Improvements in and connected with Lubricators.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Aug., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 1st May, 1890-Accepted, 28th June, 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by the Firm of Messrs. SCHÄFFER and BUDENBERG, of
Buckau, Magdeburg, in the German Empire, Mechanical Engineers.]
Improvements in and connected with Lubricators.
1, WILLIAM EDWIN HEYS of 70 Market Street Manchester in the County of
Lancaster, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This Invention relates to lubricators in which the lubricant is delivered under
mechanical pressure, from a cylinder whence it is expelled at the desired rate by the
motion of a piston or plunger working therein.
The rectilinear motion of the piston or plunger is obtained from the rotary motion
of a screw working in a nut. When a hollow plunger is used the nut may form
part of the plunger; in other cases it may be formed in the eye of a worm wheel. In
any case if the nut and screw are allowed to rotate together no rectilinear motion of
the piston or plunger will take place, whilst if any one of them is allowed to rotate,
the piston or plunger will advance. So long as a supply of lubricant is contained
in the cylinder and so long also as no obstruction is offered to the forward motion of
the piston or plunger, the screw only or the nut only rotates but so soon as the piston
arrives at the end of its stroke or is obstructed by the presence of a foreign body,
the nut and the screw are caused to rotate together and the forward motion of the
piston or plunger at once ceases.
The screw is rotated by means of a worm wheel mounted thereon and driven by a
worm which obtains its motion from any suitable mechanism. The worm wheel is
mounted so as to prevent its longitudinal motion upon the screw.
In one arrangement of the apparatus the piston rod is surrounded by a hollow
externally screwed spindle which carries at its outer end a crank handle by means of
which it may be rotated by hand. On the outer end of the piston rod there is also
mounted a ratchet wheel or equivalent device and the ratchet wheel or its equivalent
is connected with the crank handle by means of a pin or bolt which projects towards
the back of the cylinder. The piston rod and screw are thus normally connected to
rotate together, but so soon as the projecting pin comes into contact with the back
end of the cylinder (which will be when the piston is at the end of its stroke), the pin
is displaced and the connection between the piston rod and the screw ceases.
When
this occurs the screw will simply rotate around the piston rod without imparting
longitudinal motion. The rotation of the screw is prevented by an adjustable packing
in the piston by means of which sufficient friction can be set up to prevent the
turning of the piston, and by a friction surface formed upon the end of the screw
and bearing upon the face of the piston the combined friction being insufficient to
prevent rotation when an undue resistance occurs. The exit of and the inlet of the
lubricant are controlled by a three way cock above which there is a funnel. When
the lubricator is at work the cock is turned to open a way from the interior of the
cylinder to the supply pipe; when the cylinder has to be replenished, the cock is
turned to open the way from the funnel to the cylinder, oil is poured into the funnel,
and the piston is drawn backwards by means of the crank handle mounted on the
end of the piston rod.
Instead of the screw being formed upon a hollow shaft enclosing the piston rod, it
may be formed upon the piston rod itself in which case the screw is slotted through
its whole length and the outer end of the rod is turned down to a reduced diameter.
A wedge pointed bolt is held in suitable guides, by the aid of a spring, with its point
in the slot of the screwed rod. Under ordinary conditions, that is to say, when there
is no obstacle to the forward motion of the piston, the point of the bolt engaging with

page_text: the slot, prevents the rotation of the screw; when however, any obstacle is met with,
the edge of the slot acting upon the inclined surface of the point of the bolt,
forces the bolt out of the slot and the screw then rotates with the worm wheel and
nut and the forward motion of the piston ceases. At the end of the stroke, the
point of the bolt comes into the reduced part of the piston rod which is then free to
rotate.
When the nut is formed in or secured to the piston or plunger instead of in the
eye of the worm wheel, the eye of the worm wheel may be bored conically and fit
upon a corresponding conical part of the end of the screwed rod. Outside the
worm wheel seating, the end of the piston rod is screwed and fitted with a nut
between which and the worm wheel a spring is placed so that the pressure exerted
by it upon the worm wheel may be adjusted to any desired extent. The spring is so
adjusted that when no obstruction to the motion of the piston takes place, the screw
is rotated, but when the motion is obstructed by any means then the worm wheel slips
on its conical seating and the motion of the screw ceases.
A
Instead of the hereinbefore described funnel for supplying the lubricant to the
apparatus, a casing or second cylinder may surround the pressure cylinder and the
reserve supply of lubricant be contained within the annular space so forined.
passage from the annular space communicates with the outlet from the pressure
cylinder, and the junction of these passages is controlled by a three way cock which
when turned in one position opens the way from the annular space to the interior of
the cylinder so as to admit the lubricant therein on the withdrawal of the piston and
at the same time closes the outlet, and which when turned into another position closes
the communication from the annular space to the cylinder and opens the interior of
the cylinder to the outlet.
Dated this 1st day of August A 1) 1880
WILLIAM E. HEYS.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Lubricators.
I, WILLIAM EDWIN HEYS of 70 Market Street Manchester in the County of
Lancaster, Patent Agent, 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 :-
This Invention relates to lubricators by means of which the lubricant is delivered
under mechanical pressure from a cylinder whence it is expelled at the desired rate by
the motion of a piston or plunger working therein.
The rectilinear motion of the piston or plunger may be obtained by the rotation of
the screwed piston rod within a normally fixed nut, or by the rotation of the nut
around the screwed piston rod the rotation of which is normally prevented. When a
hollow plunger is used, the nut may be formed in the plunger; in other cases it may
be formed in the boss of a worm-wheel or ratchet wheel which is suitably rotated. If
the screwed piston rod only, or the nut only, is allowed to rotate the piston or plunger
will advance or retreat according to the direction of the rod or nut, and this motion
will be continuous until the limit of the piston stroke is reached or until any accidental
obstruction occurs, when if no relief is provided some part of the apparatus will be
broken or disorganised. To avoid this, it is arranged that as soon as the piston or
plunger reaches the end of its stroke or when its progress is obstructed, the nut and
the screw rotate together whereupon the rectilinear motion of the piston or plunger
will at once cease.
The accompanying drawings illustrate in what manner these Improvements may be
carried into practical effect.
In the arrangement shewn in longitudinal section in Figure 1 and by the detail
drawings Figures 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, the piston rod A is surrounded by a hollow
externally screwed sleeve or spindle B to the outer end of which there is secured the

page_text: crank handle C by means of which it may be rotated by hand. On the outer end of
the piston rod A there is mounted a ratchet wheel or equivalent device D as indicated
in plan in Figures 3 and 5, and in sections in Figures 4 and 6. Connection between
the ratchet wheel D and the crank hanlle C is effected by means of a pawl E carried
on a stud F the inner end of which projects towards the end of the cylinder as shewn
in Figures 1, 3 and 4, or by means of a stud provided with a collar or enlarged part
fitting into the recesses of the disc D and having its inner end projecting towards the
end of the cylinder, as shewn in Figures 5 and 6. The pawl E Figure 3 is formed
with a square end against which the spring E' presses thus tending to keep the pawl
in gear with the teeth of the ratchet wheel. In the modification shewn in Figures 5
and 6 the spring E' presses upon the collar of the stud F' and tends to keep it in
engagement with the recesses of the disc D. The normal rotation of the screw B is
prevented by an adjustable piston packing G by means of which sufficient friction can
be set up to prevent the turning of the piston, and by a friction surface I formed
upon the end of the screwed sleeve and bearing upon the face of the piston, the
combined friction however being insufficient to prevent the rotation when an undue
resistance is met with. The nut is formed in the boss of the worm wheel or feed
wheel I which is mounted so as to be incapable of longitudinal motion and is rotated
by the worm J which may receive its motion from any suitable source. When the
piston has nearly reached the end of its stroke, the projecting end of the stud F comes
into contact with the end of the cylinder or some suitable fixed part of the apparatus
and the pawl or the collar on the stud as the case may be, is pushed out of engagement
with the ratchet wheel or its equivalent, the connection between the piston rod and the
screwed sleeve being thereby displaced; consequently any further motion of the worm
and worm wheel and J will rotate the screwed spindle only and will not set up
rectilinear motion of the piston. In the arrangement illustrated in Figures 1 to 6
inclusive, the exit and the inlet of the lubricant from and to the cylinder are controlled
by a three way cock K Figures 1 and 2. When the lubricator is in work, the cock
is turned so as to open a way from the interior of the cylinder to the supply
pipe ( Fig. 2). When the cylinder has to be replenished, the cock is turned so
as to open a way between a funnel L fixed above the cock, and the interior of the
cylinder (Fig. 2). The lubricant is then poured into the funnel and the piston is
withdrawn by means of the crank handle Cor by reversing the motion of the worm J,
the pawl or stud having first been put into engagement with the teeth of the ratchet
wheel or with the recesses in the disc D.
A modification of the herein before described arrangement is illustrated in Figures 7
and 9, of which Fig. 7 is a vertical section and Figure 9 a sectional plan drawn to a
slightly enlarged scale. In this arrangement the screw instead of being formed upon
a sleeve enclosing the piston rod is formed upon the piston rod itself which has a
longitudinal slot or groove cut through the whole length of the screw, and is turned
down to a reduced diameter at its outer end V. A wedge pointed bolt M is held in
a suitable guiding support and is normally forced forward by a spring N so as to
cause the nose of the bolt M to enter the groove in A. Under normal conditions, the
engagement of the bolt M in the groove will prevent the rotation of the screw, but in
the event of an obstruction to the forward motion of the piston the tendency of the
rod to rotate will be increased and the bolt M will be forced out of engagement with
the rod A which thereupon rotating, the forward motion of the piston will be arrested.
At the end of the stroke the nose of the bolt comes upon the reduced diameter V of
the piston rod where there is no longitudinal groove, and the piston rod is free
to rotate.
Between the screwed part of the rod A and the reduced part V there is a fixed
collar U which at the end of the piston stroke comes into contact with the nut or
screwed bush fixed to the worm wheel 1. In consequence of the friction resulting
from this contact the screwed rod A rotates with the worm wheel and the piston
ceases to advance, since the rotary motion of the rod A is not then prevented by the
nose of the bolt which is in the reduced part, as shewn in the drawing.
The outer end of the bolt is attached to a head Y the inner end of which and the

page_text: outer end of the bolt casing are formed to an inclined plane or to inclined planes Z,
so that when it becomes necessary to withdraw the piston to replenish the interior of
the cylinder with a fresh supply of the lubricant or for any other purpose, the bolt
may be removed from engagement with the groove in the screwed rod by simply
turning the head of the bolt through part of a revolution, when, in consequence of the
head moving along the inclined plane, the bolt will be forced outward and the piston
may be withdrawn to the required extent by rotation of the hand wheel thereon.
spiral spring surrounds the bolt and abuts against it near the inner end and against
the bolt casing at the outer end in such a manner that its tendency is normally to
force the bolt into engagement with the groove in the rod A.
Figure 7 illustrates also a modification in the arrangement for supplying the
lubricant. Instead of the funnel L, an annular space is provided by surrounding the
cylinder with a easing 0 into which the reserve supply of the lubricant may be
supplied from the top. The annular space may be put into communication with the
interior of the cylinder, and the interior of the cylinder with the supply pipe, by
means of the three way cock K as her embefore described with reference to Figures 1
and 2.
When a hollow plunger is used, as in Figure 8, the screwed rod A has a rotary
motion only and no longitudinal motion. The nut in this case is formed in or by the
plunger P which moves through the gland Q. The eye of the worm wheel is bored
conically to fit upon a corresponding conical part of the rod A and is pressed thereon
by the diaphragm spring R and a nut S by means of which the amount of pressure
may be adjusted. With this arrangement the rod A will be rotated so long as the
plunger does not encounter any unusual resistance to its progress, but so soon as any
such resistance is met with, the friction between the comical seating of the rod A and
the eye of the worm wheel is overcome and the rod A is no longer rotated.
Figure 10 represents a longitudinal section of the adjustable piston on a slightly
enlarged scale. A is the piston rod, B the screwed sleeve, 1 the friction surface,
G the friction packing, and T a nut by means of which the amount of friction may be
regulated.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me from
abroad, I declare that what I claim is :-
(1) A lubricator for delivering lubricants under mechanical pressure; constructed
arranged and operating substantially as herein before described and as illustrated in
Figures 1 to 6 inclusive of the accompanying drawings.
(2) In lubricators for delivering lubricants under mechanical pressure; the con-
struction and the combination and arrangement with a piston, of the piston rod A, the
screwed sleeve E, a ratchet wheel or its equivalent D, secured to the piston rod, a
hand wheel or crank handle secured to the screwed sleeve, a catch or pawl having a
pin or stad F projecting towards the end of the cylinder, and a worm or feed wheel
having a screw thread formed through its boss and fitting upon the screwed rod;
substantially as bereinbefore described and as illustrated by Figures 1 to 6 inclusive
of the accompanying drawings.
(3) In lubricators for delivering lubricants under mechanical pressure; an
adjustable piston constructed arranged and operating substantially as and for the
purpose herein before described and as illustrated by Figures 1, 7 and 10 of the
accompanying drawings.
(4) In a lubricator for delivering lubricants under mechanical pressure; the con-
struction and the combination and arrangement of the ratchet wheel D or its
equivalent, and the stud F and a collar of pawl thereon by means of which the
connection between the screwed sleeve and the piston rod is maintained until the stud
is displaced by coming into contact with a fixed part of the apparatus; substantially
as hereinbefore described and as illustrated by Figures 1 to 6 inclusive of the
accompanying drawings.
(5) A lubricator for delivering lubricants under mechanical pressure; constructed

page_text: arranged and operating substantially as hereinbefore described and as illustrated by
Figures 7 and 9 of the accompanying drawings.
(6) In a lubricator for delivering lubricants under mechanical pressure; the con-
struction and the combination and arrangement with a piston of the screwed piston
rod A having a longitudinal groove a fast collar and reduced part, the sliding bolt M,
and a feed wheel having a screw thread formed through its boss or through a central
bush therein; substantially as hereinbefore described and as illustrated by Figures 7
and 9 of the accompanying drawings.
(7) In lubricators for delivering lubricants under mechanical pressure; the con-
struction and the combination and arrangement with the cylinder of an external casing
enclosing an annular chamber around the cylinder for containing a reserve supply
of the lubricant, and a three way cock controlling passages from the reserve chamber
to the interior of the cylinder and from the interior of the cylinder to the outlet ;
substantially as hereinbefore described and as illustrated by Figure 7 of the accom-
panying drawings.
(8) A lubricator for delivering lubricants under mechanical pressure; constructed
arranged and operating substantially as herein before described and as illustrated by
Figure 8 of the accompanying drawings.
WILLIAM E. HEYS.