Grace's Guide To British Industrial History

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Grace's Guide is the leading source of historical information on industry and manufacturing in Britain. This web publication contains 164,585 pages of information and 246,144 images on early companies, their products and the people who designed and built them.

Grace's Guide is the leading source of historical information on industry and manufacturing in Britain. This web publication contains 147,919 pages of information and 233,587 images on early companies, their products and the people who designed and built them.

J. and W. Kirkham

From Graces Guide
1917. Revolving cloth stretcher. Scrimp or cutter rails, centrifugal pumps. Copper damping roller.
Dec 1921.
1936.
1943.
1951. Advert. Mechanical lubricators. 'Introduced 1910'.
1960. Mechanical lubricators.
1970.

J. and W. Kirkham of Lark Street Works, Bolton

1934 Illustrated description of 'a novel and interesting application of a mechanical lubricator to relieve the starting torque of a large synchronous condenser. The condenser is shown on the test bed at the works of the makers, Messrs. Mather and Platt, Limited, Park Works, Manchester, the shaft being supported at each end in long journals of the oil-ring type. Each bearing is lubricated by two “T and K” lubricators made by Messrs. J. and W. Kirkham, Limited, Lark-street Works, Bolton. The specification to which the condenser was built was drawn up by the consulting engineers, Messrs. Fox and Mayo, 155, Dashwood House, Old Broad-street, London, E.C.2, and stipulated a starting torque such that the employment of some means for lifting the shaft off its bearings before the start of the condenser was necessary. This has been effected by providing the lubricators with an independent motor drive, so that they could be started up before the condenser. The motor, of 1/2 h.p., drives the two lubricators for each journal through worm gear giving a 38 to 1 reduction, lubricators themselves are of the standard “T and K ” design as far as the pump units, container, and driving shaft are concerned, but are constructed to withstand very high working pressure, and were tested to a pressure of 6,000 lb. per square inch. There are, however, no sight-feed tubes on the delivery side. The outlets from the pair of pumps were taken to a special junction box provided with double-ball check valves at the inlet ends. Gauges graduated to a pressure of 3,000 lb. per square inch are fitted to the junction boxes, which are further provided with a double ball check valve at the outlet to protect the gauges for possible excessive back pressure. The outlet from the junction box is coupled to a slot 2 in. by 1 in. formed in the bottom of the bearing. ..... The deadweight loads on the two journals are 4,000 lb. and 3,300 lb. per square inch respectively, and as the area of the slot is 2 sq. in., the lubricators have been designed to build up pressures of 2,000 lb. and 1,650 lb. per sq. in. respectively in order to lift the shaft off the bearings. When this is effected the shaft is floating on an oil film, and the starting torque is thus considerably reduced. The results of tests proved that the margin provided was ample. After contact between the shaft and the bearing had been broken, it was found that, due to the oil film spreading under the shaft, a pressure of 350 lb. per square inch was sufficient to lift the shaft 0.0014 in. and to maintain it in this position, a condition which reduced the starting torque by one-third [Later corrected to 'by two thirds']. The decrease in pressure is accounted for by the fact that the area subject to pressure increases from 2 sq. in. to approximately 11 sq. in. by the formation of the film. When the condenser is running under its full load, the mechanical lubricator is put out of operation and the ring-oiling arrangements provide effective lubrication.'[1]

'Starting-Torque-Relief Lubricator : Erratum — In describing, on page 472 ante, the interesting starting torque-relief mechanical lubricator, supplied by Messrs. J. and W. Kirkham, Limited, for a synchronous condenser, the load on the two journals of the condenser was given in "lb. per sq. in." It should be apparent from the context that the loads, viz., 4,000 lb. and 3,300 lb. respectively, are total loads, as the relieving area on which the lubricator exerts pressure is 2 sq. in. and the corresponding lifting pressures available are 2,000 lb. per square inch and 1,650 lb. per square inch. Attention is, however, drawn to the slip to avoid misconception. It may also be pointed out that one mechanical lubricator only is fitted, viz., at one end of the condenser. This lubricator has four feeds, two pipes leading to one journal and two to the other. The lubricator motor is cut out after the machine has been running for five minutes, and lubrication is then provided by oil rings.'[2]

1940 Advert. Lubricators.[3]

1945 Advert. Mechanical lubricators.[4]

Oiling equipment for engines. Exhibit at Queen Street Mill Museum


See Also

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Sources of Information

  1. Engineering 1934/04/20
  2. Engineering 1934/05/18
  3. * Mechanical World Year Book 1940. Published by Emmott and Co of Manchester.
  4. * Mechanical World Year Book 1945. Published by Emmott and Co of Manchester. Advert p222