US243316A - shaffer - Google Patents

Description

(Nb Model.)

B. 1P. SHAFF'E'R.

0i1 Cup;

No. 243,316. Patented June 21, I881.-

WITNESSES ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD P. SHAFFER, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

OIL-CUP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 243,316, dated June 21, 1881.

- Application filed January 6, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, EDWARD P. SHAFFER, of the city of Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented an Improved Oil-Cup, of which thefollowing is a specification, reference being had to the annexed drawings, in which- Y Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved oilcup; Fig. 2 isa side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a plan of the rotary cover-plate. Fig. 4 is a top view of my improved oil-cup, the cap and covering-plate being removed. Fig. 5 is a horizontal section of my improved oilcup on the line 2 2, Fig. 6. Fig. 6 is a vertical central section of my improved oil-cup on the line a; m, Fig. 1.. Fig. 7 is a side view of the changeable feed-tube. Fig.8 is a side view of the central feed-spindle.

My invention relates to an improvement in oil-cups for use for the purpose of regulating the flow of lubricating fluid to the journalbearings of locomotive-engines and other machinery; and it consists in applying to the cup an improved rotary covering-plate, by which dust is effectually prevented from entering the oil-reservoir, and the filling of the same'with lubricant is facilitated.

My invention also consists in an improved means of regulating the supply of lubricatingfluid to the bearing, consisting of a central feed-spindle provided with lateral supply-openings of different sizes, which register with an opening in the changeable feed-tube which surrounds the spindle, whereby the flow of oil is controlled by causing the opening in the feedtube to register with any one of the feed-openings while the others are closed.

My improved oil-cup is represented in the accompanying drawings, in which A is the body of the feed-cup, B the threaded boss by which it is attached to the journalcasin g, G the cap, D the rotary covering-plate, H the central feed-spindle, and n the feedtube.

The body of my improved oil-cup may be of any usual shape, forming an oil-reservoir, R, either cast in one piece or provided with a removable top, I, screwed into the upper end of the cup-body. An opening, m, Figs. 4 and 6, is made through the top of the cup for the purpose of introducing oil into the reservoir. The top is provided with a central threaded hub, e, on which the cap 0, provided with the flange F, is screwed. An opening, m, Figs. 1 and 6, is made through the flange of the cap, which opening is so located in the flange that when the cap is screwed down to the shoulder on the hub c it correctly registers with the opening m in the top I.

Between the flange F and the top of the cup is placed the rotary covering-plate D, which is provided with an opening, g, Fig. 3, in the proper position to register with the openings m and m through the top and flange. The reservoir may be filled with oil when the parts are in this position. The covering-plate D can be rotated between the .top of the cup and the flange, so that the hole gcan be turned out of registerwvith the holes m and m in the top and flange, as represented by dotted circle 9, Fig. 1, for the purpose of closing the cup and excluding dust therefrom.

The plate D is held in place by friction between the flange and the top of the oil-cup; but to prevent its being turned by thejarring or motion of the machinery a spring, a, Figs.

3 and 4., may be employed. The spring a is fastened to the top, I, and bearing against one of the sides of the curved slot b in the covering-plateD,prevents itfrom rotating. Notches So in the sides of the slot b, into which a lug on the spring (1 projects, may be employed to assist in holding the plate in place.

' The flow of lubricant through the passage 0, Fig. 6, to the bearing is regulated in the following manner: Through the central hub, e,

on the top I passes thefeed-spindle H, which extends downward through the oil-reservoir, and at its lower end, i, is fitted tightly into the base of the oil-cup, so as to prevent the cs cape of oil from the reservoir, except through the passage 0. The lower end of the spindle may be provided with an enlarged collar, 19, for this purpose. The oil-supply passage 0 extends upward through the lower end of the 5 spindle to a point above the bottom of the oilreservoir, where it communicates with two or more radial openings of different sizes, a o

n o, Fig. 5, which extend outward to the exterior of the spindle. In the drawings I have shown four of these passages, of different sizes; but any desired number may be employed.

Outside the feed-spindle and fitting closely thereto is placed the changeable feed-tube n, which is provided near its lower end with a single opening, o in the proper position to register with the passages o o 'v o. The upper end of the feed-tube is provided with a cross-bar, 3, Figs. 4, 6, and 7, which fits into the radial slots t, Figs. 4 and 8, in the upper end of the feed-spindle H. When the cross-bar sis placed in the slots t or t the hole 1' registers with some one of the different-sized passages 41 o o 1 As the hole 1" permits the flow of oil through only one of these passages at a time, it will be readily perceived that by changing the position of the feed-tube the supply of oil to the hearing may be regulated, and this change is readily effected by unscrewing the cap 0, lifting up and partly rotating the feed-tube n. The upper end of the feed-spindle between the radial slots t 25 may be stamped with figures or other characters to indicate the rate of feed at which the feedtube is set.

A leather washer, d, Fig. 6, may be interposed between the cap and the upper end of the feed spindle and tube, for the purpose of holding them in place.

It will be observed that the feed spindle and tube project sufficiently above the top of the hub e to allow of their being readily grasped for the purpose of removal.

A leather collar may be introducedbetween the bottom of the feed-spindle and the opening made to receive it in the base of the oilcup, to render the joint tight and prevent the escape of oil.

It will be noticed that the feed-spindle can be easily removed by unscrewing the cap 0, for the purpose of removing obstructions from the passages in its lower end.

It is obvious that instead of using the crossbar 8 and radial slots t t the feed-tube may be secured in place relatively to the feed-spindle by a lug projecting inward from thefeed-tube and entering notches cut in the side of the feed-spindle.

By placing the opening q in the feed-tube out of register with the feed-ducts o v o 'v the supply of oil to the hearing may be entirely cut off.

It is obvious that instead of the circular coverin-g-plate D a swinging covering-plate having the form of a sector of a circle may be employed.

I hereby disclaim anything shown or described in Patent No. 95,635, October 12, 1869, and Patent No. 174,470, March 7, 1876, as my invention is designed solely for regulating the flow of oil to a journal or hearing without the employment of steam pressure, and in fact cannot be used with steam.

In my invention, while in use the feed-tube remains stationary, being prevented from rotating by the cross-bar s and from shifting endwise by the bottom of the cup and the cap 0, one of the differential feed-openin gs, which are located in the same plane with the passage r through the feed-tube and near the bottom of the feed-cup, being always in communication with the opening 1, so that the oil is continuously discharged therethrough.

In my invention, also, there is no valve or other part moved by the action of steam for the purpose of regulating the flow of lubricant; but my feed-tube, having once been set with the passage 1' opposite one of l the differential feed-openings, which can only be done by removing the cap 0, the tlow of oil remains constant, the other feed-openings being closed by the feed-tube, so that the rate at which the lubricant is fed depends solely on the size of the feed-openin g used.

I claim- 1. The combination, with an oil-cup having a closed top provided with opening m, of the screw-cap O and the rotary covering-plate D, provided with the corresponding openings in and g, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. The combination of the closed oil-cup A, screw-cap G, rotary covering-plate D, provided with corresponding openings at m g, and the spring-catch a for securing the covering-plate in difierent positions, substantially as described.

3. The combination of the oil-cup A, feedspindle H, provided with passage 0 and two ormore different-sized feed-ducts, Q? o, and the changeable feed-tube it, having perforation 4' located in the same plane with the difl'erential feed-ducts, whereby the flow of lubricant from the oil-cup is regulated by the partial rotation of the feed-tube, which causes the perforation to register with one of the differential feedducts while the others are closed, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

. 4. The combination of the oil-cup A, feedspindle H, having passage 0, two or more different-sized feed-ducts o v, and two or more slots, t t, and the feed-tube it, provided with perforation r, and a lug or cross-bar, s, fitting the slots t or t, to secure the proper relative positions of the feed-spindle and feed-tube, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

EDWARD P. SHAFFER.

Witnesses:

GEO. B. SELDEN, H. G. PHrLLIPs.

IlO

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