Improvements in and relating to Covers or Lids for Lubricators.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Dec., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 27th Sept., 1894-Accepted, 10th Nov., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Covers or Lids for Lubricators.
I, RICHARD HENRY LEA, Mechanical Engineer,, of Stoke Green, Coventry,
in the County of Warwick do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to improvements in covers or lids for lubricators
(specially to the smaller kind such as are used for velocipedes and similar
purposes).
The principal patterns of those lubricators hitherto used for the purpose indicated
may be briefly described as follows:
Type 1. This consisted of a cylindrical vessel (screwed into the particular part
of the machine it was intended to oil) and having a screwed cap. In certain
positions, as for instance in the centre of a velocipede wheel, the said screwed cap
was very difficult to get at. The cap was consequently very liable to slip from
the fingers and this on a dark night with muddy roads was obviously very annoying.
An additional objection was due to the screw thread of the cap being considerably
greater in diameter than the screwed part by which the lubricator was attached to
the machine, the natural result being that the frictional resistance of the larger
diameter thread frequently overcame the smaller, and when it was desired to
remove the cap only, the whole lubricator would be detached. Add to this the
fact that the screwed cap was necessarily slow in action and that non-mechanical
users were apt to "cross the threads, or have difficulty in starting, it will be seen
that Type 1 was open to considerable improvement.
3
Type 2. This was very similar to Type 1, with the exception, that the cap
instead of being screwed, was formed in cupping" tools and made to push on.
Although still somewhat extensively used, it is open to as many objections, as
Type 1 and is altogether unsatisfactory.
There have been many attempts to produce a simple and inexpensive lubricator
with hinged top, and I am aware that some years ago a lubricator of this kind was
made, but it was of a costly and clumsy nature. Considerable hand work was
involved in fitting the hinge part, and the flat spring used was very liable to
break. Recently a somewhat better form has been introduced but amongst the
imperfections the following may be noted. The hinge piece is soft-soldered to the
lid and a flat spring is also fixed in position by soft-solder. The hinge being
quite flush with the outside of the lubricator and there being no opposite
projection on the lid, there is practically, especially in the dark, nothing to indicate
at what point of its circumference the lid should be picked up.
Now the object of my invention is to overcome the various objections alluded to,
and at the same time to considerably facilitate the manufacture.
According to my invention I construct my improved lubricator, substantially as
will be gathered from the following example.
The main portion of the lubricator is preferably formed from say, brass or other
wire, which may be of circular, square, or hexagonal section according as to
whether or not it is intended to use a spanner when fixing the lubricator, and
after drilling up the lubricator, I form inside and near the top, an annular groove.
I then run a milling cutter diametrically across the top and a little lower down the
body of the lubricator than the said groove, thus forming two slots which
afterwards receive the hinge and snap piece of the lid, or the two slots may be
otherwise formed.

page_text: The lid is formed of sheet metal pressed out with circular centre and two
narrow arms extending in opposite directions, one of which arms is curled round
to form the hinge, and the other is bent to form a snap piece and allowed to project
enough to be readily located by the touch.
So far there are only two portions both of which are solid and without soldered
or other joint. These two parts I then connect by springing a small wire ring
(preferably not quite a complete circle) into the annular groove, and by rotating.
the wire in the groove I then easily thread the wire through the hinge part of the
lid. The other free end of the wire forms a yielding spring for the aforesaid snap
piece.
By the novel means above described I thus produce a hinged top lubricator, of
neat appearance, with clean interior and exterior, without expensive tangential
drilling for the hinge, without flat springs, and also without soldered joints and
such like objectional processes.
In some cases, such as in very small lubricators constructed according to my
invention, I prefer to form the aforesaid annular groove externally instead of
internally.
There is no tendency of the wire ring to rotate after being once placed in
position, but to prevent any possibility of this occurring, I may bend one end short
and let it drop into a hole drilled into the groove, or I may fix a small peg stop
between the two ends of the wire.
Dated this 27th day of December 1803
BREWER & SON,
London and Leeds, Agents for Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Covers or Lids for Lubricators.
I, RICHARD HENRY LEA, Mechanical Engineer, of Stoke Green, Coventry, in
the County of Warwick, 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 improvements in covers or lids for lubricators (specially
to the smaller kind such as are used for velocipedes and similar purposes).
The principal patterns of those lubricators hitherto used for the purpose indicated
may be briefly described as follows:-
Type 1. This consisted of a cylindrical vessel (screwed into the particular part
of the machine it was intended to oil) and having a screwed cap. In certain
positions, as for instance in the centre of a velocipede wheel, the said screwed cap
was very difficult to get at. The cap was consequently very liable to slip from the
fingers and this on a dark night with muddy roads was obviously very annoying.
An additional objection was due to the screw thread of the cap being considerably
greater in diameter than the screwed part by which the lubricator was attached to
the machine, the natural result being that the frictional resistance of the larger
diameter thread frequently overcame the smaller, and when it was desired to remove
the cap only, the whole lubricator would be detached. Add to this the fact that
the screwed cap was necessarily slow in action and that non-mechanical users were
apt to "cross the threads, or have difficulty in starting, it will be seen that Type 1
was open to considerable improvement.
Type 2. This was very similar to Type 1 with the exception, that the cap instead
of being screwed, was formed in "cupping "tools and made to push on. Although
still somewhat extensively used, it is open to as many objections as Type I and is
altogether unsatisfactory.
There have been many attempts to produce a simple and inexpensive lubricator

page_text: with hinged top, and I am aware that some years ago a lubricator of this kind was
nade, but it was of a costly and clumsy nature. Considerable hand work was
involved in fitting the hinge part, and the flat spring used was very liable to break.
Recently a somewhat better form has been introduced, but amongst the imperfections
the following may he noted. The hinge piece is soft soldered to the lid and a flat
spring is also fixed in position by soft solder. The hinge being quite flush with the
outside of the lubricator and there being no opposite projection on the lid, there is
practically, especially in the dark, nothing to indicate at what point of its circum-
ference the lid should be picked up.
Now the object of my invention is to overcome the various objections alluded to,
and at the same time to considerably facilitate the manufacture.
According to my invention I construct my improved lubricator substantially as
will be gathered from the following description having reference to Figs. 1 to 10 of
the accompanying drawing.
Similar letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures.
The main portion of the lubricator may be formed from say, brass or other wire,
which may be of circular, square, or hexagonal section according as to whether or
not it is intended to use a spanner when fixing the lubricator, and after drilling up
the lubricator, 1 form inside and near the top an annular groove A as shown by
the vertical section of this part of the lubricator at Figure 1 of the drawing.
In some cases, such as in very small lubricators constructed according to my
invention, I prefer to form the aforesaid annular groove A externally instead of
internally and as shown by the sectional view Figure 2. I then run a milling cutter
diametrically across the top and a little lower down into the body B of the lubricator
than the said groove A, thus forming two slots C C' best shown at Figure 3 by the
plan view, which afterwards receive the hinge D and snap piece E respectively of
the lid F shown separately in plan view and elevation at Figures 4 and 5; the two
slots C C may be formed by other means than the cutter aforesaid.
The lid F, Figures 4 and 5, is formed of sheet metal pressed out with circular
centre and two narrow arms as shown at Figure 4 extending in opposite directions,
one of which arms D is curled round as at Figure 5 to form the hinge, and the
other E is bent to form a suap piece and allowed to project enough to be readily
located by the touch.
So far there are only two portious, namely the lubricator body B, Figs. 1, 2 and 3,
and the lid F, Figs. 4 and 5, both of which are solid and without soldered or
other joint. These two parts I then connect by springing a small wire ring G such
as shown at Figure 6 (preferably not quite a complete circle) into the annular
groove A, and by rotating the wire G in the groove AI then easily thread the said
wire through the hinge part D of the lid F. The free ends of the wire may be
caused to form a yielding spring for the aforesaid snap piece.
Figure 7 is a vertical section and Figure 8 a plan of a lubricator, similar to the
body shown at Figure 1, but shown fitted with the lid F according to my invention ;
in this case the ends of the wire ring G, Figure 8, are turned to one side and thus
the front half of the ring forms a kind of spring for retaining the snap E.
Figure 9 shows a vertical section of a lubricator having the ring G externally
fitted in the annular groove, a slot C being formed to receive the part D of the
cover, the snap E taking over the ring G, a second slot being dispensed with. In
some cases the two ends of the ring G may be brought into the position shown
by the plan view Figure 10 and are then located in the part D to form the
hinge pin.
By the novel means above described I thus produce a hinged top lubricator of
neat appearance, with clean interior and exterior, without expensive tangential
drilling for the hinge, without flat springs, and also without soldered joints and such
like objectionable processes.
There is no tendency of the wire ring to rotate after being once placed in
position, but to prevent any possibility of this occurring I may bend one end short
and let it drop into a hole drilled into the groove, or I may fix a small peg

page_text: •
stop between the two ends of the wire although I have generally found this
unnecessary.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In lubricators, the body B formed with an annular groove A and a slot or
slots, in combination with a ring G adapted to be sprung into the groove, and a
lid or cover F hinging onto the ring G substantially as and for the purposes set
forth.
2. In lubricators, the body B having an exterior or interior annular groove A,
slots C C and a ring G divided at one part and located within the said groove A,
in combination with a cover F having a hinge part D taking into the slot C and
around the ring, and a suap part E taking (when the cover is closed) into the
slot C' and over the ring, substantially as set forth.
3. The general construction and arrangement of parts composing my improve-
ments in lubricators and particularly to the means for attaching the covers or lids
thereof to the bodies substantially as described and illustrated with reference to the
accompanying drawings.
Dated this 27th day of September 1894