IMPROVEMENTS IN 'SIGHT FEED OR TRANSPARENT LUBRICATORS
Year: 1885

page_text: I AARON BRADSHAW of Accrington, in the County of Lancaster Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of my said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN 'SIGHT
FEED OR TRANSPARENT LUBRICATORS," to be as follows:-
"
In "Sight feed" or transparent lubricators as heretofore constructed the "drop
glass tubes, and also the "gauge" glass tubes are fixed in bosses projecting from
the side or body of lubricator, each of the bosses being formed so as to constitute
a stuffing box and as the glands which fit in the said stuffing boxes are pressed into
the said stuffing boxes they tighten the packing round the glass tubes preventing
breakage of the ends of the glass tubes but at the same time subjecting the tubes
to a tensile strain, and should the lubricator become heated the expansion of the
metal metal in body of the lubricator is greater than the expansion in the glass
tubes. Thus from expansion of metal and the fact of the glands tending to pull
asunder the glass tubes they are frequently broken, and so cause the lubricator to
become inoperative, and the machinery to which the lubricators are applied is
unlubricated which in the case of large steam engines is of serious consequence.
In lubricators as constructed under these improvements the glass tubes are not
subjected to a tensile strain but to compression longitudinally and as glass will
resist compression much better than it will resist tension the tubes are not so liable
to breakage and the lubricator is not so frequently stopped and also on the
lubricator becoming heated the expansion of metal tends to relieve the tubes from
the compression strain they are subjected to, and so in place of tending to break
the glass tubes such expansion assists and strengthens them.
I construct the lubricators as follows:-
:-
To the side of the body of lubricator I fix two or more heads of suitable size,
and shape, these heads may be cast in on piece with the body of lubricator or they
may be fitted to the lubricator. Into the upper head, or heads I bore a hole, or
holes of size to suit the outside diameter of the glass tube or tubes. In the top
side of the upper head, or heads, or bosses I fit a screw cap or caps, and through
the centre of the cap, or caps, I fit an adjusting screw with lock nuts the lower
ends of the aforesaid screws rest upon a perforated cap or caps. These perforated
caps are so formed as to rest upon a ring of packing, this packing presses against
the inner surface of the aforesaid hole in upper head and so prevents leakage the
lower face of the packing rests upon a ring or rings of metal with a hole in the

page_text: centre, on the lower side of this ring
form a short boss to suit the hole in
the glass tube upon which they are intended to rest, round the aforesaid boss I fit
a ring of india rubber, asbestos, or other suitable packing and this packing rests
upon the upper end of the glass tube, and when pressed by means of set screws
prevents leakage from end of glass tube whilst the upper ring of packing prevents
leakage from the boss or head. The lower end or ends of glass tube or tubes rest
upon a ring or rings of suitable packing fitted into a groove or grooves formed in
the before mentioned lower head, or heads, the before named set screw pressing the
tube upon this packing at the same time as it tightens the packing on upper end of
tubes or tube.
By thus fixing glasses to sight feed lubricators a new glass can be fixed to
lubricator much easier than under the old system.
This method of constructing sight feed lubricators reduces the number of parts in
Buch lubricators.

page_text: "'
I AARON BRADSHAW, of Accrington, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of my said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN "SIGHT
FEED OR TRANSPARENT LUBRICATORS" and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
In lubricators as constructed under these improvements the glass tubes are not
subjected to a tensile strain but to compression longitudinally and as glass will
resist compression much better than it will resist tension the tubes are not so liable
to breakage and the lubricator is not so frequently stopped, and also on the
lubricator becoming heat the expansion of metal tends to relieve the tubes from
the compressive strain they are subjected to and so in place of tending to break the
glass tubes such expansion assists and strengthens thein.
Such being the nature and object of my said invention, the following is a
complete description of same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings
forming a part of this specification in which
Fig. 1 shews a lubricator, having the "heads" screwed to body of lubricator,
as is customary with lubricators of this kind when the joints or ends of glass tubes
are made with packed stuffing boxes.
Fig. 2 shews a lubricator having the "heads" for bolding glass tube or tubes
cast upon body of lubricator-Lubricators constructed as shewn in Figs, 1 and 2
which deliver the oil or lubricating matter from their sides and require a pipe to
convey the oil to the apparatus to be lubricated.
Figs. 3 and shew a lubricator having the "heads" for holding glass tube cast
in one piece and having a screwed hole or recess formed on said casting to receive
the vessel for holding the lubricating matter-This lubricator is arranged to
deliver the lubricating matter through the centre of the boss which holds and
connects lubricator to apparatus to be lubricated, and does not require any other
pipe or tube to convey the lubricating matter to the apparatus to be lubricated.
At 1 is the body of the lubricator, 2 and 3 are heads which may be attached to
as at Fig. 1 or may be cast to and form part of the lubricator as at Figs. 2, 3 and 4-
In the upper head I bore a hole 4 of size suitable to the outside diameter of the
glass tube or tubes 5 in the top side of which I fit a screw cap 6 and through the
centre thereof I fit the adjusting screw 7 having lock nut 8-the lower end of
the screw 7 bears upon a perforated plate 9 and which rests upon the ring 10 on which
is a short boss to suit the bore of the glass tube between which and the ring 10 is
the packing 11-of india rubber, Asbestos or other packing, and when pressed by
means of set screw 7 prevents leakage from end of glass tube-The lower end 13
of glass tube 5 rests upon like packing 14 fitted into a groove or grooves formed in
the before mentioned lower head, or heads, as clearly shewn by the drawings, the
before named set screw 7 pressing the tube 5 upon this packing at the same time
as it tightens the packing on upper end of tubes or tube.
In Fig. 4 is a recess forming part of the same casting as the heads 1, 2, and
having recess 15 screwed or chased and into which the vessel 1 is screwed.
By means of these improvements in fixing the glass tubes to this kind of
lubricator I am enabled to so arrange the said lubricator as to dispense with many
joints that are necessary on the old plan of fixing the glass tubes.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. The improved apparatus comprising the parts 7, 8, and 10 for securing and
pressing the glass 5 upon and between its packings 11 and 14 as described and
illustrated by drawings annexed.
2. The improved apparatus for securing the glass tubes of lubricators wherein
the heads 2 and 3 are cast together and with or having the receptacle for the
lubricator vessel 1 all in combination and as illustrated by the annexed drawings
(see Figs. 2, 3, and 4) and herein fully described.