Improvements in or relating to Journal Boxes.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Dec., 1893-Accepted, 20th Jan., 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Journal Boxes.
A communication by HARRY WILLARD HILL, of 6, Waverley Avenue, Cleveland,
in the County of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, United States of America,
Manufacturer.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of the Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street, Liverpool and 6, Bank Street,
Manchester, both in the County of Lancaster, and 323 High Holborn, in the
County of Middlesex Civil 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:-
The principal object of this invention is to provide a journal box in which a
copious supply of oil shall be automatically delivered onto the bearing of the
shaft while said shaft is running; and the invention consists in the construction
and combination of parts hereinafter described and definitely pointed out in
the claims.
In the drawing,
Fig. 1 is a plan view of the journal box, with a portion of the cap broken
away;
Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view on the line 2-2 in Figure 3;
Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view on the line 3-3 in Figure 2 and
Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view on line 4-4 in Figure 2.
Referring to the parts by letters, A represents the base or lower half of the
journal box. B represents the cap or upper half of said box. The shaft bearing
is formed by the curved plates a a in the base, and the curved plates 6b in the cap,
these plates may be formed as integral parts of said base and cap respectively;
but it is preferable to make them of Babbit or other antifriction metal and to
secure them to said base and cap by any suitable means. Indeed, if such con-
struction is preferred, they need not be fastened to said base and cap, but may be
fitted into said parts and held in place by the fastening of said parts together. It
is preferred that the lower plates a a shall be supported by plates at a which rest
upon shoulders a³ a formed in the base.
groove
C
In the base below the plates a a is a chamber E which serves as a reservoir to
hold the supply of oil. In the cap is another chamber F which is situated between
the plates bb and the top of the cap. The plates a a, and bare transversely
separated, near the middle of the box, as shown, so as to form an annular
around the shaft G, which groove communicates with both chambers E and F.
The ends of the box do not quite touch the shaft. Near said ends, annular
grooves II are formed in both base and cap, and the lower parts of said groove
communicate with the oil reservoir E in the base.
D represents an oil lifting device, which is in the form of a split ring. It is
clamped to the shaft, and lies and operates in the annular groove C, extending into
the chambers E and F.
The parts being assembled, as shown, the operation of the device is as follows:
As the shaft revolves, it carries the ring with it the lower part of said ring being
in the oil in chamber E. The oil adheres to the ring, whereby it is lifted and
thrown against the roof of the chamber F in the cap. Depending from the roof of
the chamber F, directly over the ring D, is a V-shaped deflecting boss 61, which
boss turns the oil to both sides of the ring into the chamber F. From this
chamber it escapes through holes 6' onto the shaft. The oil distributes itself in all

page_text: directions and finally flows into the groove C or into the end grooves I I, and
thence back to the reservoir E.
J represents a wiper which is secured to the cap and lies just above the ring,
and preferably out of contact therewith. This wiper scrapes the oil from the
ring D and thus causes a greater quantity of oil to be delivered into the chamber F.
This wiper may, however, be omitted, in which case so much oil as is thrown
by centrifugal force against the roof of the chamber F will be delivered to
said chamber.
In all journal boxes which have a base and a cap, there is a tendency on the
part of the oil to exude through the joint between them, thereby making the box
greasy and foul to handle. To prevent this action of the oil, longitudinal
grooves a and are forined in the meeting faces of the base and cap respectively,
whereby when the cap and base are fastened together, canals are formed between
them. Means are provided for draining these canals into the oil reservoir E in the
base. The means shown consist of notches a', which connect the canals referred
to with the grooves I I. The oil, which by the pressure of the shaft, or by
capillary action, is carried between the base and cap, runs into these canals, which
interrupt the capillary action; and from these canals the oil is drained by the
grooves into the oil receptacle E.
Although many of the details of the preferred embodiment of the invention have
been particularly described as shown in the drawing, many variations of the details
are possible without avoiding the invention, the essential characteristics of which
are pointed out definitely in the claims.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. In a self-oiling journal box, the combination of the base having an oil
reservoir, and a removable cap having in its upper part an oil chamber which lies
on both sides of the oil lifting device, and openings from said chamber to the
shaft bearing, with an oil lifting device adapted to lift the oil from the lower-
reservoir and to discharge it into the upper chamber, substantially as and for the
purpose specified.
2. In a self-oiling journal box, the combination of a base having an oil reservoir
in its lower part, and a cap having a chamber in its upper part and openings from
said chamber to the shaft on both sides of the oil lifting ring, both base and cap
being provided with an annular groove adapted to receive the oil lifting ring,
with an oil lifting ring secured to the shaft, with its lower edge extending into
the oil reservoir in the base, and a deflecting boss secured to the roof of the
chamber in the cap directly over said ring, substantially as and for the purpose
specified.
Dated this 18th day of December 1893
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.