IMPROVEMENTS IN VISIBLE-FEED LUBRICATORS FOR MACHINERY
Year: 1884

page_text: improvements in
333344R
I TOM BRABSON, at present residing at number 89 North Portland Avenue in
the City of Brooklyn, in the State of New York, one of the United States of
America, Machinist do. hereby declare the nature of my said invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN VISIBLE-FEED LUBRICATORS FOR MACHINERY to be as follows:-
My invention relates to that class of lubricators in which steam or water of
condensation is admitted to the oil-chamber to expel the oil from the said chamber
by the same or another passage, and the principal object of my invention is to
furnish a means whereby the amount of oil fed may be regulated, and the outflow
of oil may be observed and ascertained.
--
In the accompanying drawings wherein my invention is illustrated:-Figure 1
is a vertical mid section of my lubricator taken on line 1 - 1 in Figure 2.
Figure 2 is a horizontal section on line 2 - 2 in Fig. 1.
Figure 3 is a horizontal section on line 3
-
3 in Figure 1.
My invention comprises means whereby the feed of oil may be entirely cut off;
means whereby the feed may be accurately regulated; means whereby the flow of
oil may be observed in order to ascertain if the lubricator is operating, and meaus
whereby, in any contingency, the lubricator may be converted instantly from a
" visible-feed" to a "blind-feed" lubricator.
A is the shell or casing of the lubricator, B the oil-space or oil-chamber within
the said shell, C the cap of chamber A, and D a screw stopper that closes the
opening in cap C, for the admission of oil in filling.
E is a tube of glass, or other transparent material mounted in provisions F F
exterior to the casing A.; a a a is a circuitous passage for the oil leading from the
oil-chamber B, through the glass tube E, and eventually to the steam-cylinder or
other thing to be lubricated. G is a screw-plug or valve which serves to cut off,
or regulate the flow of oil through this passage a, and H is a cock-plug arranged in
the bottom of the casing A and adapted to cut off the flow of oil from the lubricator
and to convert the same into a blind-feed lubricator when necessary. This cock-
plug is provided with a cross-handle I, by preference.
J is a condenser secured to the bottom of the casing A, and b, b are pipes which
admit steam from the steam-cylinder to the condenser; c is a pipe which leads
the steam or water of condensation from the condenser J to the oil-chamber B,
.

page_text: and K is a trap arranged in the oil chamber B through which the steam or water
of condensation must pass on entering the said chamber.
When the cock-plug H is turned as shown in the drawings, the steam or
condensed water, or both, is free to enter the oil-chamber B, by way of b, c and K,
and to force the oil out of said chamber by way of the oil-passage a, a.
Suppose the screw-plug or valve G is screwed in its seat so as to close the
passage a, and the cock-plug H is turned so as to cut off the said passage a, that is
to say, the cross handle I turned until it stands at an angle of forty-five degrees.
The screw stopper D may now be removed and the oil chamber filled with oil.
The cock plug H is now turned to stand as shown in Figure 1, when steam will
enter the passage a and by condensation fill the glass tube E, and the nipple d in
its lower end, with water. Steam will also enter the condenser J through the
tubes b, b and condense therein, thus submerging the pendent end of the tube c.
If the screw plúg G be now unscrewed so as to open the passage a, the result
will be that the steam will force the condensed water from J through the pipe c
and trap K into the oil-chamber B. This water will sink, to the bottom of the oil-
chamber and force the oil over into the passage a, a at the open upper end, e, of
said passage. The oil will flow through the passage and rise in the nipple d, from
which it will issue in drops and rise through the water in the glass tube E, where
it will be observed. It will eventually pass down through the vertical central
portion of the circuitous passage a, a (which portion is filled with steam) to the
steam-cylinder, passing out at f.
Should the glass tube E be accidentally broken, and the apparatus be thus
rendered inoperative as a "visible-feed" lubricator, the cross-handle I may be
instantly turned to a horizontal position so as to cut off the circuitous oil-
passage, a, a, and prevent any escape of steam or oil from the chamber B; but this
turning of the cock-plug H will bring a cross-passage g, therein into coincidence
with the tube c and trap K, and the oil will find its way out of the lubricator
through the trap K, passage g, tube c. and tubes b. This I call the "blind-feed,"
as it cannot be observed visually.
"
I generally use two tubes b, but one will serve as well; I may also omit the
condenser J, and tube or tubes b, and admit the steam directly to the oil-chamber
through the tube c, and the trap; but I prefer the construction shown, as it
provides for the condensation exterior to the oil-chamber, and does not heat the
latter so much.
"
Before refilling the oil-chamber the water of condensation must be drawn off
and this I effect by means of a stoppered drainage outlet L, shewn in Figures 2
.and 3.

page_text: Improvements in Visible Feed Lubricators for Machinery.
I TOM BRABSON, of N° 13 Adams Street (late of 89 North Portland Avenue) in.
the City of Brooklyn, in the State of New York, one of the United States of
America, Machinist 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 →
My invention relates to that class of lubricators in which steam, or water of
condensation is admitted to the oil chamber to expel the oil from said chainber by
the same or another passage, and the principal object of my invention is to furnish
a means whereby the amount of oil fed may be regulated, and the outflow of oil
may be observed and ascertained.
In the accompanying drawings wherein my invention is illustrated, Figure 1 is
a vertical mid-section of my lubricator taken on line 1 -- - 1 in Figure 2.
Figure 2 is a horizontal section on line 2----2 in Figure 1. Figure 3 is a
horizontal section on line 3 - - - - 3 in Figure 1. Figure 4 is a vertical mid-section
of a modified construction.
My invention comprises means whereby the feed of oil may be entirely cut off';
means whereby the feed may be accurately regulated; means whereby the flow of
oil may be observed in order to ascertain if the lubricator is operating, and means
whereby in any contingency, the lubricator may be converted instantly from a.
visible-feed to a blind-feed lubricator.
Referring to Figures 1, 2 and 3, A is the shell or casing of the lubricator, B the
oil-space or oil-chamber within said shell, C the cap of chamber A, and D a screw-
stopper that closes the opening in cap C, for the admission of oil in filling.
E is a tube of glass, or other transparent material mounted in provisions F F
exterior to casing A; a, a is a circuitous passage for the oil leading from the..
oil-chamber B, through the glass tube E, and eventually to the steam-cylinder or
thing to be lubricated. G is a screw-plug or valve which serves to cut off or
regulate the flow of oil through this passage a, and H is à cock-plug arranged in
the bottom of the casing A and adapted to cut off the flow of oil from the
lubricator and to convert the same into a blind-feed lubricator when necessary.
This cock-plug is provided with a cross-handle I, by preference.
J is a condenser secured to the bottom of casing A, and b, b are pipes which
admit steam from the steam-cylinder or steam-pipe to the condenser; c is a pipe
which leads the steam or water of condensation from condenser J to oil-chamber B,
and K is a trap arranged in oil-chamber B through which the steam or water of
condensation must pass on entering said chamber.
When the cock plug H is turned as shewn in the drawings, the steam or
condensed water, or both, is free to enter the oil-chamber B; by way of b, c, and K
and to force the oil out of said chamber by way of oil passage a, a.
Suppose the screw-plug or valve G is screwed in its seat so as to close passage a,
and cock-plug H is turned so as to cut off said passage a, that is to say, the cross-
handle I turned until it stands at an angle of forty-five degrees. The screw.

page_text: stopper D may now be removed, and the oil-chamber filled with oil. The cock
plug H is now turned to stand as shown in Figure 1, when steam will enter the
passage a, and by condensation fill the glass tube E, and the nipple & in its lower
end with water. Steam will also enter the condenser. J through tubes b, b and
condense therein thus submerging the pendent end of tube c.
If screw-plug G be now unscrewed so as to open passage a, the result will be
that the steam will force the condensed water from J through pipe c and trap K
into the oil chamber B. This water will sink to the bottom of the oil-chamber
and force the oil over into the passage a, a at the open upper end e of said passage,
The oil will flow through the passage and rise in the nipple d, from which it will
issue in drops and rise through the water, in the glass tube E, where it will be
observed. It will eventually pass down through the vertical central portion of the
circuitous passage a a, which portion is filled with steam, to the steam cylinder
passing out at f.
Should the glass tube E be accidentally broken and the apparatus be thus
rendered inoperative as a "visible feed" lubricator, the cross-handle I may be
instantly turned to a horizontal position, so as to cut off the circuitous oil-
passage a, a, and prevent any escape of steam, or oil from the chamber B through
said passage; but this turning of the cock-plug H will bring a cross-passage g
therein into coincidence with the tube c and trap K, and the oil will find its way
out of the lubricator through trap K, passage g, tube c and tubes b. This I call
the "blind-feed" as it cannot be observed visually.
I generally use two tubes b, but one will serve as well; I may also omit the
condenser J, and tube or tubes b, and admit the steam directly to the oil-chamber
through the tube c, and the trap; but I prefer the construction shown, as it.
provides for the condensation exterior to the oil chamber, and does not heat the
latter so much.
Before refilling the oil-chamber the water of condensation must be drawn off,
and this I effect by means of a stoppered drainage-outlet, L, shown in Figures 2
and 3.
It is frequently desirable to provide a head of water, in order that the oil may
be forced out by a greater pressure than that afforded by the rising under it of the
water of condensation in the construction already described. To this end I have
designed the modified construction of cup shown in Figure 4, where the weight of
column of water is employed to expel the oil. The principal difference between
this construction and that already described is that the condensing chamber J is
arranged above the oil-chamber B. The cup beneath the oil-chamber (here
lettered J¹) is not essential. The steam enters the cup J¹ through the passages b, b,
passes freely through J¹, and enters a passage b¹ which extends upward through
the cock H and through a tube h, and terminates in the upper part of the
condenser J, being, there provided with a sinall check-valvej to prevent any back
flow of steam or water. The tube c leads from the lower part of the condenser-
chamber down to near the bottom of the oil chamber B. The water of condensation
formed in the condenser J thus flows down through the tube c and rises beneath
the body of oil, thus constituting a water column, with a head elevated considerably
above the oil. The trap K is omitted, and no means of giving a blind-feed is
provided in the construction shown.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. A visible-feed lubricator wherein the oil on its way from the oil chamber to
the chamber or part to be lubricated, flows through a circuitous passage, the
portion of said passage exterior to said chamber being formed partially in
transparent material, and the portion which receives and discharges the oil being
arranged within the oil-chamber, substantially as set forth.

page_text: B
2. A visible-feed lubricator having a condenser to receive the steam, and a pipe c,
leading from the lower part of the condenser to the lower part of the oil-chamber,
said condenser being distinct from the oil chamber, as set forth, whereby the steam
will be wholly or partially condensed exterior to the oil-chamber.
3. In a lubricator the cock plug H for cutting off the circuitous passage a so as
to convert the lubricator into a blind-feed lubricator at will.
4. A lubricator provided with the regulating cock G and the cock-plug H
arranged as shown for the purposes set forth.