IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR LUBRICATING CYLINDERS AND STEAM CHESTS."
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Paulson, of Mount Sorrel, near Loughborough,
in the County of Leicester, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN APPARATUS FOR LUBRICATING CYLINDERS AND STEAM CHESTS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Paulson at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 14th August 1878.
WILLIAM PAULSON, of Mount Sorrel, near Loughborough, in the County of
Leicester, Gentleman. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR LUBRICATING CYLINDERS
AND STEAM CHESTS."
According to my improvements the reservoir for the lubricant is capable of being
opened at the upper part for the admission of the lubricant, and also of being
securely closed by a grooved or perforated screw or tap.
The lower end of the reservoir communicates with the steam cylinder by means
of a tube threaded within and without, and a nut perforated and similarly threaded;
within this tube is arranged a concave brass disc, also perforated, which disc can be
approximated to a like concavity in the hollow-headed nut by screwing; and
within the concavities is contained a brass ball. The concavities of the disc and
nut do not form together quite a complete circle, but the segments are those of a
circle equal to that of the ball contained. The object of this arrangement is to
provide for the exact regulation of the quantity of lubricant allowed to pass into
the cylinder; for it is obvious that if the disc and nut are so aproximated as to
pinch the ball, the valve is completely closed, or when screwed short of this the
valve may be regulated to allow as much or as little of the lubricant to pass as may
be required in each case.

page_text: It is also evident that the ball being free to move within the cavity will with
each stroke of the piston alternately open and close the perforation at the apex of
each concavity, and propel the regulated quantity of lubricant into the cylinder and
permit the escape of a relative amount of steam into the reservoir.
When a liquid lubricant is used the part of the tube above the valve is plugged
with a suitable filtering medium, for which purpose wire answers well compressed
as much as desired between the perforated disc and a washer by screwing the
washer.
When a solid lubricant, such as suet, is used, the top of the reservoir is made to
screw off, so as to admit of the removal and replacement when filled, of a gauze
wire or perforated metal inner case, of rather smaller dimensions, to act as a filter,
retaining thereby shreds and impurities present in the lubricant, and permitting of
their frequent and easy removal.
The ball valve is used in either case.

page_text: Figure 1 shows an external view, and Figure 2 a section of apparatus arranged
according to my Invention..
a, a, is the reservoir for the oil or other lubricating matter to be used as the
lubricant. This reservoir is formed at its upper end with a passage a¹ into it, and
also with a dish or cup a² to facilitate supply to the reservoir a.. The passage a
is capable of being securely closed by means of the screw plug b, and this screw
plug is formed with a neck 6, and also with a knob 62 to act as a handle to
facilitate the turning of the screw plug in the passage a¹. This screw plug is also
formed with a passage rising centrally from its lower end, as indicated by the
dotted lines b, and branching thence radially at 6, so that when the plug b is raised
by being screwed upwards the reservoir a may be supplied from the cup or dish a²
through the passage b³, bt. This reservoir a is connected to the steam cylinder or
stean chest by means of the screw stem c¹ to the nut c, or otherwise; and this
nut c is connected by its internal screw with the neck a³ at the lower end of the

page_text: i
reservoir a. The neck a³ is also formed to receive within it a plug or disc d. The
plug or disc d may be applied, as shown, simply by a close-fitting joint, or by
.screwing one into the other. The lower surface of the plug or disc d is also formed
with a concave recess d', and the upper corresponding or opposite portion of the
upper inside surface of the nut c is also formed with a corresponding recess or con-
cavity, such that these two hollow surfaces if brought together would embrace, so
as to closely fit on a spherical ball e; but those surfaces are kept at a distance apart
corresponding with the amount of lubricant desired to flow by the application
between the upper internal surface of the nut c and the lower surface of the neck a³
of washers g, variable in thickness to the flow desired. There is a passage to the
chamber of the valve e through the neck a³ and plug d, and thence through the
neck c¹ of the nut c; other form of valve may be used; f indicates a portion of
woven wire or other suitable fabric or material, adapted to act as a filter and
prevent the passage of small particles of dirt or other matter to the valve and its
passages, so as to prevent the correct action of those parts.
Small channels or grooves may be formed in one of the hollow surfaces forming
the seat of the valve e if required.
When a solid lubricant is desired to be used the whole upper surface of the
reservoir a will be formed moveable, and such lubricant may be readily applied to
the reservoir a by a sort of basket of wire gauze or other open work passed into that
reservoir.
Having thus described my Invention, and the means which I find to answer well
in carrying the same into effect, I would have it understood that what I claim is,
the adaptation or combination of parts a, b, c, d, e, f, and g, and parts acting there-
with in apparatus for lubricating cylinders and steam chests, substantially as
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Paulson, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of January, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-nine.
WILLIAM PAULSON. (L.S.)