Improvements in or connected with Lubricators.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Oct., 1898-Accepted, 25th Mar., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Lubricators.
A communication from abroad by JOHN F. LEWIS, Engineer, of Scranton, in the
State of Pennsylvania, United States of America
I, JAMES GRIEVE LORRAIN, M.I.E.E., M.I. Mech. E., of Norfolk House, Norfolk
Street, Strand, London, W.C., in the County of Middlesex, Chartered Patent Agent,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention (as communicated to me from
abroad) and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
.
This invention relates to that class of lubricators or grease cups which are
designed to feed semi-liquid lubricants to the working parts of machinery, and the
objects of the present invention are to render such devices more effective, more
easily adjusted and to furnish the attendant means to ascertain whether and at
what rate the cup is acting.
To this end the improvement consists in the novel construction, combination and
arrangement of parts as herein set forth and illustrated in the accompanying draw-
ings in which-
Fig. 1 is a top view of the device.
Fig. 2 is a view in vertical cross-section of all the parts of the device; the cross-
section being taken on the line x y of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a top view of the handles of the device when the spring is released from
action on the plunger thereof.
Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the top of one of my lubricators showing how the
handles thereof become an indicator.
Fig. 5 is an under side view of the plunger of the device and the walls of the
main chamber taken in cross-section on the line tu of Fig. 2.
Fig. 6 is a fragmentary elevation of part of the sleeve and plunger rod.
Fig. 7 is a view in cross-section taken on the line v z of Fig. 6 when the handles
are turned as shown in Fig. 2.
-
Fig. 8 is a cross-section taken on the same line of Fig. 6 when the handles are
turned as shown in Fig. 3.
Fig. 9 is an under side view of the plug used to regulate the flow of lubricants
through the device.
Fig. 10 is a side elevation of the said plug.
Similar letters of reference refer to similar parts throughout the several views.
A designates the barrel or reservoir of the device cylindrical in form and is sur-
mounted by the smaller cylindrical dome A¹ having a circular opening in the
center of its top portion through which slides the tube or sleeve D provided at its
lower end with the seat H, for the helical spring G. The disc or portion H slides
loosely upwards and downwards of the dome H¹ and to the upper end of the sleeve D
to which it is attached. The handle E is fastened by means of a screw-threaded
connection, and the said handle is turned so that the round end e is directly over
the tongue d of the sleeve D. Extending upward through the sleeve D is the

page_text: plunger rod C provided with the cross piece or handle I, and also with the
catches c, c, c or any desired number of such catches, which are made by filing
away sloping portions of the rod C. The plunger rod C has integrally made with
it the flange C exactly fitting the cylinder A and designed to slide upward and
downward through it. It is also provided with a threaded shank K₁ on to which
the disc K cored at L, L, etc., may be screwed by means of the thread k. Inter-
posed between C and K is any suitable packing material, as soft leather or rubber J,
which, when compressed makes an annular flange j tightly fitting against the inner
sides of the barrel A.
B designates a base piece having an internal screw-thread a by means of which
it is screwed to the lower portion of the barrel A, and is also provided with a
screw threaded shank 6 having an internal screw thread n into which the plug M
is screwed downward before the base is attached to the barrel portion. The plug M
is hacked at m so that it may be turned with a screw driver and is furnished
with a transverse bore N and a longitudinal bore N¹ intersecting with N.
The operation of the device is as follows;
The plug M is inserted into the shank 6 to the depth required; the deeper it is
driven the less flow it will permit. The base piece is then screwed into the journal
intended to be lubricated. The barrel portion is then filled with lubricant by
turning the sleeve D by means of the handle E into the position illustrated in
Fig. 8 when the flange will readily slide to the upper part of its course; the cup
then being held in an inverted position may be filled with lubricant. After being
filled it is screwed on to the base piece B and the sleeve D is turned around into the
position indicated in Figs. 2 and 7. It is then drawn upward by the handle E
compressing the spring G until the tongue d snaps into the first catch c, the
spring G being made sufficiently long so that when not under compression it would
extend about one quarter way down through the upward portion of the lubricator.
The action of the spring will then drive the plunger gradually downward forcing
out lubricant into the journal until it presses downward a distance equal to or
greater than that between two consecutive catches. When the spring has pressed
the plunger down until the handle E rests on top of dome A¹ as shown in Fig. 4
the device will not operate any longer until the sleeve D is pulled upward again
compressing the spring and allowing the tongue d to catch in next consecutive
catch e, and the operation is the same throughout the series of catches; the handles
always indicating whether the tongue d is in engagement or not, by the ends of
the handles F and E coinciding. That is, when the round end f is in conjunction
with round ende, the tongue d is in engagement with the plunger rod; but when
the round end of F is in opposition to d or in conjunction with e as shown in Fig. 3
then the tongue is out of engagement as further shown in Fig. 8, so that the
plunger rod may be slid upward or downward without resistance on the part of the
tongue d.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1. In a lubricator of the kind described the combination of a barrel or main
portion with a plunger operating therein the said plunger being provided with a
cylindrical stem having portions filed away at regular intervals so as to form
catches which are adapted to engage with an inwardly bent tongue of a spring
actuated sleeve encasing said plunger rod the said catches being sloped so as to
permit of an upward or sidewise sliding of said tongue to raise it or throw it out of
engagement and means for indicating the relation of the parts, substantially as
specified.
2. The herein described lubricator consisting of the barrel portion A having the
dome A¹ integrally made therewith and adapted to have compressed within it the
coiled spring G, the coiled spring G enclosed therein and encircling the movable
sleeve D having the seat H by means of which the spring may be compressed when

page_text: the sleeve is slid upward; together with a plunger fitted in the barrel portion A,
and the stem thereof extending upward through the said sleeve D the said stem
having catches adapted to engage with an inward bent portion of the said sleeve D
so that the action of the spring may thereby be exerted on the plunger substantially
as and for the purpose specified.
3. In a lubricator of the kind described the combination of a cylindrical plunger
rod (having catches cut out on one side thereof) extending through a sleeve having
a tongue bent in from one of its sides adapted to engage with the catches on the
said plunger rod and the said sleeve being revolvable on the plunger rod so as to
throw the said inward bent tongue out of or into engagement with the catches
substantially as specified.
4. In combination with a lubricator of the kind described the main or barrel
portion adapted to hold the lubricant a plunger having an upwardly extended rod
fitted therein and a sleeve through which the rod of said plunger is adapted to
slide; the said plunger rod having catches cut in one side thereof and the said
sleeve having a tongue adapted to spring inwardly from one of the sides thereof
and engage with the catches on the said plunger rod together with handles attached
to the upper ends of the said plunger rod and sleeve by means of which they may
be revolved relatively the said handles marked so as to indicate by their relative
position whether the tongue aforesaid is into or out of engagement with the catches
on the plunger rod, substantially as specified.
Dated this 12th day of October 1898.
J. G. LORRAIN,
Communicatec.