US2182205A

US2182205A - Railway journal lubricator

Info

Publication number: US2182205A
Application number: US116058A
Authority: US
Inventors: James J Hennessy
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1936-12-16
Filing date: 1936-12-16
Publication date: 1939-12-05
Anticipated expiration: 1956-12-05

Description

Dec. 5, 1939. J. J. HENNESSY RAILWAY JOURNAL LUBRI CATOR Filed Dec. 16, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet l I: T A d .n 1|.IFLIEkE. M L ,7 m." I/ u FFML 0 7 J v. y f m 1 w n I 4 J7;

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Dec. 5, 1939. J. J. HENNESSY 2,132,205

RAILWAY JOURNAL LUBRICATQR Filed Dec. 16, 1956 2 Sheets-$heet 2 Patented Dec. 5, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 14 Claims.

The invention relates to railway journal lubricators of the type which utilize the transverse motion of the journal in the journal box to actuate a mechanical pump to supply lubricant from a reservoir at the bottom of the box to the journal, preferably through a distributor adapted to spread the lubricant over a substantial area of the journal.

It is difiicult to insert a device of substantial size into an ordinary outside bearing box, the floor of which extends beneath the journal and then upwardly and outwardly beyond the end of the journal to an opening which is above the level of the bottom of the journal. The main object of the present invention is to construct a device of the class described so that it may be readily applied to and removed from a journal box and beneath the journal without removing the journal box from the journal.

It is a more detailed object of the invention to form in relatively short sections a distributor large enough to apply lubricant to the entire length of the journal, there being structure whereby all the sections when in operative position may function as a single unit.

Another detailed object is to provide substantial pumping capacity without necessarily using a large diameter or long stroke pump. Thereby the size of the pump structure may be kept, small enough to permit the pump section to be readily applied to and removed from the box with the journal in normal position therein.

Another object of the invention is to simplify the construction and render it economical so that the device may have commercial possibilities, a low first and maintenance cost and ease of installation being requisite for any device which is intended for use in large quantities on railway rolling stock.

These and other detail objects of the invention which will appear from the following description are attained by the structure illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is an individual vertical section through an ordinary American Association of Railroads journal box and a lubricating device embodying the invention, the section being taken on the line l-l of Figure 3 and the journal being illustrated in broken lines.

Figure 2 is a section through the box taken on a plane at one side of the plane of the section shown in Figure 1 and showing the journal and most of the lubricator in side elevation although a part of the lubricator is sectioned as on the line 2-2 of Figure 3.

Figure 3 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a detail horizontal section through the pump structure and is taken approximately on the line 4-4 of Figure 1,

Figure 5 is a top view of the central unit of the lubricant distributor.

Figure 6 is largely a diagrammatic illustration indicating the manner of application and removal of the device.

Figure 7 is a detail horizontal section taken through the adjacent corners of the sides of the individual members of a modified structure.

The journal I and box 2 are of usual standardized construction and are illustrated in the relative position assumed when the box is applied to the journal with the usual bearing and wedge (not shown). The box fioor or bottom 3 curves forwardly and upwardly at 4 to the end opening 5 normally closed by a spring pressed door (not shown). The outer end of the journal includes the usual collar 6 provided for retaining the bearing and wedge in place and the rear end of the box has the usual pocket 1 for a dust guard (not shown) which also serves as a retainer for lubricant tending to flow inwardly from the journal or to be splashed upwardly from the bottom of the box. The bottom of the box serves as a reservoir for lubricant L which may be poured therein to the level indicated.

The body of the lubricant device comprises a plurality of pan-like sections ll, 12 and I3, each including a flat bottom l4, upright ends IS, with their upper edges conforming to the contour of the bearing, and side walls It extending upwardly a substantial distance above the bottom of the bearing.

Attached to each body section are springs 11 adapted normally to support the body section at the desired height but also adapted to be compressed as indicated at l 8 (Figure 6) to permit the body member to be passed between the lower outer corner of the journal and the adjacent portion of the box floor.

The upper corners of body section side walls adjacent to each other are movably connected to each other so that each section may be moved relative to the adjacent section as indicated, for example, in Figure 6. This connection may take the form of a lug 19 fixed to one side wall and pivoted to the adjacent side wall. Attached to the end walls of the center body section l2 are arcuate gaskets 20 which function, when the parts are in the position shown in Figure 1, to form a' substantial seal between section l2 and sections I! and I3 to prevent too rapid a flow of oil out of the sections downwardly into the crevices be-. tween them.

Carried by center section I 2 is a lubricant pump body 2|. This may be formed separately from the sheet metal pan section and secured thereto as shown in Figure 3, or may be readily formed as an integral part of the latter if the section is cast.

Body 2! preferably includes a pair of pump cylinders 22 (Figure 4), individual inlet passages 23 therefor, and individual discharge passages 24 leading to an outlet 25 at the base of an upwardly extending hollow boss 26 (Figure 1). A distributor plate 27 has a hollow sleeve fitting over boss 26 and is yieldingly supported on the pump body by a spring 28 so as to be thrust upwardly into contact with journal I Plate 2'! may be made of cruciform contour (Figure 5) with grooves 29 and til leading directly from the central lubricant receiving well 3| to permit free flow of lubricant pumped by the distributor pump directly to extended portions of the journal. Legs of the plate extending longitudinally of the journal are corruated at each side of groove 29, as indicated at 32, .to facilitate the distribution of the lubricant.

Surrounding plate 27 are a plurality of felt pads 33 disposed vertically with their lower edges resting on the bottom of plate 21 and with their upper edges cut arcuately to fit the lower face of journal I. Similar pads 34 in sections H and I3 cooperate with pads 33 to distribute the oil by capillary attraction substantially throughout the length of the bearing engaging portion of the journal and for a substantial portion of its width.

Obviously the oil distributed by the felt pads comprises the surplus flowing from the ends of the grooves 29 and M or spreading along the surface of the journal beyond the body of plate 21. The pads are held in place in their respective sections by wires, as indicated at 56, Figure 3.

Individual pump pistons 35 are reciprocated in cylinders 22 by a common cross bar 36 which is moved to the left by spring-pressed plunger 37 having a stem 33 slidably in a recess 39 in pump body 2|. Bar 36 is moved to the right by a actuator 48 slidably mounted on the bottom of section I! and impelled by element 49 arranged to contact with the vertical faces of journal collar 6.

Depending from nipples 42 on the pump body are intake elements d3, preferably of rubber or fabric to provide flexibility and having their lower ends enclosed with screens M. Check valves 45 and it are located in the intake and discharge passages, respectively.

As the journal plays back and forth in the box, pump pistons 35 are reciprocated in the pump cylinders to draw lubricant from the reservoir through intakes it into the pump body and to discharge it therefrom through conduit 26 to the distributor plate and the journal.

The springs normally have sufiicient frictional contact with the box bottom 3 to hold the lubri cator stationary but in the event the initial placing of the lubricator is too far to the front or the rear, or in the event of any unusual longitudinal movement of the journal beyond the range of the pump stroke, the lubricator may be moved bodily Without'injury as there is no positive engagement of any of its parts to prevent such movement.

It will be apparent from the above description that the device is susceptible to economical manufacturing processes; is readily applied to and re moved from the operating position in the journal box, and is adapted to use in journal boxes of varying depth and with varying diameters of journals.

By using two pump cylinders and pistons as illustrated, the pump body may be made of re duced depth to accommodate the restricted clearance between the journal and the box when the device is applied and removed, and at the same time maintaining adequate pump capacity. It Will be understood the duplicate pump structure is not essential to the invention.

The body sections may be joined by pin and slot connections instead of the pivotal connections shown, and it is not important that the sections be permanently assembled. It is desirable, however, that they are provided withsome form of retention means to hold them assembled as a unit when they are in operative position.

Figure 7 illustrates a modification in which one section 50 includes an oifset corner having a circular lug -52, arranged to slide over and interengage with and pivot in a cooperating recess 53 in the next section 5 whereby the parts may be yieldingly maintained in assembled relation during operation yet may be readily disassembled for application and removal to and from the box.

These and other variations in the structure may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention and the exclusive use of such modifications as come within the scope of the claims is contemplated.

What is claimed is:

1. In a device of the class described, a lubricant retainer and distributor for application to a railway axle journal and comprising a plurality of interconnected sections with journal engaging surfaces alined with each other longitudinally of the device 'when'the sections are in functioning position and constructed to be moved out of such alinement to facilitate application to and removal 7 from the usual journal and journal box assembly in which the lower edge of the box opening is above the level of the bottom of the journal, adjacent sections being provided with elements substantially sealing the spaces between the sections to form a single pan-like unit for liquid lubricant.

2. In a device of the class described, a lubricantdistributor for application to a railway axle journal and comprising a plurality of lubricant retaining and distributing elements normally arranged With their journal contacting surfaces in a straight line longitudinally of the device, rigid sections mounting said elements and pivoted'to each other to provide for angular relation between the sections to accommodateinsertion and removal of the device to and from a journal box through a space too restricted to accommodate the passage of the distributing elements in their normal functioning relation, sald sections being provided with intermediate gaskets forming seals between adjacent sections whereby a pan-like unit is formed to retain liquid lubricant and to prevent free flow of oil downwardly between said sections.

3. In a device of the class described, a plurality of sections having lubricant distributing material and hinged to each other to form a longitudinally straight lubricant distributing surface from end to end of the device and to swing into angular relationship to facilitate application and removal of the device to and from the journal and journal box, a lubricant pump carried by one of said sections, and a pump operating member carried on another of said sections, the mounting of said pump and member being independent of each other.

4. In a device of the class described, a plurality of sections having. lubricant distributing material and hinged to each other to form a longitudinally straight lubricant distributing surface from end to end of the device and .to swing int'o angular relationship to facilitate application and removal of the device to and from the journal and journal box, a lubricant pump cylinder and piston carried by one of said sections, and a piston operating member carried by another of said sections, said cylinder and piston and said member being mounted on the respec tive sections independently of each other and movable with their sections into and out of cooperating relationship.

5. In a device of the class described, a plurality of sections movably secured to each other and constructed and arranged to fit around the lower portion of a railway axle journal, yielding means for supporting said sections spaced substantially from the bottom of a box applied to said journal, a lubricant pump structure carried by one of said sections, an intake structure depending from and freely movable relative to said pump structure, and a pump actuating structure carried by one of said sections.

6. A device as described in claim 5 in which some of the structure is mounted on one of the sections and some of the structure is independently mounted on another of the sections.

'7. In a device of the class described, a panlike member shaped to fit around the lower portion of a railway axle journal, lubricant distributing material therein, means for yieldingly supporting said member a substantial distance above the floor of a journal box carried on said journal, an element mounted to slide on said member longitudinally of said journal and projecting outwardly from said member and arranged to engage a vertically disposed surface on said journal and to be moved thereby, another member provided with a pump and movably attached to said first mentioned member so as to assume a position relative thereto to place said pump and element in predetermined relation, there being an operative connection between said pump and element, said membersbeing movable into an angular relation with each other to facilitate application to and removal from the journal and journal box, the structure including means yieldingly holding said members in pump operating relation.

8. In a device of the class described, a plurality of pan-like lubricant retaining sections each having a bottom arranged to underlie a railway journal and having upstanding ends with their upper edges shaped to correspond to the lower portion of the journal cross-section contour and having upstanding sides arranged to extend parallel with the journal, said sections being arranged end to end, a pivotal connection between the upper corner of one of said sides on one of said sections and the adjacent upper corner of the corresponding side of another of said sections, and means carried by said sections for mechanically pumping lubricant to said journal.

9. In a device of the class described, a plurality of sections having lubricant distributing material and hinged to each other to form a longitudinally straight lubricant distributing surface from end to end of the device and to swing into angular relationship to facilitate application and removal of the device to and from the journal and journal box, a lubricant pump cylinder and piston carried by one of said sections with the outer end of said piston terminating substantially abreast of the end of said section, and a piston operating member carried by another of said sections with the end of said member terminating adjacent to the corresponding end of said latter mentioned section,

said ends of said piston and said member being juxtaposed when said sections cooperate to form a straight-line lubricant-distributing surface.

10. In a device of the class described, a panlike member shaped to fit around the lower portion of a railway axle journal, lubricant distributing material therein, means for yieldingly supporting said member a substantial distance above the floor of a journal box carried on said journal, a pair of pump cylinders arranged abreast of each other horizontally carried by said member, pistons therein, means for actuating said pistons by the lateral play of the journal in the box, and pump intake structure depending from said member to enter lubricant into the bottom of the box and movable relative to said member in a vertical plane.

11. In a device of the class described, a panlike member shaped to fit around the lower portion of a railway axle journal, lubricant distributing material therein, means for yieldingly supporting said member a substantial distance above the floor of a journal box carried on said journal, a pair of pump cylinders arranged abreast of each other horizontally carried by said member, pistons therein, a single device adapted to be engaged by a vertical surface on the journal to be moved lengthwise of the journal as the latter plays in the box, and a connection between said device and both of said pistons for actuating the latter.

12. In a device of the class described, body structure comprising hinged sections each having yielding supporting means arranged for mounting upon the floor of a journal box, a pump including a cylinder formed in one of said sections and an intake passage to said cylinder and a discharge passage from said cylinder and a piston in said cylinder, and a piston actuating member movably mounted in another of said sections and arranged to engage opposite sides of a journal collar for reciprocatory movement of said member relative to said body as the journal plays in the box.

13. In a device of the class described, a lubricant distributor for application to a railway axle journal and comprising a plurality of separately formed sections movably assembled with each other, each section containing individual lubricant distributing elements movable to and from each other during the application and removal of the device to and from a box, there being means between said sections substantially sealing the latter from the loss of lubricant therebetween when the sections are in functioning position.

14. In a device of the class described, a plurality of sections having lubricant distributing material and adapted when placed in a contiguous position to form a longitudinally straight lubricant distributing surface substantially continuous from end to end of the device, said sections beingconstructed and arranged to move into relative angular relationship to facilitate application and removal of the device to and from the journal and journal box, a. lubricant pump carried by one of said sections, and a- JAS. J. HENNESSY.