US2183727A

US2183727A - Rail lubricating apparatus

Info

Publication number: US2183727A
Application number: US89499A
Authority: US
Inventors: Stern Charles
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1936-07-08
Filing date: 1936-07-08
Publication date: 1939-12-19
Anticipated expiration: 1956-12-19

Description

c. STERN RAIL LUBRICATING APPARATUS Filed July a, 193e 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR BY www ATTORNEY Dec. .19, 1939. c. STERN 2,183,727

` RAIL LUBRIGATING APPARATUS Filed July 8, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 m INVENTOR BY n ' ATTORNEY Dec. 19, 1939. c. STERN 2,183,727

RAIL. LUBRCATING APPARATUS Filed July 8, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 :r INVENTOR (Mgg. JQ q g E ATTORNEY Decz. 19,'1939. c. STERN l RAIL LUBRICATING APPARATUS Filed July 8,` 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 19, 1939 y UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1c claims.

This invention relates to raillubricating apparatus.

An object of this invention is to-provide apparatus of the character described, operated by the wave of a rail when a train passes there over, for depositing lubricant on the headof a rail, the construction being such that the ap paratuswill operate to discharge lubricant even with relatively small movements of the rail, while permitting adjustment of the amount of lubricant discharged.y v

A further objectof this inventionfis to pro- `vide in apparatus of `the character described, highly improved means for depositing lubricant lon the rail head and wheel flanges, constructed 4.so as not to be subject to pounding from the :flanges of the wheels .passing over the rail, whereby to insure long life without material wear. I

A still further object of` this invention is to provide apparatus of the character f described adapted to be arranged in various positions with respect to the rails land in which the operating mechanism for forcing thegrease from its reser- Voir, is not anchored to the rail while being actuated thereby,to facilitate installation.

Another object of this invention is to provide in apparatus of the characterdescribed, a lubri cant tank of relatively large capacity, which may nevertheless be lconveniently embedded in the roadbed between a pair of adjacent ties.

Still another object of this invention is to provide compact anddurablerail lubricating apparatus of the character described, which shall be relatively-inexpensive to manufacture, `com-` prise few and simple parts, be positive in operation, easy to install and adjust, and withal, prac# tical and'eflicient to a high degree in use;

Other objects of this invention will in part be obviousand in vpart yhereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction; combinations of elements, and arrangement of parts which will be exemr plied in the construction vhereinafter described.

and of which the scope of application will be indicated in the vfollowing claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which is shown one of the, various possibleillustrative embodiments-of this invention,

Fig. 1 is a top planview of lubricating apparatus embodying .the invention installedwto lubricatearail; y

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional View takenon line 2-2`of Fig.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken on line 3-3of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken on line 4-4 of'Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional vie taken online 5-5 of Fig. 1; f

Fig. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. '7 is a cross-sectional View taken on line 1-1 of Fig. 5;

Fig. Sis a top plan View of a lubricant-dis-` charge device, forming part of myfinvention, with parts broken away to show the interior'con` struction;

Fig. 49 is a top plan View of one end'of the clamp for mounting the discharge device;

Fig. l() is a top plan view of a tank and operating device illustrating another form of the invention;

Fig. 11 is aside elevational view of the structure shown 4in Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 isa cross-sectional view taken on line I2--I2 of Fig.11;

` Fig. 13 is a horizontal, cross-sectional view through the clutch and clutch operating mechanism shown inFig. 11; and

Figl 14 is a cross-sectional view taken on line M-Ill of Fig. 1l; and y f v Fig. 15 is a partial cross-sectional View of the upper end of the discharge device in an adjusted position Awith respect ltoA the head ofthe rail. Referring now in detail to the drawings, I0 and ladesignate a pair of parallel rails mounted on parallel transverse ties 'l I. In accordance with the invention, there is `provided apparatus for lubricating the inner surface of the head of the rail Illa. The apparatus comprises generally of a tank I3 embedded within the roadbed adjacent the rail I 0 and connected by conduit I4 to a discharge device I5 mounted on a clamp I6 fixed to said rail Illa.. The apparatus furthermore comprises operating mechanism I9 actuated by the wave of rail I0 when a train passes over the rails for forcing lubricant within the tank through the conduit I4 to said discharge device I5, whereby to deposit lubricant on the head-of said rail I 0a, as will be explained in detail hereinafter.

' The tank |3`comprises a bottom plate 20 formed with a circular raised portion 2| and an outwardly extending peripheral flange 22. The plate A20is formed with a central screw-threaded opening 23;' and also Withfa passage 24 connecting an upper surface of the raised portion 2| with an,

outer edge of the flange 22@ Mounted on the platelll, is a cylindrical member 25, the lower end whereof snugly receives the raised portion 2| of the plate and contacts flange 22.

Mounted on top of the cylindrical member 25, is a tank head or member 26, preferably in the form of a casting and having an annular horizontal flange or wall portion 21 aligned with the flange 22 and formed with a circular groove 28 on the undersurface thereof receiving the upper edge of the cylinder 25. The

flanges

22 and 21 are formed with aligned pairs of openings receiving connecting bolts 29 which serve to clamp the head 26 and the plate 26 against opposite sides of the cylinder 25. Extending from the horizontal flange or portion 21 of said member 26, are upstanding parallel side walls 30, disposed parallel to and preferablybetween the ties an upstanding end wall 3| parallel to the rails, and an upwardly and "outwardly inclined end wall 32 opposite to the wall 3i. The -

walls

30, 3| and 32 are all interconnected by a top wall 33 parallel to the flange Aor portion 21.

The end wall 3| is formed withV a screwthreaded opening 35, to which there is scr-ewed one end of the conduit I4. The top wall 33 is formed with a central boss 36, having a through opening 31 aligned with the threaded opening 23 in the bottom plate 20. The top vwall 33 is furthermore formed with an opening B0 for a screw plug 4|. When the plugr is removed, a stick may be inserted to determine the amount of lubricant in the tank. Said top wall 33 is furthermore formed with a downwardly extending boss 42, having a through opening 42a., for the purpose hereinafter appearing. Adjacent the inclined wall 32, the top wall 33 is formed with an oblong opening 43 to receive a clamping closure 44 which may be opened for the purpose of inserting lubricant into the tank. The head 26 has a horizontal bracket extension 46 at substantially the level of top wall 33, projecting from wall 3| beneath the adjacent rail i6.

Screwed within opening 23 of bottom plate 20, is a screw 50 projecting somewhat above the plate and being formed with a depression or socket at its upper surface. Journalled within the through opening31 of the boss 36, is an axial member 5| provided with a collar 52 contacting the underedge of the boss. The portion 53 of the member 5| above the collar52 is smooth, whereas the portion 54 below said collar is screwthreaded. The lower end of the member 5| is formed with a socket; and a metal balll55 is interposed between the lower endof the member 5| and the upper end of the member 56, said ball being received within the opposed sockets of said members. A packing gland may be screwed within the boss 52.

Disposed within the tank is a piston 56 comprising a plate 51 formed with a central threaded opening engaging the lthreaded portion 54 of the member 5|. Bolted to the underside of the member 51 is a plate 58 clamping thereto an annular wiper 6D engaging lthe inner surface of the cylindrical wall 25. -A vertical guide rod 6| parallel to the axial member v5| -may extend through the tank, `passing through registerirg Vopening in the plates 51, ESYandfbeing fixed at the ends thereof to the -head 26 andplate 26. It will now be understood that as the member 5| `is rotated (in the manner'to be explained hereinafter) the piston 56 will move upv or down depending upon the direction of rotation, lthe guide rod 6| preventing the piston from rotating.

The operating mechanism |9 for forcing grease within the 'tank and-above the'piston through the conduit |4, comprises a bearing 64 mounted on the bracket extension 46 and rotatably supporting a horizontal shaft 65 disposed at right angles to the rail IU. Attached to one end of the shaft 65, as by a universal joint 66, is a shaft 61. Pivoted about a vertical axis to the top wall 33 of the tank, as at 68 directly below the universal joint 66, is a bracket 69 provided with a pair of spaced bearings 10, in which the shaft 61 is rotatably supported. On said shaft 61 and between the bearings 1U, is a worm 1| meshing with a worm wheel 12 xed on the upper end of the lt'member 5|.

worm 1| in mesh with the Worm wheel 12. To

thisend, there is slidably mounted within the opening 42a`of boss 42, a pin 14 having a collar 15 at the lower end thereof. Interposed between the collar 15 and the boss 42, is a coil compression spring 11. At the upper end thereof,` pin 14 is provided with a head 18 and a handle 19. The head 18 is normally in engagement with the outer end of the bracket 69 for retaining the worm 1| in engagement with the worm wheel 12. When the piston 56 moves tolward the top, the same will engage the lower end of the pin 14 to lift the latter against the pressure of the spring 11 to raise the head 18 above the lower end of the bracket 69, thus permitting said bracket to swing about the pivot 68 to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 1, the worm 1| thus becoming disengaged from the worm wheel 12. To swing the bracket to the dotted line position in Fig. l upon release thereof, there is provided on the top wall 33 a stop 8D, a compression spring 8| being interposed between said stop and the bracket and pressing against said bracket.

On the shaft 65 is a clutch 85 adapted to be rotated by the wave motion of the rail lO, to intermittently rotate the shaft 65 when trains pass over the rail. The clutch comprises a sleeve 86 xed on the end of the shaft 65. The sleeve 86 is formed with a plurality of curved teeth 81. Rotatably mounted on said shaft 65 and between the sleeve `86 and the bearing 64, is a member 88 having an annular ange 89 surrounding the teeth 81. An annular liner 96 of hardened metal may be xed to the inner surface of the flange 89. Between the liner 9|) and the teeth, are rollers 9| disposed in the notches or spaces formed between the teeth and said liner. Springs 92 within sockets formed at the ends of the teeth 81 serve to press the rollers away from the ends of the teeth toward the shallow portions of the notches. A cover 94 frictionally fitted on the ange 89 has an end wall 95 covering the notches and retaining the rollers therein.

Integrally formed with the member 88, is an arm 91 on the upper end of which is a roller 98 engaging the undersurface of the adjacent rail l0. A spring |00 fixed to the member 88 at one end and to the bracket 46 at the opposite end, serves to maintain the roller 98 in constant engagement with the rail.

It will now be understood that when the rail is depressed the member 88 will be rotated about the shaft 65, causing the rollers 9| to grip the teeth 81 and rotate the shaft 65. rail moves up, the spring |00 will rotate the member 88 in an opposite direction without causing rotation of the sleeve 86 or shaft 65. The shaft 65 will thus be intermittently rotated when a train passes over the rail. Rotation of the When the sas' shaft 65 will cause intermittent rrotation 'of the Tscr'ew 5| in a direction for moving the piston 'upwardly to press the lubricant in the tank and above said piston, through the conduit I4 to the discharge member I5. 1

There is further mounted on the bracket 46, a friction brake 46a, having semi-cylindrical portions vengaging the sleeve 86 and preventing retrograde movement of said sleeve.v y

`A vent pipe 24a may be attached tothe base l plate 20 for communication with the interior of the tank through the passage 24, said pipe extending above the tank as shown` in' Fig. 2 4of the drawings. The tank may be supported on horizontal boards 20a and by vertical board 20h', engaging at its lower end one of the boards 20ctl and at its upper end the bracket extension '46; y It will be notedv that the distancebetween the walls 30 of the tank head 26 is less than the diameter rof the tank. Thus, should it be required to embed the tank between railA ties which are relatively close together, the tank body may be disposed beneath the ties and the tank head disposed between the ties. Thus, if the 'diameter of the tank body is greater than the distance between a pair of ties, the body may be located below the level of the ties with the head projecting between the ties.

A, The lubricant discharge device I5 is mounted on the clamp I6, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. Said clamp comprises a pair of symmetrically disposed members |05 and |06, engaging lopposite edges of the base of the rail. The

member |06 comprises an elongated folded-over channel-shaped portion |01, receiving one edge of the rail base and provided with a central depending apertured ear I 08. The member |05 likewise comprises an elongated channel-shaped portion |09 receiving the other edge of the rail base. and provided with a depending apertured ear aligned with the ear |08. A bolt IIIl passing through the ears |08, III) serves to fix the members |05, |06 to the rail. Portion |09 of clamp member |05 isI provided with a pair of spaced, horizontal, threaded openings I|2 receiving therethrough, screws II3, the inner ends whereof are adapted to engage thev outer end edge of the base of therail, as shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings. Said portion |09 is also formed with a pair of spaced vertical screw-threaded openings, into which are screwed vertical screws II'4, each provided with a pair of spaced locknuts II5. Mounted on the screws II4 and supportedby the nuts I I5, is the discharge device I5.

Said device comprises a member H preferably in the form of a casting having horizontal end extensions II'I provided with slots Illa. perpendicular to the rail, receiving therethrough the screws |I4. The lock-nuts |I5"are disposed on opposite sides of extensions II'I. The height ofthe discharge member may be regulated by suitably manipulating said lock-nuts II5.y The member ||6 has a flat upper surface |I9,and is formed with a pair of parallel elongated chambers |20, |2| both open at the top. Said chambers may be interconnected by spaced transverse openings |22. The member |I6 is furthermore formed with a central nipple |23 cornmunicating with the middle of the chamber |20. The nipple |23 is curved downwardly and is attached to one end of the conduit I 4. Said member I I6 is furthermore formed with a plurality of vertical through openings |25 for the purpose hereinafter appearing. y

On top of the member II6 and contacting the surface ||9 thereof, is a washer or gasket I 26, having a slot I 2'I registering with the chamber |2I. On the gasket |26 are a pair of thin angular symmetrically disposed plates |29 and |30, preferably made of thin sheet metal, such as sheet steel. yEach has a horizontal wall and a vertical wall. The vertical -walls'are close together forming therebetween a thin narrow slot |3|a disposed directly above and registering with the chamber I2I. are interposed between the vertical portions of the members |29, |30, adjacent the ends thereof and forming end walls for the slot |3Ia. Said plates are weldedor riveted to said vertical walls. On the horizontal portions o-f the members |29, |30, is a plate I3| formed with a slot through which the vertical portions of said members pass. The plate I3! is bolted to the member H0 by bolts |32 passing through the bolt openings |25.

lt will now be understood that lubricant pass'- ing through the conduit I4 will enter the chamber |20, pass through the openings |22 to the chamber I2! and will then be forced upwardly through the slot I 3 Ia onto the side surface of the head of the rail. The discharge member I5 may be so adjusted in height as to bring the upper edge of the members |29, |30 substantially at the lower edge of the head of the rail. The discharge device I5 furthermore may be adjusted toward the rail by loosening lock-nuts II 5. The lubricant, preferably a heavy graphite grease, passing through the slot I3|a will be discharged in a thin sheet which will coil as it is deposited on the head of the rail; As the train passes over the rails, causingwaving of the rail, the lubricant is discharged onto the side wall of the rail head and is taken up by the flanges of the wheels passing over the rail.

The discharge end of member I5 is so thin that the flanges of wheels passing over the rail will not strike or pound or contact the same, thus insuring long life without material wear. The flanges of the wheels pick up the discharged lubricant without contacting the discharge device.

In Figs. 10, l1, 12, 13 and 14 ythere is disclosed another form of operating mechanism for forcing lubricant from a tank or reservoir through a conduit to the discharge device I5. As shown in said figures, there is provided a tank Ia substantially similar to the tank I3 shown in Fig. 2. Mounted on the upper end of the axial screw 5|a of said tank is a one-way clutch 85a similar to the clutch 85 shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. The clutch 85a comprises a member 82a similar tothe member 83 of Fig. 3, but having a horizontal pin extension |40, for the purpose here inafter appearing. yThere is slidably mounted on the' tank head 26a, a release pin 14a pressed downwardly by a compression spring, and formed at its upper end with 'a slot |4I. A transverse pin |42 removably mounted at the upper end of member 14a crosses said slot. On said pin and within said slot, is a roller I 42a. Adjacent the bottom of the slot |4| is another pin |43 carrying a roller For the purpose hereinafter appearing, the tank head 26a is provided with a pair of apertured ears I 45 supporting a transverse pin I 46. Pivo-ted on said pin, is a bell crank lever |41, having one arm |48 substantially in horizontal position and projecting beneath the adjacent rail I0. Said arm |48 is formed-with a slot |40 receiving therethrough a screw |50 fixed to said arm by a pair of lock-nuts |5I. At the upper end of the screw vis`rotatably mounted a roller |52 engaging the A pair of thin metal plates |3|b underside of the rail. 'Ihe lever |41 furthermore comprises an upstanding arm |55 formed with a slot |56 at its upper end. Within said slot is a block |51 which may be fixed to the arm |55 in various adjusted positions along said arm, by a set screw |58. The blockA |51 is provided with a transverse pin |60 having projecting ends. At one end of a connecting member |6| is a bifurcated portion |62 receiving the upper end of the arm |51 and formed with apertures engaging the outer ends of said pin |68. The connecting member |6| is formed on the underedge thereof with a notch |65 engaging the pin |4|l on the clutch 85a. Said member |6| furthermore passes through the slot |4| and between rollers |42a, |44. A coil tension spring |66 interconnects the arm |55 of the bell crank |41 with the tank head 26a.

It will now be understood that as the rail |G moves up and down during passage of a train thereover, the bell crank |41 will be oscillated, in one direction by the rail and in the other direction by the spring |66. The spring |66 maintains roller |52 in contact with the underside of rail Illa. During oscillation of the bell crank, the connecting member |6| will be reciprocated to oscillate the member 88a of the clutch 85a. Such oscillation of the member 88a will intermittently rotate the screw Bla. in one direction to raise the piston for forcing the lubricant through the conduit to the discharge device. When the piston strikes the underside of the pin 14a, said pin will be lifted for raising the connecting member |6| to disengage the pin |40 from the slot |65.

A friction brake |10 may be mounted on the tank head and provided with semi-circular portions engaging opposite sides of the toothed portion 86a of the clutch. The screw 5|al may be formed with a polygonal head |1| at its upper end to receive a wrench, whereby the screw may be rotated in a direction to lower the piston after the clutch has been disengaged, so that the tank may be relled with grease. To permit such operation, the pin |42 is rst removed and member |6| swung upwardly out of engagement with pin |40.

In Fig. l5, the discharge device I is shown in an adjusted position with the slot |3|a substantially flush with the side of the rail and the vertical portion of the plate |30 substantially contacting said head and disposed therebeneath.

With such arrangement, the discharge device may be placed at the curve of the rail where the anges of the wheels press against the rail head due to centrifugal force, the lubricant being discharged into they space between the wheel flanges and the rail head, whereby the flanges wipe the lubricant against the rail head, the latter acting as a wiper without the discharge device being contacted by the flanges. A highly efficient lubrication of the rails and wheel flanges thus result.

If desired, the tanks and operating mechanisms of Figs. 2 and 1l may be installed in reverse positions at 180 from the positions shown in said figures, in which event the tanks will bey located between the rails instead of outside of the rails.

It will now also be understood that the operating mechanisms illustrated in the drawings are not attached or anchored to the rail, the rollers merely contacting the underside of the rail. Such construction simplifies installation and permits creeping of the rail without affecting the operating mechanism.

It will thus be seen that there is provided a device in which the several objects of this invention are achieved, and which is well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention, and as Various changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new my desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. Rail lubricating apparatus comprising a vertical tank, an axial screw therein, a piston nonrotatably and slidably mounted in said tank, the upper end of said screw projecting above said tank, clutch means carried wholly by the `projecting portion of said screw and means carried by said tank and controlled by the wave of a rail when a train passes thereover, for intermittently rotating said clutch means to intermittently rotate said screw to cause sliding movement of said piston, and means controlled by said piston to disconnect said clutch rotating means from said clutch means to render said clutch means inoperative.

2. Rail lubricating apparatus comprising a vertical lubricant tank adapted to be embedded within the roadbed adjacent a rail and having an axial vertical screw, a piston within the tank having a threaded connection to said screw, means to prevent rotation of said piston, a clutch on the upper end of said screw and above said tank, and a lever pivoted to said tank and engaging the rail and adapted to be moved by the wave of the rail when a train passes thereover and means operatively connecting said lever to said clutch for intermittently rotating said screw, said connecting means being disengageable from said clutch.

3. Rail lubricating apparatus comprising a vertical tank adapted to be embedded within the roadbed adjacent a rail and having a vertical axial screw, a piston within the tank having a threaded connection to said screw, means to prevent rotation of said piston within said tank, a clutch at the upper end of said screw and above said tank, a lever pivoted to said tank and having one arm engaging a rail, a connecting member interconnecting the other arm of said lever with said clutch, and a tension spring interconnecting an arm of said lever with said tank, said connecting member being disengageable from said clutch.

4. Rail lubricating apparatus comprising a vertical tank adapted to be embedded within the roadbed adjacent a rail and having a vertical axial screw, a piston within the tank having a threaded connection to said screw, means to prevent rotation of said piston within said tank, a clutch at the upper end of said screw, a lever pivoted to said tank and having one arm engaging a rail, a connecting member interconnecting the other arm of said lever with said clutch, a tension spring interconnecting an arm of said lever with said tank, and means controlled by said piston for disconnecting said connecting member from said clutch.

5. Rail lubricating apparatus comprising a lu-l bricant tank adapted to be embedded within the roadbed adjacent a rail, and havinga vertical axial screw, a piston within the tank having a threadedconnection to said screw, means to prevent'rotation of said piston Within said tank,l a one-way `clutch loperatively connected .toV said screw for intermittently rotating the latter, said clutch having an oscillating part, a lever pivoted to said tank, resilient means for vretaining said level in engagement with` the underside of said rail, and a `connecting member pivoted to said leverl and releasably engaging said part of said clutch.

46. Rail lubricating apparatus comprising a tan k,an axial, vertical screw-threaded member withiny said tank, a piston Within said tank having` a threaded connection with said screw, means tofprevent rotation of said piston within said tank, said screw having a portion projecting from said tank, a clutch on the projecting por-` tionI ofl said screw and having an oscillating part provided with a pin, vand means pivoted to said tank and engaging a rail and a member pivoted to saidfmeansA and having a notch to receive said pin.

7. Rail lubricating apparatus comprising a tank, an axial screw-threaded member Within said tank, a piston within said tank having a threaded connection with said screw, means to prevent rotation of saidpiston within said tank, said screw having a portion projecting from said tank, a clutch on the extending portion of said screw and having an oscillating part, means engaging a rail operatively interconnected to the oscillating part of the clutch, al pin slidably mounted on said tank and adapted to be moved longitudinally by said piston, and means controlled by said pin for disconnecting said last means from said clutch.

8. Rail lubricating apparatus comprising a vertical tank adapted to be embedded within the roadbed adjacent a rail and having a vertical axial screw, a piston within said tank and having a threaded connection' to said screw, means'to prevent Arotation of said piston within said tank, the upper end of said screw projecting above said tank, a clutch on said projecting portion of said screw, -a lever pivoted to said tank, a member slidab-ly mounted on an arm of said lever and having a roller engaging the underside of said rail, resilient means for maintaining said roller in engagement with said rail, said clutch having an oscillating portion provided with a projection, and a bar interconnecting said lever with said projection.

9. Rail lubricating apparatus comprising a vertical tank adapted to be embedded within the roadbed adjacent a rail and having a vertical axial screw, a piston within said tank and having a threaded connection to said screw, means to prevent rotation of said piston within said tank, the upper end of said screw projecting above said tank, a clutch on said projecting portion of said screw, a lever pivoted to said tank, a member -slidably mounted on an arm of saidlever and having a roller engaging the underside of said rail, resilient means for maintaining said roller in engagementwith said rail, said clutch having an oscillating portion provided with a projection, a bar interconnecting said lever with said projection, a vertical member slidably mounted on said tank and adapted to be lifted by said piston and provided with a slot, and a pin at the upper end of said slot, said bar passing through said slot and adapted to be lifted out of engagement with said clutch part when said vertical member is raised by said piston,

10. Rail lubricating apparatus comprising a vertical tankadapted to be embedded within the roadbed adjacent a rail and having a vertical axial screw,A a piston Within said tank and having av threaded connection to said screw, means to prevent rotation of said piston within said tank, the upper end of said screw projecting above said tank, a clutch on said. projecting portion of said screw, a lever pivoted to said tank, a member slidably4 mounted on an arm .of said lever and having aroller engaging the underside of said rail, resilient means for maintaining said roller in engagement with said rail, said clutch having an oscillating portion provided with a projection, ay bar inter-connecting` said lever with said projection, a vertical member slidably mountedlon saidv tank and adapted to be lifted by saidpiston and provided with a slotand a pin at the upper end of said slot, said.v bar passing through said slot and adapted to be lifted out of engagement with saideclutchpart when said vertical member is raised by said piston, vsaid pin being removable to permit said barto be manually lifted out rof engagement with respect to said projection.

1l. In rail lubricating apparatus, a discharge device comprising a clamp fixed to the base of a rail, a pair .of screws on said clamp, a member having openings receiving said screws and being fixed thereto by lock-nuts, said member having a pair of parallel chambers in the upper surface thereof and being formed with openings interconnecting said chambers, a nipple on said member communicating with one of said chambers, a gasket on top of said member having a slot registering with the other of said chambers, a pair of 'symmetrically disposed members of angular transverse cross-section on said gasket having aligned portions contacting said gasketl and parallel portions disposed parallel to one another and forming a slot therebetween registering with `said other chamber, a pair of plates between said therebetween communicating with said chamber,-

means for closing the ends of said slot, and means for fixing said symmetrical members to said first member.

13. A lubricant discharge device comprising a clamp having a pair of parts engaging opposite edges of -the base of the rail and formed with depending apertured ears, a bolt passing through the apertures .inv said ears for attaching said clamp parts together, one of said parts having a screw-threaded opening, a screw screwed within said opening and adapted to engage said rail, said part being formed with a pair of vertical screwthreaded openings, a pair .of screws screwed within saidpair of threaded openings, a member having apertured ears receiving said pair of screwsv and being fixed to said screws by locknuts, said member having a chamber, means for feeding lubricant to said chamber, and means for carrying the lubricant'within said chamber to the head of the rail.

14. A lubricant discharge device, comprising a member having a pair of parallel chambers in the upper surface thereof and being formed with openings interconnecting said chambers, a nipple on said member communicating with .one of said chambers, a gasket on top of said member having a slot registering with the other of said chambers, a pair of symmetrically disposed members of angular transverse cross-section on said gasket, having aligned portions contacting said gasket and parallel portions spaced from one another and forming a slot therebetween registering with said other chamber, means between said parallel portions closing the ends of said slot, a plate on said aligned portions having a slot through which said parallel portions pass, and means for xing said last plate to said member.

15. A lubricant discharge device, comprising a clamp having a pair 0f parts engaging opposite edges of the base of the rail, means for attaching said parts together, a pair of vertical screws on one of said parts, a member having a pair of parallel horizontal slots receiving said screws and being Xed thereto by lock-nuts, whereby said member may be adjustedin height as well as toward and from the rail, said member being formed with a chamber, means for feeding lubricant to said chamber, and means-for carrying the lubricant from said chamber to the head of the rail.

16. Rail lubricating apparatus comprising a. vertical tank adapted to be embedded within the roadbed adjacent the rai, a vertical axial screw within said tank, a piston within said tank having threaded engagement with said screw, means to prevent rotation of said piston within said tank, the upper end of said screw projecting above said tank, a clutch von said projecting portion of said screw, means pivoted to said tank engaging said rail, resilient means for maintain ing said pivoted means in engagement with said rail, said clutch having an oscillating portion, means interconnecting said oscillating portion with saidl pivoted member, and means controlled by said piston to disconnect said pivoted means with said oscillating portion.

CHARLES STERN.