A contest - guess my avatar and win a wrench!

[KeithB]

I've been asked several times about my avatar, i.e. what is it? Rather than just give the answer I thought I would make a little contest out of it. If you can guess what it is I will give you a specially made wrench that makes it real easy to remove/replace the sizing die retention nut on Lyman 450/4500 units (7/8") or RCBS LAMs (15/16"). Winners choice. The photos are of the Mk I version, the newest ones are a little shorter. There is also a rod that comes with unit for turning nut. The O ring holds it in place in the ram. The epoxied-in ceramic magnet holds the nut in place up against a square face. Makes it easy, especially on the Lymans, to get the nut started square and not cross threaded.

Here's the rules.
First post with the correct name of the item and the inventor wins the wrench. If nobody gets it right in a few days I will start offering hints.

The item is a cutaway that I made in the school shop while I was professoring.

Hint #1: It was patented before 1900.

My avatar. What is it?

 

[S Mac]

My first guess was a relief valve for a steam engine, but after I goggled it I learned I was wrong. nice wrenches you make.

 

[fiver]

I'm gonna guess it captures a gas given off when a solid and a liquid are mixed together.

 

[freebullet]

Steam valve
relief valve
a whistle

Umm, clearly I don't know.

 

[smokeywolf]

Resembles an old machine oiler that one might find on a lathe or grinder.
No sight glass though.

 

[Wasalmonslayer]

Smokeywolf took my guess of an oiler.
My grandpa used to do a lot with those old one lung motors with the very large flywheels and I remember seeing something like that on them.

 

[Ian]

I was certain that it was a steam lubricating pump but all the ones I found pictures of had glass sides, or at least a sight glass tube. But it turns out not all of them did, here's the "Real McCoy":

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elijah_McCoy

 

[Brad]

Well done Ian

 

[Ian]

It is true that Aspies love trains. Steam trains in particular were my principle obsession as a child, and I learned about all the parts and pieces, the history, the issues and improvements, have stacks of books on the subject still. Unlike most of the accumulators and steam/water separators, automatic oilers had standpipes and a needle valve, that was pretty much the giveaway. I had actually forgotten about Elijah McCoy until his name turned up in a search. Of course a steam lubricator would be necessary on stationary engines as well, no telling what machine Keith's example utilized, and AFIK none of the engines one the Durango & Silverton line, where I've spent hours on several different occasions visiting in the shop with the engineers, used this particular style of oiler. I'll have to ask about the McCoy oiler next time I'm up there. Steam engine lore is great to know but difficult to work into a conversation.

Keith, donate the die nut wrench to a needy forum member if they can answer this question: What kind of oil was used for locomotive oilers?

 

[gman]

Nice move Ian!

 

[KeithB]

Ian, you got it right. This was the first model; later models worked better and were configured a little differently. I will be glad to donate a wrench to whoever you designate. You be the judge of who gets your question correct in a post here.

As a personal note, a few years ago Canadian national TV contacted me about loaning them my cutaway model. They wanted to do a show about the 100 best Canadian inventions, and Canada considers Elijah McCoy to be a Canadian citizen even after he moved to the USA. They had done a rather extensive search and could not find a real McCoy oiler anywhere in the world (museums, private collections, etc.) so they borrowed mine and it was the item shown when the show came out. As I recall it was the 98th best invention, so it was early in the show and only got a couple of minutes airtime. But the announcer walked past it on display numerous times as they went from item to item. My ego was stoked when I saw my name in the credits. The fact that I contributed something to a quality science/technology show pleases me as an educator.

Folks, we're way past using piston steam engines for much anymore, but at the time of this invention piston driven steam trains were one of the most important factors in opening up the American west. The McCoy oiler was one of the first demand-sensitive lubricators, up until then cylinder lubrication was basically a fixed flow process. The McCoy oiler was pressure sensitive, changing the flow as needed. This meant trains could go further without refilling their oil reservoirs, or requiring adding oil while the train was in motion.

Lots of people contributed to making steam engines. McCoy made them practical.

 

[Maven]

"Keith, donate the die nut wrench to a needy forum member if they can answer this question: What kind of oil was used for locomotive oilers?"

Originally mutton tallow, but with higher pressure boilers and superheating something much more substantial was needed [to lubricate both the pistons/cytlinder walls and valves. The stuff we used was steam cylinder oil, a heavy, greenish brown viscous lubricant. Said lubricant was fed under [steam] pressure to the cylinders and expelled with the exhaust gases.

P.S., Locomotive fireman, whose duties also included "oiling around" were sometimes known as "tallow pots."

 

[RBHarter]

Funny I must have looked at it for about 10 min and the real McCoy was what came to mind to go look at ......

My knowledge base is like Bonneville . Wide , long and about an inch deep .

 

[JWFilips]

Would it Be Castor Bean oil or Sperm Oil?

 

[Ian]

Good job, Maven! Generally, at the height of piston steam engine use, it was heavy paraffin oil fortified with mutton tallow as Maven wrote. That was the most "general" answer and the one I was looking for. I think most trains ran on saturated steam, or even at some points wet steam, so the steam cylinder oil needed the tallow to emulsify with the moisture and mix, similar to how air conditioning compressor lubricants must mix with the refrigerant in both liquid and gaseous states in order to adequately lubricate piston compressors.

 

[KeithB]

Ian, are you designating Maven as the winner?

 

[Ian]

Yes, indeed! Unless he doesn't need it, Maven is the winner. I didn't mean to take over your fun Keith, but figured since I didn't need the tool we'd let someone else "work" for it

 

[Maven]

Keith & Ian, If I had Keith's wrench years ago I wouldn't have stripped the body threads of my Ly. #450 lube-sizer. Alas, as those threads were unrepairable, I deep sixed the body casting. Give that wrench to someone with a #450 with my blessing as he/she will surely benefit from its use!

 

[KeithB]

Ian, I thought what you suggested was very generous. I was hoping this would be a little different and that we could all have a little fun. I'm having fun anyway.

Maven, do you use a LAM? I have wrenches in that size also.

 

[Maven]

Ian, I thought what you suggested was very generous. I was hoping this would be a little different and that we could all have a little fun. I'm having fun anyway.

Maven, do you use a LAM? I have wrenches in that size also.

Yes Keith, I currently use a LAM I, whose body casting is almost a clone of the Ly. #450.