LUBRICATING STEAM ENGINE AND OTHER CYLINDERS AND VALVES
Year: 1887

page_text: НАЦИОID ани valves.
I JOHN FLETCHER Brass Founder Borough Brass Works Ashton-under-Lyne
Lancashire do hereby declare the nature of my invention for LUBRICATING STEAM
ENGINE AND OTHER CYLINDERS AND VALVES and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
The object of my invention is to so improve sight feed lubricators that there be no
pressure in the sight glass, oil container or oil conduit pipes and that the globule of
oil floats up the glass tube with no other surrounding pressure than the weight of the
globule of oil in question and the weight of the water upon which it floats so that the
glass is not liable to burst or break by pressure, expansion or contraction, being
practically a pressureless instrument. Instead of forcing the oil globule or stream
through the oil jet by the addition of pressure or a condenser placed at a higher level
than the oil jet I create a vacuum by common ejector injector ram, or rotary pump or
other mechanical means thus drawing the oil up through the oil nozzle or other inlet
to the sight glass, the oil floats up the sight tube through the water and falls on a
valve at the bottom of the instrument which valve pulsates or opens and closes with the
working of the engine cylinder admitting oil at each opening, oil thus admitted
gravitates downwards when it has passed the check valve and is free to enter the
cylinder, every time steam is cut off a vacuum being created by the action of the
Engine piston and cut off valves as is commonly known amongst engineers.
Pine 17

page_text: I would have it understood that I do not use the ejector shown in the drawings for
the purpose of forcing oil into the cylinder, for such a purpose the cones are
unnecessary as is shown in fig. 2 of the accompanying drawings, being a well known
fact that when once oil has passed the pulsating valve herein referred too the oil must
go into the cylinder, the commonest form of loose or pulsating valve lubricator will
demonstrate this effectually.
I am aware letters patent have been granted arranging a pipe from the main steam
supply through a pair of cones &c. for inducing oil to enter the cylinder; but the
lubricant is allowed to drop or fall through the atmosphere in regulated quantities
directly on to the pulsating valve seat, the drop passing through the atmosphere so
that it is passed more quickly than being drawn up a sight glass and as I exclude the
atmosphere it is obvious that the air is not drawn into the cylinder or valve chest as I
conduct my lubricant through pipes or conduits and the atmospheric air is excluded
unless the oil reservoir or container be empty. I have cones or pumps so arranged
that I can draw the oil long distances through conduits to the cylinder or pulsating
valve so that my oil reserve may be below the sight glass or oil jet several feet and I
draw the oil by a vacuum to the pulsating valvo from a lower lever than the
instrument, and pass it to the part requiring lubrication.
In order that my invention may be most fully understood and readily carried into
effect I will proceed to describe the drawings hereunto annexed.
Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of a sight feed lubricating frame apparatus drawn to
about one half size showing the construction to draw lubricating medium from a lower
level than the instrument or to feed by gravitation from a higher level.
Fig. 2 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation showing the sight feed
apparatus for supplying the Engine cylinder or valve chest by gravitation or weight
of the oil and aided by such vacuum or absence of pressure as is created by the action
of the cylinder, in cylinder or valve chest.
The oil conduits, glasses, Brass tubes, passages &c. of both fig. 12 are preferably
of circular form.
The transparent oil conduit A is preferably of glass and is fixed in the supplying
& receiving frames C & D as is usual in all sight feeding lubricators, (excepting
that in consequence of there being a vacuum created here when at work or at any
time no greater pressure than the weight of the oil supply and necessary amount of
water or floating medium) I am enabled to dispense with the usual stuffing box caps
or pin glands; the india rubber washers B or suitable cement which will exclude the
atmosphere being sufficient, the rubber rings B are pushed into the recessed taper
grooves which are cut around the inside of the top and bottom gauge glass
frames C&D. Besides the sight glasses A and the rubber rings or packing B all the
remaining parts of the apparatus are preferably of Gun Metal with the exception of
the oil reservoir Z shown in Fig. 1 which is preferably of cast Iron; and the conduit
pipes E and F which are ordinary yellow brass tubing.
The cover G. is a slot cover such as is often seen on the common oil siphon,
the screwed or secure high pressure steam tight joint as is usual in sight feed
lubricators at this point being unnecessary, the cover can be readily removed by a
circular motion or bayonet raising, the glass A can be cleansed and water added to
float the globules without stopping supply of lubricant or further interference such as
having to close valves or cocks, when cover G is replaced the lubricator will go on
with its action as before, this cover G is made a nice fit to the top gauge frame to
exclude the atmosphere when attached.
H is the inlet for steam from the main supply pipe to the steaming and vacuum
nozzles Ithe rush of steam through passages H & J create a vacuum which I
utilize to draw oil or lubricating medium from the tank Z (which may be above or
below the apparatus) along the conduit pipe F, this suction really commences at
conduit or central pipe E which leads froin a common foot or check valve K which
leads to a space at top of sight glass A within the top gauge frame C this space I
call K 1 the sight glass & frame are filled with any transparent liquid through which

page_text: oil will readily float from the oil nozzle L to the top of glass A: the vacuum will first
draw the water along conduit K 1 & K until the water be level with or below the
aperture K 1, the spindle and hand wheel M are the common form of valve spindle and
hand wheel which spindle M seats in a valve seating formed in the bottom gauge
frame D it will be observed that this valve M is the only valve necessary for
regulation or stoppage of oil; when valve M is closed the vacuum is fixed and the
action of the steam cylinder and steam supply H can only draw off the oil to the level
of the aperture K 1, immediately the oil is reduced to this level induction of the
lubricant will cease so that opening the valve M the vacancy will affect conduit
pipe F and thus draw a globule of oil along conduit pipe F and space in the annular
passage N and through the holes N1 which are drilled around the outside of the pipe
or conduit E in sufficient number and area to be larger than the area of valve seat M,
the oil is thus drawn through valve M into the oiling nozzle L from whence it
will float readily through the water in the sight glass conduit and when sufficiently
accumulated in space K 1 as aforesaid will enter K 1 aperture and continue its journey
down the E passage to the foot valve K by the vacuum action already explained, the
screwed nipple J is screwed to the part of the engine to be lubricated or to a suitable
pipe making a continuance of passage J to the part of the engine requiring lubrication.
The passage H is connected to a pipe leading to the main steam supply pipe, an
ordinary stop cock should be placed between the main steam supply pipe and
passage H to shut off communication if necessary.
Fig. 2 is a modification of Fig. 1 the oil container A is of Gun Metal as the other
principal parts of the apparatus, in this case the oil or lubricant in container A will
fall by gravitation down the passage N and flow to the regulating valve spindle M
through similar holes and passages as described in figure 1, and to the outlet of the oil
nozzle L unaided by the vacuum, and readily floats up the sight glass only I may add
when space and passages K K 1 and E are charged with oil down to the pulsating or
check valve the How of the oil or lubricant is accellerated by the aid of the vacuum
created by the steam passage H an outlet J, Fig. 2 does not require cones because the
valve K. will pulsate or open with the action of the cylinder or valve chest when steam
is shut or cut off from either cylinder or valve chest and allow the oil to gravitate
through once past the foot valve the lubricant cannott return as the valve K closes
with a return of pressure to the cylinder, so that the body or casing P need not have
cones inserted as is shown in figure 1 thus demonstrating clearly that I do not use the
cones for forcing the oil into the Engine cylinder or valve chest.
In conclusion I would observe I do not confine myself to the method of drawing
the oil through the sight glass it may be drawn through and passed into engine valves
and cylinders by rotary or ram pump injector or by the vacuum created in condensing
cylinders without the aid of nozzles or other independant arrangement as is clearly
shown in fig. 2 of accompanying drawings. I state so as to be clearly understood
that I do not claim the application of a steam jet, or pump in the lubrication of steam
engines.
Neither do 1 claim the construction or use of jet apparatus for injecting; or
pumping oil or other lubricant into steam engines or other engine cylinders or valves.
Nor the combination or arrangement of injector body, cones or check valve.
Neither do I claim the glass tube and oil jet or nozzle therein or the valve for
regulating the supply of oil.
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. Supplying and floating Globules of oil or other lubricant to steam engine valves
or cylinders through a sight glass without pressure in. the sight glass or transparent
conduit.
2. Drawing oil or lubricant through an oil nozzle or oil inlet into or through the
sight glass or conduit as aforesaid with the aid of a vacuum.
3. A pressureless sight glass or other transparent sight conduit in combination with

page_text: an inlet through which oil or other lubricant is drawn and floated through water or
other floating medium by the aid of a vacuum.
4. Passing oil through a jet or aperture and floating same through water in a sight
glass or conduit as herein described by gravitation or weight of the lubricating
medium only, without the aid of a condenser or other
pressure.
5. Receiving or drawing from higher or lower level than the apparatus, oil or other
lubricant from or through a pressureless sight glass or conduit and passing same into
steam engine valves, valve chests or cylinders without (after leaving the sight conduit)
coming in contact with the atmosphere.
6. The combination of pressureless stream or globule sight feed lubricators
supplying lubricant to steam engine valves, valve chests or cylinders and steam supply
pipes substantially and as set forth in this specification and the accompanying
drawings Figs. 1 and 2.
oci
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