Improved Apparatus for Lubricating the Bearings of a Machine.
Year: 1898

page_text: Improved Apparatus for Lubricating the Bearings of a Machine.
I, JAMES LUMB, of Perseverance Engine Works, Elland, in the County of York,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention consists of an improved construction of lubricator operated by
mechanical means and specially designed for dealing with lubricants. The apparatus
consists of a main bridge piece, through which is a screwed spindle, operated by a
worm wheel and worm. Geared to the said worm wheel is a cylinder or receiving
vessel for the lubricant, which is operated in the centre of the above named main
bridge, and is given a circular motion by the action of a lever, catch wheel, catch
and shaft, upon the above said worm. The upper end of the said spindle carries a
hand wheel. To the lower end of the spindle is a piston and leather bucket, which
fit closely in the main receiving vessel, or vessel containing the main supply of
lubricant. Through the bottom of the said vessel are the outlets which are so
arranged as desired. The above mentioned screwed spindle is held stationary by
means of a bent steel, slotted into a bracket, which is fastened to the above named
bridge of the lubricator. As the worm wheel slowly moves, the screwed spindle
slides down the above said bent steel, the piston and bucket thus being forced down
upon the lubricant, and at the same time the cylinder or receiver vessel will revolve
and the lubricant will be forced through the above said outlets, arranged in the
bottom of the cylinder.
I, JAMES LUMB, of Perseverance Engine Works, Elland, in the County of York,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
My invention consists of an improved construction of lubricator operated by
mechanical means and specially designed for dealing with lubricants. The apparatus
consists of a main bridge piece through which is a screwed spindle operated by a worm
wheel and worm. Geared to the said worm wheel is a cylinder or receiving vessel for the
lubricant, which is operated in the centre of the above named main bridge, and is
given a circular motion by the action of a lever, catch wheel, catch and shaft, upon
the said worm. The upper end of the said spindle carries a hand wheel. To the
lower end of the spindle is a piston and leather bucket which fit closely in the main
Price R71

page_text: receiving vessel, or vessel containing the main supply of lubricant. Through the
bottom of the said vessel are the outlets, which are so arranged as desired. The above
mentioned screwed spindle is held stationary by means of a bent steel, slotted into a
bracket, which is fastened to the above named bridge of the lubricator. As the worm
wheel slowly moves, the screwed spindle slides down the above said bent steel, the
piston and bucket thus being forced down upon the lubricant, and at the same time
the cylinder or receiver vessel will revolve, and the lubricant will be forced through
the above said outlets arranged in the bottom of the cylinder.
The special object of this invention is to lubricate a number of bearings or journals
and the like automatically intermittently at fixed intervals of time, and in such a
manner that the quantity of lubricant may be regulated to what is found sufficient
for the bearings or journals to be lubricated.
In order that my invention may be better understood, I herein give reference to
the accompanying sheets of drawings illustrative thereof, wherein
Fig. 1 is an elevation of my improved lubricator.
Fig. 2 is a sectional view at the vertical centre line.
Fig. 3 is a sectional view through A B.
C is what I term the turret on which is shown ten delivery nozzles; on C, I
fasten D the upper frame, forming a bridge at the top. E is the vessel or receiver
which holds the lubricant. F is a worm wheel with an elongated boss which
passes through the bridge at the top of frame D. and is held in position by the
nut G which nips against a shoulder formed on the boss of the worin wheel F
without nipping the bridge, thus leaving the worm wheel F free to revolve in the
bridge. The worm wheel F is screwed internally to receive the screwed spindle H;
the bottom of the spindle H is fitted with a piston I and a leather packing J; the top
end of the spindle H is fitted with a hand wheel K.
In the frame D bearings are formed to carry a shaft L on which is fitted a worm M;
this worm gears with worm wheel F.
Mounted on the outer end of shaft L is another worm wheel N, which gears with
worm O, the worm O is fitted on shaft P which is carried in suitable bearings Q
which are bolted to or may be formed in the frame D, mounted on the outer end of
shaft P is a ratchet wheel R and a ratched lever S.
T is what I term the stopper, the particular function of which will be explained
later on.
U is the base or foot on which the rest of the apparatus is mounted; V is a
drip dish.
In the bottom of turret C, I form as many narrow slits. Figs. 2 and 3, 1, 2, 3, 4,
5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10, as there are nozzles, each slit communicating with one nozzle.
In the top of the receiver or vessel E, just under the worin wheel F, notches are
formed which gear with suitable projections X formed on the underside of the worm
wheel F.
The base of the vessel or receiver E and the bottom of the turret C have their
surfaces ground together to form a fluid tight joint.
The modus operandi is as follows :—
The apparatus is fixed near the machine to be lubricated, and the ratchet lever S
connected to some reciprocating part of the machinery and connecting tubes from
the nozzles on the turret C to the parts to be lubricated are fixed, then the stopper T
may be taken out and the piston wound out to the top of the vessel E by means of
the hand wheel K, and E is then filled with lubricant, and the piston wound down
again on the top of the lubricant, and the stopper T inserted in position again; and
now if the ratchet lever S be set in motion to turn the ratchet wheel R and through R
the worm O and the worm wheel F, it will be evident that if the hand wheel K and
the spindle H be held from turning round, the worm wheel F will revolve around the
spindle H, and being screwed to fit on the spindle will gradually force the spindle H
and consequently the piston I down into the vessel or receiver E, but while the
piston I is being forced into the receiver E, the receiver itself is slowly revolving with
the worm wheel F, through being geared together by the notches and projections X.

page_text: As the piston I is slowly forced down it forces the lubricant through the holes in the
bottom of the receiver E, in the following order :-
Say the small hole 11 is over the slit 1, the lubricant will piss out at nozzle 16, and
as the vessel E revolves the small hole 11 will leave slit 1 and hole 12 will come over
slit 3 and the lubricant will pass out at nozzle 17; then hole 13 comes over slit 5 and
the lubricant passes out at nozzle 18; then hole 14 comes over slit 7 and the lubricant
passes out at nozzle 19; then hole 15 comes over slit 9 and the lubricant passes out
at nozzle 20; then hole 11 will come over slit 10 and the lubricant passes out at
nozzle 21; then hole 12 comes over slit 2 and the lubricant passes out at nozzle 22;
then hole 13 comes over slit 4 and the lubricant passes out at 23; then hole 14 comes
over slit 6 and the lubricant passes out at nozzle 24; then the hole 15 comes over
slit 8; when each of the parts to be lubricated will have received a portion of the
lubricant and the operation is repeated.
The stopper T engages with a slot Y formed in the hand wheel K and the function
of T is to prevent the band wheel K and the spindle H from revolving until the piston
has been forced down near to the bottom of the vessel E; as the piston descends the
hand wheel slides down T, and by the time the piston is near the bottom the hand
wheel has got down to the bend Z in the stopper T, then the hand wheel K is free to
revolve, thus preventing dainage being done to the apparatus by forcing the piston
I hard against the bottom of the vessel E. On the piston I, I have a safety valve A,
communicating with the underside of the piston, so that if any of the pipes should
become choked up through any cause, the rise of pressure will lift the valve and let
the lubricant pass through on to the top side of the piston.
Instead of the ratchet wheel R and lever S I may mount a band pulley, or belt
pulley for the purpose of working the apparatus, which ever I find most convenient
for any special case.
Having now described the nature and particulars of my said invention together with
the manner and means for putting the same into pratical operation, I would have it
understood that I do not restrict myself to all the exact form of mechanism herein
illustrated, but what I believe to be new & therefore, claim as my invention is:-
Firstly-In connection with lubricators for lubricating shafting and machinery and
the like, the combination therewith of a revolving vessel E, having two or more holes
in the bottom for the delivery of lubricant to two or more journals or bearings and the
like, intermittently.
Secondly: The general arrangement construction, and combination of parts,
substantially as set forth herein, and illustrated by drawings.