IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PREPARATION AND APPLICATION OF LUBRICATING MATERIALS FOR STEAM ENGINES AND BOILERS, AND OTHER MACHINERY.
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Patrick Moir Crane and George Moir, both of
Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Oil Manufacturers, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PREPARATION AND APPLICATION OF
LUBRICATING MATERIALS FOR STEAM ENGINES AND BOILERS, AND OTHER
MACHINERY.'
"
Sealed the 26th January 1872, and dated the 13th November 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Patrick Moir Crane and
George Moir at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 13th November 1871.
We, PATRICK MOIR CRANE and GEORGE MOI, both of Manchester,
in the County of Lancaster, Oil Manufacturers, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PREPARATION AND
APPLICATION OF LUBRICATING MATERIALS FOR STEAM ENGINES AND BOILERS, AND
OTHER MACHINERY," to be as follows:-
In place of the lubricating materials that have been heretofore
employed for steam engines, especially those of the class in which surface

page_text: condensers are used, which are attended with the disadvantages herein-
after mentioned, we employ lubricating materials prepared from hydro-
carbon oils, and applied in the manner herein-after described.
Heretofore the use of the ordinary lubricating materials such as grease
and the ordinary oils has been attended by the disadvantage of the
clogging up parts of the machinery or apparatus with deposits formed by
the component matters of the oily or fatty materials combined with other
substances, such as metallic particles or their oxides. This has been
particularly the case when such ordinary lubricating materials have been
employed in steam engines of the class where surface condensers are
used, as it is found that gummy, glutinous, or other matters are deposited
or formed by such lubricating materials and clog up the interstices
between the tubes of the condenser, or the interior of the tubes, accord-
ing to the construction of the condenser, thereby seriously detracting
from the efficiency of the condensing surface.

page_text: used with especial advantage for lubricating purposes, particularly in
compound cylinder steam engines fitted with surface condensers, and
where it is desired to prevent priming in the boilers.
The heavier portions of the oil, obtained as above described, are
purified by means of acids and alkalies in the way in which the lighter
oils have been ordinarily purified, they are then washed with water and.
thereby rendered fit for use. It is found that when thus carefully pre-
pared these heavier oils which have hitherto been comparatively neglected,
become most valuable lubricants as they are free from acids, and will
not gum, clog, or deposit in the valve chest, cylinder, and other interior

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent
filed by the said Patrick Moir Orane and George Moir in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 10th May 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, PATRICK
MOIR CRANE and GEORGE MOIR, both of Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Oil Manufacturers, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of November, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in
the thirty-fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto us, the said Patrick Moir Crane and
George Moir, Her special licence that we, the said Patrick Moir Crane
and George Moir, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as we, the said Patrick Moir Crane and George Moir, our
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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE PREPARATION AND APPLICATION OF LUBRICATING MATERIALS FOR
STEAM ENGINES AND BOILERS, AND OTHER MACHINERY," upon the condition
(amongst others) that we, the said Prtrick Moir Crane and George
Moir, our executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under our, or one of our, or their, or one of their hands and seals,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Inven-
tion, 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 we, the said Patrick Moir Crane and George
Moir, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, that is to say :—
In place of the lubricating materials that have been heretofore
employed for steam engines, but more especially those of the class in

page_text: paraffine wax are to be separated therefrom by any well known and
suitable means.
It is obvious that oils to answer the particular purpose
aforesaid must be able to withstand the high temperature of the steam
used for such compound surface condensing engines, and therefore in the
manufacture we take care to distil and separate the oil at a correspond-
ingly high temperature.
Heavy residual hydrocarbon oils have been hitherto considered of
comparatively little value, but we have found that when prepared and
used in the manner discovered by us they may be used with especial
advantage for lubricating purposes, but more particularly in compound
cylinder steam engines fitted with surface condensers, and where it is
desired to prevent priming in the boilers.
The heavier portions of the oil obtained as above described are purified
by means of acids and alkalies, in the way in which the lighter oils have
been ordinarily purified; they are then washed with water and thereby
rendered fit for use. It is found that when thus carefully prepared
these heavier oils which have hitherto been comparatively neglected
become most valuable lubricants, as they are free from acids and will not
gum, clog, or deposit in the valve chest, cylinder, and other interior
parts.
We have found that for the particular purposes above indicated,
namely for lubricating the internal parts of compound surface condensing
engines, they are superior to the lighter oils prepared from similar hydro-
carbon oils, as such lighter oils have a tendency to evaporate, dissolve,
or dry on the working surfaces.
We have found that when the oils prepared as above described by us
are used for lubricating the pistons and other interior working parts, and
are then carried over into the condenser and boiler, the oil will not
saponify and combine with any alkaline matters or metallic oxides.
We have likewise found that this oil so prepared will not evaporate at
the comparatively high temperatures used in the aforesaid cases.
Again, we have found that special advantage results from the appli-
cation of the oils prepared and employed by us as above mentioned in
regard to the prevention or checking of what is technically called
"priming" in the boilers, and where from the quality of the water used

page_text: or from other causes we find that a tendency to prime is manifested, we
check such tendency by the use of the required or additional quantity of
the said oils; or in some cases we inject oil directly into the boiler.
We have further discovered that this oil even when used in large or
even superfluous quantity does not clog or saponify.
By our Invention we are enabled to use pure unmixed hydrocarbon
oils without the addition of fatty substances, which causes the disadvan-
tages aforesaid.
Having now described the nature of our said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that we claim, the
preparation and application of improved lubricating materials, prepared
solely from heavy hydrocarbon oils or substances producing those oils,
substantially in manner herein-before described and applied for lubri-
cating the internal parts of compound cylinder surface condensing steam
engines, and for checking the priming of marine boilers.
In witness whereof, I, the said Patrick Moir Crane, for myself
and on behalf of the said George Moir, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Ninth day of May in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.
0
Witness,
PETER JENSEN,
89, Chancery Lane.
P. MOIR CRANE. (L.S.)