CERTAIN IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE METHOD OF LUBRICATING REVOLVING SHAFTS AND THEIR BEARINGS OR PEDESTALS
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Jolin Hick, of Bolton-le-Moors, in the County
of Lancaster, Engineer, for the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE METHOD OF LUBRICATING REVOLVING SHAFTS AND THEIR
BEARINGS OR PEDESTALS."
Sealed the 30th March 1858, and dated the 12th January 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Hick at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 12th January 1853.
I, JOHN HICK, of Bolton-le-Moors, in the County of Lancaster,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention of "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF LUBRICATING REVOLVING SHAFTS AND THEIR
BEARINGS OR PEDESTALS" to be as follows:-
My improvements in the method of lubricating revolving shafts and
their bearings or pedestals relate to the lubrication of railway axles &
axle boxes, mill shafting, crank shafts of steam & other engines.
and all other revolving shafts, the journals and bearings of which lie

page_text: horizontally, or nearly so, and which require lubrication. At or near
the centre of the brass or step of the bearing, and at right angles to the
axis of the shaft, a groove or recess is formed, extending all round the
shaft. The lower part of this recess or groove forms a vessel or recep-
tacle for oil or other liquid lubricating material, the level of which must
not reach to the lower surface of the revolving shaft to be lubricated.
There is also a small horizontal groove or channel formed in the steps oppo-
site to the centre line or axis of the shaft, and paralel to it, and extending
to within a short distance of the back and front of the pedestal. The
oil or other liquid lubricating material is supplied to the journal of the
revolving shaft by means of a metal or other ring which is placed
loosely thercon. The lower circumference of the said ring dips into the
oil or other liquid lubricating material in the said groove or recess;
and as the ring revolves by friction of contact with the revolving shaft
it supplies the oil or other liquid lubricating material continually to the
journal of the same, and the revolution of the shaft thus oiled neces-
sarily lubricates the working surface of the step or bearing.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Hick in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 12th July 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
JOHN HICK, of Bolton-le-Moors, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of January, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the sixteenth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said John Hick, Her special license that I, the said
John Hick, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said John Hick, my executors, administrators, and assigns,,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and

page_text: at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United King-
dom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of
Man, an Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF LUBRI-
CATING REVOLVING SHAFTS AND THEIR BEARINGS OR PEDESTALS,"
upon the
conditions (amongst others) that I, the said John Hick, by an
instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same was to be performed, and caused the same to be filed
in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Hick, 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, that is to say:
My improvements in the method of lubricating revolving shafts and
their bearings or pedestals relate to the lubrication of railway and other
axles and axle boxes, mill shafting and bearings, crank shafts and
pedestals of steam and other engines, and all other revolving shafts, the
journals and bearings of which lie in an horizontal position, or nearly
so, and which require lubrication. My Invention consists of the following
contrivance or arrangement of parts:-At or near the centre of the brass
or other step of the bearing, and at right angles, or nearly so, to the
axis of the shaft, a groove or recess is formed, both in the upper and
lower halves of the same, so as to extend all around the journal of the
shaft. The lower part or portion of this said recess or groove forms a
vessel or receptacle for containing oil or other suitable lubricating liquid,
the upper level of which should at all times be below the lower surface
of the revolving shaft to be lubricated. There is also a small horizontal
groove or channel formed in the steps opposite to the centre line of the
shaft, and parallel to it, which extends to within a short distance of the
back and front of the pedestal. The oil or other suitable lubricating
liquid employed is placed in the lower part of the recess, and it is
supplied to the journal of the revolving shaft by means of a metal or

page_text: -
other ring which is placed loosely thereon. The ring being somewhat
larger in diameter than the shaft, the upper portion of the ring bears
upon the shaft, whilst the lower portion or circumference of the same
dips into the oil or other suitable lubricating liquid contained in the
recess, and as the ring revolves by friction of contact with the journal
of the revolving shaft it supplies the oil or other lubricating liquid
continually to the journal of the said shaft, and the continued revolution
of the shaft thus oiled necessarily supplies the lubricating liquid to the
working surface of the step or bearing:
In order more distinctly to illustrate, my Invention, and the practical
application thereof, I have annexed hereunto a Sheet of Drawings re-
presenting the adaptation thereof to lubricating a revolving journal two
inches and a quarter in diameter, and drawn full size. Fig. 1, in the
Drawing represents a front elevation of the pedestal complete; and Fig. 2,
a plan or horizontal view of the same as seen from above; Fig. 3, is a
vertical section taken through about the centre of the same; and Fig. 4,
is a plan view of the same, with the cap and the upper brass or step re-
moved. a, a, represents the shaft to be lubricated; b, b, is the body of the
pedestal; c, c, is the cap of the pedestal; d, d, is the lower brass or
step; and e, e, is the upper brass or step. It will be observed that
cach of these brasses or steps is furnished at or near its centre with
a groove or recess f, f, that in the lower step forming a vessel or
receptacle for the oil or other suitable lubricating liquid, and that in
the upper one extending completely through the same, so that a fresh
supply of oil or lubricating liquid may be introduced without remiov-
ing the upper step by merely raising the lid or cap 9, g. There is also
a small horizontal groove or channel h, h, formed half in the upper
and half in the lower step, parallel to the centre line of the shaft, and
extending to within short distance of the back and front of the pedestal.
i, i, is the ring for supplying the oil or other suitable lubricating liquid
to the shaft a, a. This ring i, i, may be formed of metal or other
suitable material, and may either be solid, or in two or more pieces
connected together, as shewn in Figs. 3, and 4. As the shaft a, a
revolves, the ring i, i, revolves with it by friction of contact, and thus

page_text: supplies the oil or other lubricating liquid to the said shaft, the continued
revolution of which, aided by the groove or channel h, h, supplies the
lubricating liquid to the working surface of the step or bearing.
Having thus described the nature and object of my said Invention,
together with the manner of carrying the same into practical effect,
I would remark, in conclusion, that I claim as my Invention casting or
otherwise forming in the brass or step a recess for containing oil or other
lubricating liquid, which is supplied to the working surfaces by the
revolution of a ring bearing upon the shaft, and dipping into the said
oil or other lubricating liquid.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Hick, have hereunto set my
hand and scal, this Seventh day of July, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
JOHN HICK. (L.S.)