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- Steam Engine Lubricator, 1882 - African American mechanical engineer Elijah McCoy patented this version of his of lubricator in 1882. The many moving parts on a steam locomotive required constant lubrication, and crews had to apply oil regularly. McCoy's lubricator automatically deposited metered amounts of oil, reducing the need for manual lubrication.

- 1882
- Collections - Artifact
Steam Engine Lubricator, 1882
African American mechanical engineer Elijah McCoy patented this version of his of lubricator in 1882. The many moving parts on a steam locomotive required constant lubrication, and crews had to apply oil regularly. McCoy's lubricator automatically deposited metered amounts of oil, reducing the need for manual lubrication.
- Elijah McCoy: Specification for Improvement in Apparatus in Oiling Slide Valves, Filed March 12, 1887 - Canadian-American inventor Elijah McCoy developed a mechanical lubricator to oil the slide valves on a steam locomotive. McCoy's device automatically supplied measured amounts of oil to the valve, reducing the need for crews to lubricate it manually. McCoy received a patent on his invention in 1872. He refined the device many times. This patent is for an 1887 modification.

- March 12, 1887
- Collections - Artifact
Elijah McCoy: Specification for Improvement in Apparatus in Oiling Slide Valves, Filed March 12, 1887
Canadian-American inventor Elijah McCoy developed a mechanical lubricator to oil the slide valves on a steam locomotive. McCoy's device automatically supplied measured amounts of oil to the valve, reducing the need for crews to lubricate it manually. McCoy received a patent on his invention in 1872. He refined the device many times. This patent is for an 1887 modification.
- Hydrostatic Lubricator for Locomotives, circa 1920 - Inventor Elijah McCoy developed a mechanical lubricator to oil the many moving parts on a steam locomotive. McCoy's device automatically deposited measured amounts of oil, reducing the need for crews to oil parts manually. This model, from about 1920, is an improved version of McCoy's original design patented in 1872.

- circa 1920
- Collections - Artifact
Hydrostatic Lubricator for Locomotives, circa 1920
Inventor Elijah McCoy developed a mechanical lubricator to oil the many moving parts on a steam locomotive. McCoy's device automatically deposited measured amounts of oil, reducing the need for crews to oil parts manually. This model, from about 1920, is an improved version of McCoy's original design patented in 1872.