Abstract:
An improved wick-holder for mounting a felt lubricating wick is provided with a passive inertia-activated pump mounted for submersion in the axle-cap lubricant-reservoir at a level that ensures that for all levels of the reservoir, the pump inlet is submerged in the lubricant of the reservoir. In a first embodiment, the passive inertia-activated pump takes the form of a piston-type pump, while in a second embodiment, the passive inertia-activated pump takes the form of a diaphragm pump. In either embodiment, the inlet of the passive inertia-activated pump is submersed in the lubricant-reservoir, and the output of the passive inertia-activated pump is directed to the surface-interface between the felt wick and the axle journal surface-area to increase the lubrication thereof over and above that which normally ensues owing to the conventional capillary action of the felt wick. In a modification of the first embodiment, the piston pump is mounted to a splash sleeve forming part of the wick-holder and which is telescopingly received over the free end of the felt wick, with the output of the passive inertia-activated pump delivering the lubricant to the surface-interface between the felt wick and the axle journal surface-area via the hollow interior-volume of the splash sleeve and wick holder proper. The slosh pump of the invention may replace the wick assembly entirely, whereby the lubrication is achieved solely by the slosh pump of the invention.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
   Reference is had to co-pending application Ser. No. 11/284,635, filed on Nov. 21, 2005, which application is incorporated by reference herein. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for improving the oil delivery of a lubricating system for lubricating the axle-journal surface mounted in a support bearing of a locomotive traction motor. The oil-wick delivery system for lubricating the axle-journal surface mounted in a support bearing of a locomotive traction motor includes a wick holder that supports and mounts a central lubricating wick having a lower end portion or section received in an oil reservoir, which oil, via capillary action, is delivered by the wick to the axle-journal surface by means of a window formed in the shell of the traction motor support bearing. The other, upper wick-face section of the wick is received in the window for contact against the axle-journal surface, to thereby provide the proper lubrication. 
   Examples of this lubricating system are disclosed in the U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,980,472; 3,827,769; 3,905,659; 4,229,056; and 5,082,089. One such prior-art system is also shown in  FIG. 1 , and is indicated generally by reference numeral  10 , and includes an oil reservoir  12  for storing lubricant, and a carrier assembly  14  connected to the axle cap  16  of a friction support bearing  18  used for mounting a locomotive traction motor to the wheel axle assembly. The carrier assembly  14  has a spring  22 , such as a coil or torsion spring, that biases a wick-holder unit  34  toward a wick window, or lubricating opening,  26  formed in the shell of the friction support bearing  18 , through which window oil is delivered to the axle-journal surface  37  mounted in the friction support bearing. The wick-holder unit consists of a slide bracket element or member  32  which is mounted for sliding movement in the carrier assembly  14 , a wick holder member  34  of arcuate shape that is connected to the slide bracket element  32 , and a felt wick  36  having an upper section of similar arcuate shape mounted in the wick holder  34 . The wick defines a wick-face  36 ′ that contacts the axle-journal surface  37 . 
   In Applicants&#39; above-mentioned co-pending application Ser. No. 11/284,635, there are disclosed various embodiments for increasing oil-wick lubrication for a friction support bearing of a locomotive traction motor by means of providing louver-reservoirs or reservoir-pockets that are formed either as part of the wick-holder or as part of a separate splash sleeve that is mounted over, and connected to, the lower end portion of the felt wick. These reservoir-pockets receive and store oil that has been splashed and sloshed in the main oil-wick reservoir during normal locomotive operation, to thereby temporarily store and delivery this captured oil to upper portions of the felt wick for enhanced lubrication by the felt wick. This enhanced lubrication by the felt wick has special relevance and advantage when the level of the oil of the main oil reservoir for the wick has been reduced to a minimum level. 
   In the non-pressure lubrication system of which the present invention is used, it would be highly beneficial to ensure that the proper rate of lubricant is delivered to the axle-journal surface mounted in the support bearing of the locomotive traction motor, so that a concomitant decrease of wear and tear and lengthening of the service life of the axle-journal surface-area occurs. The present invention is directed to providing such an optimal flow rate of lubricant to the axle-journal surface-area via face of the wick lubricator, independent of the oil level present in the reservoir between maximum and minimum service levels. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   It is, therefore, the primary objective of the present invention to provide a supplemental lubricant-delivery system for enhancing the lubrication of the axle-journal surface-area by optimizing the amount of oil delivered to the face of the wick lubricator and, therefore, to the axle journal surface-area, which optimized oil-delivery is independent of the oil level present in the reservoir between maximum and minimum service levels. 
   It is, also, the primary objective of the present invention to provide such a supplemental lubricant-delivery system which incorporates a passive inertia-activated slosh pump located internally to the main axle-cap oil-reservoir. 
   It is another primary objective of the present invention to provide such a supplemental lubricant-delivery system which incorporates a passive inertia-activated pump located internally to the main axle-cap oil-reservoir, which pump is driven by the inertial resistance to the vertical and lateral accelerations imposed upon the traction motor by rail irregularities encountered during normal operation. 
   It is yet another primary objective of the present invention to provide such a supplemental lubricant-delivery system which incorporates a passive inertia-activated pump located internally to the main axle-cap oil-reservoir, which passive inertia-activated pump delivers the oil from the axle-cap oil-reservoir to a location close to the contact-face of the felt wick with the axle-journal. 
   In accordance with the present invention, an improved lubricating system for use with a wick-holder mounting a felt lubricating wick is provided with a passive inertia-activated pump mounted for at least partial submersion in the axle-cap lubricant-reservoir whereby at least the pump inlet is submerged in the lubricant of the reservoir. In a first embodiment, the passive inertia-activated pump takes the form of a piston-type pump, while in a second embodiment, the passive inertia-activated pump takes the form of a diaphragm pump. In either embodiment, the inlet of the passive inertia-activated pump is submersed in the lubricant-reservoir, and the output of the passive inertia-activated pump is directed to the surface-interface between the felt wick and the axle journal surface-area to increase the lubrication thereof over and above that which normally ensues from that owing to the conventional capillary action of the felt wick. In a modification of the first embodiment, the passive inertia-activated piston pump is mounted to a splash sleeve forming part of the wick-holder which is telescopingly received over the free end of the felt wick, with the output of the pump delivering the lubricant to the surface-interface between the felt wick and the axle journal surface-area interiorly via the hollow interior-volume of the splash sleeve and wick holder proper. 
   In another embodiment, the passive inertia-activated pump of the invention entirely replaces the prior-art wick-lubricating system, to be the only delivery source of lubricant to the surface-interface between the support bearing and axe journal. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
     The invention will be more readily understood with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
       FIG. 1  is a partial vertical cross-sectional view of a prior-art locomotive traction support bearing and axle cap, and showing the prior-art lubricating system; 
       FIG. 2  is a partial vertical cross-sectional view of a locomotive traction support bearing and axle cap similar to  FIG. 1 , but showing the lubricating system of the first embodiment of the present invention that incorporates the passive, inertia-activated slosh pump of the invention for enhancing oil flow to the face of the central wick lubricator; 
       FIG. 3  is a side view, in partial cross section, showing the slosh pump of  FIG. 2 ; 
       FIG. 4  is an end view thereof; 
       FIG. 5  a vertical cross-sectional view of the inlet of the slosh pump of  FIG. 3 ; 
       FIG. 6  a vertical cross-sectional of the outlet of the slosh pump of  FIG. 3 ; 
       FIG. 7  is a front view thereof; 
       FIG. 8  is a partial vertical cross-sectional view of a locomotive traction support bearing and axle cap similar to  FIG. 1 , but showing the lubricating system according to a modification of the first embodiment in which the slosh pump of  FIG. 3  is incorporated as part of a reservoir-pockets splash sleeve; 
       FIG. 9  is a side elevational view showing a wick holder with attached splash sleeve of  FIG. 8  incorporating the slosh pump of  FIG. 3 ; 
       FIG. 10  is a front view thereof; and 
       FIG. 11  is a partial vertical cross-sectional view of a locomotive traction support bearing and axle cap similar to  FIG. 8 , but showing the lubricating system of the invention according to another modification of the first embodiment in which the inlet of the slosh pump of  FIG. 8  is located interiorly, rather than exteriorly, of the central wick lubricator; 
       FIG. 12  is a partial vertical cross-sectional view of a locomotive traction support bearing and axle cap similar to  FIG. 1 , but showing the lubricating system according to a second embodiment of the present invention in which the slosh pump is diaphragm pump; and 
       FIG. 13  is a detail view of the diaphragm pump of  FIG. 12 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   Referring now to the drawings in greater detail, and in particular to  FIGS. 2-7 , there is shown a first embodiment of the improved wick-lubricant delivery system for enhancing and optimizing lubricant flow to the face of the wick used to lubricate an axle-journal surface supported in a locomotive traction-motor friction support bearing. In accordance with this first embodiment, a passive inertia-activated slosh pump in the form of a piston-type pump assembly  40  is provided, and is vertically mounted to, and below, the wick carrier-assembly  14  via mounting bracket  40 ′. Mounting bracket  40 ′ positions the pump assembly below the spring  22 . The pump assembly  42  has a pump inlet valve  42 ′ and a pump outlet valve  42 ″. Projecting vertically downwardly from the inlet valve  42 ′ is an inlet tube  44  having a lower inlet-opening  44 ′ deeply submerged in the oil-reservoir  12 , so that droplets of oil may be taken in through the inlet-opening  44 ′ and delivered to the pump inlet valve  42 ′ via the inlet tube  44 . Projecting at a upward slope from the pump outlet valve  42 ″ is an outlet-tube  46  having an upper outlet-opening  46 ′. The outlet-tube  46  is located exteriorly of the wick-holder, with the outlet-opening  46 ′ thereof terminating at the wick-face  36 ′ of the felt wick  36 , so that droplets of oil taken up through the inlet-opening valve  44 ′ and delivered to the pump inlet valve  42 ′ via the inlet tube  44  are delivered to the wick face  36 ′ during normal operation, as described hereinbelow, in order to supplement normal wick oil-delivery. 
   The passive inertia-activated slosh pump assembly  40  is best seen in  FIGS. 3-7 , and takes the form of a piston pump  50 . The piston pump  50  has a main cylindrical housing  52  made of light-weight, low-wear material that reciprocatively mounts a piston  54 . The piston  54  is made of high-inertia material, such as solid steel, and is biased by a spring  56 . The piston  54  is caused to reciprocate in the cylinder due to vertical and lateral accelerations imposed upon the traction motor by rail irregularities encountered during normal operation. The reciprocation of the piston  54  causes oil in the oil reservoir  12  to be drawn in through the inlet valve  42 ′ and output through the output valve  42 ″ to the wick face  36 ′ ( FIG. 2 ). Movement of the piston  54  in a first direction against the spring  56 , which direction is to the right when viewing  FIG. 3  and, as explained above, is caused by lateral and vertical acceleration forces acting on the piston due to rail irregularities, causes oil droplets to be taken in through inlet valve  42 ′, and movement in the opposite direction via the biasing spring  56  forces the oil out through the outlet valve  42 ″, which outward movement is to the left when viewing  FIG. 3 . 
   Each of the inlet valve  42 ′ and outlet valve  42 ″ incorporates a ball check  60 ,  62 , as best seen in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , respectively. The inlet valve  42  ( FIG. 5 ) is provided with an outer cap  64  formed with an inlet hole, and defines an interior seat  64 ′ for the ball  60 , which ball  60  is normally biased outwardly against the seat  64 ′ by a spring  66  to close off the inlet hole of the cap  64 . The interior of the valve housing also defines passages  68 ′ which permit the oil to bypass the ball check valve when the ball is unseated. The interior of the valve housing defines limit stops  68  against which the ball  60  abuts during its inward movement when the piston  54  moves during its intake stroke, as described hereinabove. The outlet valve  42 ″ ( FIG. 6 ) operates oppositely to that of the inlet valve, and is provided with an inner seat  70  against which the ball check  62  is seated during the piston intake-stroke for closing off the outlet of the pump, which ball is biased against the seat  70  by a spring  72 . During the discharge stroke of the piston  54 , the ball  62  is forced outwardly against the force of the spring  72 , thereby opening and allowing oil to be pumped out through the outlet valve and to the wick face  36 ′ via the outlet tube  46  described hereinabove. 
   Referring now to  FIGS. 8-10 , there is shown a modification  80  of the first embodiment of the lubricating system of the invention in which the passive inertia-activated slosh pump of  FIG. 3  is incorporated as part of a splash sleeve. The modification  80  utilizes a piston-type pump assembly  82  like that of  FIGS. 3-7  but which is mounted to a splash sleeve  84  incorporating a plurality of reservoir-pockets or louvers  86  which are used for collecting oil that has been splashed during normal operation of the locomotive, as described in detail in above-mentioned copending application Ser. No. 11/284,635, which application is incorporated by reference herein. The splash sleeve  84  is mounted to the lower free end portion  36 ″ ( FIG. 2 ) of the felt wick  36  positioned in the oil-reservoir  12 , and defines a hollow interior volume that telescopingly receives therein the lower end of the felt wick. The piston-type pump assembly  82  is similar to the piston-pump assembly of  FIGS. 3-7 , and includes a pump inlet valve  82 ′ having a ball check and a pump outlet valve  82 ″ having a ball check. Owing to the mounting of the pump assembly  82  to the lower end of the splash sleeve  84 , the inlet valve  82 ′ is substantially deeply submerged in the oil-reservoir  12 , so that an inlet tube, such as the inlet tube  44  of the pump assembly  42  of  FIGS. 3-7 , is not required. 
   Projecting from the main housing of the pump assembly  82  is the pump outlet valve  82 ″ from which projects an outlet-tube  88  having an upper outlet-opening  88 ′. The outlet valve  82 ″ projects interiorly through the splash sleeve  84  and into the interior of the lower end portion of the wick lubricator, as seen in  FIG. 8 . An appropriately placed and sized opening is formed in the housing of the splash sleeve  84  through which the outlet valve  82 ″ projects interiorly of the wick lubricator, with a juxtapositioned portion of the wick lubricator pad being cut out in order to accommodate the outlet-valve  82 ″. The outlet-tube  88  is located interiorly of the wick-holder, and extends or runs vertically upwardly along the interior or center of the central wick-lubricator pad, with the outlet-opening  88 ′ thereof terminating at the upper wick-face  36 ′ of the wick pad  36 . The outlet-tube  88  assumes the same shape or curvature as that of the wick lubricator itself. Preferably, a cavity or reservoir  90  is formed adjacent, and in close proximity, to the upper wick-face  36 ′ into which the outlet-opening  88 ′ of the outlet-tube  88  feeds, so that oil delivered through the outlet-tube  88  may be temporarily stored therein for providing a more consistent and optimized lubrication of the wick-face  36 ′. 
   The inlet-valve  82 ′ with ball check of the pump assembly  82  of the modification  80  of  FIGS. 8 and 9  may, alternatively, like the outlet-valve  82 ″, be located interiorly of the lubricating wick pad, as seen in  FIG. 11 . In this case, the inlet-valve  82 ′ extends substantially horizontally from the main housing of the pump assembly  82 , and into the interior of the wick pad juxtapositioned thereat. The intake opening of the inlet-valve  82 ′ extends to, and cooperates with, an interiorly-located pocket or cavity  92  that is formed in the interior of the lower end portion of the wick, by which oil is collected for supplying the intake opening of the inlet-valve  82 ′. 
   Whether the outlet valve  82 ″, or both the outlet valve and inlet valve  82 ′ project interiorly of the splash sleeve  92 , appropriately-situated cutouts are provided in the lower portion  36 ″ of the felt wick  36  in order to accommodate their interior protrusion. With regard to the outlet tube  88 , it preferably extends between the two layers of the conventional felt wick  36 , as would evident to one of ordinary skill in the art. The lower end portion  36 ″ of the felt wick is also provided with a opening or void to allow for the sloped lower portion  88 ″ of the outlet tube  88  to connect to the outlet valve  82 ″. 
   Referring now to  FIGS. 12 and 13 , there is shown a second embodiment  100  of the improved wick-lubricant delivery system for increasing lubricant flow to the face of the wick used to lubricate an axle-journal surface supported in a locomotive traction-motor friction support bearing. In this embodiment, the passive inertia-activated slosh pump is a diaphragm pump  102  instead of the piston-type pump of the first embodiment. The diaphragm pump  102  consists of a housing  104  vertically mounted to, and below, the wick-carrier assembly via mounting bracket  106 , which housing defines an interior cavity for storing oil being pumped. Mounting bracket  106  positions the pump assembly below the spring  22 . The housing  104  is provided with an inlet ball-check valve  108  that is mounted to a bottom open end  110 ′ of an oil-pickup tube  110 . The upper end  110 ″ of the tube  110  is connected to a tubular intake  114  formed in the housing  104  of the diaphragm pump  102 . The housing  104  also has an outlet opening  112  to which is coupled an outlet ball-check valve  116  to which is connected a pump-discharge tube  118  similar to the tube  46  of the first embodiment of  FIGS. 1-7 , which discharge tube  118  is located exteriorly of the wick-holder, with the upper outlet-opening thereof terminating at the wick-face of the felt wick, so that droplets of oil taken up by the pump are delivered to the wick face  36 ′ during normal operation. 
   Interiorly of the housing there is located a conventional diaphragm  120  that is biased upwardly by a spring  122 . Affixed to the upper surface of the diaphragm  120  is a flexible mounting stem or connector  124  which mounts a downwardly-projecting, elongated flexible cable or connector  126 . The connector  126  projects exteriorly of the housing  104  via a lower opening formed in a lower section  104 ′ of the housing. To the bottom end of the flexible connector  126  there is connected an inertial mass  130 , which, together with the flexible connector  126 , serves as a pendulum. Movement of the inertial mass  130 , because of the lateral and vertical acceleration forces acting thereon due to rail irregularities, causes deflections of the spring  122  and diaphragm  120 . The deflection of the diaphragm  120  in the downward direction against the spring  122  causes oil droplets to be taken in by oil inlet  108 , while the upward deflective movement thereof in the opposite direction via the biasing spring  122  forces the oil out through the outlet valve  116 . 
   The diaphragm pump  102  of the second embodiment of  FIGS. 12 and 13  may also be mounted to a splash sleeve, in a manner similarly to that of the inertial piston pump of the first embodiment shown of  FIGS. 8-11 . In addition, it is within the scope and purview of the invention that, instead of a splash sleeve being used to mount the inertial pump to the lower end portion of the central lubricating wick, different mounts or sleeves may be used, whether they mount the passive inertia-activated slosh pump to the central lubricating wick or to the wick bracket assembly proper. In addition, although it is preferable that the discharge tube of the passive inertia-activated slosh pump extend at least partially interiorly and through the central lubricating wick for discharging oil droplets at the wick face when the inertial pump is mounted to the splash sleeve or other mount, it is possible to run the discharge tube exteriorly. 
   In all of the above-described embodiments, the slosh pump works in parallel, or in conjunction, with the capillary action of the wick in order to deliver oil to the interface between the wick face and the journal surface. It is also envisioned that, if the delivery rate of the slosh pump is equal to or greater than that of the wick, a modification may be employed where the wick tail is cut off, with the sustained oil delivery being dependant upon the slosh pump alone. In this modification, the wick serves as a reservoir and part of the delivery system. 
   In yet another modification shown in  FIG. 13 , with the volume of oil delivered to the journal surface no longer dependent upon the cross-sectional area of the wick body and face, the wick may be eliminated altogether in favor of the inertial pump oil-delivery system of the invention routed to a simple intake hole or lubricating opening  128  formed through the bearing  18  and its liner, whereby the entire surface-interface lubrication of the journal surface  37  is accomplished by the slosh pump  102  of  FIG. 12 , for example, with the slosh pump  102  being mounted directly to the carrier assembly  14 , or otherwise mounted to the bearing axle cap  16 , with its discharge tube  118  feeding directly into the intake hole or opening  128 . In this embodiment, the elimination of the wick would also allow replacement of the wick window in the bearing cap and bearing liner with the opening  128 . Instead of the diaphragm pump  102 , the piston-type pump of  FIG. 1  may also be used alone in accordance with this embodiment. 
   In all of the above-described embodiments and modifications, as a result of the increased oil-saturation of the wick, optimized amounts of oil are delivered to the axle-journal surface-area. This optimized amount of oil saturation and enhanced oil delivery provide better protection against axle-journal bearing failure in the event that a locomotive is used with diminished axle-journal oil levels. In addition, the temperature of the oil is reduced and the viscosity increased, to thus increase the rated load-capacity of the bearing, and to thus increase the tolerance of the bearing to minor surface imperfections. The optimized wick-saturation and oil delivered to journal lowers the wick-face temperature and reduces the rate of wick-face glazing, thereby extending the life of the wick. This enhanced wick-saturation and oil delivered to the journal also limit the ingress of external contaminants into the loaded journal areas, thereby reducing wear and extending the life of the bearings. 
   The particular type of inlet and outlet valves used in each version of the slosh pump may vary from that disclosed hereinabove. It is, also, preferable, though not requisite, that the inlet valve of each version of the slosh pump be similar in construction and of the same type as that of the outlet or discharge valve thereof. 
   While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it is to be understood that numerous changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.