A New or Improved Automatic Discharge Lubricator.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Oct., 1899-Accepted, 27th Jan., 1900
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Automatic Discharge Lubricator.
We, CHARLES BROOKE CRAWSHAW, of Ridings Colliery, Dewsbury, in the County
of York, Colliery Proprietor, and DAVID BANNISTER, of Shawcross, Dewsbury
aforesaid, Colliery 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:-
The object of our invention is to provide a new or automatic discharge
lubricator for lubricating the pistons and valves of steam engines, steam hammers,
or heavy shafts or bearings. The lubricator has been specially designed for
lubricating the pistons and valves of colliery winding engines, pumps, steam
hammers, and the like, and it can be arranged to suit all speeds from a few
strokes per minute up to any given number. It is a well known fact that
there is no part of the steam engine so difficult to lubricate as its valves and
pistons, yet at the same time the crudest and most inadequate means have hereto-
fore been used for the above purposes. For the continuous running engine there
are already good lubricators, but for colliery winding engines the old-fashioned
grease cup which has been universally adopted in the past, is totally unfit, for
it is absolutely impossible to regulate it with any degree of accuracy. It has
frequently been filled and found full when it ought to have been empty. It
has as often been empty when it ought to have been three parts full; thus it
will be understood that the engine would often be running dry causing enormous
friction and the cutting and fluting of both cylinder and valve faces. At other
times those parts would be getting as much oil in a minute as ought to have been
distributed over an hour. Owing to the fact of the above engine being so
frequently stopped and started, the ordinary sight feed lubricator is a very
wasteful instrument, as it is always discharging oil whether the engine be standing
or running.
In the accompanying drawings illustrating our invention:-
Fig. 1 is a section of the lubricator;
Fig. 2 is a plan view the lid or cover being removed;
And Fig. 3 is elevation of opposite side of Fig. 1.
represents a box or chamber for containing oil or other lubricant; b is a
lever arm mounted loosely upon a stud c; on said stud c is fixed a ratchet wheel d
with the teeth of which is adapted to engage a pull pawl or catch e attached to
said lever arm b. The outer end of this lever arm is connected by suitable means
to some moving part of the engine so that if said lever arm is made to reciprocate
up and down, the catch e causes the ratchet wheel d to rotate intermittently.
Mounted on same stud c is a cam or tappet f which is made to revolve through
the medium of the ratchet wheel, in doing which the nose of the said cam or
tappet comes into contact with the under edge of the flange g, connected to, or
forming part of, the spindle h, and raises said flange, thereby compressing the
spiral spring i, surrounding said spindle h. The movement of the flange raises

page_text: the piston or plunger j, and a supply of oil enters the chamber k, beneath said
piston or plunger, through an opening or openings 1. When the nose of the cam
leaves the flange g, the compressed spring forces same-together with the piston
or plunger in a downward direction, thus expelling the oil from the chamber k
and forcing it past a double check valve m of ordinary construction which is
screwed direct into the cylinder, steam chest, or other part requiring lubrication.
At Fig. 4 we shew in section one form of double check valve suitable for
our purpose. This consists of two valves m¹ connected by a union nut m², or,
if desired, both valves m¹ may be formed within one casing. On the spring i
(Fig. 1) being released, the plunger j forces the desired quantity of oil down
through chamber and past the valves m' against the pressure of steam in the
cylinder or other part to which the apparatus is applied, said valves being fitted
with springs m³ to assist in returning them to their seats. We wish it however
to be understood that any other form of check valve may be employed and if the
pressure of steam be not very great, said valve need not be double, the employ-
ment thereof being to prevent escape of steam into the lubricator and to prevent
discharge of lubricant therefrom except on movement of the plunger j.
The apparatus herein shewn and described can be used with absolute safety
to deliver given quantities of oil required at any point or points, where it is
most needed, especially in the case of a colliery winding engine, whereby the
engine is lubricated with a minimum quantity of oil. It will be perceived that
no oil can escape from the lubricator except when the engine is at work.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that
what we claim is :-
A lubricator having a revolving cam or tappet, in combination with a collar
or flange g, a spiral spring i, and piston or plunger j, together with a check
valve such as m, all operated substantially as herein shewn and set forth.
Dated this 7th day of October 1899.
TASKER & CROSSLEY,
Agents for Applicants, Patent Agents, Halifax.
TASKER & CROSSLEY,
Agents for Applicants, Patent Agents, Halifax.