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Grease fittings on BB

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coasterbrakejunkie1969

Riding a '38 Autocycle Deluxe
I have this old bike I think it was badged Corsair. It has 2 fittings on the BB and on on the head tube. Are these original or were they added? Sorry for no close ups but they are there one fitting on either side of seat tube. You can see them on the BB are they called Zerks or is that a nick name?

IMG_1497.jpg
 
Westfield built girls bike; the Alemite fittings were about 1937 or so, for Sears bicycles, and not sure if for any other retailers, but Murray also provided the feature for Sears.

Not sure when they skipped the lower fitting at the head tube, perhaps instead relying on gravity; or was that just a Murray thing?

Serial numbers might indicate a 1937-B/D or so; with the single support tube between the two down tubes.
 
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In the automotive world, colloquially, Zerk and Alemite were grease fitting manufacturers or inventors or something. a Zerk fitting is the sort we use today, but it didn't originally lock in place, and an Alemite fitting is an earlier thing with 2 pins on the side that you twist to lock. In those days the fittings may not have always been used for grease, "oil guns" also existed for very heavy oil. The oil was most likely steam cylinder oil, aka 600W.

The truth is much more complicated than that, and is a rabbit hole. I won't try to explain it because I don't understand it.
 
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