An Improved Self-acting Lubricator for Air-compressors.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Mar., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Dec., 1890-Accepted, 21st Feb., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Self-acting Lubricator for Air-compressors.
GEORGE CLEMENT DOWNING, of 8 Quality Court, London, W.C., Patent Agent,
a communication from abroad by Amédée Lalance and Jules Eisner, both of Paris,
in the Republic of France, Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of the said
invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to manufacture improved self-acting lubricators
for supplying the cylinders of air compressors with the requisite quantities of
petroleum or naphtha.
The principle upon which the invention is based is the utilisation, for lubricating
purposes, of the vacuum produced at the top of the cylinder during the period of
exhaustion.
The apparatus consists of an oil cup, having an annular reservoir for oil. Below
this annular reservoir another reservoir or chamber is formed, which receives oil
from the upper reservoir. Communication between the two reservoirs is made by
means of a vertical tube, in which is a layer of cotton or wool.
A hole is formed in the cover to admit the atmosphere to the upper chamber,
and a central air passage admits the atmosphere to the lower chamber.
Two central inverted bronze valves, one above the other, are fitted below the
lower chamber, in the passage leading to the cylinder. These valves are held to
their seats by light coiled springs. The valves have cylindrical stems, bored out
to receive the oil, and provided with small holes to allow it to escape.
The apparatus is fixed to the cylinder in the usual manner.
The action of the apparatus is as follows: Before the pump is set in motion, oil
is poured into the upper chamber, and into the tube containing the cotton or wool:
also partly filling the lower chamber, and shutting off the escape of air therefrom.
When the pump is set in motion, the vacuum formed in the cylinder causes the
valves to open, and to eject the quantity of oil accumulated in the lower reservoir.
The lubrication is effected by drops of oil following each other while the
compressor is working, and the quantity is regulated by varying the thickness of
the layer of cotton in the tube.
Dated 2nd March 1890
GEORGE C. DOWNING.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Self-acting Lubricator for Air-compressors.
A communication from abroad by AMÉDÉE LALANCE and JULES ELSNER, both of
Paris, in the Rupublic of France, Engineers.
I, GEORGE CLEMENT DOWNING, of 8 Quality Court, London, W.C., Patent
Agent, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :-
The object of this invention is to manufacture improved self-acting lubricators,
for supplying the cylinders of air compressors with the requisite quantities of
petroleum or naphtha.
The principle upon which the invention is based is the utilisation, for lubricating
purposes, of the vacuum produced at the top of the cylinder during the period of
exhaustion.
The annaratus consists of an oil cun, having an annular reservoir for oil. Below

page_text: this annular reservoir another reservoir or chamber is formed, which receives oil
from the upper reservoir.
Communication between the two reservoirs is made by means of a vertical tube,
in which is a wick of cotton or wool.
A hole is formed in the cover to admit the atmosphere to the upper chamber,
and a central air passage admits the atmosphere to the lower chamber.
Two central inverted bronze valves, one above the other, are fitted below the
lower chamber, in the passage leading to the cylinder. These valves are held to
their seats by light coiled springs. The valves have cylindrical stems, bored out
to receive the oil, and provided with small holes to allow it to escape.
The apparatus is fixed to the cylinder in the usual manner.
And in order that my said invention may be particularly described and ascertained,
reference is hereby made to the accompanying drawings, in which similar letters of
reference indicate corresponding parts.
Fig. 1. is a sectional elevation, and Fig. 2 an external elevation of the lubricator.
Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line aa; and Fig. 4 is a section on the
linc
Y Y
a is the oil cup formed in two parts, as shown in Fig. 1. g is an annular reservoir
for receiving the oil. is the lower reservoir, which receives oil from the upper
reservoir by means of the vertical tube b, which is provided with a wick of cotton
9
or wool.
A hote his formed in the cover to admit the atmosphere to the upper
chamber, and holes in the tube e admit the air to the lower chamber.
c and d are
inverted bronze valves, fitted as shown, and held to their seats by coiled springs.
The valves have cylindrical stems, bored out to receive the oil, and small holes e d¹
to allow the oil to escape when the valves are opened.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-Before the pump is set in motion, oil
is poured into the upper chamber, and into the tube containing the cotton or wool:
also partly filling the lower chamber, and shutting off the escape of air therefrom.
When the pump is set in motion, the vacuum formed in the cylinder causes the
valves to open, and to eject the quantity of oil accumulated in the lower reservoir.
The lubrication is effected by drops of oil following each other while the
compressor is working, and the quantity is regulated by varying the thickness of
the wick in the tube.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. The improved construction of apparatus for purposes of lubrication, substantially
as hereinbefore described and illustrated by the drawings.
2. The general arrangement, construction and combination of the several and
respective parts, together forming my invention of an improved self-acting lubricator
for air compressors, substantially as hereinbefore described, and illustrated by the
drawings.
Dated 22nd December 1800.
GEORGE C. DOWNING.