US2821263A - Rail and flange lubricator - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 258, 1958 P. H'KERLEIR 2,521,263

RAIL AND FLANGE LUBRICATOR Filed Dec. 9, 1954 RAIL AND FLANGE LUBRICATOR Philip Henry Kerler, Clifton, N. J.

Application December 9, 1954, Serial No. 474,201

4 Claims. (Cl. 1843) This invention relates to a rail and flange lubricator.

It is common practice to provide a lubricant container along railroad track or the like and particularly prior to curves, so that lubricant is applied to the Wheel flange immediately preceding the curve so as to prevent excessive friction between the contacting surfaces, eliminating objectionable squeals and reducing wear.

in general, such devices comprise tanks or troughs which contain a supply of free oil in combination with a wick within or adjacent to which the wheel flange travels. Such devices have been found to be objectionable for a variety of reasons. Particularly, the tank is largely open to the entrance of foreign matter such as paper or dirt which flys around the area. The oil thus becomes contaminated and the tank unsightly.

With the foregoing in mind, I have devised a lubricator which may be employed in a conventional trough or tank but which provides a unitary length of spongy or fibrous material which fills the tank and has an integral portion thereof extending out of the tank so as to be suitably contacted by the wheel flange. The device is of such a nature that it can be easily installed or removed for replacement. Inasmuch as it substantially fills the tank, it excludes the entrance of foreign matter. It is further so formed as to provide a greatly improved lubricating action on the flange such as by providing a pumping action whereby the oil in the tank is automatically urged to the surface of the device for most effective flange lubrication.

The invention will be further understood from the following description and drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a sectional view illustrating the device as secured adjacent to a rail;

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view as taken along the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view similar to Figure l but illustrating the action of the device in lubricating a wheel flange;

Figure 4 is a perspective view, on a reduced scale and partly broken away, of a tank insert; and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view in perspective and showing the bottom surface of the insert.

The device is applied to a conventional railroad or subway rail 16 which is secured to a bed 11 which may comprise ties or the like. The tank or trough 12 is elongated and comprises a bottom 13, side 14-, side 15 and a partial top 16 which longitudinally encloses a portion of the top.

The conventional form of tank is about ten feet long and divided into four compartments of about 2 /2 feet in length. The purpose thereof is to confine tree oil to its own compartment particularly when the rail is located on a grade. Suitable means of filling the tank is usually provided in the top Wall 16. The insert of the instant invention may be employed in such a conventional tank although it may be employed in any suitable tank whether divided into partitions or whether it is a single desired length.

2,821,263 Patented Jan. 28, 1958 Tank 12 is secured as is conventional to the ties or other foundation by bracket 17 so that the tank extends parallel to the rail. It is further spaced from the rail Web by a bracket 18'.

The insert of the instant invention is an elongated length of fibrous, spongy or cellular material. As an example thereof, I preferably employ cellulose sponge although foam rubber, sponge rubber or sponge glass fiber material may be employed.

The preferred cellulose sponge is a common product and is in common use as a kitchen device. When Wet it is flexible and resilient.

According to the instant invention, 1 provide such cellulose sponge in elongated form to a length of about 2 /2 feet although it may be any desired length. Such sponge then serves as an insert 18 to be bodily inserted in the tank 12. Referring to Figure 4, insert 18 is substantially L-shaped in cross-section with the lower level 19 thereof adapted to be disposed under the top wall 16 of tank 12. The upper level 20 comprises a platform formed with a series of transverse, parallel strips which are spaced from each other and extend along the length of the insert while the lower level 19 is planar. Such parallel strips extend completely across the upper level 20 from one side wall thereof to the other, said side walls extending the full length of the insert, being vertical and parallel to each other, and defining between them the upper level of the insert. The floor of the insert as noted in Figure 5 may take the form of a grid having a series of continuous grooves 22 formed therein.

The article of the instant invention is used and functions as follows:

It is generally preferabie to preliminarily wet the insert 18 with water before inserting it into the tank 12. The reason therefor is that cellulose sponge is generally rigid and unwieldy unless it is moistened and the water further expands it about one-half inch in width so that it more snugly fits the tank 12. Generally, after wetting it is wrung out so as to eliminate excessive or free water. It is then inserted through the elongated top opening of tank 12, so that the lower level 19 abuts the underside of the top Wall portion 16'. This operation requires no tools or mechanism. A supply of oil may be in the tank before the insert is applied or it may be poured in thereafter. Such oil will fill up the interstices of the cellular or spongy insert and it will also fill up the bottom spaces in the tank formed by the grooves 22. The device is then ready for use. In the event t at the residual Water resists the complete penetration of the insert by the oil, a conventional Wetting agent may be used in the water in which the insert is initially immersed. This will make it receive oil more freely. However, the insert has been found to be effective without a wetting agent.

When a wheel 23 approaches the curve and passes over the lubricating tan-k, its flange 24 rides over the upper level of the insert across the strips 20. It depresses such strips as illustrated in Figure 3 so that the strips effectively embrace a circumferential area of the flange. The strips 20, being flexible and having the appearance of a washboard, provide an effective pumping action whereby oil from the body of the insert is urged up to the strip level. The bottom, grid-like surface is also of utility in encouraging the flow of oil upwardly to the strips. Such grooves or cuts Whether on the upper level or on the bottom both encourage the flow of oil particularly since cellulose sponge of this nature very often is formed with a skin which deters the flow. However, if desired, such skin may be removed in the instant device.

It will be noted from the foregoing that the entrance of foreign objects into the tank is almost wholly excluded because the insert substantially fills the tank. The insert has been further found to be extremely effective in lubricating wheel flanges for the purposes above noted.'

It will be further noted that the insert of the instant invention is not confined to either conventional tanks orgtometallic tanks but they may be used'in tanks of other materials such as of rubber or resilient plastic material or the like, which tank can thenbe bent to conform to a specific track conformation and particularly directly at the curves.

What is claimed is: p

1. An insert for a lubricant tank comprising an elongatedlength of cellular, spongy material, said insert being formed with two planar levels on its upper surface so; as to be, of itself, normally of the cross-sectional shape of an L, the upper level of the two being adapted to be contacted by a wheel flange during travel on a railroad track, the lower level being wholly below the upper level, said upper'level being defined by elongated, parallel side walls and being formed of a series of parallel, transverse, spaced strips extending completely across said upper level.

2. An articleaccording to'clairn 1 and wherein the bottom of said insert is formed with a series of grooves.

3; An insert for alubricant tank comprising an elongatedlength of cellulose sponge, said length'being L- shaped so as to have two upper levels on two difierent planes, the upper level being defined by elongated, parallel sidewalls and comprising a series of parallel transverse spaced strips extending along the complete length thereof planar, thebo tt'oin of said insert being formed of a series" of grid-like areas having continuous grooves between them.

4. The combination with a lubricant reservoir comprising a tank having sides, a floor and a top wall extending the length of the tank and partially covering the top thereof so as to leave an elongated top opening, an insert in said tank,said insert comprising an elongated unitary length of cellular, oil absorbent material substantially filling said tank from one end to the other, said insert being formed with two planar, horizontal levels on its upper surface, one of said levels being above the other, avertical side wall on the upper level descending to the lower level, said upper level and said vertical side wall both extending above the top opening of the tank, said upper level being formed of a series of parallel, transverse strips extending throughout the length of said upper level, the bottom of said insert being formed with a series of grooves.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,138,971 Keeler Dec. 6, 1938 2,206,153 Berggruen July 2, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS 814,172 Germany Sept. 20, 1951

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