12.05-5: Detroit Lubricator 1940 Fuel Oil Pressure Regulating, By-Pass Valve

Description:

A fuel oil pressure regulating, by-pass valve, beautifully crafted and styled for the discerning eye in brass/bronze. It exemplifies the range of peripheral devices engineered by a new generation of technology manufacturers, starting in the late 1920’s, innovators and suppliers to the automatic oil heating market. Together, they built the system of interacting and mutually supporting components and parts required for safe, efficient, reliable, automatic home heating in Canada, Detroit Lubricator, Circa 1940

Image Gallery (2 Images)

Group:

12.05 Pressure Atomizing Oil Burner Equipment and Systems - Firing Assemblies

Make:

Detroit Lubricator

Manufacturer:

Detroit Lubricator Company, Detroit Mich.

Model:

Type S15

Serial No.:

CRC 470

Size:

5 x 3 x 7’ h

Weight:

3 lbs.

Circa:

1940

Rating:

Exhibit, education, and research quality, exemplifies the range of peripheral devices beautifully crafted, engineered and manufactured by a new generation of companies, starting in the late 1920’s, for the automatic oil heating market

Patent Date/Number:

Provenance:

From York County (York Region) Ontario, once a rich agricultural hinterlands, attracting early settlement in the last years of the 18th century. Located on the north slopes of the Oak Ridges Moraine, within 20 miles of Toronto, the County would also attract early ex-urban development, to be come a wealthy market place for the emerging household and consumer technologies of the early and mid 20th century.

This artifact was discovered in the 1950’s in the used stock of T. H. Oliver, Refrigeration and Electric Sales and Service, Aurora, Ontario, an early worker in the field of agricultural, industrial and consumer technology.

Used on an automatic oil heating system, in an estate home, in York County [York Region] north of Toronto

Type and Design:

Brass/bronze body, with embossed Detroit Lubricator logo Beautifully embossed brass name label 3/8 inch IPS connections Adjusting stem with brass cover cap and seal Drain port Vestiges of green over coat, likely provided to blend with system and equipment

Construction:

Material:

Special Features:

Embossed Detroit Lubricator logo Beautifully embossed brass name label

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Performance Characteristics:

Operation:

Control and Regulation:

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Market Price:

Technological Significance:

Of spring compensated, piston design, this fully adjustable by-pass valve would be a technical break through in its times, allowing excess fuel oil to be automatically circulated back to the oil tank from the oil burner. Oil pump engineering would later incorporate a pressure regulating, by-pass valve function as an integral part of the pump itself, see Note 1 [See Group 12.06 historic artifacts] The device stands as a reminder that the commitment to automatic heating for the Canadian home brought with it a vast range of engineering challenges. Required would be a network of fully automated devices, mechanical, electrical and hydraulic, all of which must work together, smoothly and systemically to produce the required performance characteristics - including self-regulation, safely, reliability, efficiency, and affordability- all quite unimagined a decade earlier It exemplifies the great precision made possible in the 1930’s and 40’s, given the limited engineering materials and production machining methods of the times. It exemplifies, too, the range of peripheral devices engineered and manufactured by a new generation of companies, starting in the late 1920’s, for the automatic oil heating market, part of the system of interacting and mutually supporting components and parts required.

Industrial Significance:

Demonstrates the vast engineering know-how accumulated by fluid flow valve speciality companies of the time, here Detroit Lubricator, whose valves dominated many facets of the HVACR industry, ubiquitous through much of the 20th century [See also Group 3.01 and 3.02 historic artifacts]

Socio-economic Significance:

Suggestive of the significant economic boast to engineering manufacturing, as a spin- off from the rapid development of the automatic oil heating industry in the early and middle years of the 20th century, a welcome relief from the economic depression years.

Socio-cultural Significance:

Stands as a marker of beautifully crafted system components, styled for the discerning eye, essential system components for safe, efficient, reliable, automatic home heating in Canada in the pre W.W.II years.

Donor:

G. Leslie Oliver, The T. H. Oliver HVACR Collection

HHCC Storage Location:

Tracking:

Bibliographic References:

See ‘Service on Pressure Burners, Details on Handling Oil Pumping Troubles, J. W. Schulz, Better Oil Heating, A Service Guide, Fueloil and Oil Heating, N.Y., 1959

Notes:

Related Reports: