Lubricator

“ Oil is peculiar in that while the molecules seem to stick tightly together and to a metal like iron or steel, they roll around upon each other with the utmost ease. An ideal lubricator is one that sticks so tight to the journal that it forms a sort of cushion all around it, and prevents any of its molecules coming into contact with the molecules of the metal box. All the friction then takes place between the different molecules of oil, and this friction is a minimum. ”

“ Revolving wire lubricator; carries a drop of oil on to the shaft at each revolution.
973. Roller and pan lubricator. Can be employed also for gum, paste, paint, &c.
974. Screw ram lubricator, to force lubricant into a cylinder or pipe against pressure, with non-return valve.
975. Telescopic tube lubricating device, for reciprocating or revolving joints, such as crank pins.
976. Another tubular device for crank pins; a hollow cup on end of a tube stands opposite the centre of the shaft, and can be fed with oil while revolving, the oil running down the tube during the lower half revolution. ”

“ Insufficient lubrication may be caused by imperfect operation of the lubricators, or, particularly during cold weather, by too great a viscosity or congelation of the oil. If a lubricator be imperfect in its operation, the condition of its regulating mechanism should be ascertained, if it has any, and an examination made to discover any obstruction in the oil-ducts. Such obstructions are very likely to occur in new devices which have been packed in cotton waste or excelsior, with the result that the particles of the packing material often find their way into openings. ”

“ Automatic lubricator, with intermittent feed. The revolving spindle is driven from the engine by a ratchet and pawl motion, and has a recess in it which in revolving delivers its contents of oil into the tube below. ”

“ Lubrication above all things spells life to the motor-car, and the lack of it must result sooner or later in disaster. Therefore see before starting for a drive that all the bearings of the car are properly lubricated, and also be sure during the drive that the lubricator to the engine is working satisfactorily. ”

“ In a general way it may be stated that certain precaution must be taken to insure the satisfactory operation of all sight-feed lubricators. Use only the best of oil, one gallon of which is worth five gallons of cheap stuff and do far better service, as inferior grades not only clog the lubricator but chokes the ducts and blurs the sight-glass, etc., and the refuse of such oil will accumulate in the cylinder sufficiently to cause damage and loss of power, far exceeding the difference in cost of good oil over the cheap grades. ”

“ The lubricator is fitted through a hole in the lid which is usually plugged with a piece of cane or closed by more elaborate means. A line of shafting would be supported by several bearings of the kind illustrated, themselves supported by brackets projecting from or rigidly fixed to the walls of the workshop, or on frames resting on the floor, or on hangers attached to the roof girders or principals. ”

“ If you have run a threshing engine a season or part of a season you have learned that it is much easier to get a poor grade of oil than a good one, yet your Lubricator will do this at times even with best of oil, and the reason is due to the condition of the feed nozzle at the bottom of the feed glass. ”

“ Powell Sight Feed Lubricator (class "A") especially adapted to traction and road engines owing to the sight-glass being of large diameter, which prevents the drop touching the side of glass, while the engine is making steep grades and rough uneven roads, made by The Wm. Powell Co., Cincinnati, O., and for sale by any good jobbing house, and the Detroit Lubricator made by the Detroit Lubricator Co., of Detroit, Mich. ”

“ Mechanically operated or pressure lubricators supply oil to all parts of the engine, and as the quantity passed to each bearing is adjustable, a feed may be maintained that is exactly suited to the requirements.
The bearings of an automobile operate under such widely different conditions that one kind of lubricant will not be suitable for all. The maker of the car has tested the different oils, and it is advisable to follow his instructions on the brand and grade most suitable for each bearing, rather than to try experiments. ”

“ The inward movement of the piston spreads the oil on the cylinder walls, and it is distributed around the piston rings, so that they move easily in their grooves. As the oil is used up, it is replaced from a lubricator so that a constant level is maintained, and this operates either by gravity, or by a small force pump driven by the engine, or by the maintaining of pressure in the oil tank. ”

“ A sight feed lubricator connected to the steam pipe below the throttle or to the steam chest is automatic in its operation. All that is necessary is to fill it. When the speed increases the feed increases and when the pump stops the feed stops. An oil hand pump is also desirable to introduce a mixture of oil and graphite, about 10 per cent. ”

“ As a lubricator for heavy journals, either pure or mixed with tallow or animal oils, it is of great value, especially for the axles of railroad cars, in rolling mills, &c. For fuel it has been made the subject of many elaborate experiments and voluminous reports from the government engineers of this and other countries, many of which have been highly favorable. ”

“ Sometimes, if the shafting has not been oiled punctually, it will run hot, or perhaps a small particle of dust will obstruct the oil in the lubricator and produce friction. News of this is soon published abroad by a [149] loud creaking noise that everyone can hear. The workmen take up the cry and shout “Oil, oil,” at the top of their voice; then the engine-driver comes forth with his can and stops the screeching. Occasionally the spindle of the fan will run hot, and especially so if the belt happens to be well tight. This, by reason of its great speed, will soon generate a fierce heat ”

“ The parts that will then require particular attention are the crank pin, main bearings, cross head guides and the pump, if there is one. The former must be kept properly lubricated, so that they may not get hot and the cylinder lubricator (which is usually placed on the steam pipe) must be set to self feed properly.
If the crank shaft bearings should begin to heat, loosen the cap bolts and lubricate more freely, or, if it is at hand, some melted tallow may be applied with the oil, as a heavier lubricant may stop the heating. ”

“ The next for examination is the oil-tank. This supplies the oil to lubricate the engine and gears. There are several different types of lubricators, force or drip feed, according to the type of car. It is necessary to lift the bonnet to refill the oil-tank. The “bonnet” is the metal covering to the engine. When the bonnet is lifted, metal supports will be found each side to hold it up. It is important that you have plenty of oil, for it is the lubrication that keeps your machinery in working trim. Without oil your engine and ”

“ Hence in the case of lubrication the velocities of the fluid at the surfaces of the solids are those of the solid. In as far as the presence of the lubricant is necessary, such properties as cause oil in spite of its surface tension to spread even against gravity over a bright metal surface, while mercury will concentrate into globules on the bright surface of iron, have an important place in securing lubrication where the action is intermittent, as in the escapement of a clock. ”

“ In many cases, oil-ways and grooves are cut in the bearings, and the lubricant is allowed to run by gravity into them and thus finds its way between the opposing surfaces. To secure a steady feed various contrivances are adopted, the most common being a wick of cotton or worsted used as a siphon. In cases where it is important that little if any wear should take place, the lubricant is forced by means of a pump between the friction surfaces and a constant film of oil is thereby maintained between them. ”

“ Every properly-lubricated portion of a motor either moves in a bath of oil or is connected with an oil reservoir so that a certain amount will be fed regularly to the rubbing surfaces. There is always some heat generated in a bearing, no matter how well it may be lubricated, and the continuous flow or circulation of the oil serves to carry off this heat that would otherwise tend to dry the lubricant if there were no fresh supply.
The proper lubrication of the motor is even more necessary than is the adjustment of the carburetor or the condition of the ignition system. ”

“ The pressure that can be borne by a good lubricant for a useful length of time depends upon the nature of the bearings as well as upon the lubricant itself. The velocity of the rubbing action also must be taken into consideration. The maximum of pressure that solid lubricants will bear without destruction is unknown. For steel surfaces, lubricated with best sperm oil moving slowly, 1,200 lbs. pressure per square inch of bearing surface has been found permissible. Under the pivots of swinging bridges several thousand pounds per square inch have been found to work, and for iron journals 800 lbs. ”

“ Great gain in power has been secured from improvements in the lubrication of the internal-combustion engine. It is now recognized that a small supply of oil to the journals and bearings of such an engine is insufficient, but in the early days it was found difficult to give the journals and bearings more oil without too much getting on to the cylinder walls, because the latter were lubricated by the oil that was thrown on to them by the spinning action of the webs of the crank-shaft and by the connecting-rod ends, these latter dipping into a well of oil in the lower part of the crank-case. ”

“ In the lubrication of the cylinders and valves of steam, gas and oil engines, the lubricant must possess as much viscosity as possible at the working temperature, must not evaporate appreciably and must not decompose and liberate fatty acids which would corrode the metal and choke the steam passages with metallic soaps; for gas and oil engines the lubricant must be as free as possible from tendency to decompose and deposit carbon when heated. ”

“ If the bearing is set so tight that there is no room for the interposition of an oil film, the shaft and journal will at once heat. The greater the pressure of the shaft in its box, the thicker, or heavier, should be the lubricant used, for a light oil would be squeezed out or "broken down" more easily than would one that possesses greater viscosity. ”

“ For all ordinary machinery, ranging from the light ring spindles of textile mills to the heavy shafts of large engines, mineral oils are almost universally employed, either alone or mixed with fatty oils, the general rule being to use pure mineral oils for bath, forced or circulating pump lubrication, and mixed oils for drop, siphon and other less perfect methods of lubrication. Pure mineral oils of relatively low viscosity are used for high speeds and low pressures, mixed oils of greater viscosity for low speeds and high pressures. ”

“ Heavy and inferior oils have a tendency to carbonize quickly, also “gum up” the piston rings, valve stems and bearing. In cold weather a light grade of oil having a low cold test is absolutely essential for the proper lubrication of the car. The nearest Ford branch will advise you concerning the lubricating oil this company has found best suited for its cars, both for summer and winter weather. Graphite should not be used as a lubricant in the engine or transmission as it will have a tendency to short circuit the magneto. ”

“ In such cases, the lubricant which keeps the surfaces from abrading each other is a mere contamination film, either derived from the air or put on when the surfaces are finished. When such lubricating films are depended upon, the friction surfaces should be as hard as possible and, if practicable, of dissimilar metals. In the absence of a contamination film, most metals, if rubbed when in contact, will immediately adhere to each other. A large number of experiments have been made to ascertain the coefficient of friction under these imperfect conditions of lubrication. ”

“ Liquid lubricants, such as sperm oil, or one of the products of petroleum, the latter medium being the class of lubricant most suitable for internal combustion engines, owing to its combining the qualities of a high flash-point with a comparative freedom from either acidity or causticity.
Oils of animal or vegetable origin should never be used with gas engine as the high temperatures encountered will char and render them useless. Tallow and lard oil are especially to be avoided, at least in a pure state. ”

“ With the increase in the size and power of121 the automobile motors and the proportionately greater number of parts demanding lubrication, the attention required from the driver by the oiling system has been greatly lessened. Instead of the necessity of turning on individual oil cups whenever the motor is started, the modern driver merely twirls the starting crank or presses the button of the self-starter, secure in the knowledge that whenever the motor runs, the lubricating system operates—provided, of course, the reservoir is filled and there is no stoppage in the pipes. ”