IMPROVEMENTS IN LUBRICATING APPARATUS FOR SHAFTING AND OTHER PARTS OF MACHINERY
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine,
Lake, & Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN LUBRICATING APPARATUS FOR
SHAFTING AND OTHER PARTS OF MACHINERY."-A communication from
abroad by Edwin Faull. of Melbourne. Australia: Machinist.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 7th December 1872.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co.,
Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN LUBRICATING APPARATUS
FOR SHAFTING AND OTHER PARTS OF MACHINERY," a communication, to be as
follows:-
This Invention is designed for the purpose of providing improved
means for regulating the supply of oil, together with increased facility

page_text: for ascertaining the regularity of such supply. The said improved means
for regulating the supply of oil consist, first, in the use of a compressible
porous substance (like sponge) through which the supply is compelled
to pass; and secondly, in the use of a vertical screw plug in the supply
pipe. The increased facility for ascertaining regularity in the supply of
oil is obtained by the use of a tube of glass or other transparent material
between the aforesaid devices for regulating the supply and the shafting
to be lubricated.
The reservoirs of my lubricators may be made of any suitable shape or
size, and of any suitable material. I prefer that they should be made of
glass. It is a matter of choice also whether each lubricator shall have
the two methods of regulating the supply indicated above or only one of
them. I prefer having the two methods in each lubricator. In the said
reservoir is a circular metal chamber having an inner chamber in its
centre and a screw plug fitting therein, provided with a spindle which
has a thumb piece at its upper end. A screw cap is provided for the
aforesaid outer chamber. The said cap has a square tube proceeding
upwards therefrom. A thumb disc is fitted loosely thereon, and acts
also as a cover for the reservoir. A metal washer rests in the said
chamber upon sponge. I provide a cork collar and a wooden con-
tinuation for attaching the lubricator to the shafting. Slots and oil
passages are formed on either side of the outer chamber, and there are
oil passages on each side of the inner chamber. A supply pipe leads
from the inner chamber to a space between the cork and the wood
extension for observing the supply of oil to the machinery. In the event
of the sponge being used as the only regulating medium I should
substitute a disc for the aforesaid metal washer. Slots are provided for
the purpose of inserting pieces of wire to press down the sponge prior to
screwing on the cap so as to prevent the catching of the sponge in the
screw thread.
When the lubricator is about to be used I lift the thumb disc and
pour the oil into the reservoir, whence it passes through the oil passages
into the outer chamber where it is met by the sponge which retains any
sand or grit or other sedimentary impurities that may be in the oil, and
permits it to pass thus purified through oil passages, and the inner
chamber into the supply pipe. If the supply is too great I either screw

page_text: down the plug to diminish the entrance to the supply pipe, or compress
the sponge by turning round the disc so as to screw down the cap;
either or both of these operations will effect the purpose. When the
day's work is done or the machinery is at rest the supply is stopped by
a slight turn of the plug spindle so as to close the entrance to the supply
pipe.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 5th June 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of December, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the
thirty-sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said William Robert Lake, Her special
licence that I, the said William Robert Lake, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Robert Lake,
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 LUBRICATING APPARATUS FOR SHAFTING AND OTHER PARTS OF
MACHINERY," a communication to me from abroad by Edwin Faull, of
Melbourne, Australia, Machinist, upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said William Robert Lake, 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 Inven-
tion, 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.

page_text: collar; M is a wooden continuation for attaching the lubricator to the
shafting; b, b, are slots; and b', b', are oil passages one on either side of
the chamber B; c, c, are oil passages one on each side of the inner
chamber c; d is the supply pipe; from 1 to m is the space for observing
the supply of oil to the machinery. In the event of the sponge being
used as the only regulating medium, I should substitute a disc J' for the
metal washer J. The slots b, b, are provided for the purpose of inserting
pieces of wire to press down the sponge prior to screwing on the cap G,
to prevent the catching of the sponge in the screw thread.
When the lubricator is about to be used I lift the thumb disc I and
pour the oil into the reservoir, whence it passes through the oil
passages b', b¹, into chamber B, where it is met by the sponge which
retains any sand, grit, or other sedimentary impurities that may be in
the oil, and permits it to pass thus purified through the oil passages c, c,
into the supply pipe d. If the supply is too great, I either screw down
the plug D to diminish the entrance to the supply pipe, or compress the
sponge by turning round the disc I to screw down the cap G, either or
both of these operations will effect the purpose. When the day's work is
done or the machinery is at rest the supply is stopped by a slight turn of
the spindle E so as to close the entrance to the supply pipe d. The
screw plug D may have its thread cut on the top if desired instead of on
the bottom as in Figure 1.
When my improved lubricators are used in any position in which the
oil is liable to spurt I cover the surface of the oil in the reservoir with a
piece of loose sponge to prevent its splashing over.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the
same, I would have it understood that I do not confine myself to the
precise details herein set forth, so long as the nature of my said Inven-
tion is retained, and that I claim,-
First. The construction of lubricators in which the supply of oil is
regulated by the degree of pressure given to a compressible porous
substance, like sponge.
Second. The construction of lubricators with a vertical screw plug
submerged in oil as the means for regulating the oil supply.

page_text: Third. The construction of lubricators with both the devices
mentioned in the two preceding claims, in the manner and for the
purpose described, and as illustrated in the accompanying Drawing.
Fourth. The construction of lubricators with either or both of the
regulating mediums above described, and with a transparent tube
between them and the shafting below, through which the nature of the
supply can be discerned.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have herc-
unto set my hand and seal, this Fifth day of June, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.
Witness,
HENRY. J. NOONE.
W. ROBT. LAKE. (L.S.)