US3076685A

US3076685A - Journal box lubricator

Info

Publication number: US3076685A
Application number: US52656A
Authority: US
Inventors: Robert J Harkenrider
Original assignee: MILLER LUBRICATOR CO
Current assignee: MILLER LUBRICATOR CO
Priority date: 1960-08-29
Filing date: 1960-08-29
Publication date: 1963-02-05
Anticipated expiration: 1980-02-05

Description

Feb. 5, 1963 R. J. HARKENRIDER JOURNAL BOX LUBRICATOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 29. 1960 INVENTOR. ROBERT J. HARKENRIDER BY Wm AT TO RNEYS 3,076,685 .FUURNAL BOX LUEPJUA'IGR Robert J. Harhenritier, Winona, Minn, assignor to Miller Lubricator Company, a corporation of Minnesota Filed Aug. 29, 196i trier. No. 52,656 11 Claims. (Cl. 3tl8--243) My invention relates to a lubricator for railroad car journal boxes, and more particularly, to a lubricator for use in such boxes to lift oil by capillary action to the journal.

Luoricators for railroad car journal boxes conventionally take the form of a packing package which is applied between the undersurface of the journal and the floor of the journal box in what is commonly referred to as the oil cellar of the box.

Recently, these so-called packing packages have been designed to define a multi-lobe lubricator pursuant to efforts to improve lubrication and journal contact.

The present invention relates to a three lobe lubricator arrangement contemplating a continuous blanket looped about three resilient core body members of novel shape to define a three lobe lubricator structure of improved oil lifting and applying characteristics.

A principal object of this invention is to provide a three lobe lubricator in which the individual lobes are arranged and shaped to cooperate with each other and the journal box structure that they contact in a manner that insures adequate journal lubrication under all possible operating conditions.

A further important object of the invention is to provide a blanket arrangement for journal box packing packages that materially improves the oil feed to the journal.

Further objects of the invention are to provide a lubrica'tor that is reversible with consequent doubling of its useful life, to provide a simplified lubricator core structure for multi-lobe lubricators, and to provide a lubricator that is inexpensive of manufacture, convenient to install, and efficient in use.

Other objects, uses and advantages will be obvious or become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description and the application drawings.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a transverse cross-sectional view through familiar parts of a railroad car journal and journal box, showing the same equipped with the lubricator of the present invention, parts of the lubricator being shown in section;

FIGURE 2 is a diagrammatic exploded perspective view illustrating the main components of the lubricator of the present invention;

FIGURE 3 is a diagrammatic cross-sectional view through the longitudinal center portion of the larger core structure forming a part of the center lobe of the illus trated lubricator;

FIGURES 4 and 5 are diagrammatic fragments] crosssectional views'through the lubricator blanket, approximately along lines 44 and S-5, respectively, of FIG- URE 2;

FIGURE 6 is a diagrammatic plan view, on a reduced scale, of the blanket material before assembly to the configuration illustrated in FIGURE 2, showing the orientation of the blanket pile and pile forming capillary strands, and the two blanket sections of this invention in juxtaposition;

FIGURE 7 is a view similar to that of FIGURE 4 but illustrating a modified form of blanket material in accordance with this invention;

FIGURE 8 is a fragmental perspective view of the center lobe core member illustrating another modification of the invention; and

FIGURE 9 is a transverse sectional view of a modi- 3,d?b,585 Fatented Feb. 5, 1963 ice tied lubricator body side lobe structure in accordance with this invention.

of the drawings, reference numeral 10 generally indicates a conventional journal box on a conventional axle journal 11 having a lubricator packing package according to my present invention, generally indicated by reference numeral 12, placed between the lower portion of the journal and the bottom of the journal box in what is known as the oil cellar of the journal box.

The packing package 12 generally comprises a capillary blanket or envelope structure 14 formed to define a center pocket 16 and spaced side pockets l8 and 20 that are adapted to receive the respective core members generally indicated by

reference numerals

22, 24 and 26 to define a lubricator having a center lobe 25 and side lobes 2'7 and 29 (see FIGURE 1).

The blanket or envelope 14 in accordance with the present invention generally comprises a pair of fabric sheets 3t each composed of an outer layer or web 32 (see FIG- URES 4 and 5) stitched to an inner layer or web 34 to define elongate pockets 36 in each of which are mounted continuous strands 38 formed from materials providing the best capillary lift action available.

The outer layer or web 32 may take the form of 12 /2 oz. (per square yard) chafer cloth (canvasing) having a plain or basket weave arrangement, while the layer 3 may take the form of jute cloth of suitable specifications.

The layers or

webs

32 and 34 of each sheet 36) are stitched together by appropriate continuous stitching strands 4b which are so oriented with respect to the longitudinal axis of the lubricator that they extend transversely of the lubricator, and thus of the journal, when the lubricator is applied to the box (see FIGURE 6).

In accordance with this invention, the stitching strands 4d are piled along the outer surfaces of sheets 30 in the areas indicated by reference numerals 42., 44 and 46 (the darkened portions of strands 40 in FIGURE 6 indicate the portions thereof that are stitched to define pile loops 47 of the type suggested by FIGURE 5). It will be seen that the

piled areas

42, 44 and 46 form the upper surfaces of the respective lobes of the lubricator; and, as indicated in FIGURES 2 and 6, the

areas

42, 44 and 46 are duplicated on both sides of the lubricator to make it reversible.

The blanket 14 in accordance with this invention is unpiled in the areas between the juxtaposed lubricator cores, as indicated by

reference numerals

48 and 50. To achieve this, the stitching strands 49 may either be interrupted between the

points

52 and 54 of FIGURES l and 6, or the stitching strands may be continuous but merely unpiled in these areas.

The

layers

32 and 34 may be stitched somewhat as indicated at 56 in FIGURES 4 and 5, by strands 40a that are identical to strands 49, or in any other suitable manner, to form an appropriate blanket edging.

The high lift strands 38, 4t] and 46a should have capillary lift characteristics that exceed those of the

layers

32 and 34 and thus may be of the type described and claimed in Patent No. 2,943,378, granted July 5, 1960; as already indicated, the individual strand-s 3'8 and 4b are continuous (see FIGURE 6) between the two opposed edges 5d of the respective sheets 3!} that are stitched together in the manner indicated at 60 (FIGURES 1 and 2) to secure blanket sections 36 together and thus loop the blanket for reception of the

core members

22, 24 and 26.

The

individual pockets

16, 18 and 2b are defined by

appropriate stitchings

62 and 64 applied down the mid portions of the

unpiled areas

48 and 50, respectively;

as these stitchings should be sufficiently loose to avoid cutting olf the capillary feed of

strands

38 and 40.

Preferably, the blanket sections 30, after the piling is completed, have secured thereto a pull out strap 65 that is looped within the center pocket 16 and formed to define a grommetted handle 67 for aiding in removing the packing from the journal. Strap 65 may be arranged as disclosed in my Patent No. 2,762,667, with grommet 69 being added and the strap being secured to the individual blanket sections as by stitching 71 at the front and rear ends of the lubricator (FIGURE shows only the rear end, but the front end is identical). In addition,

fabric pads

73 and 75 are secured to the upper and

lower lengths

77 and 79 of strap 65, by appropriate stitching 81 (see FIGURE 5).

Pads

73 and 75 are preferably formed from the needled waste blanket material disclosed in my Patent No. 2,927,828, and form lubricant reservoirs under the blanket piled areas 44, when the lubricator is fully assembled and in operative position in the journal.

In the alternate blanket arrangement illustrated in FIGURE 7, individual high lift strands 33a, of the same character above specified, are separately applied to the respective pockets 36a, which thereby provides for closer spacing of the pile forming stitching strands 40b, and thus of the pile loops. This embodiment of the invention is otherwise the same as that shown in FIGURES l-6.

The

individual core members

22, 24 and 26 of the embodiments of FIGURES l-8 may be formed from suitable foam or sponge materials having the desired resilient characteristics (polyurethane foams are preferred), and in accordance with this invention, these core memhers have the specific cross sectional configurations indicated in FIGURES 1 and 2.

Thus, the center core member 22 is of hexagon crosssectional configuration having generally planar upper and

lower surfaces

70 and 72, which become curved slightly when the lubricator is applied to the journal box (see FIGURE 1); the center core member is further characterized by laterally extending pointed projections 74 which extend along the sides of the center core member 22 and project outwardly therefrom sidewise of the lubricator. In the arrangement of FIGURES l and 2, the pointed projections 72 are defined by

planar surfaces

76 and 78 on either side of the center core member.

The

core members

24 and 26 are each of pentagon section transversely of the lubricator and are formed to define integrally united rectangular section portions 80 and triangular section portions 82 comprising a house or recto-triangular shaped sections, and in their operative positions, the

core members

24 and 26 are disposed with respect to the center lobe member 22 so that the apexes S4 defined by the side lobe core members are disposed adjacent a pointed edge or apex 74 of the center core member (see FIGURE 1).

Preferably, the

core members

24 and 26, and the

pockets

18 and 20 into which they are to be inserted, are proportioned so that when the assembled lubricator is applied to the box, only the center lobe 25 will contact the journal, in accordance with the teachings of my application Serial No. 853,218, filed November 16, 1959 (the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by this reference). Also, the

pileless areas

48 and 50 are made substantially coextensive with the lateral dimension of the

pointed projections

74 and 84 defined by the core members when the lubricator is in assembled relation (see FIGURE 1).

After the blanket 14 has been formed in the manner indicated, but with the

strap lengths

77 and 79 still separated at the forward end of the lubricator, the

core members

22, 24 and 26 are disposed within the

respective pockets

16, 18 and 20 that are defined by the blanket. The

lengths

77 and 79 of strap 65 then may be secured together and grommetted to form handle 67, this securing core member 22 within its pocket 16. The edges of the upper and lower blanket sections 30 may be stitched together at the front and rear ends of the lubricator to close off

pockets

18 and 20 and thereby secure

core members

24 and 26 against displacement.

Preferably, the center core member 22 is provided with several metal spring members to insure its continued contact with the journal, such as the helical springs shown in FIGURE 3. The springs 90 may be applied to the core member 22 by first coring out the core member to the size required to readily accommodate the respective springs 90, or, the core member 22 may be foamed to size about the respective springs 90. In any event, metal or plastic spring caps 91 are preferably inserted between the respective ends of springs 90 and the

pads

73 and 75, to serve as wear surfaces for these springs.

In the embodiment of FIGURE 8, a continuous high lift strand is wrapped about the center core members 22a before it is inserted in its pocket 16. The strand 100 preferably is wrapped about the entire length of the core member 22a and desirably is formed from the material on the order of that specified in said Patent No. 2,943,- 378.

The convolutions of the strand 100 form more or less direct high lift capillary paths between the lower portion of the journal box and the piled surface 44 of the lubricator, and thus facilitate oil lift to the journal. Obvious- ]y, the strand 100 may be formed by one or more strands, whether or not physically connected.

In the embodiment of FIGURE 9, the side

lobe core members

24 and 26 are each replaced by a core member 102 formed from the needled waste blanket material of my said Patent No. 2,927,828, and may take the form of a pad 104 comprising several superposed lengths 106 of such blanket material secured together in any suitable manner, as by stitching or an adhesive, or both. Pad 104 should be formed so as to retain pointed projections 84.

When the assembled lubricator of this invention is applied to the box 10, the center lobe 25 is compressed to work it under the journal 11. As already mentioned, the lobes are proportioned so that only the center lobe contacts the journal, and consequently, this is the only portion of the lubricator requiring material deformation to apply it to the journal.

Furthermore, the juxtaposition of the pointed edges or

apexes

74 and 84 of the center and side core members respectively insure that the side lobes are spaced from the center lobe with contact between the side and center lobes being avoided when the lubricator is in its operative position in the box. Since the capillary lift to the piled surface 44, which actually forms the applicator surface of the lubricator, is through spaces between the fibers of the individual strands and yarns forming the

strands

38 or 38a and

stitching strands

40, 40a or 40b, rather than through spaces between individual pile loops, the pile in the areas indicated 48 and 50 may be eliminated as it serves no useful purpose.

It will be found that the lubricator of this invention will provide adequate journal lubrication under the most arduous conditions; however, it is formed from inexpensive materials that are readily obtainable and thus has advantages of low cost of manufacturing in addition to the ease of installation and efficiency of operation.

The foregoing description and the drawings are given merely to explain and illustrate my invention and the invention is not to be limited thereto, except insofar as the appended claims are so limited, since those skilled in the art who have my disclosure before them will be able to make modifications and variations therein without departing from the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a lubricator pad including an applicator surface for applying lubricant to a journal, said pad comprising a pair of fabric sheets secured together by spaced parallel stitching rows to define a plurality of elongate pockets, and continuous capillary strands received within and extending substantially coextensively with said pockets, said strands having capillary lift characteristics that exceed those of said sheets.

2. The pad set forth in claim 1 wherein said stitching rows are defined by capillary strands, the last mentioned strands being formed to define pile loops across said applicator surface.

3. The pad set forth in claim 1 wherein each of said pockets contain a single capillary strand.

4. The pad set forth in claim 1 wherein a plurality of said capillary strands are disposed in each of said pockets.

5. In a lubricator for a railroad car journal box of the type in which the floor of the box serves as an oil reservoir and oil is lifted by the lubricator to the undersurface of a car axle journal that extends into the box, said lubricator comprising a multi-lobe body including a relatively large center lobe, and a relatively small side lobe on either side of said center lobe, said body being proportioned to extend longitudinally of the journal when applied to the box between the journal undersurface and the box floor, said center lobe being proportioned to extend between the box floor and the journal and be compressed when the lubricator is so applied to the box, said small lobes being proportioned to be spaced from said journal when the lubricator is applied to the box, said body and said lobes thereof being defined by a center core member, a side core member on either side of said center core member, and a blanket structure looped about said core members and having the portions thereof above and below said core members stitched together between said center and side core members to form pockets for the respective core members, said center core member comprising a resilient body formed to define pointed projections along the side edges thereof, a strap member looped to bring its ends into juxtaposition and interposed in the center lobe pocket about said center core member, said strap member being secured to the blanket structure above and below said center core member, and having said ends project out of the front end of the lubricator to form a handle, and a fabric pad interposed between said upper surface of said center core member and said blanket structure, said fabric pad serving as a lubricant reservoir when the lubricator is in operative position in the journal and extending substantially the length of said lubricator, said side core members each being formed to define a pointed projection along the side edge of each that is adjacent the center core member, said blanket structure having a piled applicator surface along the top portion of said center lobe, said applicator surface extending continuously longitudinally of the lubricator.

6. The lubricator set forth in claim 5 wherein said side core members comprise resilient foam bodies.

7. The lubricator set forth in claim 5 wherein said side core members comprise fabric bodies composed of one or more layers of needled waste material.

3. In a lubricator for a railroad car journal box of the type in which the floor of the box serves as an oil reservoir and oil is lifted by the lubricator to the undersurface of a car axle journal that extends into the box, said lubricator comprising a multi-lobe body including a relatively large center lobe, and a relatively small side lobe on either side of said center lobe, said body being proportioned to extend longitudinally of the journal when applied to the box between the journal undersurface and the box floor, said center lobe being proportioned to extend between the box floor and the journal and be compressed when the lubricator is so applied to the box, said small lobes being proportioned to be spaced from said journal when the lubricator is applied to the box, said body and said lobes thereof being defined by a center core member, a side core member on either side of said center core member, and a blanket looped about said core members and having the portions thereof above and below said core members stitched together between said center and side core members to form pockets for the respective core members, said center core member being formed to define pointed projections along the side edges thereof, said side core members each being formed to define a pointed projection along the side edge of each that is adjacent the center core member, said blanket having a piled applicator surface along the top portion of said center lobe, said applicator surface extending continuously longitudinally of the lubricator, said blanket comprising two fabric sheets stitched together by a plurality of stitching rows extending transversely of the lubricator, said stitching rows defining elongate pockets extending transversely of the lubricator, and continuous capillary strands interposed between said sheets and within the respective elongate pockets of said blanket, said strands having capillary lift characteristics that exceed those of said sheets.

9. In a lubricator for a railroad car journal box of the type in which the floor of the box serves as an oil reservoir and oil is lifted by the lubricator to the undercurface of a car axle journal that extends into the box, said lubricator comprising a multi-lobe body including a relatively large center lobe, and a relatively small side lobe on either side of said center lobe, said body being proportioned to extend longitudinally of the journal when applied to the box between the journal undersurface and the box floor, said center lobe being proportioned to extend between the box floor and the journal and be compressed when the lubricator is so applied to the box, said small lobes being proportioned to be spaced from said journal when the lubricator is applied to the box, said body and said lobes thereof being defined by a center core member, a side core member on either side of said center core member, and a blanket looped about said core members and having the portions thereof above and below said core members stitched together between said center and side core members to form pockets for the respective core members, said center core member being formed to define pointed projections along the side edges thereof, said side core members each being formed to define a pointed projection along the side edge of each that is adjacent the center core member, said blanket having a piled applicator surface along the top portion of said center lobe, said applicator surface extending continuously longitudinally of the lubricator, said lubricator including continuous capillary strand means wrapped about said center core member, said strand means having capillary lift characteristics that exceed those of said blanket.

1O. In a lubricator for a railroad car journal box of the type in which the floor of the box serves as an oil reservoir and oil is lifted by the lubricator to the undersurface of a car axle journal that extends into the box, said lubricator comprising a multi-lobe body including a relatively large center lobe, and a relatively small side lobe on either side of said center lobe, said body being proportioned to extend longitudinally of the journal when applied to the box between the journal undersurface and the box floor, said center lobe being proportioned to extend between the box floor and the journal and be compressed when the lubricator is so applied to the box, said small lobes being proportioned to be spaced from said journal when the lubricator is applied to the box, said body and said lobes thereof being defined by a center core member, a side core member on either side of said center core member, and a blanket looped about said core members and having the portions thereof above and below said core members stitched together between said center and side core members to form pockets for the re spective core members, said center core member being formed to define pointed projections along the side edges thereof, said side core members each being formed to define a pointed projection along the side edge of each that is adjacent the center core member, said blanket having screens a piled applicator surface along the top portion of said center lobe, said applicator surface extending continuously longitudinally of the lubricator, said center core member having spring means mounted within same for biasing the center lobe against the journal when the lubricator is applied to the box, said pring means comprising at least one helical compression spring extending between the upper and lower sides of said center core member, and a rigid spring cap interposed between each end of said spring and said blanket, said spring ends bearing against the respective caps when the lubricator is applied to the box.

11. In a lubricator for a railroad car journal box of the type in which the floor of the box serves as an oil reservoir and oil is lifted by the lubricator to the undersurface of a car axle journal that extends into the box, said lubricator comprising a body proportioned to extend longitudinally of the journal when the lubricator is applied to the box between the journal undersurface and the box floor, said body being proportioned to extend between the box floor and the journal and be compressed when the lubricator is so applied to the box, said body being defined by a core member and a blanket structure looped about said core member including capillary means for supplying oil to the journal, said core member comprising a resilient cellular mass proportioned to distend said blanket structure to provide said proportioning of said body with respect to said journal and the box floor, at least one helical spring element extending between the upper and lower sides of said mass in substantial alignment with the longitudinal center of said body, and an impermeable spring element cap interposed between each end of said spring element and said blanket structure for forming a wear surface between the respective spring element ends and said blanket structure, said spring element ends bearing against the respective spring caps when the lubricator is applied to the box.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,713,524 Hagy July 19, 1955 2,762,667 Harkenrider Sept. 11, 1956 2,807,803 Rockwell Sept. 24, 1957 2,814,600 Mitchell Nov. 26, 1957 2,939,752 Rockwell June 7, 1960 3,008,780 McGrath Nov. 14, 1961

Claims

1. IN A LUBRICATOR PAD INCLUDING AN APPLICATOR SURFACE FOR APPLYING LUBRICANT TO A JOURNAL, SAID PAD COMPRISING A PAIR OF FABRIC SHEETS SECURED TOGETHER BY SPACED PARALLEL STITCHING ROWS TO DEFINE A PLURALITY OF ELONGATE POCKETS, AND CONTINUOUS CAPILLARY STRANDS RECEIVED WITHIN AND EX-