Iμ- PROVEMENTS IN LUBRICATING APPARATUS
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Clark, of 58, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Engineer & Patent Agent, for the Invention of "Iμ-
PROVEMENTS IN LUBRICATING APPARATUS." -A communication.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Clark at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 21st
January 1858.
I, WILLIAM CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer & Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN LUBRICATING APPARATUS," a communication,
to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to oil boxes for lubricating the axle journals of
railway trucks and other carriages. This oil box contains at its lower part,
first, an oil box, probably so called, lubricating the axle journals by the aid of
a capillary pad; secondly, a reservoir into which the oil enters when it drops
off the journal to be used again. It contains at its upper part an ordinary
grease box, which is intended to serve as a grease box when the oil box cannot
be used from any cause.
This Invention is represented in the annexed Drawings, in which Fig. 1
represents at the same time a transverse vertical section of the grease and oil:
boxes on the line 1, 2, Fig. 2, and an end view of the said boxes in the interior
of the carriage; Fig. 2 represents a. longitudinal elevation of the grease and

page_text: oil boxes; Fig. 3 represents at the same time a transverse vertical section of
the grease and oil boxes on the line 3, 4, Fig. 2, and an end view of the said
boxes at the exterior of the carriage; Fig. 4 represents a longitudinal section
on the line 5, 6, Figs. 1 'and 3, of the grease box properly so called; Fig. 5
represents at the same time a plan of the oil box, properly so called, supposing
the grease box to be removed, and a plan of the grease box at its upper part;
Fig. 6 represents a longitudinal section on the line 6, 7, Figs. 1 and 3. In all
these Figures similar letters of reference indicate like parts where they recur.
Grease box at the upper part.-a, body of the grease box; b, reservoir of
grease; c, funnel for introducing the grease; d, moveable hinged lid on the
funnel; e, aperture for the grease to run through on to the axle journal;
f, cast-iron brace joined to the interior of the reservoir, serving to hold the
plug which closes the passage of the grease to the channel e; g, plug pushed in
with gentle friction or otherwise, and serving to close the aperture of channel e.
The plug e, which closes channel e, may be transformed into a conduct pipe for
conducting the grease to any part of the journal; h, shoulder for the guard' plate
of the frame; i, bearing placed in the body of the box; j, axle journal;
k, k, bolts connecting the grease and oil boxes together; for this purpose they
enter into cast-iron eyes joined to the bodies of the boxes.
Oil box at the lower part.-l, body of the oil box, it surrounds the lower
part of the journal; m, oil box forming the upper capacity which supplies
the oil; n, lower reservoir into which the oil enters after having lubricated
the journal from which it drops off; o, channel through which the oil escaping
from the journal drops into the lower reservoir n; p, metal box for holding the
pad; 2, pad formed of a cotton and woollen wick; this pad is level with the
lower part of the journal, it conducts the oil from the oil box to the lower part
of the journal by the capillary nature of the cotton wicks, which are of any
number; r, channel for introducing the oil; 8, lid of channel r; t, moveable
semi-collar at the lower part of the oil box, and serving as a lower bearing to
the journal; it is raised as it becomes worn by the friction; u, screw serving
to raise semi-collar t;v, opening closed by a screw plug or otherwise, it is made
in the body of the oil box, and serves to empty the oil out of lower reservoir n.
The whole being mounted as shown the Drawings, it will be understood
that the journal j is constantly lubricated at its lower part by pad q, and that
the oil after having acted on the journal drops into reservoir n, whence it is
drawn off through aperture v to be used again if desirable. If the oil box
should be out of order-from any cause, the plug 9 is opened and the journal is
thus supplied with grease in the ordinary manner.
My Invention also consists of an improvement in that part of the box

page_text: termed the oil box properly so called. In the arrangement of oil box
described above the body of the journal alone is lubricated, and the oil
escaping by the collar next the point where the axle is keyed enters a special
reservoir where it is easy to collect it.. As to the oil which leaves at the end
of the journal it falls into the reservoir, supplying the pad bearing, and as it
is already charged and heated it does not produce the same effect as fresh oil;
moreover the end of the journal is never immersed in the oil, and, on the
contrary, by being heated, it attracts in some degree the oil from the journals,
which exhausts the reservoir very rapidly. This inconvenience is completely
avoided by this new arrangement.. For this purpose a third reservoir is used,
serving to collect the oil which falls from this end after having lubricated it,
so that the journal being always bathed in oil, and consequently being no
longer heated, great economy of oil results, and, the reservoir once full, the
carriage can easily travel two hundred. miles without requiring a fresh supply
of oil.
I have represented our new arrangement, in Figs. 7, 8, and. 9, and in Fig. 6,
in red lines, applied, first (Figs. 7, 8, and 9), to ordinary oil and grease boxes;.
secondly, to our first box (Fig. 6). In all these figures similar letters of
reference indicate like parts where they recur.
Fig. 7. shows a longitudinal section on the line 1, 2, Fig. 9, of an oil box
applied to an ordinary box; Fig. 8 shows a transverse section on the line 3, 4,
Fig. 7; Fig. 9, plan of this same oil box; Fig. 6 shows a longitudinal section
of an oil box applied to our first box. a is the body of the oil box; b, upper
reservoir receiving the fresh oil; c, lower reservoir, receiving the oil after it
has passed on to the journal d, third reservoir, which is the object of the
second part of the Invention; it serves to collect the oil falling from the
journal, which it lubricates; e, cast-iron cheeks joined to the box and forming
slides with the upper box; f, cup serving for the introduction of oil into upper
reservoir b; g, lid of the cup; h, cock for emptying lower reservoir c; i,
aperture serving to collect the oil escaping from the journal to fall the length
of each side e, and conducting it into lower. reservoir c; j, bolts serving to fix
the oil box to the upper part or grease box; k, aperture collecting the oil
thrown off the collar of the journal into the lower reservoir.
The features of this Invention then are a box for lubricating axle journals of
railways, trucks, and other carriages and waggons, composed of an ordinary
grease box, which is used in exceptional cases by an oil box with a pad lubri-
cating the journal underneath, and for this purpose, furnished with wicks, a
reservoir of oil, into which the oil drops from the journal to be used again, a
semi-collar forming a lower and moveable bearing for the journal to pivot on.

page_text: Secondly, the application of this system to lubricating with oil to ordinary
railway grease boxes by furnishing them with the accessaries herein-before
indicated, that is to say, the lower grease box.
Thirdly, the addition to any oil box of a special reservoir for the continual
greasing of the end of the journal.
Fourthly, the apertures serving to conduct the waste oil from the journal
into the lower reservoir.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office, on the
19th July 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer, and
Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-first year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me
the said William Clark, Her special licence that I, the said William Clark, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William
Clark, my executors, 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 LUBRICATING
APPARATUS," a communication, upon the conditions (amongst others) that I,.
the said William Clark, 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 Clark, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
This Invention relates to oil boxes for lubricating the axle bearings of

page_text: railway trucks and other carriages, horizontal shafts, &c. This oil box con-
tains at its lower part:-1st, an oil box, properly so called, lubricating the axle
journals or bearings by the aid of a capillary pad placed in an upper reservoir
or chamber; 2ndly, a lower reservoir into which the oil enters when it drops
off the journal, which oil may be used again. It contains at its upper part an
ordinary grease box, which is intended to serve as a grease box when the oil
box cannot be used from any cause. This double box is represented in the
Drawings annexed, in which Figure 1 shows at the same time an end view of
the back of the box, and a section on line 1, 2, Fig. 2.
Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section on line 3, 4, Fig. 3.
Fig. 3 shows plans of the upper and lower parts of the same box. In all
the Figures the same letters indicate like parts where they recur.
:
a, body of the grease box; b, reservoir of grease; c, funnel for introducing
the grease; d, moveable hinged lid on the funnel; e, aperture for the grease
to run through from reservoir 6 on to the axle journal or bearing; f, rib cast
on or united to the interior of the reservoir, serving to insert the plug which.
closes the passage of the grease from reservoir b to the channel e when the
grease box is not required to be used; g shoulders to abut against guard plate
of the frame; h bearing, placed in the interior of the upper box a; i, axle
journal; jeyes, cast with the upper and lower boxes, serving to fix the bolts
connecting the grease and oil boxes together; K, body of the oil box, it
surrounds the lower part of the journal; l, oil box or upper reservoir for
supplying the oil; in this reservoir is placed the capillary pad intended for
lubricating the journal; P, supply pad for the journal, consisting of a socket of
wood containing cotton wicks ", for taking up the oil and also a woollen
brush; m, lower reservoir into which the oil enters after having lubricated the
journal, from the end of which it drops off; n, metal segment partly
embracing the shoulder of the journal on the inside, of the box, serving by its
friction thereon to intercept the oil and cause it to fall into lower reservoir m;
o, channel of introduction for the oil; P, hinged lid of channel o; q, opening
to be closed by a screw plug placed at the lower part of reservoir m, serving
for running off the oil which it contains; r, leather washer serving to stop the
oil, causing it to drop off the journal; 8, 8, spring on which is placed the pad
in such manner that the latter may partake of the up and down movements
of the journal during its motion; t, t, semi-washers or collars of leather placed
round the journal for conducting the oil into the pad; u, chamber of a piece
with the oil compartment 1, in which the collar of the journal constantly
dips, so that the collar in turning raises oil to the surface under the bearing h,
and lubricates the upper part.

page_text: :
The whole being mounted, as represented in the Drawings, it will be under-
stood that the journal i is constantly lubricated at its lower part by means of
pad, before described, slightly touching it on its periphery with the cotton
wicks full of oil during its motion; this oil after having acted on the journal
is caused to drop into the reservoir m by means of the segment n, from which
reservoir it is drawn off by the opening q to be used again.
It will be understood that if the oil box does not from any cause lubricate
the journal, the plug has only to be withdrawn from the opening in f in the
grease reservoir, so that the supply of grease for lubricating it may imme-
diately commence.
This Invention, as will be seen, consists of an ordinary grease box placed at
the upper part, and of a new or improved oil box placed at the lower part. In
order not to change the present apparatus used on railways, this new oil box
instead of being formed with a grease box, as described, may be used of itself
in conjunction with any kind of grease box.
Having described the nature of this Invention, and the manner of per-
forming the same, I declare that what I claim as new is,―
First, an oil box furnished, first with a pad lubricating the under part of the
journal, the pad being for that purpose furnished with cotton wicks and wool
filaments arranged similar to a brush, and with semi-collars t, t, of leather;
secondly, with lower oil reservoir into which the oil running off the journal
passes to be used again; thirdly, with a semi-collar t, serving to stop the oil,
and to cause it to fall into the oil reservoir; fourthly, with a small reservoir u,
in which the exterior collar of the journal constantly dips, all as herein-before
described.
Secondly, I claim an ordinary grease box, combined with an oil box, such
as herein-before described, in such manner that the grease box may be used
alone in exceptional cases.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Clark, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight.
WILLIAM CLARK. (L.S.)