IMPROVED METHODS OF EFFECTING THE gineer, for the Invention of LUBRICATION OF AND EXCLUSION OF DUST FROM CARRIAGE AXLE JOURNALS AND OTHER BEARINGS, AND IN APPARATUS OR MECHANICAL DEVICES EMPLOYED THEREFOR.'
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the "International
Patent Office," Southampton Buildings, London, Consulting En-
"IMPROVED METHODS OF EFFECTING THE
gineer, for the Invention of
LUBRICATION OF AND EXCLUSION OF DUST FROM CARRIAGE AXLE JOURNALS
AND OTHER BEARINGS, AND IN APPARATUS OR MECHANICAL DEVICES EMPLOYED
THEREFOR.'
."-A communication from abroad by Ernest Von Jeinsen
and James Monroe McDonald, both of San Francisco, California,
United States of America.
T
ealed the 8th October 1870, and dated the 19th August 1870.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Robert Lake at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and
Declaration, on the 19th August 1870, pursuant to the 9th Section
of the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
5
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
"International Patent Office," Southampton
ROBERT LAKE, of the
Buildings, London, Consulting Engineer, send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "IMPROVED METHODS
OF EFFECTING THE LUBRICATION OF AND EXCLUSION OF DUST FROM CARRIAGE AXLE
JOURNALS AND OTHER BEARINGS, AND IN APPARATUS OR MECHANICAL DEVICES
EMPLOYED THEREFOR," and have petitioned Her Majesty to grant unto me,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, Her Royal Letters Patent
for the same, and have made solemn Declaration that it has been com-
municated to me from abroad by Ernest Von Jeinsen and James
Monroe McDonald, both of San Francisco, California, United States of
America.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Robert Lake, do hereby
declare that the following Complete Specification, under my hand and
seal, fully describes and ascertains the nature of the said Invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, in and by the following
statement, reference being had to to the accompanying Drawing forming
a part of this Specification :-
The object of my Invention is to provide an improved method of
economically and effectually lubricating the journals or wearing surfaces
of carriage axles and other machinery, and to exclude dust from the
same.
My said Invention relates, first, to a method of lubrication by con-
veying the oil by capillary attraction from a suitable reservoir, chamber,
or recess to the journal or wearing surface of the machinery and
distributing it upon every part of the said surface by means of strips or
sheets of felt or other capillary substance so arranged that while only
just sufficient of the conducting material is employed to answer the
purpose required, every part of the wearing surface will be brought in
repeated contact with the said capillary strips or sheets during the
revolutions of the journal or the movements of the machinery, the said
strips, sheets, or wicks acting like a brush in distributing the lubricating
oil and like the wick of a lamp in conveying it to the distributing
surface.
The said Invention relates, secondly, to a method of excluding dust
from the boxes of railway carriage axles or other journals by means of
a plate or board divided in parts and having an opening through which
the axle or shaft passes, the parts of the board being forced towards the
centre of the axle by a spring or springs in such a manner that the said
parts will until worn out constantly hug the axle, and prevent the passage
of dust through the opening in the said board or plate between the board

page_text: and the axle. The said board is forced by other springs at the same
time against the transverse face of the box casing, forming a joint
or packing that will effectually prevent the entrance of dust to to the
interior of the casing through the opening through which the axle
passes.
It relates, thirdly, to a method of supplying oil to machinery from a
suitable reservoir by means of a valve that fits tightly in its seat, and
withholds the oil when the machinery is at rest, but is caused to leave
its seat at intervals, and discharge the required quantity of oil when
the machinery is in motion by the effects of concussion.
The fourth part of my said Invention relates to the combinations of
mechanical devices by which I carry into effect the above improvements
and apply them to lubricating and excluding the dust from railway
carriage axles and other journals and boxes, and consists in certain details
of construction herein-after described.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section through the centre of a
railway carriage axle box embodying my Invention; Figure 2 is a plan
of the same; Figure 3 is a half front elevation and half vertical transverse
section through the centre of the brass of same; Figure 4 is an elevation
of a device for excluding dust; Figures 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 are detached
portions of the lower lubricator; Figures 10 and 11 are views of a
safety bolt with split key by which the removable sliding drawer or
lower oil reservoir is secured; Figure 12 is a view of under side of
another form of lower lubricator that may be used instead of the one
represented in the foregoing Figures; Figure 13 is an end view of the
same; Figure 14 is a plan of the piece of felt shewn in Figures 12 and 13
when extended or before nailing to the wood. Like letters indicate the
same parts throughout the Drawing.
A is the carriage axle, upon the journal B of which rests the
brass C in the usual manner. The brass C is provided with a longi-
tudinal recess I, into which strips of felt D are fitted. Between the top
of the brass and the top of the casing E is placed a plate of cast iron F
sometimes called "the wedge." The plate F has recesses G, G³,
3 communicating with each other by means of the hole or passage H, and
with the recess I by means of the vertical holes J of the plate F and J¹
of the brass. The holes J are bushed with short vertical tubes L.

page_text: projecting well up towards the top of the recesses G, G¹; K is a wick
having both ends in contact with the felt D passing through the vertical
tubes L of the holes J through the passage H and holes J¹. The
recesses G, G¹, receive oil from the valve M through a channel N, and
the oil is taken up by the wick K, and conveyed through the holes J, J¹,
to the strips of felt D, and by the felt D evenly spread upon the top of
the journal B; O is the upper oil tank or reservoir having no commu-
nication with the inside of the casing except through the holes P and
the valve M. The valve M is ground oil-tight in its seat, and has in
addition to its weight the spiral spring Q tending to close it or keep it.
closed perfectly tight when the carriage is at rest, but when the carriage
is in motion the jar or concussion caused by the striking of the wheels
against the ends of the rails will cause the valve M to open sufficiently
to allow oil enough to pass through to furnish a regular supply to the
top of the journal B in the manner described. The joint between the
cover and the top of the tank O is made with leather in preference to
india-rubber because oil is a solvent of india-rubber. The tank O is
secured to the top of the casing by means of lugs R and bolts S, the
nuts of which are prevented from becoming loose by the split key T,
driven into a slot in the bolt after the nut is screwed down; U is a
second or lower oil reservoir consisting of a sliding or removable pan
that may be readily taken out and cleaned when necessary; V is a door
working in converging guides W that answers the double purpose of
closing the front or outer end of the casing E, and of securing the pan U
in its place. It has been found that sometimes persons whose duty it is
to examine the boxes neglect to replace the door V, and to prevent the
escape of the drawer or pan U; therefore the safety bolts X and
lugs Y, Z, are provided. The split key shewn in Figures 10 and 11 can
be much more readily removed or replaced than an ordinary nut, and is
not as liable to work out and be lost. The pan U does not extend quite
to the back of the casing and consequently a space 1 is left, into which
a piece of felt may be placed so thick as to be compressed by the pan to
prevent jarring or rattling of the pan. The oil from the pan U is
conveyed by capillary attraction up the wick 2 to the strips of felt 3,
and distributed by the felt upon the lower side of the journal. The
strips of felt 3 are contained in a suitable recess formed in the curved
plate 4. The upper surface of plate 4 is curved to fit the journal B,
and is so wide that when pressed up against the under side of that
journal the axis of the curvature of its upper surface must coincide with

page_text: recess in plate 4 for receiving the
having openings or perforations
the axis of the journal. Besides the
felt two parallel side recesses 5
extending quite through the plate are formed to lessen the amount of
bearing surface and to provide an exit for the excess of oil supplied to
the journal by the felt, and for any foul or injurious substances that
may be scraped from the journal. The wick 2 is encased in a light
spiral spring 6 resting on the bottom of the drawer U. The plate 4 is
forced up against the under side of the journal by the larger spiral
spring 7; 8 is a guide plate so formed (as shewn in the Drawing) as to
furnish a guide for plate 4 and the springs 6 and 7. The under side of
guide plate 8 is provided with radial grooves 18 through which the oil
contained in the drawer U has free access to wick 2.
:
That part of my Invention which consists in an improved method of
applying oil to the under side of the journal is likewise embodied in the
lubricator represented in Figures 12, 13, and 14; this lubricator consists
of a piece of wood 9, over which is nailed the felt 10, and to the under
side of which are attached springs 11. If the lubricating device in the
drawer U already described is removed and replaced by that shown in
Figures 12, 13, and 14 it is evident that the spring 11 attached to
wood 9 would keep the upper surface of the felt 10 constantly in contact
with the journal, and the oil from the drawer be conveyed upward and
distributed upon the under side of the journal by the felt in substantially
the same manner as by the apparatus shewn in Figure 1, and herein-
before described. The inner face of the casing E is planed, and the
sliding board 12, 121, is pressed steadily against its surface by the
springs 13 reacting against the thin sheet iron plate 14. The board 12, 12',
consists of two pieces as shown, the piece 12' fitting and sliding in an
opening in piece 12, being forced upward by the spring 15 reacting
against the iron binding 16. The circular opening 17 is of the same
diameter as the corresponding part of the axle A. When the board is
in position the springs. 15 tending to close the opening 17 will cause the
two parts of the board to form a tight joint around the axle, and the
springs 13 pressing the board against the planed surface will form a
tight joint with the casing. When the carriage is in motion the board.
being a little smaller than the space assigned to it is free to move
vertically or laterally, always hugging the axle and pressing the face of
the casing, and thereby preventing the entrance of dust to the inside
of the casing. It is therefore obvious that as the springs 13 and 15

page_text: constantly tend to force the wood toward its bearing surfaces this part
of my Invention provides a method of preventing the entrance of dust
that will continue to be effective until the board is worn out. It is
further obvious that if the joints of the drawer U and door V with
the casing are well made the board 12, 12¹, will entirely exclude dust
from the interior of the casing.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondents, I claim,-
First. The method of conducting the oil to and distributing it.
upon every part of the wearing surface of machinery by capillary
attraction through strips or sheets of the conducting material, substantially
as herein described.
Second. The method of excluding dust from the interior of shaft boxes
by means of a board or plate acted upon by springs, substantially as
herein described.
Third. The method of supplying oil to machinery by a valve which
remains closed when the machinery is at rest and which is opened at
intervals by the effects of concussion when the machinery in motion,
substantially as herein-before described.
Fourth. In the machinery above described lubricating the top of the
journal B by means of oil distributed upon its surface by the strips I,
and conducting the oil to strips I by the wick K from the chamber or
recesses G, G¹, substantially as described.
Fifth. Supplying the recesses G, G¹, or the journal B with oil from the
tank O by means of the valve M. operated by the effects of the concussion 2
produced by the striking of the carriage wheels against the ends of the
rails, substantially as described.
Sixth. The drawer U held by the door V, substantially as described
and for the purpose set forth.
Seventh. The safety bolts X when provided with a split key, substantially 3
as described and for the purpose set forth.
Eighth. Lubricating the lower side of the journal B by means of the
strips 3, the wick 2 sustained and guided by the springs 6 and 7 and
plates 4 and 8, substantially as described.
Ninth. The employment for the same or a similar purpose of the a
lubricator consisting of the piece of wood 9, piece of felt 10, and springs 11
or equivalent devices.

page_text: substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.
Eleventh. The axle box herein-before described and shewn in the
Drawing provided with the lubricating and dust excluding apparatus
described, all these parts being arranged to operate substantially as set
forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of August, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.
Witness,
W. J. LOWE.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE. (L.S.)