Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Dec., 1887
Specification Accepted, 6th Jan, 1888
I, SAMUEL REID, of Chicago, Illinois, United States of America, Engineer 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 lubricators wherein a head or pressure of water obtained
by the condensation of steam is utilized for effecting the introduction of oil into the
steam-pipe or valve-casing of a steam-engine.
My said invention is chiefly designed to improve the construction and increase the
efficiency of lubricators of the kind or class described in the Specification of former
Letters Patent dated 26th February A.D. 1884, No. 3917, that is to say, lubricators
wherein the oil, in its passage from the oil-reservoir to the steam-pipe or valve-casing,
falls in drops through a space filled with air under pressure and provided with a glass
tube through which the said drops are visible.
The apparatus described with reference to Figure 5 of the Drawing accompanying
the said former Specification is constructed with a chamber, which I will hereinafter
terin the compression chamber and which is in communication with the said tube and
is provided with means whereby it may be put in communication with the steam-pipe
or valve-casing; the said chamber is intended to contain a quantity of air which, when
steam is admitted to the said chamber and condenses therein, is compressed to one-
fourth or other suitable fraction of its volume. This compression-chamber has hereto-
fore been placed outside the oil-reservoir.
Now one feature of my present invention is the construction of the apparatus in
such a manner that the compression-chamber is within the oil-reservoir. This arrange-
ment affords several important advantages; the construction of the apparatus is
simplified, and the cost thereof is diminished, as the said compression-chamber does
not require to be finished, and, by reason of the slight difference of pressure on the
interior and exterior of the said chamber, it need not be made so strong or of such
good metal as heretofore. Moreover I am enabled to use only one drain-valve for
both the compression-chamber and the oil reservoir, and every time the said chamber
and reservoir are drained a fresh charge of air will be admitted to the compression-
chamber; a further advantage is that fewer joints than heretofore are required.
Another feature of my present invention is the employment, in place of the gauge-
glass or tube heretofore used, of a glass dome or a tube closed at its outer end, through

page_text: which the oil may be seen as it is fed from the oil-reservoir into the compression-
chamber. This glass dome is protected by a shield or cover as hereinafter described.
Another feature of my said invention is the connection of the pipe or passage for
the flow of oil into the steam-pipe or valve-casing, with the compression-chamber in
such a manner that the oil will flow through the said pipe or passage before it has
expelled the whole of the water of condensation from the said chamber.
My said invention, moreover, comprises various other improvements hereinafter set
forth.
In the accompanying Drawings
Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal central section of one form of my improved
lubricator, chiefly designed for stationary engines.
Figure 2 is a side elevation of a part of the said lubricator.
Figure 3 is a vertical longitudinal central section, illustrating a modification of my
invention, and
Figure 4 is a vertical longitudinal central section, illustrating a further modification
thereof.
Like letters indicate corresponding parts throughout the Drawings.
A is the oil-reservoir, which is provided with a screw-cap or cover A¹.
B is the
compression-chamber which is formed on, or firmly attached to the said cap or
cover A. C is a valve-box one end of which is screwed into the cap or cover A¹ and
the other end of which is designed to be connected with the steam-pipe or valve-
casing of the steam-engine to be lubricated. D is the condenser or condensing
chamber which is screwed into the top of the valve-box C.
The condenser D is provided with two pipes a a¹ connected with the cavity or
space in the valve-box C so that they will be in communication with the steam-
pipe or valve-casing for the purposes described in the said former Specification. The
said condenser is connected by a passage with a pipe b' extending downward to
near the bottom of the oil-reservoir, for conducting the water of condensation into
the latter to displace the oil therein. A bent feed pipe c is provided at the top of the
said oil-reservoir and extends upward into a glass dome E. A metal shield or
guard F is screwed upon the cap or cover A¹ to protect the said glass dome. The
said dome is supported by means of a ring d of india-rubber or other elastic material
which is compressed in screwing the shield F upon the cover A¹ thus forming a tight
joint around the said dome. A piece e of india-rubber or other elastic material is
placed between the dome E and the shield F to keep the said dome out of contact
with the metal. The shield F is formed with an opening F¹ through which the oil
may be seen as it drops from the pipe c.
The cover A of the oil-reservoir is provided with a pipe A² for the introduction of
oil into the said reservoir, which pipe is closed by a plug A³.
G is a valve which serves for draining both the oil-reservoir A and the compression-
chamber B. This valve is screwed into the bottom of the reservoir A, and is adapted
to bear simultaneously against a seat in the bottom of the said reservoir and a seat y
in the bottom of the compression chamber B. The said valve G is formed with ways
or passages h for the escape of liquid from the said reservoir and chamber when the
said valve is opened. The end G of the valve G is made to fit with comparative
tightness into the hole in the bottom of the chamber B so that the valve G can, if
desired, be adjusted to open the reservoir A, without opening the chamber B.
One advantage of the above described arrangement of the drain-valve G is that
every time the reservoir A and chamber B are drained, a fresh charge of air will be
admitted into the said chamber as above stated. The operation of the apparatus is
therefore not liable to be impaired by loss of air through leakage or absorption.
The compression-chamber B is connected, by means of a pipe i and passage k, with
the space in the valve box C, in which a short pipe C2 is fixed for conducting the
oil into the steam pipe or other part of the engine into which the oil is to be fed.
The passages b, k are closed by means of one valve H which is adapted to bear
simultaneously against two seats 1, 1. These seats are necessarily of different diameter.
To ensure the opening of the two passages to an equal extent by the adjustment of the

page_text: i
valve H, I make the said valve in such a manner that it will close the said passages by
lap or cover that is to say, I provide the said valve with two cylindrical portions m, m¹
below the valve seats 1, respectively. These cylindrical portions, when the valve H
is moved, slide in front of the apertures of the passages b, k (which are made of equal
diameter) therefore any movement of the valve H will open or close the two passages
to an equal extent nothwithstanding the difference in diameter of the two valve seats.
The valve H is provided with a handle of peculiar construction. This handle
consists of a metal socket H' which is fitted upon the spindle or stem of the said
valve, and the handle proper H2 which is made of wood or other non-conductor of
heat, and is inserted in the socket H. The said handle is secured in the socket H¹
and the said socket upon the spindle or stem of the valve by means of a screw H³. By
slackening or taking out this screw, the handle H2 can be removed and replaced by a
new one.
The operation of the apparatus herein before described is as follows, that is to say :-The
reservoir A being filled with oil, the valve H is opened thus admitting to the said reservoir
the water of condensation from the condenser D, and admitting steam from the steam
pipe into the compression chamber B. The steam thus admitted to the chamber B
condenses therein and as the water of condensation rises in the said chamber the air
is compressed therein and in the dome E. At the same time the oil displaced from
the reservoir A by the water which enters the same from the condenser D, is forced
through the pipe c, and drops therefrom into the chamber B thus assisting in the com-
pression of the air therein. The chamber B and dome E should be of such capacity
that, when the air therein is compressed to the working pressure its volume will be
diminished so that the level of the liquid will be at or near the bottom of the said
dome after this pressure has been reached the oil continues to drop from the pipe c
and displaces the water from the chamber B, forcing this water through the pipe i into
the steam pipe of the engine.
It will be seen that the pipe i is connected with the chamber B about midway
between the top and bottom instead of at or near the bottom thereof. Therefore the
oil will not require to displace the whole of the water in the chamber B, but only the
quantity contained therein above the connection of the said pipe therewith. This
connection may, if desired, be above or below the position in which it is shown in the
Drawing.
A further advantage afforded by my present invention is that the oil commences to
drop from the pipe simultaneously, or nearly so, with the admission of water of con-
densation into the chamber B, therefore less water than heretofore is required for
effecting the necessary compression of the air in the said chamber.
In Figure 3 I have shown a modification of my invention wherein I employ a guage
glass I in place of the dome E shown in Figures 1 and 2. In this case, I dispense
with the bent pipe c shown in Figures 1 and 2 and connect the oil reservoir with the
compression chamber B by means of a passage n. A hollow plug K is screwed into
the top of the lid or cover A'. This plug is made with an extension K¹ which fits
into the upper end of the guage glass I and is furnished with india rubber or other
elastic packing o to prevent the escape of air from the said chamber and also to
prevent the flow of oil down the inner surface of the guage-glass I and the consequent
discolouring or darkening of the said guage glass. The said plug K is, moreover,
provided with a valve L adapted to bear against a seat p in the said plug; and ways
or passages pl are formed in the said plug, through which the oil will flow into the
chamber B when the valve L is open. By employing this valve in addition to the
valve H, I am enabled to very accurately regulate the flow of the oil, and I can so
adjust the said valves as to prevent pulsation in the apparatus and avoid the incon-
veniences arising therefrom.
In Figure 4 I have shown a modification of my invention whereby I adapt the
same for use on locomotive engines. In this modification, I employ a guage glass I
substantially as shown in Figure 3 and I so construct the apparatus that it can work
with or without the said guage glass so that, should the said glass break, it need not

page_text: be at once replaced with a new one. The plug K, in this apparatus has no valve.
Morcover the passage k, instead of extending directly into tho pipe i as shown in
Figure 1, is connected with a passage q, in the cap or cover A¹. This passage com-
municates with the pipe i by means of a passage which can be closed by screwing
down a valve M. The said passage q can also be put in communication with the
chamber B by means of the passagen and space n which can also be closed by
screwing down the valve M, this valve being adapted to bear simultaneously upon
two seats s, t. The passage n moreover, communicates with the reservoir A by means
of a passage when the valve M is raised.
The apparatus shown in Figure 4 under normal conditions (that is to say, when
working with the gauge glass,) operates as follows, viz. The oil displaced from the
reservoir A by the water of condensation as above described, flows through the
passage v space n¹ and passages n pl and drops from the extension K' of the plug K
into the chamber B, whence it flows through the pipe i and passages gk into the
steam-pipe of the engine.
Should the gauge-glass break, the valve M must be screwed down so that it bears
firmly upon the seats st. The oil from the reservoir A will then flow through the
passage v, space n³ and passages qk into the steam-pipe without passing through the
chamber B, so that the feeding of the oil will continue although it cannot be seen.
Moreover the rate of flow of the oil will not be materially affected by the change.
The parts ww¹ of the valve M are fitted accurately in the hole or cavity provided
for their reception so that they can move up and down therein but will prevent the
passage of liquid between them and the walls of the said hole or cavity. By making
the valve in this manner I provide for the adjustment of the valve to regulate the flow
of the oil and prevent "pulsation," without otherwise altering the working of the
apparatus, that is to say, without putting the passage into direct communication with
the passage and without closing the passage r. The regulation of the flow of the
oil is effected by the part 2 of the valve M between which and the valve-seat the
oil must flow on its way from the passage v to the passage n.
When the valve M is
screwed down, the oil can flow through the space between the grooved part of the
said valve and the sides or walls of the hole or cavity in which the said valve works,
therefore the passage will be directly connected with the passage q.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I wish it understood that I
claim-
First. A lubricator of the kind or class hereinbefore referred to, wherein the
compression chamber is within the oil reservoir.
Second. The employment of a valve so constructed and arranged that it will serve
for draining both the oil reservoir and the compression chamber, substantially as
hereinbefore described.
Third. The employment, in my apparatus, of a glass dome, with or without a shield
or cover, all substantially as, and for the purposes, set forth.
Fourth. A lubricator of the kind or class herein before referred to, wherein the pipe
for conducting the oil from the compression chamber is connected with the said
chamber as above specified so that only a portion of the water has to be expelled
therefrom by the oil before it flows to the part to be lubricated.
Fifth. A lubricator of the kind or class hereinbefore referred to, which is so con-
structed that the dropping of the oil from the feed-pipe into the compression chamber
will take place simultaneously with the filling of the said chamber with water of
condensation.
Sixth. The peculiar construction of the handle of the main valve, substantially as,
and for the purpose, set forth.
Seventh. The employment of a valve constructed and arranged to bear simul-
taneously against two seats and to regulate the opening of the apertures or passages
by lap or cover, as, and for the purpose, above specified.

page_text: Eighth. A lubricator of the kind or class hereinbefore referred to, which is so
constructed that it will operate with or without a gauge glass or dome, as above
specified.
Ninth. The combination, with the gauge glass of the stopper or plug formed with
the way or passage, with or without the valve, all substantially as, and for the
purposes, set forth.
Tenth. The employment of a valve constructed and arranged substantially as
described with reference to Figure 4 of the Drawings so that it may be adjusted to
regulate the flow of the oil without otherwise altering the working of the apparatus, as
above specified.
Eleventh. The improved lubricator consisting of the parts constructed and com-
bined substantially as described with reference to Figures 1 and 2, or modified as
described with reference to Figure 3 or to Figure 4 of the Drawings, and operating as,
and for the purpose, above specified.
1007.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.