IMPROVEMENTS IN LUBRICATING APPARATUS FOR STEAM ENGINES
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
ss
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for an Invention
of IMPROVEMENTS IN LUBRICATING APPARATUS FOR STEAM ENGINES."
A communication from abroad by George H. Flower, of Chicago, Illinois,
United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 30th August 1880.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN LUBRICATING APPARATUS
FOR STEAM ENGINES." [A communication from abroad by George H. Flower, of
Chicago, Illinois, United States of America.]
This Invention relates to lubricating apparatus for steam machinery of that class
in which the lubricant is automatically distributed by the aid of the steam to the
cylinder, piston, piston-rod, and valves, and one object of the said Invention is to
provide apparatus whereby the lubricant may be conveyed to the steam-chest
through the same pipe that supplies the steam which (becoming condensed) gives
by hydrostatic pressure the onward movement to the lubricant, and whereby
this onward movement of the lubricant may be made constant and subject to ready
observation. A further object is to provide a more simple and compact arrange-
ment of the parts of the apparatus than has hitherto been attained, and still
further to provide for the combination in single castings of parts which are distinct
in operation, and which, if otherwise arranged, would have to be made in separate
pieces.
In carrying the said Invention into practice I provide a reservoir for oil, having
at the top a detachable cap or stopper, and opening at the bottom into an emptying
tube, to which may be fitted a valve or other suitable means for opening and
closing it at will.
A steam-pipe passes from the steam-chest horizontally through
the upper part of the oil reservoir without opening into it, and leads through a
metallic upward extension into a transparent tube; this extension is closed at its
Domino C71

page_text: upper end, and rises just high enough to become continuous with the steam pipe.
The portion of the steam pipe within the reservoir may be cast in one piece with it.
A steam inlet tube leads from the steam pipe on the side of the reservoir nearest
to the steam-chest up into the interior of a condenser, terminating in an open end a
short distance below the top of the condenser. This condenser is wholly above the
steam pipe, and is entirely closed except at the botton, where it admits the said
tube to pass up into its interior, and where it opens into a water tube. This part
of the apparatus is so arranged that a portion of the steam pipe on the left of the
reservoir and just below the condenser, the lower part of the steam inlet tube, and
the upper part of the water tube may all be embraced in a single casting, on the
top of which the condenser is screwed, the interior of that portion of the steam-
pipe which passes through the reservoir being connected with the interior of that
portion on the left of the condenser by ports which pass around the steam inlet
tube and the water tube. Or the interior of the steam pipe within and without
the oil reservoir may be continuous, forming an enlarged chamber below the
condenser, from the upper side of which chamber the steam inlet tube passes up,
while the water tube is a distinct pipe passing through the chamber, and having
no communication with it. Between the steam chest and the origin of the steam
inlet tube a valve of any suitable construction may be placed in the steam
pipe so as to admit of opening and closing at will the communication between the
steam chest and the lubricating apparatus. The water tube passes from the bottom
of the condenser downward, and opens into the bottom of the oil reservoir, and a
valve, which may be of any suitable construction, is placed in the lowest part of
the water tube so as to arrest or permit the passage of water into the oil reservoir.
The oil outlet is a tube having its upper part within the oil reservoir extending
vertically almost to the top of the latter, and open at its upper end. It passes out
through the bottom of the reservoir and up through the otherwise closed bottom
of the transparent tube, and terminates therein a short distance above the bottom
in a small orifice. A valve is placed in the oil outlet tube to arrest the oil or
permit its passage through the tube. The apparatus is so arranged that the lower
portion of the water tube, that portion of the oil outlet which is without the
reservoir and below the transparent tube, the seats of the valves in the water and
oil tubes, and the emptying tube may all be united in a single casting. A wire
extends vertically through the orifice of the oil outlet tube in a line nearly
coinciding with the cylindrical axis of the transparent tube into the upward
extension nearly to the point where the latter opens into the steam pipe.
To put the lubricator into operation, the valve connecting the whole apparatus
with the steam chest being closed, and the water and oil tube valves and the
emptying tube being also closed, the reservoir is filled with oil through the opening
made by removing the cap or stopper. The latter is then replaced and the steam is
let in from the steam chest. It passes through the steam pipe into the transparent
tube and through the steam inlet into the condenser. The steam in this transparent
tube and in the condenser condenses, and water stands in both these vessels.
When the transparent tube is full of water, and the condenser is partly so, the
valves which close the water and oil tubes are opened, whereupon the water in the
condenser standing at a higher level than the fluid in any other part of the
machine is forced by hydrostatic pressure through the water tube into the bottom
of the oil reservoir. Here it forces up the lighter oil, so that the latter flows over
into the oil outlet and into the transparent tube, where it passes up the wire into
the extension; here the oil is taken up by the steam in the steam pipe, and is
carried into the steam chest; thence it passes into the valves and cylinder, and is
deposited on the surfaces of the piston and piston-rod. As in its entire circuit
through the lubricating apparatus it never reaches the height of the water level in
the condenser, it is constantly. under the propelling influence of the hydrostatic
pressure. The oil coming through the orifice in the oil outlet tube into the
transparent tube passes up along the wire instead of being scattered through the

page_text: water in this tube and to a considerable extent deposited on the sides of the arm,
as would be the case in the absence of the wire; the progress of the oil through
the water in the transparent tube is thus more regular and constant, and is also
more easily observed for the purpose of ascertaining whether the apparatus is
operating properly or not than would otherwise be the case.
When the quantity of water in the oil reservoir becomes too great, so as to cause
an overflow of water into the oil outlet, the water will be seen rising through the
orifice into the transparent tube. The water and oil tube valves should then
be closed, preventing any further passage of water into the oil reservoir or the
transparent tube. The emptying tube should then be opened by means of its
valve, letting the water out of the oil reservoir, which may then be refilled
with oil.

page_text: Figure 1 is a side elevation of my apparatus.
Figure 2 represents the same in central vertical section.
Figure 3 is a horizontal section on the line x, x, Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a horizontal section on the line y, y, Figure 1, including a plan of
those parts whose upper surfaces are below the line of section.
Figure 5 is a horizontal section on the line 2, 2, Figure 1.
Figure 6 is a horizontal section drawn to an enlarged scale on the line x, x,
Figure 1, of a modification of that portion of the apparatus embraced within the
joint or casting c¹.
Figure 7 is a central vertical section on an enlarged scale of the same a
modification.
Like letters indicate the same parts throughout the Drawing.
A steam
A represents the reservoir for oil, having at the top a detachable cap or stopper B,
and opening at the bottom into an emptying or exhaust tube O, to which may be
fitted a valve or other suitable means for opening and closing it at will.
pipe C passes from the steam-chest horizontally through the upper part of the oil
reservoir without opening into it, and leads through the metallic upward extension
D into the transparent tube E; this extension of the tube E is closed at its
upper end, and rises just high enough to become continuous with the steam pipe.
The portion c of the steam-pipe within the reservoir may be cast in one piece with
the latter, as shown in Figures 2 and 3. A steam inlet tube H leads from the
steam pipe on the side of the reservoir nearest to the steam-chest up into the
interior of a condenser I, and terminates in an open end a short distance below the
top of the condenser. This condenser is wholly above the steam pipe, and is
entirely closed except at the bottom, where it allows the said tube H to pass up 4
into its interior, and where it opens into the water tube K. This part of the
apparatus is so arranged that the portion c' of the steam pipe on the left of the
reservoir and just below the condenser (as shown in Figures 1 and 2), the lower
part of the steam inlet tube H, and the upper part of the water tube K, may all
be made in a single casting, on the top of which the condenser is screwed, as shown

page_text: in Figure 2, the interior of that portion c of the steam pipe which passes through
the reservoir being connected with the interior of the portion on the left of the
condenser by the ports p and p', which pass around the tubes H and K, as shown
in Figure 3. Or, as in the modification shewn in Figures 6 and 7, the interior
of the steam pipe within and without the oil reservoir may be continuous, forming
an enlarged chamber q below the condenser, from the upper side of which chamber
the tube H passes upward, while K is a distinct pipe passing through the chamber
and having no communication with it. Between the steam-chest and the
commencement of the steam inlet tube H a valve of any suitable construction may
be placed in the steam pipe, so as to admit of opening and closing at will the
communication between the steam chest and the lubricating apparatus. The water
tube K passes from the bottom of the condenser downward, and opens into the
bottom of the oil reservoir A. The valve L, which may be of any suitable
construction, is placed in the lowest part of the tube K. so as to arrest or permit
the passage of water into the oil reservoir as may be required. The oil outlet M
is a tube having its upper part m within the oil reservoir extending vertically
almost to the top of the latter and open at its upper end. It passes out through
the bottom of the reservoir and up through the otherwise closed bottom of the
transparent tube E, and terminates therein a short distance above the bottom in a
small orifice m². A valve L' is placed in M to arrest the oil or to permit its passage
through the tube. The apparatus is so arranged that the lower portion / of the
water tube K, that portion m' of the oil outlet M which is without the reservoir
and below the transparent tube E, the seats of the valves L and L', and the emptying
or exhaust tube O may all be united in a single casting R, as shown in Figure 2.
A wire N extends vertically through the orifice m² in a line nearly coinciding with
the cylindrical axis of the transparent tube E into the upward extension D, nearly
to the point where the latter opens into the steam pipe C.
To put the lubricator into operation, the valve connecting the whole apparatus
with the steam chest being closed, and the valves L and L and the emptying or
exhaust tube O being also closed, the reservoir A is filled with oil through the
opening made by removing the cap or stopper B, which is then replaced, and steam
is admitted from the steam chest. The steam passes through the steam pipe C
into the transparent tube E, and through the steam inlet H into the condenser I.
The steam in the tube E and the condenser I condenses, and water stands in both
these vessels. When the tube E is full of water and the condenser I partly so the
valves L and L³, which close the tubes K. and M, are opened, whereupon the water
in the condenser, standing at a higher level than the fluid in any other part of the
apparatus, is by hydrostatic pressure forced through the tube K into the bottom of
the oil reservoir A. Here it forces up the lighter oil, so that the latter flows
over into the oil outlet M and through the orifice into the transparent tube E,
where it passes up along the wire N into the extension D; here the oil is taken up
by the steam in the pipe C and is carried into the steam chest; thence it passes to
the valves and cylinder and is deposited on the surface of the piston and
piston-rod. As in its entire circuit through the lubricating apparatus it never
reaches the height of the water level in the condenser I it is constantly under the
propelling influence of hydrostatic pressure. The oil passing through the orifice
m² into the transparent tube E passes up along the wire N instead of being
scattered through the water in the tube E and to a considerable extent deposited
on the side of said tube, as would be the case in the absence of the wire; the
progress of the oil through the water in the tube E is thus more regular and
constant and is also more easily observable for the purpose of ascertaining
whether the apparatus is or is not operating properly than would otherwise be the
case.
When the quantity of water in the oil reservoir becomes so great as to cause an
overflow of water into the oil outlet the water will be seen rising through the
orifice m² into the transparent tube E. The valves L and L' should then be closed,
preventing any further passage of water into the oil reservoir or the transparent
°

page_text: tube. The emptying or exhaust tube O should then be opened by means of its
valve, allowing the water to flow out of the oil reservoir, which may then be refilled
with oil.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim,
First. The wire in combination with the transparent tube and the oil outlet M,
whereby under suitable pressure the oil is kept constantly flowing through the said
transparent tube, substantially as described.
Second. The oil reservoir in combination with the condenser opening into the
said reservoir, the transparent tube receiving oil from the same, the steam-pipe
opening into the said condenser, and the transparent tube whereby the oil forced
from the reservoir by hydrostatic pressure is carried out through the same pipe that
supplies the steam, which when condensed causes the hydrostatic pressure,
substantially as described.
Third. The oil reservoir in combination with the portion c of the steam pipe
within the reservoir, which reservoir and portion may be cast in a single piece if
desired, substantially as described.
Fourth. The lower portion of the water tube, the emptying tube, and the
portion m¹ of the oil outlet between the oil reservoir and the transparent tube
combined in a single casting, substantially as described.
Fifth. The joint c¹ of the steam-pipe on the side of the oil reservoir nearest to
the steam chest, having the two ports p and p', and combined with the lower
portion of the steam inlet H and the upper portion of the water-tube in a single
casting, substantially as shown and described.
Sixth. The joint c¹ of the steam-pipe on the side of the oil reservoir nearest to
the steam-chest in combination with the condenser resting on it, the steam inlet
tube opening from it into the said condenser, and the water tube passing through it
from the condenser, all arranged substantially as shown and described and for the
purposes set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty fifth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty one.