Improvements in Oil-cups for Bicycle and other Bearings.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 9th June, 1892-Accepted, 17th Dec., 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Oil-cups for Bicycle and other Bearings.
I, THOMAS WHEATLEY, of 124 Clinton Street, Syracuse, in the County of
Onondaga, and State of New York, United States of America, Book Keeper, 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:―
My invention relates to improvements in oil-cups for bicycles, and has for its
object the production of a simple and effective device whereby oil may be readily
and quickly supplied to the wearing parts without the slightest liability of the
entrance of dust and dirt when the oil-cup is in its normal condition; and to this
end the invention consists essentially, in a frame, a rod or bar within the frame,
a socket extending from the frame, and a plug in said socket provided with a
central feeding-passage and a laterally-extending passage opening to the outside
of the plug and adapted when in its normal position to abut against the wall of
the socket for closing the same and preventing the entrance of dust, &c.
The invention furthermore consists in the detail construction and arrangement of
the parts, all as hereinafter more particularly described, and pointed out in the
claims.
In describing this invention reference is had to the accompanying drawings,
forming a part of this Specification, in which like letters indicate corresponding
parts in all the views.
Figure 1 represents an elevation of a "Safety Bicycle," partly in section, illus-
trating four of my improved oil-cups in operative position.
Figure 2 is an enlarged transverse vertical sectional view taken on line xx;
Figure 1, illustrating the oil-cup for supplying oil to the front axle.
Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view representing the oil-cup for
supplying oil to the steering-rod.
Figure 4 is an enlarged transverse vertical sectional view taken on line y y,
Figure 2, the plug containing the oil-feeding passage being shown as in position
for receiving the oil.
Figure 5 shows a modified form of the oil-cup.
Figure 6 is a central vertical sectional view of one of my improved oil-cups
showing it attached to a sleeve or journal bearing.
Figure 7 is a side elevation of the cup.
Figure 8 is a longitudinal section of the hub of a wheel showing the manner in
which the cup is connected with the boxing of the hub, and
Figure 9 is a vertical sectional view showing the construction of my improved
sight-feed cup.
It is well known that at the present great difficulty is experienced in preventing
the entrance of dust to the working parts of bicycles and at the same time
supplying the means for lubricating the same. My invention is designed to effect
this desirable result, and owing to its peculiar construction protrudes but a
minimum distance beyond the bearing or frame to which it is attached, and thus
does not perceptibly deteriorate the appearance of the bicycle, as would be the case
were such an oil-cup used as would project a considerable distance beyond the
journal-bearing.
A represents the axle or rod to which the oil is supplied by my improved cup B,
and C is the frame surrounding said rod and supporting the oil-cup and preferably
forming part thereof.
In the drawings at Figure 1 I have shown this cup as applied to the front axle A,
the main driving axle D, the rear axle E, and the steering-rod F, and, as will be

page_text: readily understood, it is evident that the same is equally applicable to all of these
axles and their respective bearings or encircling frames, as the wheel-hubs are
revoluble thereon, requiring no change in construction of the oil-cup for use on
any of said parts save the one for supplying oil to the steering-rod, as will be
presently described.
As seen at Figures 2 and 4, which is a vertical sectional view of the front axle, the
cup B is disposed midway between the frame on hub C of the front wheel c and consists
of a socket and a plug b¹ in said socket formed with an oil-feeding passage 63,
having a laterally extending arm 63, extending to the outside wall or periphery of
said plug and adapted to be closed by engagement with an outside shoulder when
in normal position and to be opened at will for receiving the oil. As here
illustrated, the socket bis formed in the centre of the revoluble hub C, and the
plug is formed with its inner extremity of less diameter than its outer, thus forming
a top shoulder, adapted to rest on the top face of the projecting boss Ct,
formed on the hub C for increasing the depth of the socket b. Both the socket
and the inner end of the plug are screw-threaded, and, as illustrated at Figure 2,
when the top face 6 of the plug is screwed firmly against the adjacent face of the
boss C the entrance of dust &c., is absolutely prevented, and when, as shown at
Figure 4, the plug is screwed outwardly, the outer extremity of the lateral arm 63
is exposed, and the oil-can may then be readily registered therewith for admitting
the desired amount of oil, whereupon the plug is screwed inwardly, the oil pre-
vented from escape, and dust and dirt from entrance to the oil. It will also be
noted that the outer extremity of the plug projects but very little above the outer
face or periphery of the sleeve C, and consequently is scarcely perceptible, which
is a feature of great advantage, since the parts of a bicycle must necessarily be
neat and workmanlike in appearance.
At Figure 3 I have shown a modified form of socket b, produced by an enlarge-
ment in the journal-bearing for the steering-rod, and a modified form of plug b,
in which the feeding passage 2 encircles the steering-rod and is provided at its
outer face with a packing-ring f. It will be evident that this construction of oil-
cup is not materially different from that previously described, the only difference
being the large size of the passage in relation to the lateral arm 63 and the
addition of the packing-ring ƒ`ƒ•
At Figure 51 have shown a modified form of oil-cup, in which a stationary
plug G is secured to a socket g in the hub C encircling the axle or shaft A, and is
provided with an oil passage and a lateral arm 63, extending to the outside periphery
of said plug, which thus becomes a nipple projecting outwardly from said
bearing 9. Encircling this nipple is a cap G', adapted when in its normal position
to close the inlet of the passage b³.
As shown in Figure 6, the construction of the cup is somewhat different to that
shown in Figure 2. The socket is formed with an inwardly projecting flange 1,
and the plug 2 with an outwardly projecting flange 3. When the plug 2 is up in
the position shown in Figures 6 and 7, these flanges 1 and 3 come in contact
with each other and prevent the plug 2 from being entirely removed from the
socket. The oil is supplied to the socket or cup through an opening 4 formed in
the said plug 2.
When the cup has been filled with the lubricating fluid the opening 4 is closed
by simply pushing the plug down into its normal position.
The construction of cup as shown in Figure 8 is substantially the same as that
shown in Figure 4, and needs no further description in order that it may be
understood.
Figure 9 illustrates my improved sight-feed cup, in which 5 indicates the main
frame or casing of the cup, having openings 6, 7, 8, shown in dotted lines through
which the height of the oil contained in the cup can at any time be seen.
9 represents a complete casing formed of a cylindrical or tube shaped piece of
glass, which with the metal bottom 10 forms a receptacle for the oil.
This bottom 10 is provided with an extension, threaded as shown at 11 over

page_text: which a cylindrical piece 12 having openings B is screwed, forming a sight through
which the amount of oil that passes from the cup can be seen.
A small glass
tube 14 is placed in the picce 12 to prevent the oil from coming through the
openings B¹
A small nozzle 15 is screwed into the bottom of the cup, which together with
the feed-plug 16 regulates the flow of oil to the bearing which is to be oiled.
Rubber, leather or other suitable packing is provided to prevent leakage between
the places where the glass and metal come together. An opening 17 is formed in
the top of the cup to allow of its being refilled with the oil or other lubricant,
and a cover 18 is provided to prevent dust or other obstacles from entering the
opening.
The operation of my invention will be readily perceived from the foregoing
description and upon reference to the drawings, and it is evident that its parts are
simple in construction and operation, are readily and cheaply produced and affixed
to any desired construction of bicycle, and when in operative position possesses
cheapness, efficiency, and convenience. It is evident, however, that my improved
oil-cup may be used to lubricate axles and shafts other than those used in bicycles,
and that its construction may be somewhat varied from that shown and described
without departing from the spirit of my invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In combination, a sleeve or journal-bearing, a rod or shaft movable within
said bearing, a socket in the sleeve opening to its journal-bearing, a bushing mounted
in said socket and formed with a central opening leading to the journal-bearing of
the sleeve, a plug movably mounted within said bushing and formed with a central
passage 62, opening from the lower face thereof, and with an angular passage b',
opening from the upper extremity of said plug to its upper periphery, substantially
as and for the purpose set forth.
2. In combination, a journal-bearing having a socket at its end, a shaft or rod
journalled in the bearing and projecting beyond the socket, a plug formed with a
central passage surrounding the rod, and a laterally extending passage opening to
the outside of the plug and adapted to be closed by the adjacent wall of the
socket when the plug is in its normal position, substantially as and for the purpose
specified.
3. The improvements in oil-cups for the bearings of bicycles and other vehicles,
substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described, set forth and illustrated,
in the annexed drawings.
Dated this 8th day of June 1899
F. W. BARKER,
Applicant's Agent.