Improvements in Sight-feed Lubricators Using Oil, Tallow, or other Lubricants for the Cylinders, Pistons, and Valves of Steam or other Motive Power Engines.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Aug., 1887
Complete Left, 2nd Sept., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 11th Oct., 1887.
Improvements in Sight-feed Lubricators Using Oil, Tallow, or other
Lubricants for the Cylinders, Pistons, and Valves of Steam or
other Motive Power Engines.
We JAMES HILTON SCHOFIELD of 41 Spring Street, Oldham in the County of
Lancaster, Oil Merchant, and ALFRED VICTOR GARIBALDI WORTH of 3 Sussex Street,
Rochdale in the County of Lancaster, Oil Merchant do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
Our invention consists in causing the steam from the main steam pipe, throttle
valve box, or valve chest, to pass through the cylinder or other chamber containing the
lubricant, in such a manner that the said lubricant can be heated to the degree required
to ensure its flowing into and through the usual glass sight tube.
To attain this result, we lead a branch steam pipe from, say, the steam supply pipe,
up through the centre of an annular lubricant chamber, to a condensing chamber,
which encloses the open end of the branch pipe.
To the bottom of this chamber the water of condensation from the steam pipe falls,
and it is lead away by a pipe to the bottom of the lubricant chamber.
This lubricant chamber, which surrounds the lower part of the branch steam pipe,
allows of air passing up freely through its centre, which air forms the medium for
transmitting heat from the steam pipe to the lubricant chamber.
Fitted over the central opening in the annular chamber, is a valve for controlling
the passage of the air which surrounds the steam pipe, and thereby regulating the
amount of heat to be imparted to the lubricant.
The lubricant chamber is fitted as usual with a glass sight tube, which is in
communication with a tube reaching from the bottom to near the top of that chamber.
Leading from the top of the sight tube down to the lower part of the branch steam
pipe, is a tube which puts the glass sight tube into communication therewith.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-
On steam being allowed to pass up the branch pipe, it will, in its passage, heat the
lubricant, through the imprisoned air in the centre of the lubricant chamber, and

page_text: condensing in the upper chamber, will provide a gentle flow of water to the lubricant
chamber.
As the water there accumulates, it will gradually lift the lubricant, and allow it to
trickle down the tube which leads to the sight tube.
From this tube the lubricant will pass to the branch steam pipe, and be carried off
with the supply steam to the parts requiring lubrication."
The lubricant chamber is fitted with a suitable means for running off the water and
supplying fresh lubricant to the vessel.
Dated this 8th day of August 1887

page_text: Improvements in Sight Feed Lubricators Using Oil, Tallow, or other
Lubricants for the Cylinders, Pistons, and Valves of Steam or
other Motive Power Engines.
We JAMES HILTON SCHOFIELD of 41 Spring Street Oldham in the County of
Lancaster, Oil Merchant, and ALFRED VICTOR GARIBALDI WORTH, of 3 Sussex Street
Rochdale in the County of Lancaster, Oil Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
Our invention consists in causing the steam from the main steam pipe, throttle valve
box or valve chest, as it passes throught the cylinder or other chamber containing the
lubricant, to heat the lubricant to the degree required for ensuring its flowing into
and through the usual glass sight tube, and thence to the parts requiring to be
lubricated.
In the accompanying drawing,
Fig. 1 is a vertical section of our improved lubricator, and
Fig. 2 is a plan or top view of the same.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawing.
A indicates part of the main steam pipe to the engine, into which, in this case, the
steam supply pipe B of the lubricator is fixed. The supply pipe B passes up through
the centre of an annular lubricant chamber C to a condensing vessel D, which encloses
the top end of the said supply pipe B.
In the bottom of the condensing vessel D a pipe Ę is attached having a tap F to
regulate the supply of the water from the condensing vessel D to the chamber C
containing the lubricant.
The annular lubricant chamber C, which surrounds the lower part of the steam
supply or stand pipe B, is formed with a central chamber G, through which air is
allowed to pass. Into this chamber G the air is freely admitted by openings H at the
bottom thereof, and its exit is controlled by means of a circular disc valve I at the top,
having suitable openings, as shewn at I'.
The lubricant chamber C is fitted, as usual, with a glass sight tube J, which is in
communication with a tube K in the lubricant chamber C.
From the top of the sight tnbe J, a tube L leads down to the lower part of the
branch steam supply or stand pipe B, and forms a communication therewith..
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-
Upon opening the tap N in the branch steam supply pipe B, the steam, in its
passage upwards, will heat, through the medium of the surrounding air in the
chamber G, the lubricant in the chamber C, and being afterwards condensed in
the top chamber D, will provide a flow of water down the pipe E to the bottom of
the said chamber C, so that as water accumulates therein, it will gradually raise the
lubricant and allow it to flow down the tube K, which is in communication with the
sight tube J, the flow into which is regulated by a valve P.

page_text: From the top of the sight tube J, the lubricant is conveyed by a pipe L to the
lower part of the branch steam pipe B, and being there mixed with the steam, is
carried forward to all the parts requiring lubrication.
The lubricant chamber is shewn in the drawing fitted with a suitable means for
running off the water when required, and for supplying fresh lubricant to the
vessel.
From the foregoing explanation it will be understood that the heat imparted by the
steam to the lubricant in the chamber C may be regulated to the greatest nicety, the
attendant having simply to shift the valve I so as to increase or contract the upward
flow of the air (which is the heating medium) through the central chamber G, as
circumstances vary. By throttling the air, the heat transmitted to the lubricant is
raised, and by increasing the flow of air, the temperature will be lowered in pro-
portion to that increase. Thus, effectual means is provided for preventing what is not
an infrequent occurrence in lubricators of this class, the burning of the lubricant.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. The employment or use in a lubricating box or chamber of an air chamber
surrounding the steam supply pipe of the lubricator as and for the purpose set forth.
2. The employment of a valve for regulating the flow of air through the air heating
chamber of the lubricator, as set forth.
Dated this 2nd day of September 1886.