Patent ID: 6199661
Filing Date: 2001-03-13
Classification: B61K

Abstract:
In a railroad locomotive of the type having a nozzle for applying a lubricant to the top of a rail behind the last axle of the locomotive, a lubricant supply tank, a lubricant conduit connecting the supply tank to the nozzle, means for pressurizing the lubricant supply tank, and computer means for controlling the lubricant flow rate, an improved method of controlling the lubricant flow rate comprising the steps of:a) placing at least one solenoid valve in the lubricant conduit;b) defining a series of sequential time windows, each time window having a predetermined time period;c) calculating in the computer for each time window a single valve-open time duration that will produce a desired lubricant flow rate, said time duration being a percentage of the defined time window; andd) opening the solenoid valve for said single time duration during each time window.