IMPROVEMENTS IN LUBRICATING THE BEARINGS OF AXLES OF COAL HUTCHES AND OTHER SIMILAR VEHICLES, AND IN THE APPARATUS OR MEANS EMPLOYED THEREFOR
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Archibald Baird, Colliery Furnisher, Glasgow, in the
County of Lanark, and Gilbert McPherson, Colliery Manager, Hurlford, in the
County of Ayr, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN LUBRICATING THE
BEARINGS OF AXLES OF COAL HUTCHES AND OTHER SIMILAR VEHICLES, AND IN
THE APPARATUS OR MEANS EMPLOYED THEREFOR."
Sealed the 5th January 1877, and dated the 10th July 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Archibald Baird and Gilbert
McPherson at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 10th July
1876.
ARCHIBALD BAIRD, Colliery Furnisher, Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, and
"IM-
GILBERT MCPHERSON, Colliery Manager, Hurlford, in the County of Ayr.
PROVEMENTS IN LUBRICATING THE BEARINGS OF AXLES OF COAL HUTCHES AND
OTHER SIMILAR VEHICLES, AND IN THE APPARATUS OR MEANS EMPLOYED THEREFOR.'
This Invention has reference to a new or improved mode of and arrangement of
mechanism or machine for greasing or lubricating the bearings and journals of the
axles or working parts of coal or other hutches, tubs, waggons, or other like vehicles
in a simpler and more efficient manner than heretofore.
And the nature and novelty of the Invention consist in making a portable or other
frame with rails or tramways at the two sides and top set down to suit the width
of the wheels, and in a line with the rails on which the hutches run, or a siding
connected therewith, or their adjacent platforın or roadway, so that when it is
required to lubricate their axle boxes they are rolled on their wheels on to the
said railed frame over four lubricating or grease boxes, secured to the said frame
or otherwise fixed each just below the respective part or journals to be lubricated,
which is done by the wheels or a part of the hutch coming against and moving a
lever, or this may be moved by the hand or foot of the person pushing the hutch
over this machine to a stop lever or fixed part, in either case so that the action of
the lever or arrangement of levers would simultaneously raise four rods working
up through liquid-tight stuffing boxes in the bottoms of the lubricating boxes, so
that a brush, or sponge, or other equivalent on the top of each rod within the box
would absorb and carry up as much grease, oil, or other lubricant as would lubricate
the under side of each journal and bush or box, where the ordinary or special
provision is made for the said part receiving and retaining the lubricating material
[Price Gd.]

page_text: when pressed on them by the bushes as required; all the rods of the bushes being
attached to one frame below, which might fall by its own weight after each action,
and rest on cross beams or other equivalents secured to the main open frame, which
would also carry the bearings and axles of the lever for working the frame of the
lubricating rods. All the working parts of each hutch would thus be lubricated in
an instant while it is being passed over the said machine by the simple action of a
lever with little or no stoppage on its way back to the mouth of the winding shaft
when the mechanism is applied at pit heads.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said Archibald Baird and Gilbert McPherson in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 10th January 1877.
ARCHIBALD BAIRD, Colliery Furnisher, Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, and
GILBERT MCPHERSON, Colliery Manager, Hurlford, in the County of Ayr.
"IM-
PROVEMENTS IN LUBRICATING THE BEARINGS OF AXLES OF COAL HUTCHES AND
OTHER SIMILAR VEHICLES, AND IN THE APPARATUS or Means emploYED THEREFOR."
Our said Invention has reference to a new or improved mode of and arrangement
of mechanism for greasing or lubricating the bearings and journals of the axles or
working parts of coal or other hutches, tubs, railway waggons, trucks, tramway
cars, or other like vehicles in a simple and more efficient manner than heretofore.
And in order that the nature, novelty, and mode of performing our said Invention
inay be properly understood, we shall now proceed to describe the several Figures
on the Sheet of Drawings, which we have hereunto appended for the purpose of
showing the best means we are at present aware of for carrying the saine into
effect or practice, the same reference letters indicating the same parts in all the
Figures where shown.
Figure 1 is a perspective sectional elevation of a general arrangement of our new
or improved mechanism as applied to the lubricating of the bearings and axles of
mineral hutches, and Figures 2 and 3 show a sectional elevation and plan partly in
section of an arrangement corresponding to Figure 1 to show the details and action
of the mechanism inore clearly.
Referring to these Figures 1 to 3, the construction and arrangement of this new
or improved lubricating mechanism consist all as follows:-The stationary, or it
might be portable, frame A is mounted over a recess B below the line of rails C
secured to the upper surface of the longitudinal beams A' of the frame A, preferably
near the pit head in a line with the rails on which the hutches run, or a siding
connected therewith, or their adjacent platform or roadway, when, as in this case,
it is for the lubricating of the journal bearings of the mineral hutches Z, one of
which is shown in Figure 1 as having just passed over the boxes a containing the
lubricant after the lubrication of its axles. Thus when it is desired to lubricate
the axle boxes or bearings z of the hutches Z, they are each rolled on their wheels Z¹
on to the rails Cover the said frame A and recess B, with the journal bearings
over the centre of the four lubricating or grease boxes a, secured, as shown, by
snugs and bolts al to the upper surface of the frame A, or it might be otherwise
fixed, each box being just below the respective part or journals to be lubricated.
Under the modification shown the actual lubricating action is effected after the
wheels of the hutches are brought over slots c cut in the rails in line with the
centre of the grease boxes a, so as to steady the journals and bearings to be
lubricated by four semicircular spoons b at the top of the four spindles b¹, worked
from below up through stuffing boxes all in the bottom of the vessels a containing
the lubricating material (which when oily or thin a sponge or brush would be used
instead of the spoon b) by the frame plate D, attached to the lower ends of the
four rods through the lever E, fulcrumed on the stud centre e, secured on the
under frame, all in the chamber or recess B₁ below the frame A and lubricating

page_text: boxes a, the lever E being actuated by the foot treadle F attached to its back end,
the front forked end E' of this lever working in slotted studs D' on the under side
of the centre bar of the frame plate D, so that the depression of the foot treadle F
by the attendant after he has pushed the hutch as stated over the lubricating vessel
and spoons a, b, the front end E' of the lever E raises the plate D. and the four
spoons b which lifts up some of the grease or other lubricant out of the boxes a and
presses it in over the journals within the four bearings of the axles of the hutch Z
in an instant with little or no stoppage, when the hutch is then pushed on beyond
the lubricating machine or inechanism, as shown in this position in Figure 1, ready
for being sent down the pit again. Where the ordinary arrangements will not
admit of the lubricating material being placed on the journal within the bearing
blocks, special provision is made for this by removing the under cottor or cover
laterally to the one side of the axle box, so as to allow the spoon, brush, sponge, or
other equivalent b to spread the lubricating material over the under side of the
journal and within the bearing block, so as to receive and retain the lubricating
material when pressed on them as required, all the rods 6' of the spoons or
brushes being attached to the frame D below, inade heavy enough to fall by its
own weight after each action, and rest on the, bottom or frame of the chamber B,
or other stops for the purpose secured to the frame A', and which would also carry
the fulcrum axle c of the lever E and its guides e¹ for working the frame D of the
lubricating spoons and rods b, b1.
When it is desired to lubricate the journals of hutches, trucks, waggons, or cars
automatically by the new or improved mechanism herein described and shown in
the accompanying Drawings, this may be effected by an angled or cam piece
projecting down from the under framing of the vehicle acting on a presser and
lever, which would act on a corresponding incline or lever and raise the forked end
or arms E of the lever E, frame D, and lubricators b, b', at the moment the journal
bearings of the waggons to be lubricated comes over them, and instantly fall down
again as the cam piece passes the presser or lifter, or otherwise; the weight of the
waggon may be made to perform this lubricating action as the wheels fall into the
groove e cut in the rails in the line of the lubricators, the wheels acting on such
an automatic presser or lever to raise the lubricators and let them instantly fall
again just as the waggon leaves the grease boxes and lubricators a, b.
Having now described the nature of our said Invention, and the manner in
which the same is or may be performed, we have to state that we do not confine
ourselves to tlic precise details herein described or delineated; but what we consider
novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to us by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the general construction and
arrangement of mechanism or machine for the lubrication of the journals and their
bushes or bearings of hutches, trucks, waggons, cars, or other such like vehicles
from their under side by lifting or reciprocating lubricators as b, b¹, all substantially
in the new or improved manner herein-before described in reference to and shown
in the accompanying Drawings, or any mere modification thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said Archibald Baird, on behalf of the said Gilbert
McPherson and myself, have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Ninth day
of January, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
savanty Cavan
Witness,
JOHN BROWN,
Patent Agent.
96, Buchanan Street,
Glasgow.
ARCH. BAIRD. (L.S.).