US1118043A - Self-lubricating pulley. - Google Patents

Description

M. D. PHELAN.

SELF LUBRICATING PULLEY.

APPLIGATION FILED MAR.,9. 1912.

1,1 18,043. Patented NOV. 24, 1914.

W/T/VESSESL- 3 "UNITED STATE?) MERTON D. PHELAN, OF BOSTOfN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOE TG UNITED SHOE NEVI JERSEY.

A CORP ORATION' 0F SELF-LUBRIGATING PULLEY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 9, 1912. .Serial No..;682,613.

To all whom it may concern Beit known that I, Mnn'roN D.- PHELAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain ID'IIHOYGIHQlltS in Self-lnibricating P ulleys, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like reference characters on the drawings indicating like parts in the several figures.

This invention relates to means for lubricating loose pulleys, cams, wheels, and similar devices.

It has been proposed, heretofore, to provide within the body of a pulley or similar device an oil chamber and to connect this chamber with one or moreof the friction surfaces of the device in such a manner that the lubrication of these surfaces will be effected automatically. It has also been proposed to provide such devices with a filling tube projecting into the oil chamber into a position such that a certain quantity of oil in the chamber can not run out of the filling tube, even though the tube is not provided with a cap or plug. Such devices, as

heretofore proposed, however, have been so constructed that in filling the oil chamber a much larger quantity of oil can. be introduced than can be retained in the chamber after the device has been started into operation. A lar e proportion of oil so introduced, therefore, runs out of the filling-tube. This construction is opento the objection that it not only is wasteful of oil but also permits the device to retain only a rela- 'plane passing through the inlet when the fat device is in any filling position is at least as great as is the volume of that part of the chamber below said plane. It is, therefore, impossible to pour into the chamber more oil than can be retained during the operation of the device. Preferably these volumes are made as nearly equal as possible so that the vice will retain a maximum .tional view of a modified construction.

Referring to the drawings, the pulley 2 maybe a casting drilled as indicatechat 4: to form a bore for the reception of a shaft or axle. The pulley is cored out to form therein an annularoil chamber 6 encircling the bore 4. This chamber comprises a restricted portion a of small cross-sectional area and an enlarged portion 7). A filling tube 8 leads from the peripheral surface of the pulley into this enlarged portion and has its inner end resting against the hub oi the pulley, this end being scalloped, as indicated at 10, to provide an opening through which oil may flow into the chamber. The

tube may be driven through a holedrilled in the rim of the pulley or it may be formed integrally with the pulley during the casting operation, and the oil passage may then be drilled therethrough. The inner end of the filling tube or of the opening 10therein is positioned in the chamber 6 with its upper edge slightly below the horizontalplane bisecting the volume of the chamber when the pulley is in any filling position; that is, any position in which oil may be introduced through the filling tube 8 into the chamber. It will be evident that in filling the chamber, the pulley will be turned to bring the tube 8 into substantially a vertical position with its outer end uppermost. If oil is then poured through thetube Sit will rise in the chamber 6 to a point approximately level with the upper edge of the opening 10, any further filling of the chamber being prevented by the air imprisoned within the chamber above the level of the oil and resulting merely in lillingithe tube. 8. The volume of that part of; the chamber now occupied by air is at least as great as, and prferably'is equal to, the volume of oil in the chamber; consequently, when the workman rotates the pulley into Patented Nov. as, dill-1'1.

the position indicated in 2, the oil in the restricted portion a or" the chamber flows into the enlarged portion 7) to a level below the inner end of the filling tube. C nly that oil within the tube, therefore, will run out and when this tube has drained, the pulley may be rotated without fear of los ing any more oil.

Oil is carried to the bore l through slots 12 in which are positioned members l iof felt or other material ada ed to convey'oil through the action of capillarity. These members it have projecting portions 16, as best shown in Fig. 3, that extend into contact with the outer wall. of the chamber 6, where they can pick up oil so long as any remains in the chamber, but have their edges cut away to permit a free flow of oilthrough the chamber.

The modified construction shown in Fig. 4 ditl'ers from that shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3' merely in that the filling tube 8 is led into the chamber from the side of the pulley instead of from its peripheral surface; and in having an additional tube 18. The filling tube in this position is less likely to "cine clogged with dirt from the belt than when located as shown in Fig. 1, although the latter construction may be preferable under some circumstances. It for any reason a filling tube of" small diameter must be used, some diiliculty may be experienced in pouring oil through it due to the fact that the displaced air must also pass out of this tube. Under such circumstances I provide an additional tube 18, located similarly to the tube 8 so that the oil may not runout oi this tube, through which the air may pass during, the filling of the chamber.

In order to compensate for the unbalancing of the pulley that otherwise would be caused by making one part of the chamber 6 larger than another, the web connecting the rim of the pulley with the hub is made thicker (as shown at 20, Fig. the region of the enlargement Z) than it is along the restricted portion a oi the chamber. This arrangement ellects a substantially uniform distribution of the metal of the pulley about its axis but any further balancing that may be necessary is accom' plished by drilling into the port ons of the pulley that are found to be too heavy.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new and wire to secure by Letters Patent of the -ited is:

1. 'A device 01 character described having a bore for the reception of a shaft,

an annular oil chamber formed in said device, surrounding said bore, a illing tube leading from the exterior o't'isald device into said chamber and having-an opening or 1,1 races 2. A device ,of the character describedhaving a bore for the reception of a shaft, an'annular chamber in said device surrounding said bore, said chamber com rising a restricted portion and an enlarge portion a filling-tube leading fromthe exterior 0% said device into the enlarged portionof said chamber and. having its inner end'pbsitioned in said chamber at'a' point such that the vol.- ume of that'part ot the chamber above a horizontal plane passing through the end of the tube when the deviceiis in any filling position is slightly greater than? the volume of that part of the chamber below said plane, said device having an oil passage leading from said chamber to said bore and the material of said device being disposed substantially uniformly about the axis of said bore to balance the device.

3. A device of the character described having a bore for the reception of a shaft, an annular chamber in said device surrounding said bore comprising a restricted portion and an enlarged portion, a filling tube leading from the exterior of said device into the enlarged portion of said chamber and having its inner end positioned in said chamber at a point such that the volume'o'f that art of the chamber below a horizontal p ane passing through the end of the tube when the device is in any filling position is at least as great as the volume of that part of the chamber above said plane, said device having slots leading from said chamber to said bore, members positioned in said slots to conduct oil to said bore by capillarity and an air tube leading into said chamber with its inner end positioned similarly to the end of said filling tube, the material of said device being disposed substantially uniformly about the axis of the device.

ln testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

v neuron n, PHELAN. Witnesses:

Cnnsrnn E. Rooms,

LAURA M. Goomnusn.

Images