Lionel Bury Wells

1886. L. B. Wells' patent ball thrust bearing for propeller shafts

Lionel Bury Wells (1843-1931), Engineer to the River Weaver Trustees

1843 February 12th. Born in East Portlemouth, Devon, the son of Thomas Bury Wells, Rector, and his wife Catherine Frances Stockdale

1871 October 11th. Married at Croft, Lancs., to Married to Mary Eliza Kirkman

1881 Living at Highfield House, Castle Northwich, Cheshire: Lionel B. Wells (age 38 born East Portlemouth, Devon), Civil Engineer. With his wife Mary E. Wells (age 33 born Croft, Lancs.) and their five children; Catharine E. Wells (age 6 born Pembroke Dock); Mary D. Wells (age 5 born Pembroke Dock); Lionel F. Wells (age 3 born Northwich); Elizabeth R. Wells (age 2 born Northwich); and Elenor Wells (age 11 months born Northwich). Four servants.

1886 Description and drawing of L. B. Wells' patent ball thrust bearing for propeller shafts. 'For eighteen months past they have been used in the thrust bearings of steamers, and under these circumstances have been found to effect a notable economy in the friction of the engine, allowing it to run with increased speed on the same consumption of fuel as was required with the ordinary bearing. A thrust bearing of this kind has been applied by Mr. L. B. Wells, of Highfield, Northwich, Cheshire, who has designed and patented the arrangement, to the steam launch Delamere, and gives very good results, the speed of the engines having risen from 177 to 187 revolutions per minute with the same boiler pressure and grade of expansion. A ball bearing has also been fitted to the steam tug Volunteer, which has an engine with a cylinder 22 in. in diameter, and this also continues to do its work very satisfactorily. The method of application to a 5 in. shaft is shown in the annexed engravings. There are two sets of balls, one for going ahead and the other for going astern. In each set there are two circles which run between grooved plates of Whitworth compressed steel. One plate is bolted to the thrust block while the other abuts against a collar on the shaft. This collar is made in halves, and sits in a shallow groove turned into the shaft. It is held in place by having a ball path bolted to each side of it, the collar and the two paths forming a compact piece which cannot move endwise on the shaft, and is carried round by a key. In some cases, where the bearing is applied to an existing shaft, a taper cotter is put through the collar and shaft to secure the former.
It is claimed for the ball bearing that it requires very little oil, that it wears very slowly, and produces no end play in the shaft, and that its first cost is moderate. One of Wells’s bearings is to be seen at the Liverpool Exhibition.'

Engineer to the River Weaver Trustees - retired 1887

1931 January 9th. Died in Devon.

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