IMPROVED MEANS FOR RETAINING THE LUBRICATING OIL IN SPINDLE NECKS AND OTHER JOURNALS
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Haslett Mitchel, of Newry, in the
County of Armagh, Ireland, Gentleman, for the Invention of
"IMPROVED MEANS FOR RETAINING THE LUBRICATING OIL IN SPINDLE
NECKS AND OTHER JOURNALS."
Sealed the 20th June 1871, and dated the 21st March 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Haslett Mitchel
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 21st March 1871.
I, WILLIAM HASLETT MITCHEL, of Newry, in the County of Armagh,
Ireland, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVED MEANS FOR RETAINING THE LUBRICATING OIL IN SPINDLE NECKS
AND OTHER JOURNALS," to be as follows:-
My Invention has for its object the more economical and effectual
lubrication of spindle necks and other vertical or horizontal journals,
and consists in fixing upon the spindle or shaft the waste oil holder,
and elevator or spreader herein-after described, reference being had to
the accompanying Sheet of Drawings.
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of my Invention when applied to a
vertical spindle; Figure 2 is a section of the neck or journal, showing

page_text: the spiral groove up which the waste oil is caused to ascend, and
Figure 3 is a section of the oil holder detached from the shaft. Like
letters refer to like parts.
To the spindle S which by means of the pulley P and driving band b
is caused to rotate in the direction indicated by the arrows marked on
Figure 1, the hollow cylindrical oil holder his affixed revolving with
the spindle and surrounding the lower portion of the journal n. This
oil holder his disposed immediately below the journal n, that part of
the shaft upon which it is fixed being of a diameter slightly in excess
of that of the bearing above. The oil which works down from the oil
cup C, flows into the space left between the end of the journal n, and
the enlarged part of the spindle S, and is prevented from being scattered
by the effect of centrifugal force, by means of the left-handed spiral
groove formed on the interior surface of the oil holder h. In the
lower part of the interior surface of the journal n I form the left-handed
spiral groove W, similar to that formed in the oil holder h. The rotation
of the spindle S causes the oil which from the stoppage of the spindle or
from other causes may be contained in the oil holder h to reascend
through the journal into the oil cup C. This arrangement may be
varied by forming the inner groove W in the spindle S, in which case it
should be a right-handed spiral.
I do not restrict myself to the means shown for retaining the oil in
the oil holder h, the groove g may if more convenient be dispensed with,
and other suitable means of counteracting the effects of centrifugal
force be adopted.
It is evident that my Invention may be applied to a horizontal
journal, in which case cach end of the journal will be supplied with the
apparatus I have described, and the grooves arranged to drive the oil
into the centre of the journal.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of March, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in
the thirty-fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said William Haslett Mitchel,
Her special licence that I, the said William Haslett Michel, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
William Haslett Mitchel; my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and
at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle
of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVED MEANS FOR RETAINING THE LUBRI-
CATING OIL IN SPINDLE NECKS AND OTHER JOURNALS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said William Haslett Mitchel, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or
their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal
Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the
date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Haslett Mitchel, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto
annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to
say) -
My Invention has for its object the more economical and effectual
lubricating of spindle necks and other vertical or inclined journals, and
consists in an improved method of fitting the spindle or shaft with a
waste oil holder in combination with an elevator or spreader, the
action of which will be to prevent the escape and loss of the waste oil,
and to supply it again and again to the journal, and to provide a means
of readily discharging any dirt or coagulated oil that may accumulate
in the oil holder.
In the accompanying Drawing Figures 1, 2, and 3 slew my Invention
as applied to the spindle of a throstle frame, Fig. 1 being an external
elevation of the spindle and its bearing or bolster, and fitted with an oil

page_text: elevation snewing the on oder in section and in a depressed positio
the object of which movement of the oil holder will be hereafter
explained.
A is the spindle; B is the bolster which will be fitted as usual in
the bolster rail; C is the oil holder consisting of a cylinder that fits
tightly on the enlarged diameter A¹ of the spindle and may be made
fast thereto by a bayonet joint as shewn, or otherwise. The bearing or
bolster B is reduced somewhat in diameter at its lower end, and it
projects into the oil holder when that vessel is raised to its normal
position, as shewn at Fig. 2. When the speed of revolution is very
high I may cut away a portion of the lip of the bolster that dips into
the oil holder in order to facilitate the entrance of the oil into the
groove. To prevent the escape of oil from the oil holder by centrifugal
action the lip of the holder is turned inwards or closed upon the smaller
diameter of the bolster. At its upper end the bolster is formed with an
oil cup B¹ to receive the oil intended to lubricate the spindle neck, and
on its inner diameter for a portion of its length, commencing from its
lower end, a helical groove is cut to form a channel for the oil, and
assist in its distribution over the spindle neck. Supposing now that oil
is supplied to the cup B¹ when the spindle is at rest it will slowly find
its way between the spindle and bolster to the oil holder C, where it will
be retained and prevented from running to waste. If now rotary
motion be given to the spindle the oil which is contained in the oil
holder will by the action of the rotating spindle, assisted by the helical
groove, be caused to rise through the bearing to the oil cup at the top.
By this arrangement throstle or other spindles instead of requiring
lubrication three or more times per diem may be run for a week
without the lubrication requiring to be repeated. To facilitate the
discharge of solid and glutinous deposits from the oil holder is the object
of giving it a sliding motion on its spindle. By this means the shoulder
of the spindle will, as the oil holder is drawn down to the position of
Fig. 3, act as a tight-fitting plunger, and discharge the contents of the
vessel therefrom. When I use the bayonet fastening for retaining the
holder C in its raised position I form a projection at the lower end of
the holder (see the plan view Fig. 2) to enter the slot in the spindle.
The oil holder may however be so closely fixed to the spindle as to

page_text: retain the position into which it is moved without the use of any special
attachment, or a portion of the holder may be slit as shewn at Fig. 2b,
to form a spring that shall press upon the spindle. In any of these
arrangements I rely upon the close fitting of the oil holder to the
spindle, aided by the sediment that may be formed in working, to render
the oil holder practically oil-tight.
Fig. 4 shews in sectional elevation a modification of my improved
arrangement of lubricator, and illustrates two plans of cleaning the oil
holder, which plans may be used either separately or combined. In this
Figure B represents a rising and falling bolster, fitted at its lower end
with a projection or tooth b, which enters the oil holder C as the vessel
rotates with its spindle A. This projection 6 will act as a clearer and
will collect the solid and viscous matters contained in the oil holder.
As the bolster rises the matters will be carried up with it and may be
readily removed. In place of this contrivance the oil holder which fits
on its spindle may be drawn down to the dotted position, and by a
plunger like action of the enlargement A' of the spindle the contents of
the holder C will be discharged. The oil holder in this case is not
provided with a bent over lip as at Fig. 2, as this is necessary only in
connection with a high speed of revolution.
Fig. 5 illustrates the application of my Invention to the lubrication of
a dead or fixed spindle. In this case the boss of a rotating wheel or
pulley B acts the part of the fixed bolster, that is to say, it is provided
with a helical groove at its lower end which dips into the oil holder C,
and at its upper end carries an oil cup B. The discharge of dirt from
the oil holder is effected by drawing down the holder over the enlarge-
ment of the spindle A.
Figures 6 and 7 shew the application of the Invention to a vertical
shaft of a large diameter mounted in a split bearing. The bearing B
carries at its upper end an oil cup B', and it is grooved from end to end
on one half only, or on that portion which is known as the non-working
side of the bearing. As the side of the bearing which receives the thrust
wears away the grooved portion may be brought into contact with the
shaft by chipping or filing in the usual manner. The split bearing dips
like the bolster into its oil holder C, which in this case is made in two
parts secured together by screw bolts. The holder fits an enlargement
of the shaft, and it may be drawn down as in the former instances to
clear it of dirt and other extraneous matters. I would remark that the

page_text: helical groove may be formed on the spindle or shaft instead of in its
bearing with the like result, but it will be most convenient to adopt the
arrangement shewn in the Drawing. The direction the helical groove
will take will depend on the direction of rotation of the moving parts to
be lubricated, as indicated in the Drawing.
Having now set forth the nature of my Invention of " Improved
Means for Retaining the Lubricating Oil in Spindle Necks and other
journals" and described the manner of carrying the same into effect, I
wish it to be understood that under the above. in part recited Letters
Patent I claim, the apparatus for lubricating.vertical spindles and shafts
constructed and operating in the manner above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Haslett Mitchel, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, the Twenty-first day of September,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
onc.