US1979447A

US1979447A - Railway and tramway rail and wheel flange lubrication

Info

Publication number: US1979447A
Application number: US647030A
Authority: US
Inventors: Butcher Edwin George; Jupe William Edmund
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1932-07-11
Filing date: 1932-12-13
Publication date: 1934-11-06
Anticipated expiration: 1951-11-06

Description

Nov. 6, 1934. 1,979,447

RAILWAY AND TRAMWAY RAIL ANDWHEEL FLANGE LUBRICATION -E. G. BUTCHER 'ETAL I Filed Dec. 15. 1932 gmmw MSW, M

I ".mwnico ge were.

'Walesand Wi l am E ANDTBAMWAYRAIL AND- WHEEL WELANGELUBR/ICATION l g M p I 1,979,447

wahmnza. Ni s u i dm md June. Ea tw od, I

. w see was: Austral-la I Application December-13 1932. Serial: No. 647.030.

.4 .In Australia July. 1 1,- .1932

This; invention relates to improved methods and improved means for reducing the wear of rails at curves on a railway or-tramwaytraek-and of-the wheel fla-nges or therollihg 'stoclr, due to-contact no}; of thewheel flanges with-theside of the rail head,

by the automatic "application of small quantities of fluid lubrican-tt o the heel flanges-before suchcon'tactoccurs. I I

- Our" invention comprises the positioning of a fluid l-ubrica nt container; whichfunctions as a distributor,-paralleltoand nearer in contact with the inner side of-a railfhead-in sucha manner that destruction-or mutilation ofthe containerbythe wheelflanges is prevented; automatic {and tintermittentfeeding of lubricant to the container froma source'bf supplyr-thedelivery of small quantitiesoflubricant to the exterior ofthe contamer-2 the removal of portion ofthese quantities bythe wheel flanges; and thefremovaiand-col lection 'forfurtheruse of excess deliveries of lubricanwmm thedistributorifl I l the accompanying drawing which illustrates the in-ventionz i i I Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the device-positioned mime ashram I "Fig.2 isasimilar view of a containerand supporting springs; I l Fig. 3 is a sectional end elevation of the device inFigr2positioned on ara-il I I WEI Fig. iisanend elevation of the tongue in Fig. 3;-

' Figlfi' asectional end elevation of another formofcontainer; c I I I I I Fig. 6*is" an enlarged perspective view of portion oftlie-tongue of Fig. 5; I I Fig; 7 and Fig. 8-are sectional elevations showing other formsofcontact members; I i

- Fig; 9 ishiront-elevation of a portion of th I lower lip orthe containerinFig;7; I

Fig. 10 is asiniilar view of-the under faceof 'ithefccntactmeinbei' orrig. '7 I I FigL-lil is-a sectional elevation of a supply tank A lubricant container 10, formed. preferably, of V sheet metal or other stiff yet flexible material, "is .1: of approximately triangular cross section and formedjwith a delivery mouth near its apex; the mouth being a longitudinal slot or a series of spaced holesg-the container is mounted ametal trough 11 and resiliently supported as, foreigampie, w steel wires -12, -12 which are adjustably secnredto spring plates Band to suitable fixed. supports 1 4; 14 on thextrack bed; v Another form of resilient mounting for the container andtrdughlFigs. 2and '31) icomprises "is? 1ea1;springs:-.15,,,.15 each secured-to a :steelplate 1161,

1 fingers 26A which return the which isfastened to thef foot of a-rail bya lug 1'? anda moyablel atch 18. The otherend of each spring is secured to the trough 11 by a bolt 19 which passes through the trough andis extended to contact with the'web of the rail. In this-form of the invention the inner wall'j 20 of the I trough is adapted to contact withthe under face of the rail head andby adjusting the length of the wall ZO the apex of the container may be positioned as desired inrelation to the innerface ZI of-the rail head. I --The-resilient mountings of the container are so arranged and adjusted thatpres'sure bythewheel flanges oftherolling stock forc e's the container and trough downwards andretains them in that position and thus preventsdestruction or mutilation of the. container and trough by the wheel flanges; the upper outer ends of the container being bevelled off to minimize the initial actionof the first oncoming wheel flange. I

The rail-side wall 2219f the container (Figs. 3, 5, 7 and 8) is extended to form a relativelyfixed upper lip 23 which is outwardly turned and functions as a directing lip of the mouth for lubricant which is forced into the top' of the container. The container-wall 24 remote -from the rail is provided with a relatively movable inwardly directed lower lip 25." Theselips for themouth of the container. I I I *In Figs. 3,5, and Sthemouth of the container is fitted with ai'netal tongue. 26 providedwith m a portion of means positioned in the line of travel of the wheel flanges of the rollingstock fcr contact therewith. The outer ends of these means are also bevelled ofl The tongue 26 (Fig. 3) c is loose inthe container and is provided on its lower inner face with spring tongue to its original contacting position. I

The tongue 26 (Figs. 5 andfi) is supported on the -1ower lip '25 and is fitted with an inwardly I and upwardly directed perforated member 27,

which tends to restrict the mouth of the container, and with an outwardly curved and downward'ly directed movable contact member 28. This contact member 28 maybe injthe form of a longitudinal rod (Figs. 3 and 8), and in Fig. '7 is shown as a contact wiper which is resiliently mounted on leaf springs 29. I l j Theton'gue 26-of Fig. 8 is secured to the lower 1ip25. U V

AsshowninFig. 7 thecontact wiper 28 is positioned over the container mouth whichis in the.

form of spaced holes 30 in the lower lip (Fig.9) I

Denressions. 3:1 and openchannels 32 (Fig. 10)

are formed in the inner face of the member 28 in correspondence with the holes 30 and are adapted to be moved downwards by the wheel flanges into alignment with the holes so that lubricant 5 passes to the top of the member 28 and thence to the wheel flanges. When the wheels pass on the springs 29 automatically lift member 28 so that the holes 30 are closed and unnecessary leakage from the container is prevented while the,

to device is not being operated.

The pressure of wheel flanges on each contact member 28 forces the member inwards anddoWnwards so that the capacity of the container near the upper end of the wall 22 or portion of this 5 capacity is reduced by the movement of the tongue 26 or by the movement of the upper portion of the wall 24 or by both movements.

Excessive upward movement of the container and trough due to the resilience of the mountings go is prevented by means of adjustable stops 33 fitted into fixed supports 34 on the track (Fig. 1) or to the contact of the Wall 20 (Fig. 3) with the rail head.

A lubricant supply tank consists of a liquidand air-tight chamber 35 provided with a filter 35A and an air sealing cap 36. By means of adjustable nuts 45 on studs 46 mounted on a bar 47 which is secured to the foot of a rail by adjustable lugs 48, the tank is mounted at a height So: sufiicient to establish and maintain lubricant at an approximately constant level in the container during the periods of inoperation of the container.

A lubricant trap 37 is secured to the tank and is fitted with an air inlet'pipe 38 and a delivery mouth 39 to which is attached a flexible pipe line 40 in communication with the container 10. To prevent return of lubricant from the pipe to the trap a check valve 41 may be fitted in the pipe line.

An aperture 41 in the partition wall at a convenient height therein serves as a means of communication between the chamber 35 andthe trap 37.

The tank, trap, pipe line, and container 10 are supplied with lubricant to the desired level; Passage of a wheel flange of the rollingistock into contact with member 28 produces lateral and downward pressure on the tongue 26 and or on the upper portion of the wall 24 of the container so that the capacity of the upper portion of the container or that portion of the capacity lying between the tongue and the wall 22 is reduced and lubricant is thereby forced upwards and directed outwardly by the upper lip 23 on to the wheel flange at its junction with the tread of the wheel. The flange thus lubricated transfers a portion of the lubricant to a wearing part 42 (Fig. 3) of a rail head at a curve in the track, thus reducing wear of the rail head and of the wheel flanges contacting therewith.

Excess lubricant delivered from the mouth of the container 10 is collected by the trough 11 and delivered by a pipe 43 to a collector 44 positioned .at a lower level than the trough. Y

On the removal of lubricant from the container by the action of the wheel flanges further supplies, to make good the loss and to restore the level of lubricant in the container, are provided by the trap 37. Flow of lubricant from the chamber 35, controlled by atmospheric pressure through the pipe 38, re-establishes the level of lubricant in the trap and, thereby, in the con tainer 10.

We claim:

an tut.

ing a lubricant-container of approximately triangular cross-section, a delivery-mouth near the apex of said container fitted with a relatively fixed upper directing-lip and a relatively movable lower lip, a movable tongue supported by said lower lip, a contact member on said tongue, and adjustable resilient mountings adapted to positionthe apex of said container adjacent to thev inner side of a rail-head and said contact member in the line of travel of a wheel-flange.

2. A rail and wheel-flange lubricator comprising a lubricant-container of approximately triangular cross-section, a delivery-mouth near the apex of said container provided with an outwardly turned upper directing-lip and an inwardly directed lower lip, a tongue mounted in said mouth fitted with an inwardly and upwardly perforated member and with an outwardly and downwardly directed contact member adapted to be positioned in the line of travel of a wheelflange, and adjustable resilient mountings adapted to position the apex of said container adjacent to the inner side of a rail-head.

3. A rail and wheel-flange lubricator compris- I ing a lubricant-container of approximately triangular cross-section, a delivery-mouth near the apex of said container fitted with an outwardly turned directing upper lip and an inwardly directed lower lip, and outwardly directed tongue secured to said lower lip, a contact member se cured to the outer end of said tongue adapted to be positioned in the line of travel of a Wheelflange, and adjustable resilient mountings adapted to positionthe apexof said container adjacent to the inner side of a rail-head. no

4. A rail and wheel-fiangelubricator comprising a lubricant-container of approximately triangular cross-section of flexible material having a delivery-mouth near its apex, adjustable resilient mountings adapted to position the apex of said container adjacent to the inner side of a rail-head, and the outer wall of said container being adapted to be moved toward the wall adjacent to the rail.

5. A rail and Wheel-flange lubricator comprising a lubricant-container of approximately triangular cross-section, a delivery-mouth near the apex of said container, a supply-tank, a pipe connecting said tank and container, a lubricant-trap in the supply line between said tank and container, an air-inlet for said trap, and adjustable V mountings adapted to position the apex of said container adjacent to the side of a rail-head. A

6. A rail and wheel-flange lubricator comprising a lubricant-container having a deliverymouth formed with a relatively fixed upper directing-lip and a relatively. movable lower lip, a movable tongue supported by said lower lip, a contact member on said tongue adapted to be positioned in the line of travel of a wheel-flange, and means adapted yieldingly to position the mouth adjacent to the side of a rail-head.

7. A rail and wheel-flange lubricator comprising a lubricant-container having a deliverymouth formed with an outwardly turned upper directing lip and an inwardly directed lower lip, a tongue mounted within the mouth having an inwardly and upwardly directed perforated and an outwardly and downwardly directed contact member adapted to be positioned in the line of travel of a wheel-flange, and means adapted yieldingly to positionthe mouth adjacent to the side of a rail-head.

8. A rail and wheel-flange lubricator comprising. a lubricant-container having a delivery-150 tending rail-abutting and outer walls with a delivery-mouth between the upper edges thereof, a yieldable tongue in said mouth capable of being pressed by a wheel-flange toward said railabutting wall whereby to squeeze lubricant from the mouth, and means for mountingsaid lubricator with its mouth adjacent to the side of a rail-head.

EDWIN GEORGE BUTCHER.

WILLIAM EDMUND JUPE.