IMPROVE- MENTS IN " SIGHT FEED LUBRICATORS
Year: 1884

page_text: I, GEORGE SUMNER of Brook Street Oldham in the County of Lancaster
Mechanical Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVE-
MENTS IN " SIGHT FEED LUBRICATORS to be as follows:-
22
26
These Improvements relate to *Sight feed" Lubricators, that is to say
Lubricators in which the lubricant passes through water contained in a glass tube
and have for their object to supply the lubricant at a rate variable at will and
under pressure.
The lubricant is supplied to the apparatus from beneath a ram plunger or
piston working in a cylinder. To the upper portion of the ram plunger or piston
a slotted screwed rod is secured which passes through a nut attached to or forming
part of the cylinder cover or of a yoke secured to and across the upper part of the
open cylinder. Below the cylinder cover or yoke there is mounted upon the
alotted and screwed piston rod a worm wheel which is provided with a feather
fitting in the slot formed in the piston rod so that the rotation of the worm wheel
shall produce rotation of the screw and therefore its upward or downward motion by
revolution in the fixed nut. Instead of the arrangement of the worm wheel and its
feather and the fixed nut the nut may be dispensed with and the worm wheel be
formed with a boss projecting through a corresponding hole in the cylinder cover
or yoke. The projecting portion of the worm wheel boss has a flange or collar
secured to it above the cylinder cover or yoke so that vertical motion of the worm
wheel is prevented. The eye of the worm wheel is bored and threaded to gear
with the screw and it is also provided with a fast key fitting into the slot formed in
the piston rod so that rotation of the worm wheel shall produce linear motion of
the piston or plunger and exert pressure upon the lubricant beneath. Motion is
imparted to the worm wheel by means of a worm upon the axis of which is a
ratchet wheel rotated step by step by a pawl or detent which receives motion
from any reciprocating part of the engine or other mechanism to which it may be
attached. The variation in the rate of feed of the lubricant is effected by varying
the length of stroke of the pawl or detent which may be effected by attaching its
connecting rod or link nearer to or further from the centre of oscillation of the
pawl or detent.
The remaining portion of the apparatus consists of two or by preference three
vertical parallel tubes connected at their upper ends and opening into a horizontal

page_text: branch tube and at their lower ends opening into a horizontal connecting piece.
The upper horizontal tube has formed in it at its opposite extremities inlets for
the oil from the cylinder hereinbefore described and for the water respectively and
these inlets are separated from each other by a three way cock. The opening.
within the horizontal branch tube into the vertical tube nearest to the oil inlet is
capable of being closed by an ordinary screw down valve, the opening into the
next tube which is the glass or "sight feed" tube is controlled by the three way
cock and if three vertical tubes are employed, the opening into the remaining tube
is capable of being closed by an ordinary screw down valve similary to the first
tube. In the bottom connecting piece ports or passages communicate respectively
between the first vertical tube through which the lubricant is fed and the sight
feed tube and between the third or water supply tube (if this is used) and the sight
feed tube. The outer ends of these two distinct ports or passages are closed by
removable plugs or set screws so that they may be examined or cleaned at will.
The port leading from the oil tube to the sight feed tube is protected by a back
pressure valve through which the lubricant may pass upwards into the water but
which will not permit the passage of fluid in the opposite direction. To the horizontal
branch tube there is secured another vertical tube which for distinction is called
the feed tube. This feed tube opens into the horizontal branch pipe and commu-
nicates through the three way cock either with the sight feed tube or with the
oil inlet. By this arrangement in case the sight feed tube is broken the supply of
lubricant may be taken directly from the oil inlet to the feed tube, the motion of
the three way cock at once closing the opening of the sight feed tube and opening
the direct route to the feed tube This feed tube may be of any convenient length
and near its extremity it is bent twice at right angles so that its lower end may be
enclosed within a larger vertical tube opening at its lower end into the steam pipe
cylinder or other part to which the lubricant is desired to be applied. This larger
vertical tube is also for distinction called the compression tube. The lower end of
the feed tube within the compression tube is provided with a back pressure valve
permitting the escape of the lubricant but preventing the admission into the feed
tube of any other fluid. The upper part of the compression tube is fitted with an
air or vacuum valve which prevents the egress of steam from the interior but
which opens when by the condensation of the steam or from any other cause the
pressure in the compression tube is relieved and thus prevents the formation of
a vacuum which otherwise might syphon or withdraw the water from the glass
tube.
Dated this 26th day of March 1884
.

page_text: I GEORGE SUMNER of Brooks Street Oldham in the County of Lancaster
Mechanical Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVE-
MENTS IN SIGHT FEED LUBRICATORS, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
These Improvements relate to " Sight feed Lubricators that is to say to
Lubricators in which the Lubricant passes through water contained in a Glass
Tube and have for their object to supply the Lubricant at a rate variable at will
and under pressure.
1
And in order that this my Invention may be more readily carried into practical
effect I have hereunto appended a sheet of drawings marked with letters of
reference similar letters denoting similar parts in the various figures.
The apparatus as illustrated may be described in three portions. Fig 1 shows in
sectional elevation and Fig 2 in plan one arrangement of the Sight feed part of the
Lubricator. Fig 3 shows in sectional elevation and Fig 4 in plan a modification
of the arrangement shewn in Figs 1 and 2. Fig 5 shews in sectional elevation the
feed tube which occupies a position between the part shewn in Figs 1 2 and 3, 4
and the Mechanism to be Lubricated Figs 6 and 7 show in vertical section and
plan respectively that portion of the apparatus intended to supply the Lubricant
under pressure to the Sight feed tube or to the feed tube as the case may be.
The Lubricant is supplied to the feed tubes from beneath a ram plunger or
piston A working in a Cylinder B. To the upper portion of the ram plunger or
piston A a slotted screwed rod C is secured which passes through a nut D which
carries also the worm wheel F or the nut may be attached to or form part of the
cylinder cover or of the yoke E in which case the worm wheel is mounted upon the
slotted screw C either above or below the cylinder cover or yoke E. When the
worm wheel is independent of the nut D the wheel is fitted with a feather or fast
key so that rotation of the wheel produces rotation of the screwed rod C and
therefore linear motion of the piston. As shewn on the annexed sheet of drawings
in Fig 6 the worm wheel and nut are formed in one piece and attached to the
collar or flange above the yoke so that linear motion is prevented. At any
convenient position above the piston a cross piece G is secured to the cylinder and
in such a manner that the screwed rod passes through a hole in its centre. A loose
key is fitted into the hole in the cross piece so as to fit or work also in the slot of
the screwed rod C and prevent its rotation during the descent of the piston or any
equivalent means may be adopted for the rotation of the screw. With the
arrangement described if motion is imparted in the proper direction to the worm
wheel the piston A will be caused to descend and any lubricant beneath it will be
forced under pressure through the outlet M. The necessary motion is conveyed to
the worm wheel by means of a worm H upon the axis of which is mounted a
ratchet wheel I rotated step by step by a pawl or detent K which receives motion
from any reciprocating part of the Engine or other Mechanism to be lubricated.
The arm upon which the detent K is mounted moves concentrically with the
ratchet wheel and the rate of feed of the lubricant may be varied by attaching the
reciprocating part of the engine or other Mechanism to a point of the Lever L
nearer to or further from the ratchet wheel, or the worm H may be rotated by any
ordinary and suitable means,

page_text: The "Sight feed" portion of the apparatus consists of two tubes N. O or in
some cases of three tubes N. O. P. as indicated in Fig 3.
These tubes are connected to, and at their upper ends open into a branch or cross
piece Qat their lower ends they open into another branch or cross piece R. The
upper branch Q is provided with an oil inlet S Fig 3 in Fig 1 this oil inlet may be
at S or S-The oil-inlet is connected by a suitable tube with the outlet M of the
pressure cylinder B Fig 6-There is also an opening T in the upper branch for the
purpose of cleansing the apparatus when required but this opening is ordinarily
closed by a plug or set screw-Immediately above the glass sight tube N there may
be another similary closed orifice T¹ as shewn in Fig 1 through which water may be
supplied to the sight tube. The thoroughfare in the upper branch is provided with
a three way cock U which governs the direction to be taken by the lubricant as
hereinafter described. At some point between the oil inlet S and the lower end of
the Tube N the passage between them is capable of being closed by an ordinary
screw down valve V.
The bottom end of the sight feed tube N is fitted with a back pressure valve Z
permitting the escape of the lubricant into the Tube but preventing the overflow of
water therefrom.
In action the lubricant is forced by the piston A Fig 6 through the outlet M and
the connecting tube into the inlet S or S¹ Figs 1 and 3 thence through the tube O
into the sight feed tube N into and through the body of the three way cock U out
of which it passes at a Figs 2 and 4 into the feed tube a Fig 5. In the event of
the glass tube N being broken the valve V may be screwed down and the three
way cock U turned when the lubricant will pass direct from S or S¹ to the outlet a
Figs 2 and 4 and to the connected feed tube a Fig 5.
The orifices Y Figs 1 and 3 closed by plugs or set screws are made in boring the
passages with which they communicate and are useful for the purposes of cleaning
and examination. The orifice T Fig 3 may be used if desired as an alternative oil
inlet when the valve W may be used similarly to the valve V but when it is not so
used it should be screwed down upon its seating.
The feed tube a Fig 5 is connected by a suitable tube, union or other connection to
the outlet a of the three way cock Figs 2 and 4 and may be of any convenient length
and bent near its extremity so that its outlet b may be protected by the back
pressure valve c which prevents steam entering the tube a. The feed tube is
enclosed within a larger tube e the upper end of which is closed by a plug or cap
and fitted with an air valve d which prevents the egress of steam from the interior
but which opens when by the condensation of the steam or any other cause the
pressure in the outer tube e is relieved and thus prevents the formation of a
vacuum which otherwise might lead to the withdrawal of the water from the sight
feed tube. In the event of a failure of the parts shown in Figs 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 and 7
from accident the outer tube e may be used as a lubricator in the same manner as
an ordinary tallow cup the outlet f being governed or closed by a back pressure
valve or an ordinary cock, removing the cap or plug h and pouring the lubricant
into the upper end of e. The lubricant may be lead to the mechanism to be
lubricated through a tube connected to the outlet f or alternatively to either of
the outlets g g.
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) In combination with a sight feed Lubricator the use of the apparatus herein-
before described and illustrated in Figs 6 and 7 on the accompanying sheet of
drawings, or of an equivalent apparatus, for the purpose of supplying the lubricant
under pressure obtained by mechanical means.
(2) In combination with a sight feed Lubricator the use of the apparatus or
arrangement illustrated in Fig 5 on the annexed Sheet of drawings substantially
as and for the purpose hereinbefore described,

page_text: (3) In a sight feed Lubricator the use of the three way cock U substantially as
herein before set forth and described.
(4) In a sight feed lubricator the combination of the tubes N and O with their
connecting passages the Screw down valve V the back pressure valve Z and the
three way cock U substantially as herein before described and illustrated in Figs 1
and 3 on the accompanying Sheet of drawings.
Dated this twenty seventh day of December 1884.