12 



color and brilliancy of the Wessell-alloyed silver remain- 

 ed unaffected. The same peculiarity has been observed 

 by the writer personally in Mr. Wessell's low-priced 

 nickeline metal, which holds a pure and strong lustre 

 throughout indefinite exposure to every lest that befalls 

 (and befouls) a silver spoon in domestic use. 



" INTEGRAL LUBRICATION." 



Integral lubrication is an expression that has been 

 selected to describe the effect of a lubricating element 

 which is itself an integral part of the surfaces in contact 

 and relative motion, as distinguished from a foreign or 

 extraneous lubricant introduced between the surfaces, re- 

 quiring constant renewal, and subject to displacement, 

 consumption, waste, deterioration by heating, &c, and 

 to various other imperfections and inconveniences. 



Friction results from the resistance of particles in con- 

 tact to change of position. Lubrication consists in their 

 non-resistance to change of position, as in fluids. Within 

 themselves, therefore, fluids have the property of integral 

 lubrication. Interposed between solid surfaces, whcse 

 fixed panicles resist change of position, fluids serve to 

 separate such surfaces by a stratum of non-resistant cr 

 mobile particles, and thus supply extraneous lubrication. 



The idea of establishing tne lubricating, non-resistant 

 or mobile element integrally in the bearings themselves, 

 rather than extraneously as a distinct intermediate stra- 

 tum, was the conception of Dr. Stuart Gwynn, the noted 

 engineer and inventor, of two generations, to whom we 

 owe the Gwynn pump and numerous other long estab- 

 lished appliances. This idea is the basis of more than 

 twenty patents, relating to the series of compositions by 

 which it is realized under different conditions, all known 

 under the common designation of METALINE. 



The conception of union between the opposite proper- 

 ties of solidity and non-resistance, and of integrity and 

 distinctness, in one metallic body, certainly had the bold- 

 ness, as its realization showed the power, of a stroke of 

 genius. 



The important point to be reached by Dr. Gwynn, 

 after his discovery of the possibility of " Integral Lubri- 

 cation," to render it of practical value, was to make exact 

 determinations of the effect produced on metals, their 

 alloys, oxides, etc. by enormous pressure when they are 

 put into hardened steel moulds of great strength. These 

 trials extended over several years ol time and under pr;s- 

 sures from five tons or 666 2 j atmospheres to one hundred 

 tons or 13,333'j atmospheres per square inch. In these 

 trials he tound, without doubt, the true law of the "Flow 

 of Solids." His determinations were finished in i860. 



This department of physics has, since then, been ex- 

 tensively worked by other scientists, and many of the 

 results ai lived at have been published. One of the latest 

 of these contributions is an interesting memoir published 

 in 1881 in the "Revue Scientifique," by Mr. W. Spring, a 

 German chemist, from which we abstract as follows : 



The subs'ances experimented with were taken in the form of 

 fine powder, and subjected, in a steel mould, to pressures varying 

 from 2060 to 7000 atmospheres per square centimeter. Lead 

 filings under a pressure of 2000 atmospheies were transformed into 

 a solid Dlock which no longer showed the least grain under the' 

 microscope, and the density of which was 11.5, while that of ordin- 

 ary lead is 11. 3 only. Under 5000 atmospneres the lead became 

 fluid and ran out through the interstices ot the apparatus. Toward 

 6000 atmospheres, zinc and tin appeared to liquefy. Powders of 

 zmcand bismuth at 500010 6ooo became solid bf cks of a crystalline 

 fracture. I'owcets of soft and of prismatic sulphur were trans- 

 formed into solid blocks of octahedric sulphur. Red phosphorus 

 appe .red 10 pass into the dmser state of blaik phosphorus. Bin- 

 oxide of manganese and the sulphides 01 zinc and lead in powder, 

 weld when compressed, and exhibit the appearance, respectively, 

 of na uial crystallize! pvrosulite, blende, and galena. A number 

 of pulverized salts solidify through pressure and become transpar- 

 ent, thus proving th- union of the molecules. 



The common property in Metaline and the natural 

 lubricants (fluids) is, of course, mobility or non-resistance 

 to change of position in the particles. This property or 



effect, results, again, from exceeding minuteness, hard- 

 ness, roundness and polish of particles ; obtained 

 in the artificial instance, by pulverization, attrition, 

 and extreme sifting of metallic particles. It is obvious 

 that the particles of soft or brittle substances, such as 

 flour of wheat or dust of stone, are not capable of the 

 rounding polish and consequent slipperiness (integral lu- 

 brication) of metallic particles ; nor yet of a kindly inter- 

 penetration with the surface particles of solid metal. 

 Hardness, also, or resistance to change of form, coupled 

 with non-resistance to change of position, may be an essen- 

 tial requisite to fluidity; so that possibly the particles of 

 water or oil may be much harder as well as finer thai, 

 those even of metals. The metals, however, are generally 

 susceptible of a degree of polished and rounded com- 

 minution that yields a very slippery product. The 

 fluid-like mobility of small shot is a rough illustration of 

 this condition. 



The next stage of the invention is to penetrate and in- 

 corporate the solid bearing surfaces with the non-resist- 

 ant or mobile particles. This is effected by two opera- 

 tions, one the product and complement of the other. The 

 prepared particles are in effect compressed into frequent 

 sockets in the bearing surface, so as in the first place to 

 occupy directly the larger part of its area, and in the 

 second place to allow the outer particles (slightly raised) 

 to attach to the microscopic inequalities of the revolving 

 journal, and so migrate, filling both surfaces with a fine 

 permanent ingredient of particles non-resistant to change 

 of position. The particles are forced in with great power, by 

 running a heavy journal at moderate speed, or a light one 

 at a swift rate, with the cap screwed tight enough to stop 

 the machinery or twist off the journal if oil instead of 

 metaline were,the lubricant. Under such incalculable con- 

 centration of force, the particles, instead of being worked 

 out from between the surfaces, are held and incorporated, 

 forming new surfaces of a permanent but peculiar char- 

 acter. Thenceforward, the interaction of these surfaces 

 works infinitesimal movement, or mutual yielding to each 

 other in their numberless infinitesimal particles, which 

 nevertheless retain permanent cohesion by the same law 

 that unites the more fixed particles of the solid metal ; a 

 stateof movement in stability, foreign to our sensible im- 

 pression from solids, yet quite as conceivable as the 

 universal molecular motion supposed to constitute heat. 

 A mechanical union of metallic substances seems to be 

 realized, as different in effect as in method — and yet per- 

 haps not so different in principle — from the results of co- 

 fusion or amalgamation. 



There is nothing in experience to indicate abrasion be- 

 tween these surfaces, except from the gradual breaking off 

 of the high points which the microscope reveals on the 

 surface of the most highly polished journal, projecting 

 above the metaline surface. In the course of years of 

 running on heavy bearings, these points (which so rapidly 

 blacken oil where it is used as the lubricant), become dis- 

 lodged in such quantity as to cover the surfaces with 

 rigid specks looking like emery under the glass. To pre- 

 vent this, it is found adv isable, once in two or three years, ac- 

 cording to circumstances, to replug the bushing or box with 

 metaline (again projecting a hair's breadth) so as replace 

 that which is removed. By this means the bearings im- 

 prove with use and progressively acquire a higher and 

 higher finish, such, as tested by the microscope, that it 

 is impossible to approximate it by any other method of fin- 

 ishing. Running in oil, on the contrary, wears out jour- 

 nals and misshapes boxes. The longest periods for which 

 journals have as yet been run in metaline — say ten years 

 — have developed no heating or wear, if the bushings have 

 been properly cleaned and replugged once in two or three 

 years. A " shakeless fit " can be secured with metaline, 

 which, as before remarked, would render movement im- 

 possible with any mere interposed lubricant. Journals in 

 metalined bearings, under the heaviest weight, or at the 

 highest rate of speed (as in spindles and polishing lathes) 



