US2296204A - Railway axle lubricator structure - Google Patents

Description

Sept- 15, 1942- J. J. HENNESSY RAILWAY AXLE LUBRICATOR STRUCTURE Filed Dec. 16, 1940 INVENTOR.

JAMES J. HENNESSY 7 ATTORNEY.

Patented Sept. 15, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,296,204 RAILWAY AXLE LUBRICATOR STRUCTURE James J. Hennessy, Montclair, N. J.

Application December 16, 1940, Serial No. 370,264 3 Claims. (01. 302-80) The invention relates to the lubrication of railway axle journals and more particularlyto the recovery of surplus oil supplied to the journals of railway driver axles. j

The 'present application is a continuation-inpart of an application filed April 18, 1940, Serial No. 330,242.

The invention is used in connection with mechanical lubricators whereby oil is pumped to the journal. Such lubricators are designed to feed an adequate supply of lubricant to the journal under unfavorable conditions, for example, when low temperature reduces the fluidity of the lubricant,

and when slow movement of the vehicle or,

minimum play of the axle longitudinally of the box provides a comparatively slight pumping action. Hence, when the conditions are more favorable for pumping the lubricant, there will be an excess amount of lubricant supplied to the journal and this excess lubricant tends to travel longitudinally of the journal beyond the bearing surfaces and to escape from the box and be wasted.

The main object of the present invention is to reduce such loss at the rear of the box and bearing by trapping such surface lubricant and returning it to the lubricant cellar or reservoir from whence it may be pumped again to the jounal.

This and other detailed objects of the invention are attained by the structure illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which- Figure l is a vertical longitudinal section through a locomotive driver axle box and bearing, and associated structure for preventing the loss of lubricant, the journal and adjacent portions of the wheel hub and axle and the mechanical lubricator being shown in elevation.

Figure 2 is a transverse cross section taken on the line 22 of Figure 1.

The axle I includes a journal Zand mounts the driving wheel, having the hub 3, in the usual manner. A bearing 4 rests upon the journal and supports a box having the topwall 5 and end liner 6.

A cellar and lubricant reservoir 8 is applied to the lower portion of the journal and is carried upon a plate I extending between the side walls L of the axle box. Cellar 8 extends rearwardly of plate I and the box side walls and journal 2, and at one side is provided with a sump 9 having a valve 912 whereby water may be collected and drained from the reservoir.

A lubricating device is mounted in cellar 8 and.

includes a pump actuated by the play of the axle 55 longitudinally of the box whereby lubricant is fed from the cellar through a conduit H] to the lower face of the journal and is distributed over the latter by suitable pads I l.

The details of the pumping structure are well known to those skilled in the art and will not be further described. here.

Oilsupply to the journal is fed under bearing 4 by the upwardly moving side of the journal and forms a film upon which the bearing rests. Surplus oil is squeezed longitudinally of the journal. That portion flowing to the front of the journal is recaptured by the wipers indicated at [2 and by a trough l3 detailed and described in the abovementioned application Serial No. 330,242.

r The axle is provided with a neck l6 of slightly less diameter than the journal and the remainder of the axle. Preferably the journal extends somewhat beyond the rear end of bearing 4, and a packing strip 20 of leather, felt or similar material is applied to the box rear wall and overlies the shoulder 2| formed at thejunction of journal 2 and neckIB. r

A smi-circular housing I! encloses the upper part of neck l6 and is flanged at l'la for attachment to the rear wall of the driving box by bolts l8. Thelower edges of the sides of housing l'l overlap the upper edges of the sides of cellar 8, and the rear end of housing ll terminates in a downturned lip l8 fitting within the rear wall of the cellar. Strips 11a welded to the lower edges of the housing direct oil to the interior of the cellar.

A reenforcing partition plate 22 extends across the rear portion of cellar 8 and is apertured to position pin 26, and plate 22 and the rear portion of the cellar are further reenforced by cross plate 21. 7

Any oil escaping at the rear end of the journal past packing 20 is deflected to neck I6 which is of such length that before the oil travels to the rear thereof it forms a peripheral ring which will break up into drops and will drop onto plate 22 or will be discharged by centrifugal force against the side of housing IT or the side wall of the cellar and will flow down to plate 22 and then drain, through openings 28 in plate 22, back to the reservoir where it may be again pumped to the journal.

If any oil flows the full length of neck l6, it will be thrown off onto the housing or cellar side wall when it reaches shoulder 23. The cellar and housing I! extend beyond shoulder 23 and their inturned rear elements tend to vbaflie the entrance of dirt, water, etc, to the interior of the housing,

but these elements are not necessary to prevent the loss of oil.

Preferably a wiper 24 is applied to the lower rear portion of journal 2 and extends rearwardly of the same and is thrust against same by the spring 25 seated on the bottom of cellar 8 and supporting a pin 25 which mounts the wiper.

While all of the elements shown have been used together to advantage, it will be understood that the general principle of the invention may be involved if some of the parts are omitted; For example, if packing '20 and wiper 24 were not present, the functioning of neck 5 and housing ll would be substantially as described above; The exclusive use of the structure as described; on in any modified form which oineswithii'ithe scope of the appended claims is contemplated;

What is claimed is: 1. In combination, a railway vehicle axle box, a journal bearing secured therein, an axle h'avJ- ing a journal supporting saidbearing and, box,

said axle including a neck, portioni ojiles sjdiam' eter than said journal and extending'rearwa'r dly;

from said journal and from" theirearoj said box and bearing, a removable flubr'cant'c Hai -car n i box en at ai ournal; here bein a device in said cellar for? pumping therein to said journal, said cellar including bottom and side walls extending rearwardly ofgsaid ioumalibearing, h ai ide; wa e tend? ing upwardly alongside of said;journalandv neck, and a housing secured to the rear (ii-said box,

and extending therefrom over-said, neck and downwardly at the sides thereof and terminating; in forked elements receiving between themi the upper edges of the cellar sid wal s, said housing and the rearwardly" extending" portion of said,

cellar m fieneii iru i ire r l na 1 r u lubricant escaping fromithe rear of said bearing and returning the same to said device.

2, combination,- a railway vehicle axle box,

a ree ll i tin sta ed teem a l a ing' a journal supporting said bearing and box, saidaxle including a neck portion oilesgdiameter than said journal and extending rearwardly from said journal and from the rear of said box and bearing and forming a shoulder at the rear of the journal, a removable lubricant cellar carried in said box beneath said journal, ther being a device in said cellar for pumping lubricant therein to said journal, said cellar including bottom and side walls extending rearwardly of said journal, bearing and box, said side walls extending upwardly alongside of said journal and neck, and a housing'secured to the rear of said box and extending therefrom over said neck and downwardly at the sides thereof to meet the sides of said cellar, there being a packing between the housi z gzand the rear end of the journal box and derbtwe'eh' the axle neck and the rear end of thejournal and extending over the top and down waraiy along the sides of the axle to a point i nearthe top edges of the cellar side walls.

leading said trapped lubricjant back to, saidcellar', I

there being ai'fle'xibl packing, secured to the portion oi, s'afijhQ lsihg adiaeenfithe rnal and.

bearing against thejshoulder, formed .by saidjneckf and, XtendinQovertM. erand, side. p r ions.

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