US2489182A - Railway track lubricating device - Google Patents

Description

Patented Nov. 22, 1949 UNITED STATES "PATENT OFFICE RAILWAY TRACK LUBRICATING DEVICE William F. Huck, Forest Hills, N. Y.

Application August 29, 1946, Serial No. 693,651

This invention relates in general to railway track lubricating devices and more particularly to devices of the above character as described in my copending applications Serial Nos. 557,686, and 582,275, filed October 7, 1944, and March 3, 1945, respectively; and embodying flexible and/or resilient means for applying lubricant directly to that side of the rail head which is engaged by the wheel flanges of passing trains.

One of the objects of the present invention is the provision of improved lubricant-applying means having members of a special contour and of diiferent degrees of flexibilit toavoid breakage and to assure a more efficient distribution of the lubricant against the rail head and wheel flanges.

A further object is to provide lubricant pumping means operated by the direct contact of train wheels upon coacting pump mechanism.

It is also an object of the invention to provide railway track lubricating means of generally improved construction, whereby the construction will be simple, durable and inexpensive,

as well as convenient, serviceable and efficient in The invention will be best understood by reference to the drawings wherein- Figure l is a sectional view, taken in a plane normal to the vertical plane of the rail and showing the improved lubricant pumping means and lubricant applying means of the present invention certain parts being shown in elevation;

Fig. 2 is an elevational view, partly in section and with parts broken away, of a modified form of lubricant pumping means operatively applied to a railway track and operable by the direct contact of train wheels;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the pumping means disclosed in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan view of the lubricant applying means disclosed in Figure 1, but with parts broken away to more clearly show the construction; and

Fig. 5 is a sectional View, partly in plan, taken on the line and as viewed in the direction of the arrows 55 of Figure 1.

13 Claims. (Cl. 184-3) Referring now to the drawings wherein similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views of the preferred forms of the invention, the numeral 9 designates a rail having the customary flange base Ill and head H. A clamp bar or bracket !2 formed with a downwardly depending portion I3 and an upwardly directed arm or extension l4, hasits body portion or web i5 secured to the underneath surface of the base ill of the rail 9 by screw bolts i5, i7; nuts l8, l9; and lugs 20, 2I.-

A lubricant reservoir ortank 22 is fastened to the depending portion [3 of the clamp bracket l2 in any suitable manner, as by the screw bolts 23, 24 protruded through the said portion l3 and the adjacent side wall of the tank 22 which houses the pump assembly now to be described. The pump assembly designated generally at A,

comprises a pump body 25 having a pocket 26 with a reduced opening 27 in the bottom thereof, nor-" mally closed by a suction ball 28 and suitably configured to provide a coacting suction ball seat. The pocket 26 communicates with a channel or passageway 29 formed in the pumpbody 25, the channel 29 in turn communicating with a reduced openin or orifice 3%? provided at the bottom of a second recess or pocket 3! formed in the said pump body 25 and normally closed by a ball 32. A screw 33 is threadedly engaged in and closes the pocket 3! at the top. A second pocket 3| communicated with a channel 34 arranged in the pump body 25 and is adapted to receive the extended end'of a pipe fitting indicated generally. at 35 which is threaded engaged in the depend- A pipe ing portion 13 of the clamp bracket 12, or conduit 36 attached to the pipe fitting 35 Con-,-

veys lubricant to lubricant-applying or applicator means designated generally at B and arranged adjacent the head of the rail for the efficient lubrication of the latter, as hereinafter described.

' The interior wall of the pocket 26 is suitably threaded as at 3'l to receive a corresponding threaded portion on a reduced, integral extension 1' 38 formed on a cylindrical member 39 which has a longitudinally extending bore 49 adapted to slidably receive a piston or plunger 4| which also passes through an opening 42 in the top cover or lid 43 of the tank 22. A filler hole 44 is also pro.-

I vided in the cover 43, the filler hole 44 normally: being closed by a suitable hinged cap 45. A stake 46 anchored in the ground D adjacent the road bed on which the rail 9 is located, has an offset portion 41 apertured to receive the upper end of the piston 4| which latter is provided with circular grooves, as at 48, to accommodate resilient snap rings 49, 5|]. The grooves 48 and snap rings 49, 50 permit the convenient fastening of the piston 4| to the stake at the desired height, and its quick detachment therefrom, when desired. It will be further understood that by placing ring 50 into groove 48, the effective stroke of piston 4| with respect to pump assembly A, will be reduced, since there is lost motion between the offset portion 41 of stake 46 and the upper ring 49 and lower ring 50 in' groove 48. While only one extra groove 48 is shown, it will be understood that theremay be a series of these in suitably spaced relation and by proper selection of these the output that since the tank 22 to which the pump as sembly A is fastened, is rigidly securedto the rail 9, any motion of the latter in a vertical plane under the action of passing train wheels will cause relative movement between the fixed piston andthe pumpassembly and thereby pumping action, as hereinafter described more fully.

The lubricant-applying means B disclosed in the present application differs somewhat from those shown in my above-referred to copending applications, and: comprises, as an assembly and as best shown in Figs. 1 and 4, an upper plate 5| formed of flexible and resilient sheet metal, preferably steel. Normally juxtaposed against the steel plate 5| is a thin plate of flexible and resilient material 52, preferably oil-resistant, such as: neoprene, Vinylite and the. like; whose outer edge is protrude beyond theedge of the plate 5|- and upwardly against the adjacent face of the rail head H. A spacer member 53 is arranged below the plates 5|, 52 and has an outlet 54 to permit the lubricant to flow into the space or pocket 55 provided between the upper layers of plates above-described, and; the lower layer of plates hereinafter described. A fourth plate 56, similar to the plate 52,. is formed of neoprene or Vinylite and has its outer. end protruded upwardly against the rail head II. A fifth plate 5'1 formed of steel is juxtaposed against the underneath surface of neoprene plate 56 and has its outer end, as at 58, curved upwardly into supporting engagement with the upwardly curving adjacent end of the said. neoprene plate 55. A sixth member consists of a comparatively short steel member 59 whose function is to reinforce the fifth steel plate 51. The above mentioned six plates are bevelled at their ends, each plate having its extended end diagonally cut away, as at 59, it being understood that although only one end is shown as bevelled in Fig. 4, both ends are in practice bevelled. The two Vinylite plates 52 and 56' are preferably sealed at their bevelled ends, as indicated at 58, to prevent loss lubricant at these points. All the above-mentioned six plates are clampingly secured to an angle iron member 6! and to a base plate 52 by screw bolts 53. The angle iron member in turn, is secured to the clamp bar [2 in any suitable manner, as by the cleats 54 and bolts 55.

The bevelling of the plates of the lubricantapplying assembl B achieves an important object; i. e., the avoidance of their premature breakage which is more prone to occur in lubricantapplying plates of the present description without bevel, that is, with rectangular ends. When lubricant applying plates having: rectangular ends are first contacted by an advancing train wheel, their deflection occurs first in a curve whose axis is substantially normal to the rail. As the train wheel further advances upon the assembly, the deflection curve mentioned above changes suddenly into a deflection curve whose axis is substantially parallel to the rail. The excessive strains and stresses set up during the transition from the first mentioned deflection curve to the second, causes structural rupture and failure. By bevelling the ends of the plates constituting the lubricant-applying assembly, it is to be noted that the wheel pressure occurs first at a point that is adapted to the production of a deflection curve whose axis is parallel to the rail. The rigid member of the assembly, i. e., the angle iron member BI and base plate 62 extend too far beyond the point of first wheel contact to permit the forming of an initial curve whose axis is normal to the rail.

From the foregoing description, it will be understood that train wheels passing over the rail 9 will, to a greater or less degree, cause its reciprocation in a vertical plane, thereby causing corresponding reciprocation of the clamp bar 12 and the tank 22 attached thereto. Downward movement of the tank 22 and of the parts rigidly attached thereto will permit relative slidable movement between the fixed piston 5i and the adjacent surface of the elongated pocket or bore 40 of the cylindrical member 39. This relative movement of piston 4| and cylindrical member 39 will, by reason of the partial vacuum temporarily created, raise thev suction ball 28 thereby drawing lubricant through the opening 21, and consequently filling the pocket 26. The upward movement of the rail 9, after the vehicle wheels have passed thereover, will now cause the tank 22, attached pump body 25 and cylindrical mem ber 39 to correspondingly move in an upward direction while the piston 41 remains immovable. Lubricant, therefore,v which has entered the pocket 26, elongated passageway 35 and channel 29, will as suction ball 26 is returned to its seat to close the opening or port 27, be impelled through the orifice or port thereb lifting ball 32 and forcing lubricant through the channel 34 and thence through pipe fitting 35, conduit 35, pipe fitting 51, attached to the end of conduit 36 and thence through opening 54 into the horizontal pocket or space 55, between the two neoprene sheets 52, 55; wherefrom it will flow against the side of the railhead I l and be f arther ejected thereagainst as an advancing wheel flange depresses the lubricating assembly in the manner shown in Figure 1. The lubricant, it is to be noted, by inspection of the upwardly curved endsof the two neoprene plates 52, 55 will have a tendency to be retained in the temporarily closed pocket 55 until the lubricant-applying assembly is depressed by wheel action whereupon the lubricant will be smoothly and wipin ly distributed against the said rail head i i as the pocket 55 partly opens, asshown. If the impact of the wheel flanges occurs at high speed then it will be understood that the lubricant ejected against the rail head IE will, through its inertia, be separated from the lubricant applying means as the latter is violently depressed, and will deposit against the wheel flanges.

In the modified form of the. invention shown in Figures 2 and 3 thelubri'cant pump is operated by direct contact of the wheels of passing trains and not by recipro'catory motion of the rail, as in the form shown in Figs. 1, 4 and. 5 This alternate means for operating the pump is preferred for slow moving trains. Referring now to Figs. 2 and-3, the numeral: H designates a lubricant tank or reservoir which is secured to a clamp bracket 12 by screws I3, 14 the clamp bracket 12 in turn being fastened to the base of the rail 15 by lugs 16, i1; screw bolts l8, l9 and nuts 88, 8|. The tank H, with the exception of its cover 82, as described hereinafter, is similar to tank 22 and also houses a pump assembly identical with that described in the foregoing paragraphs and shown in Figure l. The means for conducting the lubricant from tank H to the lubricant applying means (not shown inFig. 2) are also similar to those shown in Figure 1. The similar parts, therefore, in Figures 1 and 2, are correspondingly numbered.

In the instant form of the invention, the piston 4|, after passing through the cover 82, is protruded through a hole 83 provided in a rock arm 84 and is detachably fastened to the said rock arm 84 by snap rings 85, 86 in the manner described hereinbefore. One end of the rock arm 84 is formed with an integral lug 81 which is apertured to receive a pivot or hinge pin 88 whose outer ends are turnably supported in holes at 89, provided in angularly arranged arms 9|, 92 integrally formed with or fastened to the cover 82. The other end of the rock arm 84 has an upwardly directed portion 93 which is contacted by moving train wheels. The rock arm 84 is normally maintained in the position, shown in full lines in Fig. 2, by a coil spring 95 encircling a portion of the piston 4i and confined between the upper surface of the cover 82 and the under surface of the rock arm 84.

In order to limit the movement of the springbiased rock arm 84 and of the piston 4| attached thereto, a screw 96 is passed through an opening 91 in the said rock arm and is threadedly engaged in the cover 82 of the tank 22. The head 98 of the screw 96 contacts the upper surface of the rock arm 84 and serves as an abutment or stop against the upward movement or swing of the rock arm. By turning the screw 96 in a clockwise or counter direction, the screw head 98 will be lowered or raised thereby depressing or raising the rock arm 84 and attached piston 4|; so that their vertical movement to the degree de sired may be adjustably regulated while under the urge of the coil spring 95.. In this manner, the scope of the pumping action may be controlled and the supply of lubricant fed to the lubricantapplying means B regulated within the limits indicated.

It will be noticed that in the modified form of the invention the pump is actuated positively by direct contact of a passing train wheel 99 with the ramp-like surface 94 of the portion 93 of the rock arm 84, resulting in the downward movement of the latter and consequently of the attached piston 4i, thereby ejecting lubricant from the pocket 25, through port 38, channel 34, pipe fitting 35, conduit 36, pipe fitting 61 and thence through opening 54 into the narrow pocket 55 of the lubricant-applying assembly B, as hereinbefore described in the description accompanying the first form of the invention. As in the other form of the invention, a filler hole Hill, normally closed by a hinged cap lfll, is provided on the cover 82.

It is to be understood that the invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and it is therefore desired that the present embodiment be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, reference being had to the appended claims rather than the foregoing description to indicate the scope of the 6. invention; and it will be furtherunderstood that each and every novel feature and combination present in or possessed by the mechanism herewith disclosed, forms a part of the inventionincluded in this application.

8 Having thus described my invention, what. I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is: 9

1. In a device for lubricating a rail, a tank secured to the rail and adapted to containlubricant, a pump fastened to the tank, a piston forming a part of the pump and fastened to an anchorage, said anchorage being arranged exteriorly and independently of said tank, and means for conducting lubricant from the tank to the rail; whereby when said rail is moved by the weight of a passing train wheel traversing the rail, relative movement between the pump and piston will actuate the pump and force lubricant from the tank into the said means.

2. In a device for lubricating arail, 1ubricant applying means arranged adjacent to and contactable by train wheels passing over the rail, said means including a plurality of resilient instrumentalities each having a different degree of flexibility, at least two of said instrumentalities defining a space therebetween, a plurality of flexible instrumentalities arranged in said space, and lubricant-conducting means connected to the lubricant-applying means and supplying lubricant between the flexible instrumentalities.

3. In a device for lubricating a rail, lubricantapplying means arranged adjacentto and contactable by train wheels passing over the rail, said means including a plurality of resilient instrumentalities arranged to provide a space, a plurality of flexible instrumentalities contacting the rail and disposed Within the space in opposed relation to provide a pocket accommodating lubricant, said resilient instrumentalities flexing downwardly under the weight of a train wheel traversing the rail while said flexible instrumentalities simultaneously flex upwardly; whereby lubricant in the said pocket will be extruded against the rail. I

4. In a device for lubricating a rail, lubricantapplying means arranged adjacent to and contactable by train wheels passing over the rail, said means including a plurality of resilient instrumentalities, a plurality of flexible instrumentalities contacting the rail and arranged to form a pocket between at least two of. the resilient instrumentalities, said resilient and flexible instrumentalities having bevelled ends so that when deflected by passing train wheels the axis of their deflection curve will be parallel to the rail; and means connected to the resilient and flexible instrumentalities and supplying lubricant to the said pocket.

5. In a device for lubricating a rail, lubricantapplying means arranged adjacent to and contactable by train wheels passing over the rail, said means including a pluriity of resilient instrumentalities arranged to provide a space, a plurality of flexible instrumentalities contacting the rail and disposed within the said space, and means supplying lubricant between the flexible instrumentalities, said flexible instrumentalities having ends flexed upwardly into engagement with the rail to deposit and maintain a supply of lubricant on the rail.

6. In a device for lubricating ar ail, lubricantapplying means arranged adjacent to and contactable by train wheels passing over the rail, said means including a plurality of resilient instrunientalities arranged to provide a. space, aplural'i-- itypt' flexible instrumentalities contacting...therail and' disposed within the said. space, and; means s'uppl-ying lubricanttto the flexible instrumentalities; all of said resilient and flexibleinstrumentalities being: formed'and secured so that fl'exure under passing train wheels will take place in substantially one plane.

-'7J. 'Ina device f'orlubricating a rail, lubricantappl'ying means a'rranged adjacent to and. contactable by'train wheels passing over the rail, said means being deflectible downwardly by the trainwheels andincluding a plurality of resilient instrumentalities arranged to provide a space, a plurality of flexible instrumentalities contacting therail and disposed within the said space; and means'supplyinglubricant between the flexible instrumentalities, said flexibleinstrumentalities having ends flexed upwardly intoengagementwith the rail to deposit andmaintain a supply of lubricant on the rail.

8 In -a device for lubricating a rail, atank secured to the rail and adapted to contain lubricant, a'pump fastened to the tank; a piston form'- ing a part of the pump and fastened to an anchorage; said anchorage-beingarranged exteriorly and independently of 'said tank, means coacting with the piston and anchoragefor varying the effective action of-thepiston and consequently the effectiveaction-oi the pump; and means for conducting lubricant" from the tank to the rail; whereby when said rail is moved by the weight of a passing train wheel traversing the rail, relative movement between the pumpand piston will actuate the pump a-ndforce lubricant from the tank into the means for conducting lubricant.

9-. In a device for lubricating a rail, lubricantapplyingmeans arranged adjacent toand contactableby train wheels passing over the rail, said means including a plurality'of resilient instrumenta-lities arranged to provide a space, a plurality of flexible instrumentalities contacting the-rail and disposed within the said space, and means supplying lubricant between. the flexible instrumentalities; said flexible instrumentalities having their opposite ends sealed to prevent leakage of lubricant therefrom but having portions flexed upwardly into engagement with the railto deposit and maintain asupply of lubricant on the rail.

105111 a device for lubricating a rail and the flanges of train wheels traversing the rail, lubricant-applying means arranged adjacent to and deflectable downwardly by train wheels contacting the meansandpassing over the rail, said means including resilient and flexible instrumentalities composed of comparatively thin fiatsheets' of material" and arranged to' provide a compres sible pocket to accommodate a supply of lubricant, said pocket having a dischargeopening in proximity to the'rail and adjacent wheel flanges passing thereov'er, and means made operable by' pocket will be compressed and lubricant-Will separated from the instrumentalities and ejected from the discharge. opening and-towards theralland wheel flanges.

11. In a device for lubricating a rail and the adjacent flanges of train wheels traversing the rail, lubricant-applying means-arranged adjacent to and defi'ectable downwardly by train wheels contacting the means and passing over the rail;

said means including flexible and resilient in strumentalities composed of comparatively thin flat sheets of material and having bevelled ends and arranged to provide a compressible pocket'to adjacent flanges-of train wheels traversing the" rail,- a tank secured to the rail" and adapted to contain lubricant, a pump fastened-to the tank,- a piston'forming a partjof the pump and fastened to an anchorage; and said anchoragebeing arranged exteri'orlyand independently of said tank, means-for" conveying lubricant from the tank to the said adjacentwheel'flanges, whereby when said rail is-moved by the weight of a passi'ng-train wheel passing thereover; said tankwlll' move relatively to the piston, and the pump will force lubricant intothe said means.

r 1 3. In a device for lubricating a rail and'the flangesof train wheels traversing the rail, lubricant applying means arranged adjacent the rail, said means including a plurality of resilient in"- strumentalities arranged to provide a space; a plurality of flexible instrumentalities disposed withinthe space and arranged to form a pocket to accommodate lubricant, and lubricant-con ducti'ngmeans connected to the lubricant-applyi'ng-- means and supplying lubricant to the said pocket, said resilient and flexible instrumentalities flexing downwardly'under'the weight of passingtrain wheels and compressing said pocket to extrude lubricant therefrom into contact with adjacent wheel flanges passing thereby.

WILLIAM F. HUCK;

REFERENCES) vCITED The following references are of record in the file oithis patent;

UNI-TED; STATES PATENTS.

Number Name Date 1,923,449; Merk Aug. 22, 1933" 1,978,966 Madison" Oct. '30, 1934' 2,603,242 Butcher; May 28, 1935 2,018,402 Hum'phri'es Oct. 22, 1935 2,152,696 Huck Apr. 4,,1'939'

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