IMPROVEMENTS IN LUBRICATORS
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Hardinge, of Sittingbourne, in the County of Kent,
Oil and Chemical Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
LUBRICATORS."
Sealed the 13th June 1878, and dated the 17th December 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Hardinge at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th December 1877.
JAMES HARDINGE, of Sittingbourne, in the County of Kent, Oil and Chemical
Manufacturer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN LUBRICATORS."
This Invention relates to certain improvements in the construction of devices or
apparatus for supplying lubricants to the going or working parts of machinery, the
object being to render possible the use of heavier or coarser oils than ordinarily,
where oils are used as lubricants, and also to effect economy or saving in the use of
lubricants supplied to the pistons of cylinders of steam and other engines by regu-
lating the supply during the working to the actual amount required, and entirely
stopping the supply when the machine is out of work.
The first arrangement of device is applicable to the lubricating of the pistons of
cylinders of steam and other engines, and consists of a cup or receptacle for tallow,
suet, or oil capable of sustaining an inside pressure of about 60 to 80lbs. per square
inch, and into the lower part of which receptacle is screwed a conduit tube, the
upper part of which is formed as a cylinder, and turned out to receive a piston and
a spiral spring placed upon or around the rod of said piston, and closed at its inner
end with a screw cap and with passage ways for lubricant, leading through the side
from the interior of the main receptacle to interior of the cylinder. The lower end
of said conduit tube has a centre conduit passage, and on its exterior a screw thread
by which it is attached or screwed into a hole in the casing, or the head of the
steam or other cylinder which is to be lubricated, according to whether said cylinder
is horizontal or vertical, and at the side of said conduit tube is a lump or piece of
metal which is drilled out, and partly or entirely tapped for the double purpose,
(1) of forming a chamber, which I call the "supply chamber," in connection with
Price RI

page_text: the conduit tube cylinder, and just above the piston working therein; and (2), to
receive a screwed plug for regulating the capacity of the said chamber. The upper
end of the cup or receptacle for containing the supply of lubricant has a hole therein
for its introduction, and is closed by a screwed cap, said cap having a hole drilled
into the lower part thereof for purpose herein-after described.
In using this lubricator device the receptacle is first filled with the lubricant,
which will by the passage ways fill into the interior of the "conduit tube cylinder"
above the piston, and also fill the "supply chamber." The lower end of the conduit
tube is then screwed into the head or shell of the cylinder to be lubricated in
required position for serving the supply, and upon the steam entering the cylinder
its pressure will act through the conduit upon the lubricator piston, and force it,
the piston, up against its spring so as to carry it above the supply chamber, and the
quantity of lubricant in said supply chamber will immediately flow down into the
lower part of the conduit tube to the part to be lubricated.
Upon the supply of steam being cut off or "exhausted" the spring of the
lubricator piston will force said piston down, causing, first, the lubricant to be
injected, and, secondly, the "supply chamber" to be recharged. Should the lubricator
become charged with steam the screw closing cap can be partially unscrewed so as
to allow the steam to be discharged through the hole drilled as before stated
therein.
Upon the machine to which the lubricator is attached ceasing to work the further
supply or discharge of lubricant will be discontinued, which is a special feature in
my Invention.
'
The second arrangement is applicable to the supplying of lubricant to the bosses
of loose pullies and wheels running loose on horizontal shafts or axles, and consists
of an oil receptacle, a conduit tube, and a pin free to work in the conduit passage,
and to which pin is attached a weight on the inner end thereof, above the conduit
tube, and a small spring is placed around the end of said pin, and acts against the
closing cap of the receptacle. The upper or inner end of the conduit tube is dished
more or less, and so is the "pin weight" on the face thereof, adjacent to the end of
conduit tube. The pin is fluted, grooved, or twisted to aid in conducting the oil.
In using the device the end of conduit tube is screwed into the boss of the pulley
or wheel to be lubricated, and as the wheel revolves the pin will work in and out
of the conduit tube on account of the changing position of the weight, whilst the
spiral spring will overcome the action of centrifugal force on the weighted pin.
By the changing position of the oil or grease cup the end of conduit will alter-
nately be dipped in and out of the lubricant, and the backward and forward working
of the pin, together with its fluted or spiral form, will feed the lubricant forward,
whilst the rotary motion is continued.
In
The third arrangement is applicable to glass oil cups for lubricating the bearings
of shaftings and like parts, and the device is constructed with a metallic conduit
tube passing through a flexible plug or ring in the mouth of the cup, which I
preferably make of toughened glass, and over which is secured a metallic cap.
the extremity of said conduit tube and concentric with the passage way is a
reducing plug or steadying piece fitting the pin, which is passed into the conduit
tube, and extends out therefrom to the part to be lubricated, and conveying the
lubricant, which passes thereto through sideway passages from the cup to the
interior of the conduit tube. The cup is made with an opening at its upper end,
which is closed with a glass stopper, for facilitating the the supply of oil without
removing the lubricator. The lubricator pin is fluted, grooved spirally, or twisted,
and its end is cut off square, so that as it rests upon the shafting or moving part
within the bearing to be lubricated a slight vibratory or rotary motion will be
imparted to said pin, thus aiding the flow of the oil.
In using this lubricator the conduit tube is screwed or dropped into a hole in the
bearing or other part to be lubricated, and the supply of oil will flow down as
ordinarily, with the exception that such flow is facilitated by the fluted, grooved,
spiral, or twisted form of the conduit pin,

page_text: Should the bearing become heated by the oil becoming set or congealed or any
other cause the conduit tube will also become heated, and the heat be conveyed by
the said conduit tube to the interior of the cup, where the heat will make the oil
more fluid and expand the air, thus forcing the oil down the flutes or grooves of
the pin into the bearing, thereby cooling and lubricating it. When the bearing
again becomes cool the lubricator again acts under its original conditions.
I would here remark that it is not my intention to claim the use of a pin in a
lubricator cup per se, as that is of well-known application, but what I consider to
be novel is a fluted, spiral, or twisted pin passing into a metallic conducting tube
for conducting the oil.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said James Hardinge in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 17th June
1878.
JAMES HARDINGE, of Sittingbourne, in the County of Kent, Oil and Chemical
Manufacturer. IMPROVEMENTS IN LUBRICATORS."
"
This Invention relates to certain improvements in the construction of devices or
apparatus for supplying lubricants to the going or working parts of machinery, the
object being to render possible the use of heavier or coarser oils than ordinarily
where oils are used as lubricants, and also to effect economy or saving in the use of
lubricants by regulating such supply during the working of the machinery to the
actual amount required, and entirely stopping the supply when the engine or
machinery is out of work.
In the annexed Sheet of Drawings is illustrated three classes or modifications of
the Invention,-
First. For cylinders of locomotive, marine, oscillating and stationary, steam, com-
pressed air, or gas engines, and crank shafts, eccentrics, slides, connecting rods,
and so forth.
Second. For loose pulleys and wheels running free upon their shafts or axles.
Third. For lubricating the bearings of shafting, trunnions and journals.
Fig. 1 is a vertical central section of one arrangement of the first class of
apparatus.
Fig. 1a a sectional plan at line a, b, of Fig. 1.
Fig 2, a sectional elevation of modification of the first arrangement.
Fig. 3, elevation (the working parts in section) of further modification of first
arrangement.
Fig. 4, elevation of device seen from right hand of Fig. 3
Fig. 5, section at line c, d, of Fig. 3.
Figs. 6 and 7, details of parts.
Fig. 8, vertical central section of second class of device.
Fig. 9, elevation of modification.
Figs. 10 and 11, elevation and section respectively of one arrangement of third
class of device.
15 anational
10

page_text: The first arrangement of device represented in Figure is applicable to the lubri-
cating of the pistons of cylinders of steam and other engines, and consists of a cup
or receptacle A for tallow, suet, or oil capable of sustaining an inside pressure, as for
ordinary steam fittings, and into the lower part of which is formed as a cylinder and
turned out to receive a piston C and a spiral spring C₁, or a weight is placed upon or
around the rod D of said piston, and the conduit tube B is closed at its inner end with
a screw cap B³, provided with passage ways for lubricant indicated by arrows leading
there-through froin the interior of the main receptacle to interior of the said cylinder or
conduit tube B. The lower end B3 of said conduit tube has a centre passage, and
on its exterior a screw thread B', by which it is attached or screwed into a hole in
the casing on the head of the steam or other cylinder which is to be lubricated
according to whether said cylinder is horizontal or vertical; and at side of said
conduit tube is a lump or piece of metal, which is drilled out and partly or entirely
tapped for the double purpose, (1), of forming a chamber E, which I call the supply
chamber, in connection with the conduit tube or piston cylinder B, and just above
the centre of piston C, working therein; and (2), to receive a screwed plug E¹ for
regulating the capacity of the said chamber E.
The regulating screw plug E' may work through a stuffing box E2, and the piston C
be packed or not (as requisite) with metallic spring band packing. The upper end
or cap of the cup or receptacle A has a hole therein for the introduction of lubricant,
and is preferably formed as a vertical cock with surrounding cup A. The plug F
of said cock is drilled out centrally, and provided with transverse ways F1 for
feeding in the lubricant to cup A through the holes A² of cap A¹. In the Drawings
the cock is shown open, but when the supply is completed it will be turned a quarter
way around to close the cup A.
The central hole of the cock plug F also acts as a guide for the upper end of the
piston rod D.
The piston cylinder B is preferably lined with a piece of steel tubing B; B is a
cock plug in B above B³ to cut off steam whilst recharging the cup A with lubricant
during the working of engine; G is a tap or plug for drawing off sediment or con-
densed water (if necessary; H is micrometer scale and wheel to facilitate and
indicate the setting of screw plug E¹ to regulate capacity of chamber E.
In using this lubricator device the receptacle A is first filled with the lubricant,
which will by the passage ways of cap B¹ fill into the interior of the conduit tubc
cylinder B, and into recess at centre of the piston C, and also fill the supply
chamber E. The lower end B of the conduit tube is then screwed into the head
or shell of the cylinder to be lubricated in required position for serving the supply,
and upon the steam entering the cylinder, its pressure will act through the conduit
in the direction of the arrow at the base upon the lubricator piston C, and force it,
the piston, up against the spring C¹, so as to carry it above the supply chamber E,
and the quantity of lubricant in said supply chamber will immediately flow down
into the lower part of the conduit tube, and thence to the part to be lubricated.
Upon the supply of steam being cut off or "exhausted" in the engine cylinder, the
spring (or weight) of the lubricator piston C will force said piston down, causing
first the lubricant to be injected, and, secondly, allowing the "supply chamber" to bo
recharged.
Should the lubricator cup A become charged with steam, the cock F can be
partially opened, so as to allow the steam to be discharged through the central hole
and passage ways A³
Upon the engine to which the lubricator is attached ceasing to work, the further
supply or discharge of lubricant is discontinued, which is one of the special features
in my Invention.
The modification of apparatus represented in Fig. 2 is designed specially for
horizontal cylinders, such as of locomotives. In this case the piston works in a
horizontal cylinder B, and the screw piece B' will be screwed into the cylinder
casing as before described for the first arrangement. The screwed piece I is to serve
as a union for a steam conducting tube fixed in or attached the opposite end of

page_text: the engine cylinder, so as to ensure a backward and forward action of piston C on the
alternate blow and exhaustion of steam; E is the supply chamber fitted with a
regulating screw plug as before described. The supply of oil or lubricant will flow
from cup A into recess of piston C, and when the piston is blown by the steam to
the discharge end of cylinder B, the supply chamber E will become charged with
lubricant which will flow out and be fed into the engine cylinder on the return stroke
of piston C, and so on. In this case between the connection of cup A and cylinder B
any length of conduct tube may intervene, and so the cup A may be at any convenient
distance or position.
In Figs. 3 to 7 is represented further modification of apparatus designed specially
for lubricating going parts of machinery that have reciprocating or oscillating
action, such as crank shafts, eccentrics, connecting rods, slides, oscillating cylinders,
and so forth.
In this arrangement the revolving plug K. contains the regulating chamber E, the
capacity whereof is regulated by screw plug E¹. On to outer extremity of plug K
is keyed à circular flanged disc L, and over this disc is fitted a ring piece M provided
with a cam slot M'. In this slot and between it and against the periphery of the
disc is placed a piece of wire M². The ring piece M carries a pendulum rod or
arm M³, and shifting weight N, and to secure the ring M from slipping off the
disc L, and also to secure the wire M² into the slot, a plate L' is secured to said
disc.
The lubricator is secured in position by screw B4, and as the oscillating or recipro-
cating action proceeds, the weight will cause arm M³ to pendulate in the guide P,
and at each stroke the cam slot M' will tighten or jam the wire M2 against the
periphery of the disc L, and carry round said disc, and with it the rotating plug K
with chamber E charged with lubricant, until same is brought down to discharge
contents into passage B³. The action will now carry chamber E up to receive
another charge, which will again be carried down for delivery, and so on.
speed at which this alternate charge and discharge is effected can be regulated by
the position of guide P, that is by the length of stroke of pendulum M³.
The
It will be obvious that the pendulum may work a catch gearing with a ratchet
on edge of disc L to effect rotation of plug K.
The second class of device is represented in Figs. 8 and 9, and is applicable to
the supplying of lubricants to the bosses of loose pulleys and wheels running loose
on shafts or axles, and consists of an oil receptacle A, a conduit tube B, and a
fluted, grooved, twisted, or plain pin C, free to work in the conduit passage, and to
which pin is attached a weight C¹ on the inner end thereof above the conduit
tube B, and if speed of pulley to which lubricator is applied be high it will be
necessary to place a small spring around the head of said pin, which spring will
act against the closing cap A¹ of the receptacle and weight C. The upper or inner
end of the conduit tube B is dished or cupped out more or less, as also is the pin
weight C on the lower face thereof adjacent to the end of conduit tube. The
pin C is fluted, grooved, or twisted, to aid in conducting the oil down to the
bearing.
In using the device the end B4 of conduit tube B is screwed into the boss of the
pulley or wheel to be lubricated, and as the wheel revolves the pin will work to
and fro in the conduit tube on account of the changing position of the weight,
whilst the spiral spring will overcome the action of centrifugal force on the weighted
pin. By the changing position of the oil or grease cup the inner end of conduit
tube B will alternately be dipped in and out of the lubricant, and the backward and
forward working of the pin, together with its fluted or spiral form will feed the
lubricant forward whilst the rotatory motion is continued. Upon the pulley or
wheel ceasing to rotate, the lubricator will be in a more or less upright or inverted
position, and either case the flow of oil will cease, as it cannot flow down the
tube B in the one position nor flow up the tube in the other.
The third class of device is applicable to glass or other metallic oil cups for

page_text: lubricating the bearings of shafting and like parts, and the device is constructed
as shown in Figs. 10, 11, and 12, with a metallic conduit tube B passing through
a flexible plug or ring C in the mouth or lower end of the cup A, which cup I
preferably make of toughened glass, and over the said flexible plug and lower end
of cup is secured a metallic cap D. In the lower extremity of said conduit tube B,
and concentric with the passage way, is a reducing tube or steadying piece or
plug E fitting the pin F, which is passed into the conduit tube and extends out
therefrom to the part to be lubricated, and conveys the lubricant, which passes
thereto through sideway passages B¹ from the cup A to the interior of the conduit
tube B. The cup A is made with an opening or mouth A¹ at its upper end, which
is closed with a glass or cork stopper G for facilitating the supply of oil without
removing the lubricators from the bearings. The lubricator piu F is fluted,
grooved spirally, or twisted, and its end is cut off square, so that as it rests upon
the shafting or moving parts within the bearing to be lubricated a slight vibratory
or semi-rotatory motion will be imparted to said pin, thus aiding the flow of
the oil.
In using this lubricator the end B4 of conduit tube B is screwed or fitted into a
hole in the bearing or other part to be lubricated, and the supply of oil will flow
down as ordinarily, with the exception that such flow is facilitated by the fluted
spirally grooved, or twisted form of the conduit pin; and should the bearing
become heated by the oil becoming set or congealed, or any other cause, the conduit
tube will also become heated, and the heat be conveyed by said conduit tube to the
interior of the cup, where the heat will make the oil more fluid and expand the
air in the cup and above the oil, thus forcing the oil down the flutes or grooves of
the pin into the bearing, thereby cooling and lubricating it. When the bearing
again becomes cool the lubricator again acts under its original conditions, thus
rendering the use of coarse and cheap oils as applicable as more expensive
lubricants.
The arrangement shown in Fig. 12 is of lighter and cheaper construction. The
tube B and pin F are employed, but instead of the cap D and flexible plug C the
wood or other kind of plug C₁ is employed. The lower end B2 of tube B may be
bushed if requisite for fitting to bearings.
I would remark here that it is not my intention to claim the use of a pin in a
lubricator cup simply, as that is of well known application, but what I consider to
be novel is a fluted, spiral, or twisted pin passing into a metallic conducting tube
for conducting the oil.
Having now described the nature and particulars of my said Invention, I
claim,―
First. The arrangement of device herein described for lubricating the working
surfaces of the pistons and cylinders of engines operating during the working of the
engine alternately following the "blow" and "reduction" of steam or other elastic
force, to supply and discharge a regulated quantity of lubricant, and discontinue
such supply upon stoppage of the working of the engine, substantially as herein set
forth and shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the Drawings.
Secondly. The arrangement of device herein described for lubricating oscillating
or reciprocating parts of engines and machinery operating by a pendulating
action to rotate a regulated supply chamber and discharge contents, as set forth
and shown by the Drawings, Figs. 3 to 7.
Thirdly. The arrangement of device herein described for lubricating the hubs and
shafts or journals of loose pulleys and wheels running loose on their shafts or
journals, constructed and operating substantially as herein set forth and shewn in
Figs. 8 and 9 of the Drawings.
Fourthly. The arrangement of device herein described for lubricating the
bearings of shafting journals or trunnions consisting of a metal conducting tube
constructed as described, and secured in the base of a glass or other kind of oil cup,

page_text: and provided with a fluted, grooved, or twisted pin oil conductor, constructed and
operating as herein set forth and shown in Figs. 10, 11, and 12 of the Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Hardinge, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Fifteenth day of June, One thousand eight hundred and
seventy-eight.
In the presence of
WALTER A. BARLOW,
Patent Agent & Engineer,
6, St. Paul's,
London, E.C.
JAMES HARDINGE. (L.S.)