Mechanical lubricator

An automatic lubricator, is a device fitted to a steam engine to supply lubricating oil to the cylinders and, sometimes, the bearings and axle box mountings as well. There are various types of automatic lubricator, which include various designs of displacement, hydrostatic and mechanical lubricators.

The displacement lubricator was introduced in the United Kingdom in 1860 by John Ramsbottom. It operates by allowing steam to enter a closed vessel containing oil. After condensing, the water sinks to the bottom of the vessel, causing the oil to rise and overflow into delivery pipes. The oil from the delivery pipes is introduced into the steam pipe, where it is atomised and carried to the valves and cylinders.

In early applications in steam locomotives, either two displacement lubricators (one for each cylinder) would be positioned at the front of the boiler near the valves, often on either side of the smokebox or one lubricator would be placed behind the smokebox. The behind smokebox configuration has the advantage that a good connection can be made to the steam pipe and was used by the Great Western Railway. It has the disadvantage that the lubricator's accessibility is reduced and additional drain pipes are required to be connected to the waste to avoid it dripping onto the boiler.

Later types of lubricator (from around 1887), referred to as the "sight-feed" type, allowed a sight glass to be positioned in the cab where the rate of oil feed could be observed.

The displacement lubricator was a useful stop-gap but had the disadvantage that it was difficult to accurately control over the rate of oil feed and lubrication was only supplied when the engine was doing work (when a locomotive is coasting with the regulator closed, no steam is present to operate the lubricator). In the Ramsbottom type the flow of lubricant depended mainly on the weather. In cold weather the rate of feed would increase because steam would condense more rapidly.

The Roscoe type lubricator improved the situation by providing a valve with which to regulate the flow of steam and hence lubricant. Setting the valve correctly required experience and depended on the speed of the train.

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