IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR LUBRICATING THE AXLES OF COLLIERY AND OTHER SIMILAR WAGGONS OR TRUCKS
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Knowles, of Eagley Bank, near Bolton, in
the County of Lancaster, Colliery Proprietor, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR LUBRICATING THE AXLES OF COLLIERY AND
OTHER SIMILAR WAGGONS OR TRUCKS."
Sealed the 26th January 1866, and dated the 12th August 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Knowles at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 12th
August 1865.
I, JAMES KNOWLES, of Eagley Bank, near Bolton, in the County of
Lancaster, Colliery Proprietor, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR LUBRICATING THE AXLES OF
COLLIERY AND OTHER SIMILAR WAGGONS OR TRUCKS," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists of a series of levers by which the lubricating
material is taken out of suitable vessels and applied to the axles of the
waggons or trucks to be lubricated. In performing my. Invention the waggon
or truck is held above the lubricating apparatus by a moveable catch which
is raised and lowered by a treadle or otherwise. The lubricating apparatus
consists of four or other suitable number of levers, one end of each of which

page_text: is furnished with a pad to lift the lubricating material from the vessel containing
it, and applying it to the axle; these levers are moved to and fro to distribute
the lubricating material over the axle and up and down by means of guide
plates and elbow levers which are actuated by a horizontal lever, to one end
of which is jointed a rod; this rod when depressed by the attendant gives
motion to the elbow and other levers and applies the lubricating material
simultaneously to the axles. By this means a great saving in time and in
lubricating material is effected. I wish to observe that the peculiar con-
struction of machinery above described may be modified in the following
manner: The moveable catch above referred to, to hold the waggon or truck
is dispensed with, and the 'lubricating apparatus above described is mounted
upon wheels and placed below or between the line of rails on which the
waggons or trucks run. By this arrangement when the waggon or truck is
moving along the rails, it carries the lubricating apparatus with it for a short
distance, and the lubrication of the axles is thus performed without stopping
the waggon or truck. As soon as the operation is performed the lubricating
apparatus is drawn back to its original position by a weight and chain passing
over a pulley or other equivalent.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Knowles in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 8th
February 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
KNOWLES, of Eagley Bank, near Bolton, in the County of Lancaster,
Colliery Proprietor, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-ninth year of Her
reign did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, grant unto me, the said
James Knowles, Her special license that I, the said James Knowles, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said James
Knowles, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY FOR LUBRICATING THE AXLES OF COLLIERY AND OTHER SIMILAR. WAGGONS

page_text: OR TRUCKS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said James Knowles,
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 monthis next and immediately after the date of the
said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that: I; the said James Knowles, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained: in. and by the following
statement (that is to say):
;
The nature of my Invention consists in certain improved combinations
of machinery for lubricating simultaneously the axles of colliery and
other similar waggons or trucks. And in order that my Invention may be
fully understood and readily carried into operation. I will proceed to describe:
the accompanying Sheet of Drawings,, reference being had to the figures and:
letters marked thereon..
'
Figure 1 is a side elevation,. Figure 2an endi elevation, and Figure 3;. a.
plan of my improved machinery; a, a, represent the ordinary tram rails for.
the usual waggons or trucks containing. the coal, the lower part of which is
shewn at b; c is the foundation plate to which the working parts of my:
improved lubricating apparatus are connected. The foundation. plate forms' a
continuation of the tram rails a, and it is secured to a sleeper or bed-plate by
spikes passing through the snugs c¹, or in any other convenient manner: To
the cross-bars of the foundation plate are fixed uprights to support the four
vessels or troughs d, containing the lubricating material which is to be supplied
to the axles; to the said cross-bars are also fixed the bearings for the shafts.
e and f, and the guide plates g.. To the outer ends of the shafts and are-
-fixed-the levers-h, to the upper end of each of which is jointed the weighted
lever the longer. ends of these levers dip into the vessels d; and convey .a.
portion of the lubricant to the axle, each lever h¹ being provided with a
projecting pin taking into the curved slots of the guide plates g. To the axle
e is fixed, the lever e, to which is cast the toothed segment e³, gearing into the
segment.keyed on the shaft f, to which is also fixed the. weighted-lover f
The upright rod is jointed to the end of the levere, and the attendant by
moving this rod up and down gives the requisite motion to the levers h and h',..
as will be explained hereafter. To the foundation plate c, are cast projections
serving as bearings for the shaft j, to which are fixed the moveable catches k,-
and the horizontal lever 1, one end of which is weighted, and to the other is

page_text: jointed the rod m; the attendant moves this rod up and down to raise the
catches when they are required to stop the waggon or truck and to lower
them when the axles have been lubricated. When a waggon or truck is to
be lubricated, it is essential that it should be held latterally in line with the
lubricating apparatus; in order to insure this I have cast projections on the
foundation plate c, to which projections are fixed the uprights n, supporting
the side rails o, which are curved near the ends, as shewn in Figure 3, to
guide the waggon or truck laterally as it is brought over the lubricating
apparatus. The guard c³ is also fixed to the cross bar of the foundation plate c,
to arrest any waggon or truck having a bent axle or other projecting part
that might injure the working parts of the lubricating apparatus. The guard c
also serves partly to remove dirt from the axles of the truck. The mode of
operation is as follows, and the Drawing represents the parts in the positions
they occupy when the levers h¹ are dipping into the vessels d, to get a supply of
the lubricating material:-As soon as a waggon has been moved on to the rails of
the foundation plate c, as shewn by dotted lines in Figure 1, the attendant by
pressing on the rod i depresses the end of the lever e¹, and so gives the
requisite motion to the various shafts and levers for lifting the ends of the
levers h¹ out of the troughs d, and passing them horizontally under the axles
of the waggon or truck, as shown by the dotted lines in Figure 2.
As soon
as the attendant leaves hold of the upright rod i, the weighted lever f¹, draws
the various parts back to their previous positions, and the levers h¹ then drop
into the troughs d to take a fresh supply of lubricating material, which is in
like manner distributed on to the under side of the axles. As soon as the
axles of one waggon or truck have been lubricated, the moveable catches k
are lowered into the position shewn by dotted lines in Figure 1, by the
attendant pressing down the rod m, to allow the lubricated waggon to be sent
forward, and as soon as the attendant has released the rod m, the weight
suspended to the lever 1, brings the catches k up again or in position to stop
the next waggon that is brought forward to be lubricated. By thus applying
the lubricating material simultaneously to all the axles a great saving in time
and in lubricating material is effected. I wish to observe that the peculiar
construction of machinery above described may be modified in the following
manner: The moveable catches & above referred to, to hold the waggon or
truck are dispensed with, and the lubricating apparatus above described is
mounted upon wheels and placed below or between the line of rails on which
the waggons or trucks run. By this arrangement when the waggon or truck
is moving along the rails it carries the lubricating apparatus with it for a short
distance, and the lubrication of the axles is thus performed without stopping

page_text: the waggon or truck. As soon as the operation is performed the lubricating
apparatus is drawn back to its original position by a weight and chain passing
over a pulley or other equivalent.
Having thus stated the nature of my Invention and described a convenient
mode of carrying the same into operation, I declare that I claim the improved
combinations of machinery as shewn and described, for lubricating simul-
taneously the axles of waggons and trucks, and particularly the jointed
levers and guide plate for regulating the motion of the lubricating levers. I
also claim the modification of machinery described for lubricating the axles of
waggons or trucks while in motion.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Knowles, have hereto set
my hand and seal, this Sixth day of February, One thousand eight
hundred and sixty-six.
JAS: KNOWLES. (L.S.)