US1354663A - Lubricating system - Google Patents

Description

Ni. l.. KIRKIVIAN AND F'. S. WIER.

mmc/mwa SYSTEM.

L, APPLICATION 'FILED lULY 21,- l9l9. A

1,354,663, Patented Oct. 5,1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

M@ www www IVI. L..K|HI I/IAN .AND F. S11/VIER.

LUBRICATING SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED .IULY2I. I9I9.

1,354,663, rammed o-I. 5,1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

@moan/km:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MADISON LEE KIRKMAN AND FREDRICK S. WIER, OF RICHMOND, INDIANA; SAID WIER ASSIGNOR TO SAID KIRKMAN.

LUBRICATING SYSTEM.

Application filed July 21, 1919.

T 0 @ZZ whom t may concer/n:

Be it known that we, MADISON LEE KIRK- MAN and F nnDRicK S. VVIER, both citizens of the United States, residing in the city7 of Richmond, in the count-y of Wayne and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Lubricating System, of which the following is a full, clear, and comprehensive specification and exposition, the samebeing such as will enable others to construct and apply the same with exactitude.

Our present invention relates to a system of lubricating motors, engines, air compressors, and other analogous mechanisms, by means of a self maintained spray or atomization whereby the various parts to be lubricated are contained in or communicate with an inclosure in which a cloud or fog of atomized lubricant is constantly maintained throughout the inclosure when the parts to be oiled are in operation accomplishing their usual functions.

The object,A therefore, of this invention, broadly stated, is to provide an oiling or lubricating system of the nature stated, which will be simple in character, positive in action, automatic in operation, requiring but a minimum of attention and providing a maximum 'of efficiency, involving no moving part-s in its construction and installation, and in which the production vand installation thereof will be practically m'l.

- Other minor objects and particular advantages of the invention will be brought out and made. apparent to theordinarymechanic in the course of the following description, and that which is new will be correlated in the appended claims.

One manner ofY carrying out the principles of our invention in a. practical manner is shown in the accompanying two-sheets of drawings, in whichof the check-valve alone.

Figure l is ya longitudinal section, taken centrally through a single cylinder engine and showing our invention as applied thereto inoperative position. Fig. 2 is a cross section` of the same, as taken through the crank-shaft of the engine shown in Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a central vertical section of the check-valve. Fig. 4 is an outside elevation side elevation of the atomizer alone. `And Specification of Letters Patent.

Fig. 5 is-an out- Patentea 0015.5, 1920. Serial No. 312,221.

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal vertical central section of the atomizer alone. l

Similar indices denote like parts throughout the several views. It is to be understood, however, that our invention is not to be limited to a single cylinder or to a stationary engine, as it is equally applicable to various types of engines and compressors.

In order that the construction, the principles, and the advantages of our invention may be more fully understood and appreciated, we will now take up a detail description thereof, in which we will set forth the construction and the operation as fully and comprehensively as we may.

In the drawings we have shown our invention as applied to a single cylinder internal combustion engine, in which letter A denotes the cylinder, in which is reciprocately mounted the iston B, which carries the crank-pin E. etter C denotes the crank-shaft, which is connected with the crank-pin E, and therefore with the piston B, by means of the connecting rod D in the usual manner.

Letter F denotes the crank-case in which the shaft C and the connecting-arm D operate. Letter G denotes a plug which closes the aperture usually employed for a breather or vent. Letter H denotes the handholeclosure, by which access may be hadto the interior of the crank-case F. The chamber formed by the walls of the crank-case is denoted by the letter I, and this chamber merges into the interior of the cylinder A. The chamber I is formed circular, in longitudinal section as shown in Fig. 1, whereby its lower wall slopes from the right and the left to a common center.

The above parts are shown and described only to make clear the invention hereinafter set forth, and it is to be understood that our invention is not to be limited to said parts as shown, as our inventionvpmay .be employed with a plurality of cylinders Vleads into the chamber l12 formed in thelshell 9. The lower portion of the chamber lar being `formed by the bottom wall of the crank-case F which is in the nature of apartition. The' bottom of the crank-case and the bottom of the oil-cellar being, in this instance, integrally connected' by the side walls 2 and 3 of the oil cellar. YNumeral 4 denotes a plug for closing the cleanout aperture of the oil cellar. And numeral 5j denotes a plug closing the filler apertureeof the oil cellar. V,By reason o' the location of the filler aperture it is apparentythat the oil cellar can be loaded only to a predetermined height which,manifestly will never be higher than the' lowest part of the crank case, thereby always maintaining an air-chamber or air-space-G aboveV the oil 7 which is contained in the oil cellar. c Y f In the lowermost point of the bottom of the crank case there is removably inserted a check-valve for permittingl condensed and unused oil which accumulates in the crank-case toyi'low back'into the oil" cellar.

'Said check-valve comprises a body' 8, having'an offset shell 9 integral therewith.v An aperture 10 extends from ythe lower end upward linto the body 8, 'and it terminatesin the cross-over passageway 11, which latter 12 is slightly contracted to form a spherical valvey seat 'for the ball 13 which is contained 'in the chamber 1,2VV and normally rests by gravity on said valve seat. Access to the interiork of the chamber 12 is obtained through an aperture in the upperend of the shell 9, which aperture fis closed by the plug 14. -Numeral 15 denotesl the passage-way leading from the lowestv part of the chamyberl and .extending upward through the valve seat into the chamber 12.

From the above it is apparent that Vprovision is made for the oil to pass trom'the c chamber I upward through the passage 15,

then upwardaround the -ball .13, then into the chamber 12, and then through thel crossover 11 into the aperture 10, and finally Y downward, through the channel 10, into the oil cellar, but it is .apparent that passage in the opposite direction, that is from the oil cellar into the crank case, is prevented bythe valve, that is by the ball 13 resting on its seat. l

YThe atomizer or sprayer'is the most essential single eatureof our invention, and it comprises the head 16 whose lower portion, or stem, is threaded into an aperture therefor formed throughY saidv -partition, which forms the bottom ot the crank-case, that is through thatA portion of the crankcasewhich divides the chamberl from the oil cellar, and in a part thereof which is' at a higher elevation than that ofthe check valve. They head 16 has a channel 17 eX- tending vertically through Athe stem portion only, and which connects at its upper endY f case Amaintenance.`

uation of the channel 17 of the head. Lo-

cated slightly below the stem of the head 16 an air aperture 20 is formed through the wallotthe'tube 19. The lower end of the tube 19 is `formed beveled, as indicated at 21, wherebyA it will be impossible to close thev lower end of the opening in the tube eyen though thetubecome into contact with the bottom 1 of the oil cellar.V

The operation of our invention is substantially as Jfollows: A supplyof oil 7 is placed in the oil cellar through the opening closed by the plug 5, by which it will be impossible 'to overload the oil cellar and will always maintain an air chamber 6 above the oil. Now if the engine be operated inthe usual manner 1t is apparent that as the piston B .moves away from the crank-shaft it will tendto form a partial vacuum in the crankcase, for air or oil, is through the atomizer it istherefore evidentvthat the oil T will be drawn up through the tube 19, and at the same time airwill be drawninto the tubev the combined oil and air will issue intovthe crank-case from the opening '18 1n the form vof fine fog or spray, and the air inthe crankvcase will soon become highly charged with Y very fine particles of oil in suspension7 and the movementsv of the arm D will tend to circulate and distributeV the fog of oil in such manner that the'walls of the cylinder, as well as the bearings From the above it will be apparent that F, and as the only inlet to the' crank 19 through the aperture 20, and therefore we provide a highly eflicient oiling system in which it is impossible to over lubricate, thereby dispensing withv the danger of` oil passing around the piston to form soot or carbon in the combustion chamber, and also economizing ,in theluse of oil and cost ot Having .now fully shown and described A our invention, what we claim and desire to secure byLetters y Patent of lthe United States, is-

.1. In combination with an inclosed crank case,"an oil cellar located below the crank case, a check valve located in the bottom of the crank case and adapted to drain the crank case into the oil cellar but preventing passage from the oil cellar into the crank case, an atomizer head located in the bottom of the crank case, and a tube extending from the atomizer head tonear the bottom of the oil cellar, there being an oil inlet and an air inlet in said tube both of which are within the oil cellar and there being an exit from said tube through the head into the crank case.

2. In combination with acrank case having a cylinder communicating therewith and a piston operative in the cylinder, an oil cella-r adjoining the crank case and constructed to provide an air chamber in the oil cellar and above the maximum height of the oil in the oil cellar, an atomizer adapted to convey oil and air from the oil cellar and operated by partial vacuum in the cylinder due to the movement of the piston with the atomized aeriated oil adapted to fill the crank case and the adjoining portion of the cylinder, and means for permitting the condensed oil to return to the oil cellar through a valve preventing passage from the oil cellar into the crank case.

3. In combination with a crank case having a cylinder communicating therewith and a piston operative in the cylinder, an oil cellar adjoining the crank case and constructed. to at all times provide an air space above the oil in the oil cellar, a check valve permitting oil and air to pass from the crank case into the oil cellar and an atomizer adapted to draw oil and air from the oil cellar and deliver them as atomized oil or fog into the crank case.

4E. In combination with a crank case having a cylinder communicating therewith with a piston operative in the cylinder, an oil cellar located below the crank case, a partitionV dividing the crank case from the cellar, means for preventing the oil in the cellar from rising beyond a certain level below said partition whereby an air space is always maintained below the partition and above the oil in the cellar, a check valve secured in an aperture in the partition and adapted to constantly drain the crank case into the cellar and also preventing passage of air or oil from the cellar into the crank case, and an atomizer secured in said partition and projecting thereabove and extending into the oil in the cellar and having an air inlet opening thereinto from the air space in the cellar, all substantially as set forth. j

In testimony whereof we have hereunto subscribed our names to this speciiication in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

MADISON LEE KIRKMAN. FREDRICK S. VVIER.

Vitnesses:

RoBT. 7. RANDLE, R. E. RANDLE.

Images