IMPROVEMENTS IN ENGINE LUBRI- CATORS
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Preston and John Prestige, of the Firm
of J. Stone and Company, of Deptford, in the County of Kent,
Engineers, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ENGINE LUBRI-
CATORS."
Scaled the 11th June 1869, and dated, the 12th December 1868..
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Preston and
John Prestige at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 12th December 1868..
We, GEORGE PRESTON and JOHN PRESTIGE, of the Firm of J. Stone
and Company, of Deptford, in the County of Kent, Engineers, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ENGINE
LUBRICATORS," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to lubricators for the use of tallow and other
hard fatty substances. The process of lubrication with our lubri
cators is continuous, and by means of an internal spiral tube or worm.
becomes operative immediately the steam is admitted to the engines.
Our lubricators are constructed as follows:-We make a box (which we
prefer to be of cylindrical form) of brass, or other suitable material, in
which is placed a spiral tube or worm which is open at the upper end,.
and at the lower end is fitted with a cock and union to connect it with.

page_text: the main steam pipe in order to admit the steam as required. On the
top and outside the cylinder or box is fixed a cup fitted with a cock or
valve to admit the tallow or other lubricant to the inside of the same.
The front of the cylinder or box is fitted with a glass tube to visibly
indicate the quantity of tallow. It is fitted with a small cock at the
bottom to draw off any condensed water that might have accumulated
in the cylinder or box. The bottom of the cylinder or box is fitted with
a cock and union to connect it to the main steam pipe, so as to allow
the melted grease to flow as required (the quantity being regulated by
the cock) into the main steam pipe, when it thoroughly impregnates thic
steam and enters the cylinder in the form of very small globules, causing
the whole of the internal parts of the engine to be regularly and
thoroughly greased. Sometimes we prefer to use a hollow belt or passage
round the cylinder or box instead of the spiral tube or worm, so as to
obtain sufficient heating surface to melt the lubricating matter quickly.
The novel features in this Invention are the general construction of
the lubricator, and the fitting it with a spiral tube or worm in the
cylinder or box, or with passages round the cylinder or box, so as to
obtain sufficient heating surface, by which means the lubricating matter
is at once melted and prepared for use immediately the steam is admitted
to the cylinder before the engines are started, at which time the
lubrication is most required.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said George Preston and John Prestige in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 12th June 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, wc, GEORGE
PRESTON and JOHN PRESTIGE, of the Firm of J. Stone and Company, of
Deptford, in the County of Kent, Engineers, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of December, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the thirty-
second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
aud grant unto us, the said George Preston and Jolin Prestige, Hor
special licence that we, the said George Preston and John Prestige, our
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said
George Preston and John Prestige, our executors, administrators, and

page_text: assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to
time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands,
and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ENGINE LUBRI-
CATORS," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said George
Preston and Jolm Prestige, our executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment in writing under our, or their, or one of their hands and seals,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause
the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said George Preston and John
Prestige, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and.
ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, reference being
had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, that is to say:—
This Invention relates to lubricators for the use of tallow and other
hard fatty substances. The process of lubrication with our lubricators
is continuous and by means of an internal spiral tube or Worm
becomes operative immediately the steam is admitted to the engines.
Our lubricators are constructed as follows:-We make a box (which we
prefer to be of cylindrical form) of brass or other suitable material,
in which is placed a spiral tube or worm which is open at the upper
end, and at the lower end is fitted with a cock and union to connect it
with the main steam pipe in order to admit the steam as required. On
the top and outside the cylinder or box is fixed a cup fitted with a cock
or valve to admit the tallow or other lubricant to the inside of the same.
The front of the cylinder or box is fitted with a glass tube to visibly indi-
cate the quantity of tallow. It is fitted with a sinall cock at the bottom
to draw off any condensed water that might have accumulated in the
cylinder or box. The bottom of the cylinder or box is fitted with a cock
and union to connect it to the main steam pipe, so as to allow the
melted grease to flow as required (the quantity being regulated by the
cock) into the main steam pipe, when it thoroughly impregnates the
steam and enters the cylinder in the form of very small globules, causing
the whole of the internal parts of the engine to be regularly and
thoroughly greased. Sometimes we prefer to use a hollow belt or

page_text: passage round the cylinder or box instead of the spiral tube or worm,
so as to obtain a sufficient heating surface to melt the lubricating matter
quickly.
The novel features in this Invention are the general construction of
the lubricator, and the fitting it with a spiral tube or worm in the
cylinder or box, or with passages round the cylinder or box, so as to
obtain sufficient heating surface, by which means the lubricating matter
is at once melted and prepared for use immediately the steam is admitted
to the cylinder before the engines are started, at which time the lubricator
is most required.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings represents a sectional
elevation of one of our lubricators constructed according to our Inven-
Lion, Figure 2 is an external front elevation; and Figure 3 a plan of
the same.
The body a of the lubricator is preferably of cylindrical shape, and is
formed with a pocket or recess at its lower end to enable it to be fitted
on the steam pipe, on the cylinder of an engine, or in any other desirable
position. The upper part of the cylinder is fitted with a cover or lid c,
which can be screwed on as shown in the Drawings or otherwise secured.
When the cover c is in place it hermetically closes the body. The
cover is provided with a cup or receiver d by which the tallow is supplied
to the reservoir, and in ordr to prevent any escape of steam through
the openings between the cup and reservoir the central portion of the
cup is fitted with a valve e, which is kept upon its scat while the engine
to which the lubricator is attached is working. The front of the lubri-
cator is furnished with two pipes f, g, one, f, for admitting steam from
the boiler direct to the interior of the apparatus, and the other, g, for
the tallow to pass through to the cylinder or other part of the engine
or surface to be lubricated. Both these pipes are fitted with cocks h, i,
by which the amount of steam admitted to and tallow from the lubricator
can be regulated at pleasure. The steam supply pipe f terminates in
the interior of the lubricator in a coil or spiral j, by which means a
large heating surface is obtained, and the tallow becomes melted quickly
by the action of the steam. The front or other part of the lubricator is
also furnished with a gauge by which the level of the tallow can be
always seen; it is composed of a glass tube k, connected at the top and
bottom to end pieces l, m, the upper end piece is in communication
with the space above the tallow- in the interior of the apparatus, while

page_text: the lower one m opens into the bottom of the lubricator by the passagen,
as shewn in the Drawing. During the time the tallow is kept in a
melted state by the steam it is caused to flow up the tube k by the
passage n, and indicate its level in the apparatus. Should any of the
steam become condensed in the body a, or in the tube k, it can be allowed
to escape by the cock when the supply of steam is shut off. When
we desire to lubricate the interior of a cylinder of an engine we prefer
to connect the pipe i with the main steam pipe, when a limited quantity
of the lubricant is taken by the steam in a state of spray, or very fine
globules, and distributed over the entire inner surfaces at each distribu-
tion of steam, both in the forward and in the backward stroke of the
piston.
In some cases we form a hollow belt round the body of the lubricator,
through which the steam is caused to pass for heating and melting the
tallow instead of the coil or spiral tube.
And having now described the nature of the said Invention, and, in
what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that we claim,―
First. The general construction and arrangement of lubricators, as
herein-before described and represented in the Drawings hereunto
annexed.
Second. Fitting a coil or spiral tube in the body of lubricators through
which steam is passed for quickly heating and melting the tallow or
other hard fatty matter for the purposes of lubrication, as herein-before
described and shewn in the Drawings.
And third. We claim the employment of a hollow belt or passage
round the interior of the body of the lubricator in lieu of the spiral tube
for the purpose herein before described.
In witness whereof, wc, the said George Preston and John Prestige,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Eleventh day of June,
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.
GEORGE PRESTON (rc)