Improvements in or relating to the Lubrication of Loose Pulleys.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Oct., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 1st June, 1893-Accepted, 1st July, 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to the Lubrication of Loose Pulleys.
I, FREDERICK WILLIAM JOHN CUTLAN of 48 Beatrice Road, Stroud Green,
London, N., Builder, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:--
This invention is intended to lubricate loose pulleys and it is so carried out
that plenty of oil is supplied to the loose pulley while the shaft is standing and the
belt is upon the loose pulley that is when the lubrication is required, but when the
shaft is running but slight lubrication is obtained. The invention may be carried
out in the following manner.
Where
Upon the shaft I place a sleeve upon which the loose pulley runs the sleeve
being provided at one or both ends with an enlargement forming the reservoir for
liquid lubricant. The reservoir is preferably in the form of an annular chamber
divided by any desired number of radial divisions, say, if the sleeve is in one piece,
three divisions forming three chambers, or if the sleeve is to be in two pieces there
may be four of the divisions and four chambers, the division of the sleeve being
made of course in the centre of two of the divisions so that the oil chambers may
he intact. Any convenient means may be employed for giving access to the interior
of each of these chambers so as to fill it with oil or other lubricant; peripheral
holes may be used and stopped by screws. Conveniently a circular plate may be
employed to close up the end of the sleeve enlargement and cover all the oil
chambers this arrangement being preferred on account of the convenience of
coring and drilling the holes or channels to be presently described. However,
instead of the plate being separate it may be part of the casting and relatively
large holes may be cast in it and screwed and closed by screwed plugs.
the sleeve is in two pieces it would be divided longitudinally, the two parts being
kept together at one end by the before-mentioned plate which for convenience in
this case would also be formed in two parts but with the division at right angles to
that of the sleeve, and at the other end the sleeve may be secured by a reduced
screwed end upon which would be screwed a collar to bring it up to the same
diameter so that the working portion of the sleeve would have a cylindrical form
throughout its length. This collar may if desired be tapered inside so as to press
the two parts of the pulley tightly upon the shaft thus ensuring its turning with
the shaft without further means of fixing although if desired other means may be
employed, and the same result may be obtained at the enlarged end where the plate
is not divided by forming it with a projecting collar adapted to fit upon the outside
of the enlargement both faces being if desired tapered so that the closing effect
would be thus obtained in this case also. If desired the collar at the sinaller end
may be split and provided with flanges by which the parts may be bolted together
if sufficient room be left between the bosses of the fixed and loose pulleys.
this case it would not be necessary to screw the collar upon the sleeve though this
could be done if desired. At suitable parts of the periphery of the sleeve
openings for the supply of oil are provided and these are connected by longitudinal
channels with the oil chambers previously described; these channels may be drilled
through from the oil chambers or may be cored or otherwise formed. There may
be one opening to the outside of the sleeve from each of these channels or there
may be more according to requirements and it is preferred to have a wick in each
channel although in some cases the wick may be dispensed with.
In
In operation the oil chambers in the enlarged portion of the sleeve are filled
with oil and the openings by which it was inserted properly closed, then when the
belt is upon the fixed pulley and the shaft is revolving the sleeve travels with it

page_text: and in consequence of the centrifugal force developed the lubricant in the oil
chambers has a tendency to keep to the outside of each chamber while the channel
by which the lubricant passes to the periphery of the sleeve is placed at that
portion of the oil chamber which is nearest to the centre of the shaft consequently
while the shaft is revolving little or no oil is supplied to the periphery of the
sleeve this being the time when, as the loose pulley is almost sure to travel round
more or less with the sleeve and in any case not having the belt upon it, has no
work to do, little or no lubrication is required. When however the belt is trans-
ferred to the loose pulley and the shaft and consequently the sleeve cease to revolve
and lubrication is required the oil from that oil chamber which lies at higher
level than the working periphery of the sleeve will gravitate to the openings and
afford the necessary lubrication, also the capillary action of the wicks or small
holes will have the effect of supplying all the lubrication that is required.
The above described arrangement is a useful one as the whole lubricating
apparatus is self-contained without any alteration in the shaft, but if desired the
working portion of the sleeve can be dispensed with, the oil-containing portion only
being retained and the oil chambers communicating with the shaft itself in which
any required number of longitudinal grooves or channels (tubes can be let into
the shaft if desired) may be formed for the purpose of supplying the lubricant to
the pulley which in this case would rest directly upon the shaft in the usual
manner.
Dated this 29th day of October 1892.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to the Lubrication of Loose
Pulleys.
I, FREDERICK WILLIAM JOHN CUTLAN, of 48 Beatrice Road, Stroud Green,
London, N., Builder, 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:―
This invention is intended to lubricate loose pulleys and it is so carried out that
plenty of oil is supplied to the loose pulley while the shaft is standing and the belt
is upon the loose pulley that is when the lubrication is required, but when the shaft
is running but slight lubrication is obtained.
Since filing my Provisional Specification I have found that the sleeve therein
described does not work so well as the simple collar without the sleeve and I have
therefore decided to abandon the sleeve and confine my Complete Specification to
the other form set forth in the Provisional Specification. The invention will be
best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which
Figure 1 represents a longitudinal section of a portion of shaft and pulleys
constructed according to my invention.
Figure 2 being a perspective interior view of the oil-containing collar or well
and lubricating tube, and
Figure 3 the cover.
Like letters represent like parts throughout the drawings.
A represents the shaft, B the fixed pulley which may be keyed or otherwise
suitably secured therein, and C the loose pulley whose bearing surface upon the
shaft is lubricated by the lubricating tube D which opens out at the surface of the
shaft as shown in the drawings. E is a hollow collar placed upon the shaft A so
as to revolve with it and preferably divided into a suitable number of com-
partments such as F, G and H, communicating with each other, or at all events,
with the compartment F from which the lubrication is conducted by the tubo D

page_text: to the loose pulley C. The tube D opens into the compartment F at the point F¹
where a short piece of tube I screwed externally and provided with a saw-cut so
that it may be screwed into the metal of the collar E by a screw-driver, is employed
to secure the pipe D in position by fixing the enlarged head D¹ thereof in the hole
or space provided for the purpose in the collar E, as will be well understood from
Figure 1. The surface of the shaft A is provided with a groove or channel A' to
accommodate the tube D or a portion thereof, or instead of a separate tube Da
suitable channel or tube may be formed in the shaft in such a manner as to connect
with the chamber or chambers of the collar E. In the drawings I have shown
short lengths of pipe K K' opening respectively into the chambers G and H at
points as near the centre of the shaft as possible and opening into the chamber F
from which the oil is taken as near the circumference of the collar E as possible.
The object of this arrangement is to prevent the lubrication from escaping from
the chambers G and H when the collar is revolving, the centrifugal force thus
drawing the lubrication away from the centre of the collar and shaft and causing it
to hug the inner periphery of the collar. When the collar is revolving it is turned
by the shaft A by reason of the belt being then upon the fixed pulley B and
consequently the belt being off the loose pulley C the latter either revolves by
friction with the shaft A or at all events not having the pull and weight of the
belt upon it no lubrication is required. When however the shaft is stopped by
reason of the belt being transferred from the fast pulley B to the loose pulley C
and lubrication is required the oil in the chamber which happens to be uppermost
will fall down as near the centre of the shaft as it could get which in the position
shown in Figure 2 would cause it to readily enter the open end F' of the tube D
and thus being at a higher level than the delivery end of the tube D³ the oil would
flow to the pulley C. It will be observed that the opening F1 of the tube D into
the chamber F is placed at an angle of 45° more or less to the axis of the shaft
thus providing room for the entrance of the oil as shown in Figure 1. Should the
shaft stop in such a position that the chamber F was not above the shaft as in
Figure 2 but below it then either one or both of the chambers G and H would be
above the shaft and the oil therein gravitating towards the centre of the shaft
would flow by the pipes K or K' into the chamber F which would then be filled
and by reason of the level of the chamber or chambers G and H being higher than
that of the tube D the oil would still flow to the pulley C.
The pipes K K' may be dispensed with and simple openings provided in the
partitions E between the chambers the openings being preferably arranged
obliquely and upon the same principle as the pipes K and K', these latter being
convenient as avoiding the screw-holes in the partitions E¹.
If desired the partitions E¹ may be dispensed with the chambers then forming
one complete annular chamber into which the tube D would open; the objection
however to this arrangement is that the collar must be kept fully charged with oil
or the level of the oil, when the shaft is at rest, may not be sufficiently high to
lubricate the pulley C. By providing the chambers however it is only necessary
to have sufficient oil to fairly charge one of the chambers to obtain the lubricating
effect because even with the position, shown in Figure 2, and the opening F at its
highest point, so long as the chamber F is half-full or even less, the oil will flow to
the pulley.
The screws L serve as plugs to stop the openings into the chambers G and H
and F also if desired, through which openings the lubrication is applied. They
are shown with the extended ends L¹ so as to secure a bearing upon the boss or
centre E of the collar E against which they can be jammed and thus fixed or if
desired they may pass through openings in the boss E² and bear upon or enter into
the shaft, and thus fix the collar E upon the shaft. The ends L' may be tapered
and fit in tapered holes in the boss E to prevent the escape of the lubrication.
In the arrangement shown in the drawing the collar E has fixed to it the
cover M by screws N so as to make an oil-tight joint; the sleeve or boss M¹ of
the collar N bears upon the shaft and may be secured thereto by screws O or other

page_text: suitable fastening, thus connecting the collar E to the shaft A and causing it to
revolve with it.
It will be evident that the fixed pulley B may be used instead of the fixed
collar E and may contain the parts previously described with reference to E.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
"
1. The combination with a shaft carrying a loose pulley revolving in contact
with the shaft of an oil reservoir independent of the pulley and secured to the shaft
so as to revolve and stop with it substantially as and for the purpose described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
2. In a loose pulley lubricating device the combination with an oil reservoir
fixed to the shaft and independent of the loose pulley C which revolves directly.
upon the shaft of a tube or equivalent channel such as D opening into the reservoir
at one end and at the surface of the shaft A at the other substantially as and for
the purpose described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
3. In a loose pulley lubricating device the combination with a collar or oil
reservoir such as E of a cover such as M M¹ serving to close the interior of the
collar E and to secure the latter to the shaft substantially as described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
4. In a loose pulley lubricating device supplying the oil to the bearing surfaces
of the loose pulley and shaft in direct contact with which the pulley runs from an
oil reservoir moving and stopping with the shaft and independent of the loose
pulley.
Dated this 21st dow of Mov 1902