US2343533A

US2343533A - Slideway lubrication

Info

Publication number: US2343533A
Application number: US434815A
Authority: US
Inventors: Clarence W Burnham
Original assignee: Fellows Gear Shaper Co
Current assignee: Fellows Gear Shaper Co
Priority date: 1942-03-16
Filing date: 1942-03-16
Publication date: 1944-03-07
Anticipated expiration: 1961-03-07

Description

March 7, 1944. ,Q W, BURN'HAM Y 2,343,533

SLIDEWAY LUBRI CATION Filed Maron 16, 1942 f, #47M 44W 14M Patented Mar. 7, 1944 SLIDEWAY LUBRICATION Clarence W. Burnham, Springfield, Vt., assgnor to The Fellows Gear Shaper Company, Springfield, Vt., a corporation of Vermont Application March 16, 1942, Serial N0. 434,815

12 Claims.

The present invention relates to means and provisions for lubricating the Ways on which slides or carriages, or other moving parts of machines are supported for reciprocating motion. Its object is to provide a more adequate and copious lubrication of such slideways than is accomplished by the means heretofore used and, in particular, to insure eective and adequate lubrication at the end of the slideway remote from that to which the lubricant is supplied.

The common practice in connection with machines having elongated slideways on which reciprocating slides are supported is to admit oil to one end of the slideway and to provide a series of grooves in the surface of the slideway forming a continuous channel from the admission point to the opposite end of the slideway. These grooves have heretofore been made of equal depth and width in all parts and frequently have failed to accomplish adequate lubrication at, and for some distance back from, the outlet point. Lubrication in this manner has been more or less uncertain and variable, depending on the clearance, the pressure, and the width and depth of the grooves. It was not possible to determine just how much of the slideway would be lubricated and how much oil would be supplied to any given portion of its length. The present invention avoids the defects and uncertainties of the prior practice and insures an adequate and copious supply of oil to all parts of the slideway.

One embodiment of the invention and one of its possible modes of application are shown in the accompanying drawing, in which- Fig. l is a fragmentary side elevation of the supporting portion of a machine having two parallel inclined guides or slideways, with a carriage or slide supported for reciprocating motion thereon;

Fig. 2 is a cross section taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of one of the slideways with which the machine of Fig. l is equipped and in which the lubricating provisions of this invention are embodied;

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of the slideway taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are cross sections of the sldei way taken on lines 5 5, 6 6 and 'I-'I respectively of Fig. 3.

Like reference characters designate the same parts Wherever they occur in all the figures;

The machine partially shown in Figs. 1 and 2 illustrates one of the many situations in which the invention may be usefully applied. This machine includes a slide o1' carriage I0, which rests and reciprocates on two slideways or bars Il and I2 mounted on a supporting structure I3 parallel to one another at an inclination to the horizontal. The brokenline structure in Fig. l represents a mechanism for moving the slide in the uphill direction, consisting of a cam I4 secured to a quill I5, which is mounted rotatably on the slide, and reacting against a fixed abutment I6 on the supportingstructure. The quill is oscillated by an arm I and aconnecting rod I8` receiving motion from a crank not shown. Gravity moves the slide inthe opposite direction and maintains pressure contact between the cam and the abutment. However, the character of the slide and the means for reciprocating it are immaterial to the present invention, which -is concerned wholly with the problemv of providing adequate lubrication between thesupporting surfaces of the slideways and the bearing surfaces of the slide.

Figs. 3 7 inclusive show theslideway II with all the details of form and structure vby which effective supply and distributionv of lubricant is accomplished in accordance with the present in-A vention. Both slideways Vare alike-and the following description of one will suice for both.

In the upper surface of the slideway'are a l series of pockets or recesses I9 and grooves 20- and 2I passing from each pocket to the next.

Oil is delivered to the pocket at one end of they series through a channel 22 extending inward.

from the adjacent end of the slideway and terminating in a port 23 which is located in the upper surface of the slideway and intersects the nearer boundary 24 of the endmost pocket. A pipe for conducting the oil to the slideway may be screwed into the threaded entrance to the passage 22 shown in the drawing. Where the slideway is mountedin n position, as in the present illustration,VV the'Oil is supplied to its upper end.V IEach pocket, isA of' progressively increasing depth ini 'the direction from the upper toward the lower endA o f the slideway, and is bounded at' thesidesand lower portion by a curvedwall251of progressive and continuous curvature. Preferably this curvature is circular and the wall 125. iscylindricalyalthough these' latterl particularsare not 'of-the essence of the inventionandr may be Vvaried Within limits hereinafterjindicatedv.3 'lhejgroovesV 20 and 2| permit flow ofjoil fromeach pocket to the next, and are in "staggered relation to` onel another. That' is, the grooves'Z; which lead an' inclined from the first to the second pocket, from the third to the fourth, from the fifth to the sixth, and so on, are located approximately on the tangents to those pockets adjacent to one side of the slideway, while the grooves 2l, which lead from the second to the third pocket, from the fourth to the fth, from the sixth to the seventh, and so on, are located substantially on the tangents to 'those pockets adjacent to the opposite side of the slideway. And the port 23 opens into the first pocket near the side opposite to that into which the pasage 2S opens. Thus the oil enters each pocket at or near one side thereof and ows out of the pocket from a point near the opposite side thereof. A groove 2-1 leads from the last pocket of the lseries Vto a sump 28 from which a passage 29 leads to con-` nection with an eduction pipe.

When the slide is supported on the guideways, it covers all the pockets and connes the oil mainly to the pockets and intercommunicating grooves. Oil fed from the port 23 lls the rst pocket and flows thence to the second pocket through the groove 2Q, from the second to the third pocket through the groove 2|, and so on through the entire series entering each pocket at one side thereof and issuing from the opposite side. In passing from the entrance to the outlet pointA of each pocket, the oil ows along the curved wall and is given a swirling motion thereby, so that it washes the overlying surface of the slide.v In the construction here illustrated the grooves 2U, 2| and 2! are much less deep than the deepest parts of the pockets and their depth is so related to the inclination of the slideway, when set up for use, that the lowest points of their entrance ends are at higher levels than the lowest points of the bounding edges of the pockets from which they respectively lead. That is, owing to the tangential relation of each groove to the pocket from which it receives oil, its intersection with the pocket, in the supporting plane of the slideway, is at a level higher than the upper edge of the curved Wall 25 and the depth ris lshallow enough to bring VVthe lowest point of its intersection with the pocket wall at a level higher than the level of the lowest point of the bounding edge of the pocket. This relation is illustrated by the broken line a in Fig. 4, which is the horizontal plane ofthe lowest point of the intersection 3'0 between one ofthe pockets and the groove leading therefrom. This isV higher than the lowest point, b, of the bounding wall of the pocket, and is the lowest point 4to which the oil level can fall when the pocket is covered by the overlying slide. However, as oil is constantly being supplied to the pocket, the actual level is higher than the plane of the line a, and may be in the neighborhood of the plane indicated by the broken line c. Hence each pocket will always contain a body of oil in contact with the overlying surface of the slide throughout a considerable proportion of the width of the pocket. This is equally the case with the `pockets nearest the lower end of the slideway as withl those near the upper end. The oil above the level a creates a pressure head causing a copiousgush of oil from the pocket at higher level to the one next below. The pools of oil thus maintained and constantly replenished, at numerous points throughout the length of the slideway, furnish a copious and adequate lubrication to all parts of the slide; as well near the end'from which the oil is dis-l charged aswat the end to which oil is admitted.`

broken from the middle part of the slideway as shown, in order that its end portions may be represented on a large enough scale within the limitations of the drawing space.

Longitudinal grooves 3| and 32 are provided in the supporting surface of the slideway between [the side edges of the slideway and the pockets to receive whatever oil may overflow or be forced out laterally between the sliding surfaces. These grooves open at their opposite ends into the sump 2S and a cross channel 33 in the upper end of the slideway.

The particular wedge shaped or ungular formation of the pockets l here shown has been chosen partly as a measure of convenience, because such pockets can be simply and economically made by the operation of an end milling cutter fed into the surface of 'the slideway at an inclination to that surface. This manner of cutting the pockets makes the bounding wall 25 perpendicular +o the bottom of the pocket. It also causes the wall 25 to be inclined at an obtuse angle to the supporting surface of the slideway throughout most of its extent. The angle is greatest at the longitudinal median plane, as shown by Fig. 4, and it is considerably more than through a substantial distance to each side of the median plane. This slope of the wall 25 supplements the elect of centrifugal force in causing the swirling current of oil to exert upward force against the overlying surface of the sliding member l and to wash and scour that surface.

However, these details are not of the utmost importance and may be varied or modified within the scope of the broader aspects of the invention. A curved wall between the inlet and outlet points of the pocket is important because of the swirling and washing action given to the oil thereby. But the curvature of such Wall may be other than circular, and it may be disposed otherwise than as the curved surface of an ungula. So great a depth in the deepest part of the pocket, as here shown, is also not essential.

With the slideway arranged in an inclined position, adequate flow of oil may be accomplished by gravity alone; although of course the force of gravity may be supplemented by hydrostatic pressure. However, the utility of the invention is not limited to inclined slideways, but may be applied to those which are horizontal as well, provided that the oil is supplied with sufficient pressure to cause it to flow through the pockets and grooves, to keep the pocketsl full of oil, and to obtain the desired swirling motion of the oil in its passage through the successive pockets. Then to confine the oil, the slide must cover all the open pockets and grooves at all points in its reciprocating travel. This may be accomplished either by making the slide longer than the slideways, or by providing

extensions

34 and 35 on opposite ends of the slide of suicient length to cover the exposedend portionsv of the slidewayswhen the slide is at either end'of fits stroke. f, i 12,1 w; WhataI claim and-,desire'to secure'fby :Letters Patent is: .i 1 .11" l. ,In a machine having-la sliding part; a guide or..slideway vhaving va supporting upper' surface on which an under surface of :said'slidingpart bears and by which the sliding partis supported, said= slideway' having pockets4 rin, its= said .supporting surface arranged inlinear series, and having a channel for fluid lubricant leading-to the Vfirst pocket ofthe series and other-channels mits supporting surface leading in'- series from pocket to pocket; said pockets being adapted to contain pools of thelubricant in contact with theoverlying surface of the sliding memberand tobe continuously replenishedbylubricant flowthrough said channels. v y :i 2. In a machine having a reciprocable sliding member, and an elongated guide or slideway extendingv in the direction.. ofreciprocation of said sliding member having an upper supporting surface on which an under surface of the sliding member rests, provisions for introducing lubricant between said surfaces of the slideway and sliding member consisting of pockets sunk into the upper surface of the slideway extending across a substantial proportion of the width thereof and arranged in linear series extending in the direction of reciprocation of the sliding member, channels leading from each pocket to the next in series, and a channel for delivering oil to the first pocket of the series; the channels between the pockets being of less width than the pockets and located alternately at opposite sides of the pockets so that the port at which oil enters each pocket is at the opposite side from the port through which oil leaves the same pocket, whereby the pockets contain pools of oil in contact with the overlying surface of the sliding member and oil flowing progressively through the series of pockets is given a cross current flow in passing between the respective inlet and outlet ports of the several pockets.

3. In a machine having an elongated guide or slideway arranged with its length dimension at an inclination to the horizontal and its transverse dimension horizontal, and a slide supported on said slideway for reciprocation up and down the slope thereof, provisions for lubricating the bearing surfaces of said slideway and slide comprising a series of pockets sunk into the supporting surface of the slideway spaced apart along the length dimension thereof and each occupying a Substantial proportion of the width dimension of said surface, a flow passage leading into the uppermost pocket of the series for delivering oil thereto, and transmission channels sunk into said supporting surface of less width than the pockets leading from each upper pocket to the next lower pocket of the series, the eduction connection between each pocket and a channel being of less depth than the depth of the pocket at its lower boundary.

4. In a machine having an elongated guide or slideway arranged with its length dimension at an inclination to the horizontal and its transverse dimension horizontal, and a slide supported on said slideway for reciprocation up and down the slope thereof, provisions for lubricating the bearing surfaces of said slideway and slide comprising a series of pockets sunk into the-supporting .surface 'of the slideway spaced apart along theflength dimension` thereof and Voccupying a=1 substantial proportion. 'of the-width dimension 'of/said surface, a flow passage leadinginto the uppermost "pocket of the: series ffor delivering oil thereto, and: transmission channels. .sunk into said supporting surface ofzlesswidthlithan the pockets leading from .each upper pocket to thenextlower pocket of the series,- the eduction connection Vvbetween each pocketzand auchannel being mainly''at a'. level above the level of the lowest part ofthe lower boundaryof the pocket. 1 f i Y 5.1In a machine having a reciprocable sliding memberland Y af-guide. orI slideway supporting said member, provisions-for 'lubricating --the bearing asurfa'ces of-said sliding member and slideway comprisingwa".series o'f pockets sunk into the supportingsurface ofthe slideway and spaced 1apart1in the direction of reciprocation v'of the sliding member, 'a channel for delivering oil to the pocket at :one end of the series and channels in the supporting surface leading from each pocket to the next in series, said last named channels being of less width than the pockets and being located with their respective points of delivery connection to the several pockets at the opposite side of the respective pockets from the points of eduction therefrom, and the bounding wall at the side of the pocket toward which the inlet connection is directed being curved with a concave curvature progressively to the eduction connection, whereby the oil in owing through the pockets from inlet to outlet is given a swirling motion in contact with the overlying surface of the sliding member.

6. In a machine having a sliding member and a guide or slideway on which said member is supported and along which it may reciprocate, provisions for lubricating the bearing surfaces of said member and slideway comprising pockets sunk into the supporting surface of the slideway and spaced apart from one another along the line of movementof the sliding member, conducting means for conveying oil to the pocket at one end of the series, a channel of less width than the pocket leading from an eduction port at one side of the rst pocket to an inlet port at the corresponding side of the second pocket, a second channel similar to the first named channel leading from an eduction port at the opposite side from the inlet port of the second pocket to an inlet port at the corresponding side of the third pocket, and other channels between successive pockets of the series in alternating arrangement like the first and second channels precedently set forth, the several pockets each having a bounding wall of concave curvature between the inlet and outlet ports, which wall, in a portion of its extent, makes an obtuse angle with said supporting surface.

7. A guide or slideway for a machine having a sliding member, said slideway being provided with an upper supporting surface having pockets arranged to contain pools of oil and interconnecting channels for conducting oil to the endmost pocket and thence to the other pockets in series.

8. A guide or slideway as set forth in claim 7, in which the channels are of substantially less width than the pockets and respectively open into and lead from the several pockets at opposite sides of the pockets, whereby a cross iiow of oil in the pocket is produced in flowing from the `inlet to the outlet port.

9. A guide or slideway as set forth in claim '7, in which one bounding lwall of each pocket is curved and the channels leading into and out of the pockets are substantially narrower than the pocket and located at respectivelyy opposite sides thereof, with the inwardly rconducting channel arranged to discharge oil tangentially of said curved wall, whereby the oil is given a swirling movement in flowing to the eduction port.

10. A guide or slideway having a plane supporting surface with a row of pockets .spaced apart in said surface and channels leading from each pocket to the next in series; each pocket having a concave curved wall at the side thereof toward the next pocket in series, and the channel leading into the pocket being of less width :than the pocket and located at one side thereof substantially tangential to said wall, while the channel leading from the pocket opens through said Wall at the side of the pocket opposite to the leading in channel. A

11. A guide or slideway as set forth in claim 10, in which the curved wall makes an obtuse angle with the said plane surface in at least a portion of its extent between the leading in and eduction channels.

12. A guide or slideway for the purposes set forth having a plane supporting surface with e row of pockets sunk in said surface and channels leading from pocket to pocket in series; each pocket being of progressively increasing depth in the direction toward the next pocket in series. and the deeper parts of the pockets being bounded by a concave curved wall, the channels leading into and out of each pocket being substantially narrower than the pockets and being disposed at relatively opposite sides thereof substantially tangential to said curved wall. y

CLARENCE W. BURNHAM.