IMPROVED MEANS OF OLLING THE BEARINGS AND JOURNALS OF REVOLVING SHAFTS, SPINDLES, AND PINS OF REAPING AND MOWING MACHINES
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Theodore Griffin, of 77, Upper Thames
Street, in the City of London, for the Invention of "IMPROVED MEANS
OF OLLING THE BEARINGS AND JOURNALS OF REVOLVING SHAFTS, SPINDLES,
AND PINS OF REAPING AND MOWING MACHINES."-A communication from
abroad by Walter Abbott Wood, of Hoosick Falls, New York, in the
United States of America:
Sealed the 16th August 1870, and dated the 3rd March 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Theodore Griffin
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 3rd March 1870.
I, JAMES THEODORE GRIFFIN, of 77, Upper Thames Street, in the
City of London, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVED MEANS OF OILING THE BEARINGS AND JOURNALS OF REVOLVING
SHAFTS, SPINDLES, AND PINS OF REAPING AND MOWING MACHINES," to be as
follows:-
:-
My first improvement relates to an arrangement of supplying the
oil to the pin of the fly or balance wheel of reaping and mowing
machines, so that a constant flow of oil is kept up while the machine

page_text: is at work, and checked or entirely stopped when the machine has left
off work.
My second improvement relates to means of securing the oil vessel
in a steady and safe position upon, or in the cap or top plate of shaft
or spindle bearings of reaping and mowing machines.
The first improvement is carried out in the following manner :-I form
an oil chamber or reservoir in the interior of the fly or balance wheel,
and I make a passage for filling purposes from such recess; the passage
is closed against the access of air by a wood or other plug, which is
kept in its seat by a spring, the spring embraces or bears upon the plug
to hold it down. I form a space in one side of the wheel for the plug
and spring to rest in and be kept flush with the face, and I balance the
wheel by forming another recess on the other side of the same face.
The pin or bolt of the pitman passes through the reservoir, and one
_part_of_it_is_provided with a circular_groove-in-its-stem-for-the-oil-from-
the reservoir to flow round; there is also a hole drilled in a diagonal
direction from the groove to about the central part of the bolt stem
which carries the pitman head so that the oil from the groove can
freely pass to the boss or collar of the pitman, and lubricate it while
it is at work. The flow of the oil is limited by reason of the reservoir
being closed against the atmospheric pressure by the wood plug. The
plug is so situated that it can be casily lifted from its seat by the
fingers when the reservoir requires refilling.
The second improvement consists in forming a chamber for the recep-
tion of a needle lubricator in the top plate or cap of the bearings, through 1
which the revolving shafts pass; I secure the lubricator in place by a
strap which is looped over the opening by two pins or studs, and the
strap is prevented shifting by taking into a groove made across the
bulb for the purpose. The lubricator is forced towards the strap. by a
spring, (which embraces its neck) with sufficient pressure to prevent a
it jolting when the machine is at work.
The lubricator bulb may be made of glass as is usual, or of metal ;
if made of glass it is preserved from fracture or injury by the united
action of the spring and strap. The lubricator can be easily removed
for refilling by simply pressing it down to compress the spring, and then a
shifting the strap over to one side.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said James Theodore Griffin in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 3rd September 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
THEODORE GRIFFIN, of 77, Upper Thames Street, in the City of London,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Third day of March, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-third
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said James Theodore Griffin, Her special licence that I,
the said James Theodore Griffin, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said James Theodore Griffin, my executors,
administrators, and 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 "IMPROVED MEANS OF OILING THE
BEARINGS AND JOURNALS OF REVOLVING SHAFTS, SPINDLES, AND PINS OF REAPING
AND MOWING MACHINES," (communicated to me from abroad by Walter
Abbott Wood, of Hoosick Falls, New "York, United States of America,'
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said James Theodore
Griffin, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, 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 I, the said James Theodore Griffin, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement hereof, reference being had to the
Drawings hereunto annexed, that is to say:
My first improvement relates to an arrangement of supplying the oil
to the pin of the fly or balance wheels of reaping and mowing machines
so that a constant flow of oil is kept up while the machine is at work
and checked or entirely stopped when the machine has left off work.

page_text: The improvement is carried out in the following manner:-I form
an oil chamber or reservoir in the interior of the fly or balance wheel,
and I make a passage for filling purposes from such recess; the passage
is closed against the access of air by a wood or other plug which is
kept in its seat by a spring, the spring embraces or bears upon the plug
to hold it down. I form a space in one side of the wheel for the plug
and spring to rest in and be kept flush with the face, and I balance the
wheel by forming another recess on the other side of the same face.
The pin or bolt of the pitman passes though the reservoir, and one part
of it is provided with a circular groove in its stem for the oil from the
reservoir to flow round; there is also a hole drilled in a diagonal
direction from the groove to about the central part of the bolt stem
which carries the pitman head so that the oil from the groove can freely
pass to the box or collar of the pitman and lubricate it while it is at
work. The flow of the oil is limited by reason of the reservoir-being-|
closed against the atmospheric pressure by the wood plug. The plug is
so situated that it can be easily lifted from its scat by the fingers when
the reservoir requires refilling.
The Invention will be well understood by referring to the accom-
panying Drawings, of which Figures 1 and 2 represent my first improve-
ments.
A is the fly or balance wheel of a reaping or mowing machine which
communicates the reciprocating motion to the knives or cutters, the
degree of throw or travel of which is governed by the distance. The
pitman pin B is fitted from the centre or shaft C in the usual manner.
The balance wheel A. is hollow at one part of it, the hollow part forming
a cup or reservoir for oil or other lubricating material for lubricating
the pitman socket D. The hollow or cup leads, by means of a neck E to
an aperture F in one face of the wheel into which a plug or stopper G
is placed and held by a spring H abutting against its shoulder as shown
with sufficient pressure to make it air-tight, and thus determine the flow
of the oil or other lubricant to the pin as well as preventing the oil
escaping when the wheel is not rotating. To prevent the spring leaping
or jumping off the plug during the travel of the machine over the
ground I introduce the upper end of it into a recess at J from which it
can be easily detached by the fingers of the attendant when the cup K
requires refilling. The pin B is formed with an annular groove at Linto
which the oil finds its way on the rotation of the wheel, and a sucking

page_text: action is produced by the movements of the pitman socket which fits the
pin B to draw the oil through the hole M leading from the groove to
about the central part of the head or socket, the hole being made
diagonally for that purpose. There is no limit to the size or dimensions
of the hollow or reservoir, as that of course may be made to hold any
quantity of oil.
In the Drawings I have shown what I consider to be the best way of
forming the reservoir and for holding the plug in place in the balance
wheel, but I do not restrict myself to that mode as I can if I think
proper form a chamber in the side of the wheel and fit an oil reservoir
in it, and retain the reservoir in place by means of a strap or by
springs or plates. The wheel is balanced by forming a corresponding
recess or recesses on the part opposite the reservoir.
My second improvement relates to means of securing the oil vessel
in a steady and safe position upon or in the cap or top plate of shaft
or spindle bearings of reaping and mowing machines, and consists in
forming a chamber for the reception of a needle lubricator in the top
plate or cap of the bearings through which the revolving shafts pass.
I secure the lubricator in place by a strap which is looped over the
opening by two pins or studs, and the strap is prevented shifting by
taking into a groove made across the bulb for the purpose. The lubri-
cator is forced towards the strap by a spring (which embraces its neck)
with sufficient pressure to prevent it jolting when the machine is at
work. The lubricator bulb may be made of glass as is usual, or of
metal, if made of glass it is preserved from fracture or injury by the
united action of the spring and strap. The lubricator can be easily
removed for refilling by simply pressing it down to compress the spring
and then shifting the strap over to one side. This is likewise shewn on
the same Sheet of Drawings in which Figures 3 and 4, are respectively
sectional elevations of the same bearing taken at right angles to one
another. a is the shaft or spindle which revolves in the bearing b. The
bearing is cup-shaped at its upper part for the reception of a lubricator,
known as the "needle lubricator," and for which a Patent was granted
to Clinton Edgcumbe Brooman, in the year One thousand eight hundred
and sixty-six, No. 2312. The cup is formed with a shoulder c for a
spring d to press upon, and through which the neck or mouth e of the
lubricator passes to steady it during the working of the machine.
The spring d encircles the neck e and its tendency is to lift the

page_text: lubricator upwards by acting against the body as shown, but it is
retained in position by a strap g which is looped across the opening of
the cup by screws or pins h, h, the strap finding a lodgement in a recess
provided for it in the bottom j of the lubricator. The rotation of the
shaft or spindle causes a tremulous motion of the needle to be produced,
and a film of oil passes down the needle k to lubricate the bearing with
only the necessary quantity of oil. The instant the spindle ceases to
rotate the flow of the oil is suspended thus there is no running to waste
when the spindle is at rest.
And having now described the nature of the said Invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim,
under the first part of the Invention, forming a chamber or reservoir
for oil or other lubricant in the fly or balance_wheel_or_wheels-of-
reaping and mowing machines which can be hermetically plugged
or stoppered in the manner and for the purpose herein-before described 1
and shown in the accompanying Drawings.
.
Secondly. Forming a hole or holes in a diagonal direction in the pit-
man pin of reaping and mowing machine, in the manner and for the
purpose herein-before described and shown.
Thirdly. I claim the means of lubricating the socket or head of 2
pitmen of reaping and mowing machines, as herein-before described and.
shown.
Under the second head of the Invention I claim :-The formation of
a cup in the bearings in which the shaft or spindles of reaping and
mowing machines rotate, and fitting a needle lubricator therein, in the 2
manner and for the purposes herein-before described and shown.
Secondly. I claim, the employment of a spring and of a strap for
retaining a needle lubricator in the cup of reaping and mowing machine
bearings, in the manner described and shown.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Theodore Griffin have here- 3
unto set my hand and seal, this First day of September One
thousand cight hundred and seventy.
JAMES T. GRIFFIN. (L.S.)