Improvements in Snait Dearings.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 12th May, 1898-Accepted, 18th June, 1898
Improvements in Snait Dearings.
A communication by OREN FRITZELLO COOK, of 221, Terraine Street, San Jose, in
the County of Santa Clara, and State of California, United States of America.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, and 6, Bank Street, Manchester, both
in the County of Lancaster, 118, New Street, Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, and 322, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, Civil 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 :-
This invention relates to shaft bearings, its object being to so improve the
construction thereof that, with the aid of a force pump and suitable pipe connections
between the pump, the bearing, and a supply of lubricant, my correspondent is
enabled to introduce the lubricaut into the bearing below the shaft under a pressure
sufficient to elevate the shaft out of metallic contact with the lower section of the
bearing and maintain a constant circulation of lubricant through the bearing
around the shaft, and thus form a thin film of lubricant between the metal of the
shaft and the bearing, thereby preventing actual metallic contact between them
when the shaft is revolved. The invention also contemplates provision for the
discharge of the lubricant out through the cap of the bearing with sufficient
freedom to prevent downward pressure on the shaft, and the return of such
lubricant to the source of supply. He also provides suitable means to prevent the
escape of the lubricant at the ends of the bearing, and thereby maintain a constant
upward pressure upon the shaft and also prevent the waste of the lubricant.
The invention will be fully described in the following description, and its novel
features clearly defined in the subjoined claims.
In the drawing,
Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a shaft and a bearing embodying
the invention, together with the force pump and pipe connections;
Figure 2 is a vertical transverse section through the shaft and bearing.
Similar reference numerals indicate similar parts in the several figures.
1 indicates the shaft, 2 the lower section of the bearing, and 3 the upper or cap
section thereof. Each section is provided interiorly with a recess or chamber, the
one in the lower chamber being indicated by 4, and that in the upper chamber
by 5, and these chambers are of substantially equal dimensions and are in vertical
alignment with each other. 6 indicates a pipe leading from the chamber 4 to the
force pump 7, the piston rod of which is connected to the strap 8 of an eccentric 9
on the shaft 1. A tank or reservoir 10 is provided to contain a supply of lubricant,
and a pipe 11 leads from the tank to the pump.
12 indicates a pipe leading from the chamber 5 to the tank and serves to return
the lubricant from the chamber to the tank. This pipe will be of somewhat greater
diameter than the supply pipe in order that the lubricant may escape freely from
the chamber 5 into which it will be forced under pressure and thus avoid

page_text: downward pressure on the shaft. The chambers 4 and 5 have their greatest length
longitudinally of the shaft and are of a materially less width than the diameter of
the shaft so as to be open only to the shaft and to the supply and discharge
pipes respectively.
A stuffing box 13 is provided at each end of the bearing to receive a suitable
packing 14, and a follower 15 is adjustable in the usual manner to compress the
packing, and thereby prevent the escape of the lubricant at the ends of the bearing.
By this arrangement the lubricant will be compelled to force its way around the
shaft from the lower to the upper chamber, and thence back to the reservoir
through the pipe 12.
From the foregoing description it will be obvious that when the pump is operated
the lubricant will accumulate in the lower chamber under sufficient pressure to lift
the shaft out of metallic contact with the lower section of the bearing and will then
be forced up around the shaft into the upper chamber from which it will be free to
escape to the tank. A thin film of lubricant will, therefore, be constantly
Inaintained between the metal of the shaft and the bearing as long as the pump is
operated, and there will be very little friction on the shaft in the bearing to retard
its revolution. It is also obvious that by the use of the stuffing boxes, the lubricant
is prevented from escaping from the ends of the bearing, and consequently the
entire pressure of the lubricant is exerted in an upward direction.
The invention has been illustrated as applied to a single bearing, but it is
obvious that adjacent bearings may be supplied with lubricant from the same pump,
by having branch pipes leading from the supply, and return pipes to the several
bearings.
It will be understood that changes in the form, proportion and the minor details
of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing
any of the advantages of this invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
The combination with a horizontal shaft-of a bearing box provided at its ends
with stuffing boxes and having formed respectively in the upper and lower sides of
its bore and in the same vertical plane oil chambers or pockets disposed
longitudinally of the shaft and of a materially less width than the diameter of the
latter, whereby the shaft will form a loose closure for the open sides of said
chambers or pockets, an oil inlet pipe arranged to deliver oil under pressure to the
lower of said chambers or pockets, and an oil outlet pipe communicating with the
upper of said chambers or pockets and of a greater diameter than said inlet pipe,
substantially as set forth.