Automatic Lubricators for Steam Engines

Definition and Purpose

• Automatic Lubricator: A device used in steam engines to supply lubricating oil to essential components.
  • Components lubricated:
    • Cylinders
    • Bearings
    • Axle box mountings

Types of Automatic Lubricators

• Displacement Lubricators
• Hydrostatic Lubricators
• Mechanical Lubricators

Elijah McCoy and Innovations

• Elijah McCoy:
  • Canadian inventor who moved to Michigan and became a U.S. citizen.
  • Patent: Received in 1872 for his automatic lubricator.

Design and Functionality

• Initial Design:
  • Oil Delivery: Used piping to deliver oil by gravity from a central reservoir to needed areas.

Improvements and Developments

• Sight-Feed Lubricators (from around 1887):

  • Feature: Equipped with a sight glass for observing oil feed rate.

• Further Patent in 1898:

  • New Feature: Included a glass tube below the reservoir to monitor delivery rate.
  • Bypass Pipe: Added to ensure continued operation if the main feed was blocked.