IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR LUBRICATING THE SLIDING VALVES AND PISTONS OP STEAM ENGINES
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Wilson, of the Borough of Newcastle-
on-Tyne, Hat Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN APPARATUS FOR LUBRICATING THE SLIDING VALVES AND PISTONS OP
STEAM ENGINES."-A communication from abroad by Freiderich
Schauwecker, residing at Weiden, Bavaria.
Sealed the 21st July 1868, and dated the 21st February 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Wilson at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 21st February 1868.
I, WILLIAM WILSON; of the Borough of Newcastle-on-Tyne, Hat.
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention för
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR LUBRICATING THE. SLIDING VALVES AND
PISTONS OF STEAM ENGINES," to be as follows :-
This Invention consists in an apparatus to supply oil or similar
lubricating material to the slide valves in the steam chest and to
the piston of steam engines in a regular manner, and in the degree
in which it is needed. The oil is placed in a cup or vessel; up:
through the centre of which a pipe open at the top passes; the cup.

page_text: or vessel is closed at the top and the oil is contained in the space
around the pipe. The apparatus is screwed into or adapted to an
opening in the top of the steam chest or cylinder which is to be
supplied with oil, and the steam is able to pass by this opening up
the pipe already mentioned to the surface of the oil. Near the
bottom of the cup or vessel there is a small capillary pipe or
passage to let the oil pass from the cup or vessel into the pipe, but
on account of the small area of this passage the oil will not flow
through by its own gravity. At each opening and closing of the
slide valve or at each stroke of the piston the pressure on the
surface of the oil varies, producing pulsations sufficient to cause
drops of oil to pass through the small capillary tube or tubes at
the lower part of the oil cup, whence it is carried into the steam
chest and cylinder, supplying them with a sufficient quantity for
proper lubrication & regulated according to the pressure of the
steam. The oil cup should be placed in an outer cup or case to
prevent condensation of the steam in the cup or vessel. At the
top of the pipe within the oil cup or vessel a valve is fitted which
can be closed to allow of the oil being replenished whilst the
engine is at work. After closing the valve the orifice at the top of
the cup or vessel by which the oil is introduced may be opened; it
is again closed before the steam valve is opened.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Wilson in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 21st August 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
WILSON, of the Borough of Newcastle-on-Tyne, Hat Manufacturer,
send grecting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of February, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in
the thirty-first year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said William Wilson, Her
special licence that I, the said William Wilson, my exccutors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William
.

page_text: Wilson, my exccutors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might, make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR LUBRICATING THE SLIDING VALVES AND
PISTONS OF STEAM ENGINES," a communication to me from abroad by
Frederick Schauwecker, a person resident at Weiden, Bavaria, upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Wilson, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my,
or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe
and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same was to be performed, and cause 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 William Wilson, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof, that is to say :-
This Invention consists in an apparatus to supply oil or similar
lubricating material to the slide valves in the steam chest, and to the
piston of the steam engines in a regular manner and in the degree in
which it is needed. The oil is placed in a cup or vessel, up through
the centre of which a pipe open at the top passes, the cup or vessel
is closed at the top, and the oil is contained in the space around the
pipe. The apparatus is screwed into or adapted to an opening. in the
top of the steam pipe, chest, or cylinder which is to be supplied with
oil, and the steam is able to pass by this opening up the pipe already
mentioned to the surface of the oil. Near the bottom of the cup or
vessel there is a small capillary pipe or passage to let the oil pass from
the cup or vessel into the pipe, but on account of the small area of
this passage the oil will not flow through by its own gravity. At each
opening and closing of the slide valve or at each stroke of the piston
the pressure on the surface of the oil varies, producing pulsations
sufficient to cause drops of oil to pass through the small capillary tube
or tubes at the lower part of the oil cup, whence it is carried into the
steam chest and cylinder, supplying them with a sufficient quantity
for proper lubrication, and regulated according to the speed of the

page_text: Figure 1 is a vertical section of the apparatus arranged in the manner
which I prefer. a is a pipe which should be adapted to the steam
chest or cylinder of the engine, so that steam may enter it and press
upon the surface of the grease in the close grease cup b, which is thus
exposed when the engine is at work to a pressure varying at each
stroke; ¹ is a cover closing the grease cup perfectly steam tight, and
also serving to retain in its place the outer casing c which is employed
to prevent loss of heat from the grease cup; d is a valve fitted to
an opening in the cover b'; it has a screw socket upon it which receives
a screw upon the stem d, so that by turning this stem by a handle
at its upper end the valve may be moved and caused either to open
or close the passage in the cover . The stem d¹ is held by a collar
upon it, which is enclosed between the cover plate e and the turn.
plate f. The socket on the valve is so formed as to restrain it from
turning as is seen at Figure 2, which is a transverse section taken at the
line 1, 1, Figure 1. The cover plate e is seen at Figure 3, which is
a transverse section taken at the line 2, 2, Figure 1, and at Figures.
4 and 5, which are a vertical section and an under side view respec-
tively. This piece e screws into a cap g, which itself screws on to the
edge of the cover 6. The turn plate f, of which a plan is shown at
Figure 6 and a transverse section at Figure 7, is enclosed between the
top of the cap g and the cover plate e, and these three parts e, f, and g
each have two passages in them, the one for the introduction of the
grease and the other for the escape of the air from the grease cup.
The grease is introduced when the passages in the three pieces coincide,
and when the valve d has been lowered from its seat and is closing

page_text: the steam pipe a at its upper end; the grease is then poured in until
the cup is full; it has to traverse the strainer f¹ in the turn plate f,
so that solid impurities are stopped back. The cover plate e which
previously had been unscrewed about half a turn, is now screwed tightly
into its seat by turning it by means of its handles; as it rotates it first
covers the passages in the turn plate f, and then by coming against
a stop f, it carries the turn plate with it so as to make it close the
passages in the cap g. As the cover plate e is screwed home, the
parts e, f, and g become firmly pressed together, and as they are truly
surfaced a steam-tight joint is made. The valve d is now raised so as
to open the steam pipe a, and to bring the valve to its seat in the
cover b'; f³ is a pin on the under side of the turn plate f, it works
in a groove in the cap 9 so arranged that in unscrewing the cover
plate e to prepare for filling the grease cup, this pin f³ comes to the
end of the groove, and the motion of the turn plate f is stopped just
when the passages in the plate f correspond with those in the cap g.
It will be understood that in cases where it is not necessary to fill the
grease cup whilst the engine is running, the mechanism may be of a
much simpler construction. a', a', are capillary nozzles opening into the
pipe a at a point near the bottom of the grease cup, in which imme-
diately above them is a strainer 2 to prevent them becoming choked.
The nozzles a are bored each with a very fine hole of such a size
that the grease will not escape by them when the cup is full so long
as the pressure on the surface is steady. There may be one, two, or
5 more such nozzles according to the amount of lubrication desired. The
grease whilst the engine is at work is caused by the pulsations to pass
through the nozzles a¹ to the parts to be lubricated. The use of the
outer casing c is of importance in the practical working of the apparatus,
as were there to be any considerable amount of condensation in the
grease cup the condensed water would take the place of the grease and
exclude it from the nozzles a¹. Figure 8 is a portion of a transverse
section of the apparatus taken at the line 3, 3, Figure 1, and Figure 9
is an under side view of the lower part of the apparatus.
Having thus described the nature of this Invention, and the manner
3 of performing the same, I would have it understood that what I claim
is, the constructing apparatus for lubricating the sliding valves and
piston of steam engines with an enclosed grease cup to which the steam
is admitted, and with capillary nozzles through which when the appa-

page_text: ratus is in action the grease is forced by the pulsations or variations in
the pressure of the steam resulting from the working of the enginc.
I also claim the general arrangement of the apparatus herein
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Wilson, have hereunto 5
set my hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of June, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.