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I stumbled across this picture on a French website.
Does anyone know how it works? It's a thingy to lube the chain, I get that much but....

Has anyone seen this before?
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Just guessing. Perhaps there's supposed to be a felt wiper in the end of the copper tube that brushes oil on the chain? Maybe the down tube is an oil reservoir and the big screw is turned to adjust the flow of oil??
Looks like a filler cap for the bottom bracket on that bike too. Must be one well oiled machine.
 
It seems to be an option on old high end European bikes. Integrated chain lube reservoir. I don't think that picture is missing any parts, just slowly drips oil on the chain. I think I remember @us56456712 just installed one...
 
Osgear-drivetrain.jpg
Looks like it could be a French Boisis by the pin striping but I'm sure others used this type of striping. I have never seen a chain oiler like this. I have seen an old American cruiser bike with an oil cup on the chain guard, but that is it. I have at least 3 bikes with BB oiler cups but no chain oilers. It may be for riding on dusty roads, which was common in the early days where there was less pavement. Some old English road bikes had grease fitting on the head tube. That is one crazy Rube Goldberg oiler. It must be a road bike, I don't think all that oil would be appreciated on a board track. It looks like it has a cable on the chain stay so it probably has a Super Champion 3 or 4 speed cassette. Also looks like wood wheels, which would most likely make it older than 1938, which is when the French started using alloy rims on the higher end bikes. Found a picture of a 1937 Claud Buttler bike with a Super Champion Derailleur and this chain oiler. It looks like the button is an oil reservoir and it rotates so that when you want oil you turn the oil tube down toward the chain
 
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View attachment 110770 Looks like it could be a French Boisis by the pin striping but I'm sure others used this type of striping. I have never seen a chain oiler like this. I have seen an old American cruiser bike with an oil cup on the chain guard, but that is it. I have at least 3 bikes with BB oiler cups but no chain oilers. It may be for riding on dusty roads, which was common in the early days where there was less pavement. Some old English road bikes had grease fitting on the head tube. That is one crazy Rube Goldberg oiler. It must be a road bike, I don't think all that oil would be appreciated on a board track. It looks like it has a cable on the chain stay so it probably has a Super Champion 3 or 4 speed cassette. Also looks like wood wheels, which would most likely make it older than 1938, which is when the French started using alloy rims on the higher end bikes. Found a picture of a 1937 Claud Buttler bike with a Super Champion Derailleur and this chain oiler. It looks like the button is an oil reservoir and it rotates so that when you want oil you turn the oil tube down toward the chain

It might work even simpler. You just fill up the copper tube with oil, spin the chain and turn the oiler tube down so it all runs out on the spinning chain?
 
It might work even simpler. You just fill up the copper tube with oil, spin the chain and turn the oiler tube down so it all runs out on the spinning chain?
At first thought, that seems a bit overengineered... Why not just put the oil on the chain? But, when you think of it, during a looong race, that's perfect! The rider can easily do it by them selfe.
840b4915103adff2822fd14223300c53.jpg


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Thank you so much everyone.
And a happy new year to you all!
(4,5h left of 2019 in Stockholm)

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Just fantasizing:

Maybe the rider operates a pump, while cycling and pumping with his butt on the saddle of his bike. When things go uphill and the chain needs more oil... he knows what to do :p

But seriously, I think your pants will get quite nasty with such a greasy chain. It looks quite nice with the copper tube!
 

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