IMPROVEMENTS IN LUBRICATORS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Dewrance and George Henry Wall, both of.
176, Great Dover Street, Borough, in the County of Surrey, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN LUBRICATORS."
Sealed the 2nd January 1880, and dated the 23rd July 1879
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Dewrance and George
Henry Wall at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 23rd July
1879.
JOHN DEWRANCE and GEORGE HENRY WALL, both of 176, Great Dover Street,
Borough, in the County of Surrey. "IMPROVEMENTS IN LUBRICATORS."
This Invention has for its object improvements in lubricators, and is applicable
for the admission of oil or other lubricants to spaces containing steam or other fluid
under pressure, and especially where the pressure varies frequently.
We cause the oil or other lubricant to be contained in a vessel, usually of cylin-
drical form, into the side of which we prefer to fit a strip of thick glass, as described
in the Specification of a former Patent granted to us on the 24th day of October,
1877, No. 3938.
The oil vessel is provided at the top with a cover, and the arrangement of this
cover forms an important feature of our Invention, and it is applicable to
lubricators, which in other respects may differ from that herein described.
The mouth of the oil vessel has a screw thread cut within it, and beneath the
thread the opening is contracted by a diaphragm formed or fixed within the oil
vessel, with a circular hole in the centre. Around this hole there is a groove, into
which packing is inserted, and the cover has on its under side a projecting ring,
which, when the cover is in its place, comes down upon this packing and com-
pressing it forms a tight joint. The cover is made to serve also as a strainer to
prevent any solid impurities passing with the lubricant into the oil vessel, and for
this purpose a ring of perforated metal or wire gauze is fitted to it, through which
the oil strains, and is poured in to replenish the oil vessel.
The strainer surrounds the central ring or boss of the cover, and is held in its
place by a plate having holes or openings in it, and which is screwed on to the

page_text: boss and made to nip the outer edge of the strainer against the under side of the
outer screwed part of the cover.
The cover is not entirely removed for the purpose of refilling the oil vessel, but
is partly unscrewed so as to raise the ring on its under-side off the packing, the oil
is then poured-in-through a hole in the top of the cover, which is closed by a sliding
lid. In the centre:of-this-cover may be a stuffing box for a valve spindle or piston
rod to pass through
The lubricant passes from the vessel to the part to be lubricated by a passage
through the stem or foot of the lubricator, and the quantity of lubricant discharged
is regulated by a screw valve.
When it is desired to have the power of regulation whilst the lubricator is in
operation the spindle of the regulating valve-is carried up by a stuffing box through
the cover of the lubricator; but when this is not requisite the regulating valve
spindle is made to terminate within the oil vessel, and then the cover has to be
removed when adjustment is necessary.
A cock or valve is sometimes provided in the stem of the lubricator.
Through the regulating valve and its spindle there is a passage by which the
steam or elastic fluid is allowed to enter the oil vessel above the level of its contents.
We apply a small check valve at the upper end of the passage so as to retain in the
vessel a pressure in excess of the minimum pressure in the cylinder or other
capacity. This pressure is available to force the lubricant into the cylinder or
other capacity each time that the pressure therein declines.
The application of this valve for the purpose herein stated is also a feature of our
Invention, applicable to lubricators which in other respects may differ from the
above.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Dewrance and George Henry Wall in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 23rd January 1880.
JOHN DEWRANCE and GEORGE HENRY WALL, both of 176, Great Dover Street,
Borough, in the County of Surrey. "IMPROVEMENTS IN LUBRICATORS."
This Invention has for its object improvements in lubricators, and is applicable
for the admission of oil or other lubricants to spaces containing steam or other fluid
under pressure, and especially where the pressure varies frequently.
We cause the oil or other lubricant to be contained in a vessel, usually of cylin-
drical form, into the side of which we prefer to fit a strip of thick glass, as described
in the Specification of a former Patent granted to us on the 24th day of October
1877, No. 3938.
The oil vessel is provided at the top with a cover, and the arrangement of this
cover forms an important feature of our Invention, and it is applicable to lubricators
which in other respects may differ from that herein described.
The mouth of the vessel has a screw thread cut within it, and beneath the thread
the opening is contracted by a diaphragm formed or fixed within the oil vessel
with a circular hole in the centre. Around this hole there is a groove into which
packing is inserted, and the cover has on its under side a projecting ring, which,
when the cover is in its place, comes down upon this packing and compressing it
forms a tight joint. The cover is made to serve also as a strainer to prevent any
solid impurities passing with the lubricant into the oil vessel, and for this purpose
a ring of perforated metal or wire gauze is fitted to it, through which the oil strains
as it is poured in to replenish the oil vessel.
The strainer surrounds the central ring or boss of the cover, and is held in its
place by a plate having holes or openings in it, and which is screwed on to the boss
and made to nip the outer edge of the strainer against the underside of the outer
screwed part of the cover.
The cover is not entirely removed for the purpose of refilling the oil vessel, but
is partly unscrewed so as to raise the ring on its under side off the packing, the oil
is then poured in through a hole in the top of the cover, which is closed by a sliding
lid. In the centre of this cover may be a stuffing box for a valve spindle or piston
rod to pass through.
The lubricant passes from the vessel to the part to be lubricated by a passage
through the stem or foot of the lubricator, and the quantity of lubricant discharged
is regulated by a screw valve. When it is desired to have the power of regulation
whilst the lubricator is in operation, the spindle of the regulating valve is carried
up by a stuffing box through the cover of the lubricator; but when this is not
requisite the regulating valve spindle is made to terminate within the oil vessel,
and then the cover has to be removed when adjustment is necessary.
A cock or valve is sometimes provided in the stem of the lubricator.
Through the regulating valve and its spindle there is a passage by which the
steam or elastic fluid is allowed to enter the oil vessel above the level of its contents.
We apply a small check valve at the upper end of the passage so as to retain in
the vessel a pressure in excess of the minimum pressure in the cylinder or other
capacity. This pressure is available to force the lubricant into the cylinder or
other capacity each time that the pressure therein declines.
.
The application of this valve for the purpose herein stated is also a feature of
our Invention, applicable to lubricators which in other respects may differ from
the above.
In order that our said Invention may be most fully understood and readily
carried into effect, we will proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto annexed.

page_text: Figure 1 is an clevation, and Figure 2 is a vertical-section-of-a-lubricator_con-
structed according-to-our-Invention. a, a, is the oil vessel, in the mouth of which
a screw thread-is cut at:a;-a² is a diaphragm formed within the oil vessel, it has
a hole in its centre, and thus it serves to contract the mouth of the oil vessel; a³
is a ring of asbestos packing inserted into a groove in the diaphragm a², around
the hole which forms the entrance to the body of the oil vessel; b is the cover of
the lubricator, it has a screw thread cut upon its exterior by which it screws into
the mouth of the oil vessel at a¹. The cover has on its under side a central boss
or stem b¹ terininating at its lower end in a ring or annular face which bears on
the packing a³, and makes a tight joint when the cover is screwed home into the
mouth of the oil vessel a; b³ is a strainer, held in its place by the circular plate b³
screwed on to the boss or stem b', it nips the outer edges of the strainer against
the upper and outer part of the cover; 64 is the aperture by which the lubricator
is filled, it is closed by a turning flap to exclude dust; 65 is a handle for turning
the cover to open the lubricator for filling, and to close it afterwards; a few turns
will suffice to raise the cover sufficiently far to permit the oil poured in at 64 to
enter. c is the passage in the foot of the lubricator by which the oil is led to the
part to be lubricated, and this passage has free cominunication with the space in
which steam or elastic fluid is contained; d is a tube screwed in to the bottom of
the oil vessel, and its lower end forms an adjustable valve d¹; grooves are filed
through the threads of the screw to allow the contents of the oil vessel to pass.
The tube is continued upwards by attaching to it the key or head d³. There is
a stuffing box formed in the lubricator cover through which d2 passes, and a hand
wheel is attached at its upper end that it may conveniently be turned to effect the
The tube d
regulation of the passage between its valve like end d¹ and its seat.
allows the steam or elastic fluid to pass to the upper part of the oil vessel and
above the level of the oil within it. At the top of the tube & the check valve e is
fitted, it lifts and admits steam or elastic fluid to the oil vessel whenever the
pressure in the passage c is higher than it is within the lubricator, but it closes and
prevents return when these conditions are reversed, so that a pressure in excess of
the minimum pressure in the cylinder or other part to be lubricated is maintained
in the oil vessel and is available to force out the lubricant past the regulating
valve d³.
When, as is often the case with some classes of engines, irregular quantities of
water are liable to be forced into the oil vessel from the cylinder or part to be
lubricated, it is necessary that the discharge should be from the top of the oil
vessel, so that the water entering, which sinks at once to the bottom, may not
interfere with the regular discharge of oil.
Figure 3-is-a-vertical-section of a lubricator in which provision is made for
discharge from the upper part of the oil vessel.
For this purpose the upper part of the tube d in which the valve e is con-
tained is made, separate from the lower part, and the parts are coned where they
fit together. The upper part d³ containing the valve e is fixed to a screw stem g,
which works steam tight in a corresponding screw passage formed for it in the
key or head d². The oil floated to the top of the oil vessel passes by an aperture
shewn in the side of the key or head d², and enters to the interior of the stem d
by the narrow space between its upper and lower parts d³ and d, which space
may be increased or diminished in width by turning the screwed stem g.
When the conditions under which this lubricator is employed are such as to
render it desirable to make use of the upper delivery passage, the tube d is
screwed down so as to bring its end d to its seat, and to close the lower
delivery passage. This being done water entering the lubricator or resulting from
condensation will occupy the space vacated by the oil. But it is important to
remark that water, whether liquid or as steam, can enter the oil vessel no faster

page_text: than the oil or lubricant is allowed to pass out by the upper delivery passage, hence
the quantity of oil delivered is entirely dependant on the due adjustment of this
passage. In Figure 2 an upper delivery passage is provided at d, and it is
regulated by a cone ended screw; this is a simpler arrangement than that described
in respect to Figure 3, but the delivery by the upper passage can be adjusted only
by removing the cover of the lubricator. When the lubricator is worked with the
upper delivery the water is discharged from the oil vessel before refilling by turning
the head or key d² and opening an escape passage at d.
The Figures 1, 2, and 3 also shew clearly at f the glass let into the side of the
oil vessel. A recess is formed, as shewn, to receive the glass with asbestos packing
around its edges, and the whole is locked up tight by means of a metal filling
piece entering the lower end of the cavity, and a screw ring on the foot of the
lubricator presses the filling piece firmly against the packing. The application in
this way of a window in the side of the oil vessel not only allows the level of its
contents to be seen at any time, but also admits of the way of working of the
instrument being accurately observed.
Figure 4 is a section of a lubricator in which the tube d is screwed down so as
to close the delivery aperture at the bottom of the oil vessel, and locked fast so
that it cannot turn, but the key or head d², where it screws on to the top of the
stem, is free to turn, and by turning it the orifice in the upper part of the tube d
immediately beneath the valve e can be more or less covered and closed according
to the rate of delivery desired. This lubricator is furnished with a stop valve at
the lower part of the oil vessel for drawing off the water from time to time to admit
of the introduction of a further supply of lubricant. The action of the lubricator
when the delivery is from the upper part of the oil vessel depends (just as it does
when the delivery is from the bottom) on the pulsations in the pressure of the
steam or elastic fluid. When the pressure of the steam or fluid rises it enters the
oil vessel past the valve e, and being there imprisoned by the valve immediately a
decrease of pressure occurs it forces out the lubricant.
Figure 5 is a plan, and Figure 6 is a section of a lubricator similar to Figures 1
and 2, with the exception that the regulating spindle terminates within the vessel,
and there is an asbestos packed cock shown in the stem of the lubricator. A cock
or valve may in the same way be applied to any of the other forms of lubricators,
but it is not always required.
Figures 7 and 8 show a lubricator cover of a slightly modified form. The screw
in this case is on the boss or stein on the under side of the cover, and this screws
into a socket provided for it upon the diaphragm d².
Having thus described the nature of our said Invention, and the manner of per-
forming the same, we would have it understood that we do not confine ourselves to
the exact details described, but we claim,-
First. The construction of lubricators in such manner that steam or fluid is
allowed to enter the oil vessel past a check valve, and being there confined forces
the lubricant out of the oil vessel through a small adjustable aperture.
Second. The construction of lubricators substantially as described and illustrated
by the annexed Drawings.
Third. The construction of the cover part of the lubricator, substantially as
described and illustrated by the annexed Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Dewrance, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-third day of January, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.
JOHN DEWRANCE. (L.S.)