LUBRICATORS.
All bearings must be steadily and effectively lubricated, in order to remove friction as far as possible, or the working power of the engine will be greatly reduced. Besides, without complete and effective lubrication, the bearings will “cut,” or wear in irregular grooves, etc., quickly ruining the engine.
Bearings are lubricated through automatic lubricator cups, which hold oil or grease and discharge it uniformly upon the bearing through a suitable hole.
THE “DETROIT” ZERO DOUBLE CONNECTION LUBRICATOR.
DESCRIPTION.
- C1—Body or Oil Reservoir.
- C3—Filler Plug.
- C4—Water Valve.
- C5—Plug for inserting Sight-Feed Glass.
- C6—Sight-Feed Drain Stem.
- C7—Regulating Valve.
- C8—Drain Valve.
- C9—Steam Valve.
- C10—Union Nut.
- C11—Tail Piece.
- H—Sight-Feed Glass.
A sight feed ordinary cup permits the drops of oil to be seen as they pass downward through a glass tube, and also the engineer may see how much oil there is in the cup. Such a cup is suitable for all parts of an engine except the crank pin, cross-head, and, of course, the cylinder.
The crank pin oiler is an oil cup so arranged as to force oil into the bearing only when the engine is working, and more rapidly as the engine works more rapidly. In one form, which uses liquid oil, the oil stands below a disc, from which is the opening through the shank to the bearing. As the engine speeds up, the centrifugal force tends to force the oil to the top of the cup and so on to the bearing, and the higher the speed the greater the amount of oil thrown into the crank pin.
Hard oil or grease has of late been coming into extensive use. It is placed in a compression cup, at the top of which a disc is pressed down by a spring, and also by some kind of a screw. From time to time the screw is tightened up by hand, and the spring automatically forces down the grease.
GLASS OIL CUP.
SECTIONAL VIEW IDEAL GREASE CUP.
The Cylinder Lubricator is constructed on a different principle, and uses an entirely different kind of oil, called “cylinder oil.” A sight-feed automatic oiler is so arranged that the oil passes through water drop by drop, so that each drop can be seen behind glass before it passes into the steam pipe leading from the boiler to the cylinder. The oil mingles with the steam and passes into the steam chest, and thence into the cylinder, lubricating the valve and piston.
The discharge of the oil may not only be watched, but regulated, and some judgment is necessary to make sure that enough oil is passing into the cylinder to prevent it from cutting.
The oil is forced into the steam by the weight of the column of water, since the steam pressure is the same at both ends. There is a small cock by which this water of condensation may be drained off when the engine is shut down in cold weather. Oilers are also injured by straining from heating caused by the steam acting on cold oil when all the cocks are closed. There is a relief cock to prevent this strain, and it should be slightly opened, except when oiler is being filled.
ACORN OIL PUMP.
There are a number of different types of oilers, with their cocks arranged in different ways; but the manufacturer always gives diagrams and instructions fully explaining the working of the oiler. Oil pumps serving the same purpose are now often used.