AN IMPROVED LUBRICATING APPARATUS
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine,
Lake, & Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for
the Invention of "AN IMPROVED LUBRICATING APPARATUS."--A com-
munication from abroad by William Alanson Clark, of New Haven,
Connecticut, United States of America.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Robert Lake
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition
and Declaration, on the 25th January 1872, pursuant to the 9th
Section of the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London, send greeting.
WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "AN IMPROVED
LUBRICATING APPARATUS," and have petitioned Her Majesty to grant
unto me, my executors, administrators, and assigns, Her Royal

page_text: Letters Patent for the same, and have made solemn Declaration that
it has been communicated to me from abroad by William Alanson
Clark, of New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Robert Lake, do hereby
declare that the following Complete Specification, under my hand and
scal, fully describes and ascertains the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawing forming a
part of this Specification :—
My Invention relates to a lubricator applicable to all kinds of steam
machinery, but more especially adapted for use on the valve chests of
steam engines; and it consists in a steam chamber or condenser,
connected to the top of an oil chamber in such manner that the water
resulting from the condensation of the steam in the upper chamber
flows down into a lower chamber and displaces the oil, which escapes
through an opening in the top, and is conducted by a tube to the parts
to be lubricated.

page_text: the glass to expand and contract freely. The oil chamber is provided
at its lower end with a cock o, through which to draw off its contents,
and at its upper end with a cup or funnel L through which to introduce
the oil, the cup being provided with a cover p having a screw stem,
which extends down into the throat of the cup, and serves to close the
same tightly, as well as to hold the cover on. Around the chamber or
body A is mounted a sliding metal jacket fenclosing the glass cylinder
to protect the same from injury, the jacket being so arranged that it
may slide down to expose the glass cylinder when it is desired to sce
the amount of oil contained therein. If preferred the jacket may be
secured rigidly in place, and provided with one or more vertical slots,
through which the height of the oil may be observed. B represents the
steam chamber or condenser made of metal, and connected by a neck C
to the top of the oil chamber A, as shown in Figure 1. The neck C is
provided with a vertical passage 9 extending from the steam chamber
or condenser to the oil chamber; and to the lower end of this passage
is attached a depending tube H, extending down nearly to the bottom of
the oil chamber, as shewn in Figure 1. In the neck C is also mounted
a cock D, by which the passage g may be closed or regulated as may bo
necessary. At the back end of the cock is formed a small chamber F
connected by a passage i with the steam chamber.
A vertical passage h
extends from the oil chamber upward to the rear end of the cock D, and
the latter is provided with a passage or opening k extending from its
side out through its end, so that when the valve is properly adjusted
this passage k will form a communication between the passage / and
chamber F, as shown in Figure 1. To the chamber F, I connect a
pipe I, which serves both to bring the steam to the lubricator and to
carry the oil therefrom to the engine.
In applying the lubricator thus constructed to the valve chest of au
engine I place it above the chest and connect the pipe I therewith,
and then fill the reservoir A with oil through the cup L, and adjust
the cock to leave free communication between the steam and oil
chambers, and between the oil chamber and chamber F, as shown in
Figure 1.
.
When the steam is admitted to the engine it flows through the pipe I
into the chamber F, and thence through the passage i into the chamber
or condenser B, which remains constantly filled therewith. As the
outside of the chamber B is in contact with the atmosphere, a portion

page_text: of the steam therein is constantly undergoing condensation or conversion
into water, and this water flows down through the passage 9 and tube H
into the lower end of the oil chamber A. The water being heavier than
the oil displaces the latter, and causes it to rise and flow through the
passage h, and through the hole k in the back end of the cock into the
chamber F, whence it flows down through the pipe I to the engine.
This operation continues until the chamber A is filled with water and
all the oil forced out, when the water is drawn off through the cock o
and the chamber refilled with oil.
It will be observed that when the lubricator is in operation the steams
passes to it, and the oil from it through the same pipe I, which is
the only communication or connection between the lubricator and the
engine. The steam passes along through the upper portion of the
pipe, and the oil through the lower portion or bottom of the same,
both passing through the pipe at the same time, but in opposite
directions.
By turning the cock D the passages 9 and h may be partially or
wholly closed to vary or shut off the flow of the water and oil as may
be necessary. The rear passage or throat k of the cock is made
larger than the forward ones, so that in turning the cock the water
passage g will be closed before the oil passage h. For the purpose of
permitting a very fine adjustment or graduation of the oil passage g,
it is reduced in diameter at the upper side of the cock, as shewn in
Figure 1; and the cock has its passage or throat s made of a diamond
shape, as shown in Figure 4, so that by turning the cock to bring the
narrow edge of its throat under the passage a very fine passage or
opening is left for the water to pass through. To facilitate the adjust-
ment of the cock, and obviate the trouble of readjusting it after it has
been turned to shut off the feed, it is provided with an arm or pin t,
and the neck or body is provided with a thumb screw w for the arm to
strike against, as shown in Figure 3. By turning this thumb screw
the cock may be adjusted with great nicety, while at the same time it
leaves the cock free, so that it may be turned to shut off the feed; and
by striking the arm the cock is stopped in exactly its original position,
and is again opened. When the lubricator is to be applied to loco-
motives, in which the steam is shut off on down grades while the valves
continue in motion, the steam chamber or condenser B is proportioned
to produce water faster than it can flow down through the passage 9,

page_text: so that it will accumulate in the condenser; and a tube is connected
to the top of the steam passage i to extend up into the chamber, as
shewn in Figure 1, to prevent the flowing of the water down into the
chamber F.
When the steam is shut off the accumulated water continues to flow
down and feed the oil out, thus keeping the valves lubricated until the
steam is turned on again. To prevent any water which may accumulate
in the small chamber F from flowing down through the passage h into
the oil chamber, the rear passage or throat k of the cock is bent, as
shewn in Figure 1, being carried up nearly to the top of the cock and
then down again, its highest point being above the bottom of pipe I,
so that the water will flow off through said pipe before it reaches a level
high enough to flow over through the throat. The throat thus arranged
not only forms a trap to prevent the flowing down of the water, but
when filled with oil or water it prevents the steam from flowing down
and coming in contact with the oil in the chamber.
.
Instead of securing the metal heads to the glass cylinder by the
outside rods, as shewn in Figure 1, they may be held by a single central
rod N passed through the centre of the cylinder, as shewn in Figure 5.
In such case the tube H may be attached in the same manner as in
Figure 1; or a hole may be made through the centre of the rod N, as
shewn in Figure 8 and in dotted lines in Figure 5, in which case the
rod itself answers the purpose of the tube. Instead of making a central
hole through the rod N the tube I may be set into its side, as in
Figure 6, or a groove may be cut in the side of the rod, and the rod
enclosed by a tube as in Figure 7, to leave an inside passage.
The arrangements shewn of the single pipe I to convey both the
steam and oil can of course be used only when the steam is brought
from the place to which the oil is to be conveyed. When the steam is
brought from one place and it is desired to lubricate other parts two
separate pipes or a pipe with two branches must be used; one to carry
the steam and the other the oil. When two pipes are used one may
be connected directly to the steam chamber and the other to the oil
chamber, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 1; and in this case a
simple-tube provided with an ordinary cock may be used instead of the
neck C and valve D. It is obvious that the tube H may be dispensed
with, as the water would of course sink and displace the oil; but

page_text: Fifth. Arranging the mouths of the steam passage i and the water
passage g in the condensing chamber B at different heights, for the
purpose of allowing the water in the chamber B to continue the action
of the lubricator after the steam is shut off as described.
Sixth. The reservoir A having its heads and the glass body a
united by a central rod or tube N, as represented in Figures 5, 6, 7, 8,
and 9.
In witness whereof, I, the said William. Robert Lake, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of January,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
Witness,
W. J. LOWE.
WM. ROBT. LAKE.
(L.S.)