IMPROVEMENTS IN AXLES, AND IN THE MEANS OF LUBRICATING THE SAME
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Clark, of Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN AXLES,
AND IN THE MEANS OF LUBRICATING THE SAME." A communication from
abroad by Robert Rea Moore, of Lewisville, in the County of La Fayette, State
of Arkansas, United States of America.
Sealed the 15th November 1878, and dated the 9th July 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Clark at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th July 1878.
"
WILLIAM CLARK, of Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN AXLES, AND IN THE MEANS OF LUBRICATING THE SAME.'
[A communication from abroad by Robert Rea Moore, of Lewisville, in the
County of La Fayette, State of Arkansas, United States of America.]
This Invention relates particularly to means for lubricating the axles of vehicles,
and it consists in certain novel details of construction, arrangement, and combina-
tion of a thimble skein, an oil reservoir, and devices employed in connection
therewith whereby provision is made for attaching and removing them, for holding
them securely when in place, and for ensuring the proper working of the parts, as
herein-after particularly described and set forth.
The axle, hounds, and bolster may be of any suitable description.
The thimble skein or sheath is provided with a flange or shoulder for the bearing
of the inner end of the hub of the wheel, and with a perforated lug for holding it
in place by means of two bolts. The one bolt has a head at one end, and an eye at
the other, and the other bolt has a head at one end and a screw thread at the other.
The one bolt is passed through the lug in a horizontal direction until its head bears
against the lug, and the other bolt is passed downward through the bolster, hounds,
and axle, with its head bearing against the top of the bolster, and its lower end
engaged with the eye of the horizontal bolt, where it is secured by a nut, and by

page_text: this means the skein is held securely in place. A bolt extends horizontally in the
centre of the axle for a distance equal to or greater than the length of the skein,
with its head bearing against the outer end of the axle, and its inner end secured
by a nut inserted in a mortise provided in the axle. This bolt adds greatly to the
strength of the axle when the latter is made of wood. The upper portion of the
inner end of the skein is provided with an oil reservoir, which may be cast in one
piece with the skein, or attached separately, as may be preferred, and fits in the
space between the axle and the bolster. It communicates by means of a tube with
an oil chamber consisting of a recess formed in the upper surface of the journal of
the axle. In the skein, immediately over a portion of this oil chamber, is au
opening provided with a cap or cover, which is made to fit closely so as to be
oil-tight, and is held in place by screws, so that it may be removed when
desired. The cap carries two puppet valves, which are held snugly in their seats
by springs coiled around their stems. The upper end of the oil conducting tube
connects with the reservoir through a perforated cylinder which serves as a valve
seat for a valve of piston-like form working in said cylinder or seat, like a pump,
piston, or plunger. The valve has an upwardly extending stem, which is pivoted
to an elbow lever having its fulcrum or bearing in the upper part of the perforated
cylinder. The long arm of the elbow lever is pivoted to the short arm of a lever
having its fulcrum in an arm projecting from the side of the reservoir. The long
arm of this lever is connected to the inner end of a rod or pin which protrudes
through the reservoir to the exterior thereof, and is provided with a head or thumb
piece, which, with the protruding portion of the rod or pin is covered with a semi-
tubular cap attached to the reservoir. Surrounding the inner portion of the rod or
pin is a coiled spring, which is stronger than the combined strength of the two
springs surrounding the stems of the two puppet valves. The reservoir is supplied
with oil through a screw cap of any suitable description.
When it is desired to supply oil to the axle journal the push rod or pin is moved
inward by pressing on the thumb-piece so as to operate the elbow lever and raise
the piston valve above the perforations, to allow oil to flow through said perfora-
tions into the cylinder, and through the tube to the oil chamber or recess. The
push rod is then released, whereupon the action of the spring immediately returns
the parts to the former positions. As the spring on the push rod is stronger than
the combined strength of the two springs of the puppet valves, and as the piston
valve fits the cylinder with piston-like nicety the effect of the action of the spring
of push rod is to force the puppet valves upward from their seats so as to allow oil
to flow to the bearing surfaces of the skein and axle box, and thoroughly lubricate
them. When sufficient oil has escaped the springs return the valves to their seats.
These valves are so arranged in their seats as to rise only sufficiently high to allow
the oil to escape, but not high enough to obstruct the proper working of the bearing
surfaces or to collect and become clogged by any gummed oil which may have
collected on said surfaces.
This lubricator may be slightly modified so as to adapt it to iron axles of suitable
construction as follows:-The oil reservoir to be cast with a hinged lid, and fitted
on the iron axle in the same position as the thimble skein, and the iron axle. to have
a tube leading from the reservoir to the oil chamber formed in the upper surface
of the journal which has the valves, &e., as the thimble skein.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 3rd January
1879.
A
WILLIAM CLARK, of Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN AXLES, AND IN THE MEANS OF LUBRICATING THE SAME."
communication from abroad by Robert Rea Moore, of Lewisville, in the County.
of La Fayette, State of Arkansas, United States of America.
This Invention relates particularly to means for lubricating the axles of vehicles,
and it consists in certain novel details of construction, arrangement, and combina-
tion of a thimble skein, an oil reservoir, and devices employed in connection
therewith, whereby provision is made for attaching and removing them, for holding
them securely when in place, and for ensuring the proper working of the parts, as
herein-after particularly described and set forth.
The manner of carrying out the Invention is illustrated in the accompanying
Drawing, in which Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of a portion of an
axle embodying the improvements; and Figure 2, a top view of the same.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.
The axle A, hounds B, and bolster C may be of any suitable description.
The thimble skein D is provided with a flange or shoulder d for the bearing
of the inner end of the hub of the wheel, and with a perforated lug.d² for holding
it in place by means of two bolts E', E. The bolt E has a head at one end and
an eye at the other, and the bolt E2 has a head at one end and a screw thread at
the other. The bolt E' is passed through the lug d² in a horizontal direction until
its head bears against the fug, and the bolt E2 is passed downwards through the
bolster, hounds, and axle, with its head bearing against the top of the bolster, and
its lower end engaged with the eye of the bolt E¹, where it is secured by a nut, and
by this means the skein is held securely in place. A bolt F extends horizontally in
the centre of the axle for a distance equal to or greater than the length of the skein
with it head bearing against the outer end of the axle, and its inner end secured by
a nut finserted in a mortise provided in the axle. This bolt adds greatly to the
strength of the axle when the latter is made of wood. The upper portion of the
inner end of the thimble skein D is provided with an oil reservoir G, which may be
cast in one piece with the skein, or attached separately, as may be preferred. The
oil reservoir is represented in this example as fitting in the space between the
axle A and bolster C. It communicates by means of a tube g with an oil chamber
consisting of a recess H formed in the upper surface of the journal of the axle. In
the skein D, immediately over a portion of this oil chamber, is an opening provided
with a cap or cover D³, which is made to fit closely, so as to be oil-tight, and is held
in place by screws, so that it may be removed when desired. The cap D² carries
two puppet valves I, I, which are held snugly in their seats by springs i, i, coiled
around their stems. The upper end of the oil conducting tube g connects with the
reservoir G through a perforated cylinder K which serves as a valve seat for a
valve J of piston-like form working in said cylinder or seat like a pump piston or
plunger. The valve J has an upwardly extending stem j, which is pivoted to an
elbow lever L2, having its fulcrum or bearing in the upper part of the cylinder K.
The long arm of the lever L² is pivoted to the arm of a lever L', having its fulcrum
in an arm 1, projecting from the side of the reservoir. The long arm of the lever L'
is connected to the inner end of a rod or pin M, which protrudes through the reser-
voir to the exterior thereof, and is provided with a head or thumb-piece m, which,
with the protruding portion of the rod or pin, is covered with a semi-tubular
cap m*, attached to the reservoir. Surrounding the inner portion of the rod or
pin M is a coiled spring n, which is stronger than the combined strength of the two
springs i, i, surrounding the stems of the valves I, I. The reservoir is supplied
with oil through a screw cap Q of any suitable description, and it may have an oil-

page_text: tight door in front in order to afford access to the interior, if necessary, for the
purpose of examining or adjusting the lever or any other of the parts:
When it is desired to supply oil to the axle journal the rod or pin M is pushed
inward by pressing on the thumb-piece m, so as to operate the levers L', L², and
raise the piston valve J above the perforations k, to allow oil to flow through said
perforations into the cylinder K and through the tube g to the oil chamber or recess H.
The button m is then released; whereupon the action of the spring n immediately
returns the parts to the former positions. As the spring n is stronger than the
combined strength of the two springs i, i, and as the valve J fits the cylinder K
with piston-like nicety, the effect of the action of the spring n is to force the
valves I, I, upward from their seats so as to allow oil to flow to the bearing sur-
faces of the skein and axle box and thoroughly lubricate them. When sufficient oil
has escaped the springs i, i, return the valves I, I, to their seats. These valves
are so arranged in their seats as to rise only sufficiently high to allow the oil
to escape, but not high enough to obstruct the proper working of the bearing
surfaces, or to collect and become clogged by any gummed oil which may have
collected on said surface.
The lubricator may be slightly modified so as to adapt it to iron axles of suitable
construction as follows:-The oil reservoir would be cast with a hinged lid, and fitted
on the iron axle in the same position as the thimble skein, and the iron axle would
have a tube leading from the reservoir to the oil chamber formed in the upper
surface of the journal, which would have valves, etc., provided as for the thimble
skein.
The thimble skein D. may be made to extend on the axle as far as the oil
reservoir G, or to any suitable distance.
Having described the nature of the said Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
1st. The skein D, provided with the lug d², in combination with the axle A and
bolster C, and the bolts E¹, E2, substantially as and for the purpose herein
described.
2nd. The bolt F and recessed nut f, in combination with the axle A and skein D,
as shown and described for the purpose specified.
3rd. The oil reservoir G, arranged as described, in combination with the skein D,
axle A, and bolster C, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
4th. The recess or oil chamber H, formed in the upper surface of the axle journal,
in combination with the skein D, cap or cover D2, and valves I, I, substantially as
and for the purpose shown and described.
5th. The tube g and cylinder K, in combination with the oil reservoir G and oil
chamber H, substantially as and for the purpose shown and described.
.6th. The combination of the cylinder K, having the perforations k, the piston or
valve working in said perforated cylinder or valve seat, the connecting tube g,
the oil chamber H, and the valves I, I, substantially as and for the purpose shown
and described.
7th. The combination and arrangement of the rod or pin M and its spring n, the
levers L1, L2, piston or valve J, cylinder K, tube g, oil chamber H, and valves I, I,
and their springs i, i, substantially as and for the purpose. herein shown and
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Clark, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Third day of January, in the year of our Lord One thousand