IMPROVEMENTS IN LUBRICATING THE JOURNALS OF SHAFTS, WHICH SAID IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO THE LUBRICATION OF THE BEARINGS OF AXLES USED IN OTHER MACHINERY
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Whittaker and William Lowe, of the Sun
Iron Works, Oldham, in the County of Lancaster, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN LUBRICATING THE JOURNALS OF SHAFTS, WHICH SAID
IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO THE LUBRICATION OF THE BEARINGS OF
AXLES USED IN OTHER MACHINERY."
Sealed the 18th September 1866, and dated the 23rd March 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Whittaker and
William Lowe at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their
Petition, on the 23rd March 1866.
We, WILLIAM WHITTAKER and WILLIAM LOWE, of the Sun Iron Works,
Oldham, in the County of Lancaster, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN LUBRICATING THE JOURNALS OF SHAFTS, WHICH
SAID IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO THE LUBRICATION OF THE BEARINGS OF
AXLES USED IN OTHER MACHINERY," to be as follows:-
Our improvements relate to the lubrication of the journals of shafts, and
are applicable also to the lubrication of the bearings of the axles used in other
machinery. A cistern to contain the oil or other lubricating fluid is provided
in the hanger or framework immediately below the journal or surface to bo
lubricated. A short tube of a curved form is provided. This tube is open at
one end and closed at the other, excepting one, two, or more small holes which
are made in it at the closed end. It is attached to the journal by means of
springs or screws, so as to revolve with the shaft or axle and forms a scoop

page_text: which dips into the oil or other lubricating fluid. For this purpose a space is left
in the step and hanger or framework for the passage of the tube as it revolves,
which thus takes up a portion of the oil or other lubricating fluid, a part of
which is by the centrifugal force thrown out through the small aperture or
apertures before mentioned on to the rubbing or frictional parts of the journal
or axle, and by this means the lubrication is provided for in the most effectual
We do not, however, confine ourselves to the construction above
indicated, but also use vanes instead of the tube above mentioned, which may
be variously formed, the mode of action being the same in all cases.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Whittaker and William Lowe in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 21st September 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, WILLIAM
WHITTAKER and WILLIAM LOWE, of the Sun Iron Works, Oldham, in the
County of Lancaster, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the twenty-ninth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us,
the said William Whittaker and William Lowe, Her special license that we,
the said William Whittaker and William Lowe, our executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said William Whittaker and
William Lowe, our 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 THE JOURNALS OF SHAFTS, WHICH SAID IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLI-
CABLE TO THE LUBRICATION OF THE BEARINGS OF AXLES USED IN OTHER MACHINERY,'
upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said William Whittaker and
William Lowe, our executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under our, or their, or one of our or 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said William Whittaker and William Lowe,
do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement and accompanying Sheet of Drawings, that is to say :-
Our Invention consists in the application and adaptation of a scoop or short
tube fixed on to the journal or bearing to be lubricated and revolving with
the shaft or axle, also in certain variations or equivalents for the same, and in
the combination of this apparatus with an oil cistern and other appliances for
containing, supplying, and receiving the lubricating fluid.
To make our Invention more clearly understood we have hereunto annexed
a Sheet of Drawings, to which the following description relates, in which
the same letters of reference indicate the same parts of the mechanism or
apparatus.
Fig. 1 represents a view of a pedestal to which our improvements are
applied as seen from above; Fig. 2, a vertical section of the same through the
line x, y, Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a plan of the pedestal with the cap removed in order
to show the construction and arrangement of the internal parts; Fig. 4, a side
view of the revolving scoop; and Fig. 5, an edge view of the same.
A, A, revolving shaft or axle; B, B, casting or block forming the lower
part of the pedestal; C, C, the cap; D, D, the brass or step on which the
journal revolves; E, E, the cistern for containing the oil or other lubricating
fluid; it is formed in two parts (one on each side of the pedestal), which are
connected together by a channel or passage a, a, formed in the block B, B,
immediately underneath the step D, D; F, F, revolving scoop, shewn at large
in Figs. 4 and 5; it revolves in a space formed for that purpose in the step
D, D. This space is in communication with the cistern E, E, by means of an
aperture 6 at its lowest part, which opens into the passage or channel a, a,
connecting the two parts forming the cistern. By this means the space, and
consequently the scoop F, F, is continually supplied with the lubricating fluid.
The revolving scoop F, F, (Figs. 4 and 5) is attached to or forms part of a
collar or hoop; this collar consists of two parts which are connected together
by the joint or hinge c, and at the opposite side is a screw d which by acting
on projecting pieces on the two halves they are brought towards each other,
and the hoop is thus clipped or clamped fast on the journal of the shaft A, A,
in the position shown in Figs. 2 and 3. By this means the hoop can be
detached from the journal, its position changed, or another one substituted for
it, with great facility. Instead of this construction of hoop we sometimes use
circular springs for the same purpose which clip the journal of the shaft A, A,
and create sufficient adhesion to carry the springs and scoop round with it.

page_text: (
At the closed end of the scoop is one, two, or more small apertures, one of
which is shewn at e. During the revolution of the shaft the scoop takes up a
quantity of the oil or other lubricating fluid, which is by the centrifugal force
thrown out through the small aperture or apertures just mentioned on to the
journal and step, and thus the lubrication of these parts is effected, the surplus
oil or lubricating fluid not required for this purpose running back again into the
cistern E, E. The dimensions of the scoop F, F, and small apertures (6) must
be varied according to the size of the shaft A, A, and the velocity with which
it revolves.
Figs. 6 and 7 represent another mode of carrying out our Invention, which
is more particularly adapted to cases in which the velocity of the shaft is
great. A divided hoop or ring is provided, as in the former case, on this hoop
is the short tube or scoop f, f, the sides and bottom of which form a vane or
vanes 9,9, two apertures opening into the interior of the tube, the size and
other disposition of which will depend greatly on the velocity of the journal to
bo lubricated. When in operation tho tube f, f, dips into the lubricating
fluid, a portion of which it carries along with it, which by the action of the
vane or vanes forming the interior of the tube is thrown out through the
apertures g, g, on to the journal and step, and thus the lubrication is effected.
In some cases we use a single vane, and by that means dispense with the sides
of the tube, shewn in Figs. 6 and 7. Wo apply our Invention to the lubri-
cation of the journals or axles of machinery in general in the samo manner as
above described, the cistern E, E, being formed or cast in the framework of
the machine, or a pedestal made use of similar to the one above described.
The scale to Figs. 1, 2, and 3 is about one-fourth of an inch to one inch, and
Figs. 4, 5, 6, and 7 are on a scale of full size, but the dimensions of these
last must be varied according to the size of the journal to which they are
applied.
Having thus described the nature of our Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, we would observe that we do not confine
ourselves to the precise details and arrangement of the several parts herein
described, as these may be varied, and must be varied according to the cir
cumstances of the cases in which it is applied; but that what we do claim as
new and of our Invention is as follows:-
First, we claim the application and adaptation of the revolving scoop F,
shewn in Figs. 4 and 5, to the purpose of lubricating the journals of shafts
and axles, as herein set forth and described.
Second, we claim the application and adaptation of the revolving short
tube or scoop, the interior of which forms a vane or vanes, shewn in Figs. 6

page_text: and 7, to the purpose of lubricating the journals of shafts and axles, as herein
set forth and described.
Third, we claim the combination and arrangement of the scoop F, shewn
in Figs. 4 and 5, with the cistern E, E, and passages a, a, and b, to the
purpose of lubricating the journals of shafts and axles, as herein set forth and
described.
Fourth, we claim the combination and arrangement of the short tube f,f,
the interior of which forms a vane or vanes, shewn in Figs. 6 and 7, with the
cistern E, E, and passages a, a, and b, to the purpose of lubricating the journals
of shafts and axles, as herein set forth and described.
In witness whereof, I, the within-named William Whittaker, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twentieth day of September, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
WILLIAM WHITTAKER. (L.S.)
Signed by the within-named William
Whittaker, in the presence of
JOHN POTTER, C. E.,
4, Old Millgate,
Manchester.