ROUGH-AND-TUMBLE ENGINEER! 



be oiled continuously. The work which th 

 required to do is equal to the full capacity of tin 

 gine. They are required to transmit tins power under 

 adverse conditions. They are always working in the dust 

 and dirt, the gears themselves are rough and the\ 

 mounted upon a more or less flexible foundation; all uf 

 this has a tendency to make the gears cut and grind 

 it is necessary in order to keep them in any sort of con 

 dition to oil them continuously. It would be better if 

 the gears could be arranged to run in an oil bath, but 

 generally this is not practicable. The next best thing 

 to do is to cause a stream of drops of oil to fall upon the 

 gears all the time they are at work. There are some 

 traction engines arranged with an oil pump and reservoir 

 for oil which supplies all that is necessary. I have alv 

 considered this a very good plan. Some are in the habit of 

 using an axle grease or some grade of hard oil. The lu- 

 bricating properties of this oil are satisfactory enough, 

 but it is sticky and catches dust and dirt, and has a 

 tendency to cut the gears almost as badly as though 

 there was no oil present. The better scheme is to have 

 liquid oil dropping on the gear teeth and carrying dust 

 and dirt with it as it drips from the teeth. In this way 

 what dust does get caught will soon be washed off and 

 the gear teeth will not be cut very badly. 



