IMPROVED MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR LUBRICATING SHAFTS AND OTHER MOVING PARTS OF MACHINERY
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Martyn John Roberts, of the City of Bath, Esquire, for the
Invention of "IMPROVED MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR LUBRICATING SHAFTS
AND OTHER MOVING PARTS OF MACHINERY."
led the 5th March 1878, and dated the 11th September 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Martyn John Roberts at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 11th September 1877.
MARTYN JOHN ROBERTS, of the City of Bath, Esquire. "IMPROVED MEANS OR
APPARATUS FOR LUBRICATING SHAFTS AND OTHER MOVING PARTS OF MACHINERY."
The object of my Invention is to avoid the waste of oil or other liquid lubricant
when poured upon a bearing or other part of machinery without the flow being
regulated, and on the other hand to prevent the evil of the bearing or other part
becoming dry by any deficiency of action in the apparatus; and my Invention
consists in passing the oil or other fluid lubricant through a stratum of sand,
pounded glass, or other substance that will retard, though not totally obstruct, the
passage of such lubricant from its reservoir to its place of application to a bearing,
and in regulating the flow of the lubricant through the retarding material either by
adjusting the height of the reservoir of lubricant above the aperture of exit, or by
If this material
increasing or decreasing the thickness of the retarding material.
should consist of anything that would be injurious to the bearing I interpose
between it and the point of issue a layer of leather, cloth, or other suitable sub-
stance which permits the flow through it of the lubricant but not the passage of
the filtering or retarding material.
I prefer to use for the purpose of my Invention sand, pounded glass, or other like
substance.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Martyn John Roberts in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 11th
March 1878.
MARTYN JOHN ROBERTS, of the City of Bath, Esquire. "IMPROVED MEANS OR
APPARATUS FOR LUBRICATING SHAFTS AND OTHER MOVING PARTS OF MACHINERY."
The object of my Invention is to avoid the waste of oil or other liquid lubricant
when poured upon a bearing or other part of machinery without the flow being
regulated, and on the other hand to prevent the evil of the bearing or other part
becoming dry by any deficiency of action in the apparatus; and my Invention
consists in passing the oil or other fluid lubricant through a stratum of sand,
pounded glass, or other substance that will retard, though not totally obstruct, the
passage of such lubricant from its reservoir to its place of application to a bearing,
and in regulating or adjusting the flow of the lubricant through the retarding
material either by adjusting the height of the reservoir of lubricant above the
aperture of exit, or by increasing or decreasing the thickness of the retarding
material. If this material should consist of anything that would be injurious to
the bearing I interpose between it and the point of issue a layer of leather, cloth,
or other suitable substance which permits the flow through it of the lubricant, but
not the passage of the retarding material.
I prefer to use for the purpose of my Invention sand, pounded glass, or other
like suitable granular substance.
In order that the manner in which my Invention may be carried into effect may
be fully understood, I annex a Sheet of Drawings, shewing its application, by way
of example, to the bearing of a stationary engine or machine, and to a railway
carriage axle box.
Referring to Figure 1, which is a vertical section of the apparatus as applied to
the bearing of a stationary engine, A is the rotating shaft; B, the bearing of the
same; and C, a hole or passage in the bearing to allow the oil or lubricant to reach
the shaft; D is a pipe filled with a substance which will retard, though not totally
obstruct, the passage of the oil or lubricant, and, as before stated, I prefer to use
for this purpose sand, pounded glass, or other like suitable granular substance; E
is a reservoir at the top of the pipe D, to which reservoir the oil or lubricant is
supplied; F is a cover to the reservoir. The lower end of the pipe is immediately
over the hole C, and is covered in such a way as to permit the flow of the lubricant
through the said end, but not the passage of the sand or other material, and for
this purpose the end of the pipe may be covered with chamois leather or other like
suitable material, but I prefer to employ the device represented on a larger scale in
Figure 2, namely, a plug composed of two perforated plates G, G¹, with a layer of
asbestos between them. H is a cap or stopper to the pipe D, which is removed
when it is required to clean out or change the sand or material in the pipe.
Although not shown in the Drawing, I may mention that in order to allow of the
flow of the oil or lubricant through the sand or other material in the pipe D being
regulated the height of the reservoir E may be made adjustable, and this may be
conveniently effected by the pipe D being telescopic or flexible. Or the regulation
of the flow may be regulated or adjusted by increasing or decreasing the thickness
of the stratum of sand or material in the pipe D, this being effected by introducing
more of the material through the cover F, or withdrawing some at the outlet H.
Figure 1ª shows a modified form of the apparatus designed with the object of
preventing a wire being driven into the sand to clear the apparatus, as such would
make a hole in the cover or shield at the lower end of the pipe D, and so let some
of the sand run out on to the bearing. D is the pipe containing the sand; G is the
plug through which the oil percolates; H is a cap or stopper at the other end of the
pipe D; K is a pipe for conducting the oil to the bearing, which pipe is so placed
(as shewn), that a wire cannot be pushed through the plug G into the sand.

page_text: Referring now to Figures 3 and 4, which are vertical sections at right angles to
each other of a railway axle box with my Invention applied thereto, A is the
journal of the axle; B, the bearing or "brass;" C, C, holes or apertures for
allowing the lubricant to reach the journal; D is a vessel containing the sand or
other material for retarding the flow of the lubricant; E is a reservoir or space for
the lubricant at the upper part of this vessel. F is a cover to the same; G, G, are
two outlets at the lower part of the reservoir, and immediately above the holes C, C.
These outlets are fitted with plugs, which I prefer to be of the description shewn
in Figure 2, and herein-before explained. I is a cover or door to the axle box, and
made to fit as tightly as practicable in order to keep out dust. This cover or door
is open when it is required to supply lubricant to the reservoir E, or to take out or
introduce the vessel D.
Figure 5 shows a modified arrangement, designed like Figure 14, to prevent a
wire being pushed into the sand. G1, G¹, are perforated plates, between which and
the bottom of the plug G is cloth, asbestos, or other suitable material to allow the
oil to percolate and escape through perforations in the side of the plug.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim as my "Improved Means or
Apparatus for Lubricating Shafts and other Moving Parts of Machinery,"
-
First. The passing of fluid lubricant through a stratum of a material which will
retard, but not totally obstruct, the passage of such lubricant, and the regulating or
adjusting of the flow of such lubricant through the said material, substantially as
and for the purpose herein-before described.
Second. The employment of sand, pounded glass, or other like suitable granular
substance for the purpose of regulating the flow of fluid lubricant to a shaft or other
moving part of machinery, substantially as herein-before described.
Third. The means or apparatus, herein-before described, and represented in the
annexed Drawings, for lubricating shafts and other moving parts of machinery.
In witness whereof, I, the said Martyn John Roberts, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eighth (8th) day of March, One thousand eight hundred
and seventy-eight.
MARTYN J. ROBERTS. (L.S.)