falls the oil or lubricant passing from a regulating chamber herein-after
described;
the chambers in the pillar also serve as a lubricant receiver when any
repairs are required to the cup.

page_text: In the top of the pillar is screwed the bottom part of the neck of the
cup, this
neck is made hollow in which is screwed a small tube forming a regulating
lubricant chamber; the top and bottom of this tube are fitted with small valves,
connected together by a spindle; in the top valve is fitted a small pipe passing in
the interior of the cup, and a small opening is made on the side of the valve com-
municating with the inside of the pipe; over this pipe, and inside the cup, is fitted
a hollow tube, having at the bottom a valve and screwed end which screws in the
bottom and neck of the cup; in the valve is formed an opening, to allow the
lubricant in the cup to pass into the chamber formed in the neck; on the top of
the tube is fitted a ball or cover, in which is fitted a pin to open and shut the valve
in the bottom of the cap and to regulate the amount of feed to the chamber in the
neck; in the ball or cover are formed two small openings level with the top of the
pipe, passing into the interior of the cup; the lubricant in the cup is always kept
below the small openings in the ball or cover, and is admitted into the neck chamber
by turning the pin, which turns the tube and opens, more or less, the bottom valve
in the cup, allowing the required feed to pass into the chamber.
When steam acts on the lubricator side it forces up the bottom valve in the
pillar and the bottom valve of the regulating chamber, opening the top valve,
allowing a small feed to enter the regulating chamber; directly a vacuum is formed
below the lubricator the bottom valves open and close the top valve of the regu-
lating chamber, allowing the lubricant to fall into the chamber of the pillar, then
through the bottom valve and enter the cylinder; should any steam enter the
chambers it will force up with it some lubricant, which is discharged through the
pipe and openings in the ball or cover into the cup.
For low-pressure engines the cups and necks are of similar construction to the
one herein-before described, and the cup is fitted in a pillar having no bottom
valve; the regulating chamber is also fitted with top and bottom valves, joined
together by a spindle, but no pipe is fitted in the top valve; the spindle is passed
through the bottom valve, and is fitted with a washer secured by a pin; on the
spindle end is fitted a spiral spring, which fits in the bottom pillar chamber; a
tube, similar to the high pressure, is fitted in the cup, having also a ball or cover
and pin to admit the lubricant in the neck chamber; the tube is also made with
two openings at the top to discharge the vent and take off the atmospheric pressure
acting on the lubricant, allowing an equal pressure on the top of the lubricant and
the top of the valve, and letting the lubricant flow freely into the neck chamber.
The spiral spring is used for compound engines working below atmospheric
pressure, but single-acting compound engines working above atmospheric pressure
do not require the spring, the weight of atmospheric pressure overcoming the weight
of the valve.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said James Hodgson Butterfield and Francis Butterfield in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 9th March 1878.
JAMES HODGSON BUTTERFIELD, Engineer, Great Horton, Bradford, and FRANCIS
BUTTERFIELD, Painter, Dudley Hill, near Bradford, both in the County of York.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINE LUBRICATORS."
The said Invention relates to self-acting lubricators employed in connection with
the working cylinders of steam engines, and has for object the prevention of the
waste of, and admixture of condensed steam or other impurities with the lubricant,
and in supplying grease, oil, or other lubricants to the pistons and cylinders at such
times and in such quantities as may be required or desirable. For this purpose,
instead of employing an ordinary valve or tap, as usual, for admitting or allowing
the lubricant to pass into the cylinder when operated by the attendant, we employ
a cup, in which is placed grease, oil, or other lubricant.
For high-pressure engines the cup is made with a neck, which screws in a hollow
chambered pillar fitted on the cylinder of the engine; the bottom part of the pillar
is fitted with a small valve, which shuts with the steam pressure and opens when
the pressure is released; in the pillar and over the valve are formed chambers, in
which falls the oil or lubricant passing from a regulating chamber, herein-after
described; the chamber in the pillar also serves as a lubricant receiver when any
repairs are required to the cup.
In the top of the pillar is screwed the bottom part of the neck of the cup; this
neck is made hollow, and in which is screwed a small tube forming a regulating
lubricant chamber; the top and bottom of this tube are fitted with small valves,
connected together by a spindle; in the top valve is fitted a small pipe passing into
the interior of the cup, and a small valve is fitted in the top of the small pipe; a
small opening is also made on the side of the valve communicating with the inside
of the small pipe; over the pipe and inside the cup is fitted a hollow tube, having
at the bottom a screwed end, which screws in the bottom and neck of the cup;
near the bottom of the cup are formed or drilled openings, to allow the lubricant in
to pass into the chamber formed in the neck; the top of the tube is formed
or drilled, with an opening to allow any steam passing through the small pipe and
valve to escape in the top of the cup; in the top of the tube is passed a pin, to
screw in or out of the tube in the neck of the cup and regulate the amount of feed
to the chamber in the neck.
the cup
When steam acts on the lubricator side it forces up the bottom valve in the pillar
and bottom valve of the regulating chamber, opening the top valve, and allowing
a small feed to enter the regulating chamber; on the formation of a vacuum below
the lubricator the bottom valve opens, closing the top valve of the regulating
chamber, and allowing the lubricant to fall into the chamber of the pillar, then
through the bottom valve and to enter the cylinder; should any steam enter the
chambers it will force up with it some lubricant, which is discharged through the
pipe and opening in the tube into the cup.
For low-pressure engines the cups and necks are of similar construction to the
one herein-before described, and the cup is fitted in a pillar, but without bottom
valve; the regulating chamber is also fitted with top and bottom valves, connected
together by a spindle; the top valve having no small discharge pipe, the spindle
passes through the bottoin valve, on which is fitted a collar secured by a pin; over
the spindle is fitted a spiral spring, which fits in the bottom pillar chamber; a tube,
similar to that for high-pressure engines, is fitted in the cup, having also a pin to
screw in or out of the tube and regulate the feed; an opening is drilled near the
top of the tube to discharge the vent and take off the atmospheric pressure acting
on the lubricant, allowing an equal pressure on the top of the lubricant and the top
of the valve, letting the lubricant flow freely in the neck chamber.

page_text: The spiral spring is used for compound engines working below atmospheric
pressure, but single-acting non-condensing engines working above atmospheric
pressure do not require the spring, the weight of atmospheric pressure overcoming
the weight of the valve.
But in order to enable our improvements to be better understood we will proceed
to more particularly describe the same by reference to the accompanying Drawing,
in which,―
Figure 1 represents a sectional elevation of a self-acting lubricator for high-
pressure steam engines; and Figure 2, plan of the bottom valve of the same.
Figure represents a sectional elevation of a self-acting lubricator for low-
pressure steam engines.
Similar letters of reference are used to represent similar parts.
A, pillar made to screw in the cylinder of an engine; the pillar is made with a
chamber B, in which screws the neck C of a cup D; in the recessed part E of the
pillar is screwed a valve seat F, in which works a small valve G, which shuts with
the steam pressure and opens when the pressure is released; over the recess E is
formed a flange H, and over the flange is a chamber I communicating with the
chamber B; in the neck C is screwed a tube J, having seats, on which act small
valves K and L, which are connected together by a spindle M; for high-pressure
engines the top valve L is made with a collar N, this collar is cut with an
opening O, joining an opening P, made near the bottom part of the valve L, and
over the collar is formed or fitted a small pipe Q, having fitted on the top a small
conical valve R. In the cup D, and for high-pressure engines, over the small
pipe Qis passed a tube S, which screws in the top of the neck C; this tube is
made, with a valve face T, and openings U; the tube is made to screw in
and out of the neck C by means of the pin V fitted in the top piece W;
the screwing in or out of the tube allows of regulating the feed of the lubricant
contained in the cup D by opening or partly closing the openings U, or when
the lubrication is not required by screwing in the tube, and bringing the face
valve T on the screwed top part of the neck C. On the removal of the cover X
the lubricant is poured over a metal gauze cover Y, preventing any impurities
passing into the cup; the lubricant is always kept below the opening Z of the
tube S, and the feed to the cylinder is regulated by opening more or less the
openings U, which allows the lubricant to fall into the chamber A¹ of the neck C,
from whence it enters the regulating chamber B₁ when the pressure acts on the
lubricator side, which forces up the bottom valve G and valve K, opening the
valve L; when a vacuum is formed below the lubricator the valves K and G open,
closing the valve L, shutting off the lubricant in the chamber A', and allowing the
lubricant in the regulating chamber B' to fall into the chamber B and chamber I,
and through the openings C¹ of the valve spindle D¹ into the cylinder; on the
return of the pressure the valves G and K. close and the valve L opens, admitting
the lubricant in the regulating chamber B¹, giving thus, at each stroke of the engine,
a small regulated feed to the cylinder, and preventing the lubricant being wasted.
Should any steam enter the chambers it will be forced up with some of the lubricant
through the opening P into the small pipe Q, and through the valve R and
opening Z into the cup D.
The valve K is made with a spindle E', on which is fixed by a pin F¹ a washer
or collar G¹; over the spindle E' is fitted a spiral spring H₁; the spiral spring is
used for compound engines working below atmospheric pressure, but single-acting
non-condensing engines working above atmospheric pressure do not require the spring,
the weight of atmospheric pressure overcoming the weight of the valve or valves.
The lubricator for low-pressure engines is of similar construction to that herein-
before described, but having no bottom valve or small pipe fitted on the top valve
of the regulating chamber; the tube fitted in the cup is made with one or two
openings Z, to discharge the vent and take off the atmospheric pressure acting on
the lubricant, allowing an equal pressure on the top of the lubricant and the top of
the valve, and allowing the lubricant to flow freely in the chamber B of the neck C.

page_text: Having thus described our improvements, and the best means we are acquainted
with for carrying the same into effect, we would have it understood, that we do not
confine ourselves to the precise details shewn and described, as they may be varied
without departing from the peculiar character of the Invention; but what we do
claim is, the arrangement, construction, and employment of self-acting lubricators
employed in connection with the working cylinders of steam engines, preventing
the waste of and admixture of condensed steam or other impurities with the
lubricant, and regulating the feed of the lubricant to the pistons and cylinders at
each stroke of the engines in such quantities as may be required or desirable,
substantially as herein-before described and represented by the Drawing annexed.
In witness whereof, we, the said James Hodgson Butterfield and Francis
Butterfield, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Seventh day of
March, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
aight
Witness,
EDWIN PRIESTLEY.
JAMES HODGSON BUTTERFIELD. (L.S.)
FRANCIS BUTTERFIELD.
(L.B.)