Improved Means for Effecting a Uniform Supply of Oil in Lamps and Lubricators, also Applicable for Effecting the Uniform Supply of Liquid Generally.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 8th May, 1888
Complete Specification Left, 8th Mar., 1889-Accepted, 8th Aug., 1889
VIDIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means for Effecting a Uniform Supply of Oil in Lamps and
Lubricators, also Applicable for Effecting the Uniform Supply of
Liquid Generally.
1, TELFORD MACNEILL of No. 3, Spring Gardens in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
:-
My invention has for its object to effect a very uniform supply of oil both in oil
lamps and in lubricators, and it consists in employing for this purpose an oil vessel or
reservoir containing a float carrying a siphon tube, one limb of which dips into the
oil in the vessel while the other limb passes down a tube fixed in or at the side of the
vessel which conducts the oil to the burner of the lamp or to the surface to be lubricated
means being provided whereby the siphon is prevented from becoming discharged
when the oil has sunk to the lowest level, in the reservoir. According to one arrange-
ment for this purpose the tube into which the siphon discharges is provided with
means for always maintaining a body of oil at such a level therein, that when the oil
in the reservoir has sunk to the lowest level the discharge orifice of the siphon tube is
made to dip into the said body of oil, and in thus having its discharge stopped,
prevents the emptying of the siphon, so that when the reservoir is filled with oil again
the siphon resumes its action without requiring to be recharged.
The retention of the said body of oil in the discharge tubo may be effected in
various ways; thus according to one arrangement I form in the discharge tube a
pocket or recess into which the oil descends from the upper part of the tube and from
which it flows into the lower part through an opening at the top of the recess, so that
this always remains full of oil, into which the siphon tube dips when in its lowest
position.
According to another arrangement, the part of the discharge tube connected to the
oil vessel is closed at its lower end and has a smaller tube passing through it, the lower
end of which communicates with the lower part of the discharge tube, while the upper
end projects up some distance above the closed end of the upper part, so that there
will always be a certain quantity of oil retained in the latter. Or according to another
arrangement, the reservoir is placed at such a level relatively to the burner of the
lamp or the discharge orifice of the lubricator, that the oil in the discharge tube can
never sink below a certain level, this level being at such a height that the siphon tube
will dip into it when in its lowest position.
According to another arrangement for stopping the discharge of oil from the siphon
when the oil has sunk to a certain level, the discharge limb of the siphon is made
shorter than the suction limb, and means are provided either on the float or in the
reservoir for stopping the descent of the float at a certain level; the discharge of oil
will however continue beyond this point until the oil level has sunk to the level of the
orifice of the siphon's discharge limb, at which level the suction limb will still be
immersed. As the columns of liquid will now be equal in both limbs of the siphon,
they will balance each other and no further discharge will take place.
As, when the oil vessel is filled with oil, the float with its siphon will necessarily
extend some height above the oil level, the vessel must either be made of a corre-
sponding increased height, in order that it may be enclosed at top or it may have a
cover provided with a tubular extension in which the siphon works up and down. For
charging the siphon in the first instance it is only requisite to depress the float with
he siphon so that the top of the siphon bend is below the oil level in the reservoir,
which may be effected by forming a notch in the mouth of the discharge tube so as
o allow the siphon bend to be depressed to the level of such mouth, and then by
emporarily closing such mouth the oil level may be raised sufficiently above it to
ffect the filling of the siphon bend.

page_text: Or instead of closing the mouth of the discharge tube it may have a short exten-
sion fitted upon it, and either the discharge tube be filled with oil, for which purpose
it is provided with a stop cock below the siphon, or the oil level in the reservoir be
raised as described..
As the siphon tube is in most cases necessarily of a small diameter in order to
effect a slow discharge, it is essential to prevent any solid matter from passing into
it, for which purpose the suction end is enlarged in diameter and is covered with
wire gauze or other material that will prevent the entrance of solid matter.
Although my above described improved siphon discharge apparatus is more par-
ticularly intended for use in oil lamps and lubricators, it will be evident that it may
be used for effecting the uniform discharge of liquids generally.
Dated this 8th day of May 1888
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means for Effecting a Uniform Supply of Oil in Lamps and
Lubricators, also Applicable for Effecting the Uniform Supply of
Liquid Generally.
I, TELFORD MAONEILL of No. 3 Spring Gardens, in the County of Middlesex,
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 :-
My invention has for its object to effect a very uniform supply of oil both in oil
lamps and in lubricators, and it consists in omploying for this purpose an oil vessel
or reservoir containing a float carrying a siphon tube, one limb of which dips into the
oil in the vessel while the other limb passes down a tube fixed in or at the side of the
vessel which conducts the oil to the burner of the lamp or to the surface to bo
lubricated, means being provided whereby the siphon is prevented from becoming
discharged when the oil has sunk to the lowest level in the reservoir. According to
one arrangement for this purpose the tube into which the siphon discharges is pro-
vided with means for always maintaining a body of oil at such a level therein, that
when the oil in the reservoir has sunk to the lowest level, the discharge orifice of the
siphon tube is made to dip into the said body of oil, and in thus having its discharge
stopped, prevents the emptying of the siphon, so that when the reservoir is filled with
oil again the siphon resumes its action without requiring to be recharged.
The retention of the said body of oil in the discharge tube may be effected in
various ways; thus according to one arrangement I form in the discharge tube a
pocket or recess into which the oil descends from the upper part of the tube and
from which it flows into the lower part through an opening at the top of the recess,
so that this always remains full of oil, into which the siphon tube dips when in its
lowest position.
According to another arrangement, the part of the discharge tube connected to the
oil vessel is closed at its lower end and has a smaller tube passing through it, the lower
end of which communicates with the lower part of the discharge tube, while the upper
end projects up some distance above the closed end of the upper part, so that there
will always be a certain quantity of oil retained in the latter. Or, according to
another arrangement, the reservoir is placed at such a level relatively to the burner of
the lamp or the discharge orifice of the lubricator, that the oil in the discharge tube
can never sink below a certain level, this level being at such a height that the siphon
tube will dip into it when in its lowest position.
According to another arrangement for stopping the discharge of oil from the siphon
when the oil has sunk to a certain level, the discharge limb of the siphon is made
shorter than the suction limb, and means are provided, either on the float or in the
reservoir for stopping the descent of the float at a certain level; the discharge of oil
will however continue beyond this point until the oil level has sunk to the level of the

page_text: orifice of the siphon's discharge limb, at which level the suction limb will still be
immersed. As the columns of liquid will now be equal in both limbs of the siphon,
they will balance each other and no further discharge will take place.
As, when the oil vessel is filled with oil, the float with its siphon will necessarily
extend some height above the oil level, the vessel must either be made of a corre-
sponding increased height, in order that it may be enclosed at top, or it may have a
cover provided with a tubular extension in which the siphon works up and down. For
charging the siphon in the first instance it is only requisite to depress the float with
the siphon so that the top of the siphon-bend is below the oil level in the reservoir,
which may be effected by forming a notch in the mouth of the discharge tube so as to
allow the siphon bend to be depressed to the level of such mouth and then by tem-
porarily closing such mouth, the oil level may be raised sufficiently above it to effect
the filling of the siphon bend.
Or, instead of closing the mouth of the discharge tube it may have a short exten-
sion fitted upon it, and either the discharge tube be filled with oil, for which purpose
it is provided with a stop cock below the siphon or the oil level in the reservoir be
raised as described.
As the siphon tube is in most cases necessarily of a small diameter in order to effect
a slow discharge, it is essential to prevent any solid matter from passing into it, for
which purpose the suction end is enlarged in diameter and is covered with wire gauze
or other material that will prevent the entrance of solid matter.
Although my above described improved siphon discharge apparatus is more par-
ticularly intended for use in oil lamps and lubricators it will be evident that it may be
used for effecting the uniform discharge of liquids generally.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
On the accompanying drawings are shewn various arrangements for effecting the
uniform supply of oil or other liquids according to my above described invention.
Figure 1 shews a vertical section and Figure 2 a sectional plan of an apparatus in
which a receptacle A charged with oil contains a metal float B to which is attached a
siphon C, one limb of which passes through the float to the underside thereof where
its month is closed by wire gauze or perforated screen for preventing the entrance of
dirt. The other limb of the siphon passes into a central tube A¹ of the receptacle,
the lower end of which is closed, but has a small tube D passing up through it from
a discharge pipe E below, this tube being placed to one side so as to leave room for
the siphon limb in the tube A' as shown, and it is carried up to such a height that
there will always be sufficient oil retained in the tube A¹ to seal the siphon, when this
is in the lowest position as shewn. The tube A' also serves as guide to the float B
through a central hole in which it passes. Assuming the receptacle A to be filled with
oil to the level of the mouth of the tube A¹, then the float and siphon would be in a
correspondingly raised position, the siphon being situated in the tubular extension A²
of the cover of the receptacle. In order now to put the siphon in action, it is
depressed in the oil into the position shewn, with its bend situated in a notch in the
tube A¹. The oil will then flow from the outer limb over the bend and down the dis-
charge limb into the tube A¹. When this has been effected, the siphon is allowed to
rise again and a continuous uniform discharge of oil into the tube A' then takes place,
the oil flowing from the tube A¹ through tube D into the discharge pipe E which leads
it to wherever required.
When by the discharge of oil the float and siphon have sunk to the position shown,
the discharge limb dips into the oil retained in the bottom of tube A¹ and as soon
as the oil in the vessel A has sunk to the same level, the discharge will cease, while
retaining the siphon fully charged, so that on again filling the receptacle A, the
discharge will recommence.
The pipe E is provided with a cock for stopping the discharge at any time.
Figures 3 and 4 shew a vertical and horizontal section of a modification in which,
instead of forming the central tube A' so as to retain a quantity of oil at bottom for

page_text: stopping the discharge, this is effected by making the discharge limb of the siphon
shorter than the suction limb, so that when the oil in A has sunk to the level of the
discharge limb's orifice the discharge will cease, while the siphon will remain
charged, as the column of liquid in the suction limb will balance that in the discharge
limb.
The siphon can be charged in the first instance by closing the cock of the pipe E,
and temporarily fitting an extension A³ on to the tube A¹ through which oil is intro-
duced until it is above the level of the siphon bend, after which A³ is removed.
In the modification shewn at Figures 5 and 6, the siphon limbs are made equal as
before, the discharge limb being sealed when in the lowest position by dipping into
the liquid retained in the bend of the discharge pipo E.
In this arrangement the suction limb of the siphon moves up and down in a per-
forated or wire gauzo filtering tube F, the siphon being carried by two uprights G
fixed to the float B. Figures 7 and 8 shew an arrangement similar to the foregoing
one, but with the tube A¹ in which the discharge siphon limb is situated placed to one
side of a central discharge tube D, with which it communicates through a hole D¹ 80
as to retain some oil in the tube A¹. Figures 9, 10 and 11 shew respectively a section
on line Y Y, a section on line X X and a sectional plan of a modification of the
arrangement just described in which the tube D is extended up some height, and the
discharge limb of the siphon is provided with a cap C₁ which, when the siphon is in
the position shewn, closes the upper end of the tube A, so that exhausting the air
from the tube D (cock E being closed) by suction at the upper end thereof, the air
will also be exhausted from tube A¹ and the discharge limb of the siphon, thus
drawing the liquid over the bend and starting the siphon.
Figures 12, 13 and 14 shew to an enlarged scale a modified construction of the
last described arrangement, in which the tubo D is placed out of line with the tubes A¹
and F, so that the siphon C is situated to one side of the tube D, which is thus made
to act as a guide on which slides a sleeve H fixed to the float B, and serving as
support to the siphon as shewn more clearly at Figure 13 which is a section at ZZ
Figure 14.
The tube D communicates with the tube A¹ by a passage D¹. The action is other-
wise just the same as above described. The receptacle A can either be carried on a
stand, as shewn, or be hung from loops A*.
Figures 15, 16 and 17 shew the last described construction adapted for supplying
oil or other liquid to a number of burners, lubricators, &c. by means of a
distributor I.
Figure 15 shows a vertical section of the siphon apparatus, Figure 16 is a vertical
section of the distributor and Figure 17 is a cross section of the distributor at
W, W.
The distributor I consists of a tubular vessel I' into which the discharge from the
siphon apparatus flows through pipe E, and which is provided with a number of
small branch tubes J J that lead the oil supply into a corresponding number of
pipes K. K that convey it to the required localities. Stoppered openings K¹ are pro-
vided in the pipes K for clearing out the tubes J when required.
The tubes I and K are extended up to a height corresponding to that of the
highest oil level in the reservoir A, so that when the discharge from the pipes K is
stopped by closing cocks thereon, while the discharge from the reservoir continues,
the liquid will rise in the pipes I, K until it stands at the same level as that of the
liquid in A, whereupon the discharge from A will cease.
A screen may he provided at L in the tube I for retaining any solid matter that
may pass in from A.
Figures 18 and 19 shew respectively a vertical section and a sectional plan of a
railway truck with the above described siphon discharge apparatus, and distributor
applied thereto, for supplying the axle boxes with lubricating oil. A is the siphon
apparatus, fixed at one end of the truck, and communicating by a pipe E with the
distributor I, from which pipes K K lead to the several axle boxes.

page_text: Figures 20 and 21 shew a vertical section and sectional plan of a modification
in which the siphon apparatus is so constructed as itself to distribute the liquid
to a number of lamps, lubricators etc., the apparatus being provided with a corre-
sponding number of siphons C C C &c., and discharge tubes and pipes A¹ A² A³
&c. D D D &c. E¹ E E³ &c. the suction limbs of the siphons are all contained
in a central straining tube F common to all.
The siphons are carried by a ring G¹ on the upper end of the supports G fixed
to the float B.
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. In a reservoir for supplying lamps, lubricators and other objects with oil or other
liquids, the use of a supply siphon carried by a float and so arranged in combination
with a discharge pipe, that when the liquid in the reservoir has sunk to a certain level,
the siphon in sinking with it is made to dip with its discharge orifice into a body of
liquid retained in a part of the discharge pipe or in a receptacle communicating there-
with, whereby the discharge from the siphon will be automatically stopped, sub-
stantially as herein described.
2. In a reservoir for supplying lamps, lubricators and other objects with oil or
other liquids the use of a supply siphon carried by a float, the discharge limb of the
siphon being shorter than the suction limb, so that when by the discharge from the
reservoir the siphon and float have sunk to a level beyond which they cannot descend,
the discharge from the siphon will cease as soon as the liquid in the reservoir has sunk
to the level of its discharge opening, while the siphon will remain charged, sub-
stantially as herein described.
3. In a reservoir having a floating siphon discharge, the use of a tube into which
the siphon discharges which is provided with means for retaining a body of liquid
therein during the discharge so that the discharge opening of the siphon will dip into
such body of liquid when it has sunk to a certain depth, substantially as and for the
purposes described.
4. The use of siphon discharge apparatus with automatic stopping of the siphon
discharge, combined and operating substantially as herein described with reference to
the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 8th day of March 1889.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.