An Improved Lubricator for the Slide-valves and Cylinders of Locomotive and other Steam Engines.
Year: 1890

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COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Lubricator for the Slide-valves and Cylinders of
Locomotive and other Steam Engines.
I JOSEF STRAUSS royal machinist of Regensburg in the Kingdom of Bavaria and
German Empire do hereby declare the nature of my said invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement :-
These improvements relate to a lubricator which is more particularly designed for
the lubrication of the slide valves and cylinders of locomotive engines their object
being to enable the driver of such an engine to continuously or peridically operate the
lubricator from his stand or platform.
The apparatus is fed with steam from the boiler and which passes through suitable
pipes to the two slide valve chests on each side of the engine. By means of this
arrangement a sufficient quantity of lubricated steam can be conveyed to the slide-
valve chest when the engine is running long distances without stopping so that neither
the piston nor the slide valves may ever have to run dry. This could only be accom-
plished in lubricators as hitherto constructed by opening the main steam cock or valve
to the required extent and which resulted in a large consumption of steam being used
merely for lubricating purposes.
The apparatus constructed in accordance with this invention is illustrated on the
accompanying drawings, in which
and
Fig. 1 is a vertical section of the improved lubricator.
Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof with the screw plug or cap removed and
Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section of Fig. 1.
Fig. 4 is a horizontal section of the transverse steam passage through the apparatus
Fig. 5 is a horizontal section of the regulating cock.
The improved steam lubricator consists of the oil chamber A constructed of metal
or other suitable material and of an appendage or cover B to which is connected the
regulating cock E and unions D and E of the pipes d and d leading to the boiler and
to the slide valve respectively. The upper part or appendage B which is screwed
upon the oil receptacle A is furnished with a transverse passage a which has a wider
bore in the centre than at the ends as illustrated and is provided with comparatively
narrow perforations bb¹. The lower perforation serves to convey to the oil
chamber A any water formed in the pipe a through the condensation of the steam
whilst the upper perforation is used for the purpose of cleaning out the
perforation
The regulating plug cock E may be advantageously provided with an index finger
moving upon a stationary graduated scale to permit of the same being accurately
set and its port is slotted as indicated at e¹ to allow when properly adjusted of the
passage of a very small quantity of steam and thus constituting the regulator for the
admission of steam.
The action of this improved steam lubricator may be described as follows:-
The screw plug or cover C being first removed and the apparatus being filled with
oil the plug is screwed into position again. The cock E is now opened and a jet of
steam enters by the pipe d, passes through the cross pipe or passage a and escapes
through the pipod to the slide valve chest. As the steain passes through the enlarged
diameter of the cross passage a a small fraction of the steam becomes condensed on
account of the change of speed or decreased velocity taking place in the said passage
and of the low temperature of the oil chamber. This condensed water sinks by reason
of its heavier specific gravity in the receptacle A and hence displaces an equal quantity
of the oil which is thereby forced upwards into the cross passage this oil being carried
along with the steam in a finely divided spray and conveyed to the slide valves and to

page_text: the walls of the cylinder. Instead of one perforation several could be used. The
opening c of the screw union F has the same diameter as that in the cock E.
This improved apparatus operates continuously and safely, its arrangement being
very simple whilst it is also capable of being readily manipulated.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same may be performed I declare that what I
claim is.
In a steamy lubricator for the slide valves and pistons of locomotive and other
engines the employment of a transverse cross passage having an enlarged diameter in
the centre and communicating with the steam supply, lubricator and slide valve chest
through the several passages and openings substantially as and for the purposes
hereinbefore described and illustrated on the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 13th day of June 1890.
JOHN G. WILSON,
Patent Office, 55, Market Street, Manchester, Agent for the Applicant.