IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF LUBRICATING MECHANISM TO BE EMPLOYED IN CONNECTION WITH AXLE BOXES AND FOR OTHER LIKE PURPOSES
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Edward Vaughan, of 67, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF LUBRICATING MECHANISM TO BE
EMPLOYED
IN CONNECTION WITH AXLE BOXES AND FOR OTHER LIKE PURPOSES."
A communication from abroad by Charles James Adolph Dick, of Philadelphia,
in the United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Edward Vaughan at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th June 1880.
GEORGE EDWARD VAUGHAN, of 67, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
LUBRICATING
THE CONSTRUCTION OF
MECHANISM TO BE EMPLOYED IN CONNECTION WITH AXLE BOXES AND FOR
OTHER LIKE PURPOSES." A communication from abroad by Charles James
Adolph Dick, of Philadelphia, in the United States of America.
The main object of this Invention is to combine with an axle box pumping
mechanism, substantially as hereinafter described, whereby the oil which has
fallen from the journal or bearing of the box is raised and discharged against
the journal or bearing when the car, locomotive, or tender to which the box
appertains is in motion, the operation of the pump being due to the movement of
the box in its guides.
I will now proceed to refer to the accompanying Drawings from which the
nature of the said Invention will be clearly understood. The same letters of
reference indicate like parts in the several Figures. Figure 1 is a vertical section
of an axle box with the lubricating mechanism applied thereto; Figure 2 is a
transverse section of the same through the line 1-2, the discs constituting the
pump being shown entire; Figure 3 is a plan of the pumping mechanism, and
Figures 4 and 5 are views illustrating the mode of forming and arranging the
valves of a pump, which may be advantageously employed in connection with the
mechanism forming the subject of this Invention.
The axle box A is of the usual construction, and is furnished with the ordinary
bearing B for the journal of the axle D. In the interior of the said box,
and to one side of the same, is pivoted a weighted arm or lever G by means of
TDC7]

page_text: a stud b, and this arm or lever is acted on by a spiral spring h. The arm or lever
remains in a quiescent condition as long as the car to which the axle box appertains
is stationary, but when the car is in motion there must always be more or less
vertical movement of the box in its guides, and there must consequently be more
or less vibration of the arm on its pivot pin. By the combination of the said arm
with the pumping appliances the oil which falls from the journal and bearing into
the bottom of the box is raised and re-applied to the journal or bearing, which is
thus constantly maintained in a thoroughly lubricated condition when proper
lubrication is most essential, that is, when the car is in motion. Although various
kinds of pumping mechanism can be employed, as will be well understood by
persons conversant with such mechanism, it is preferred to employ the apparatus
hereinafter described, as being simple and economical in construction, and efficient
in the performance of the duties required of it.
The pump consists of two discs, m and n, formed of leather and properly secured
together near their edges, the lower disc being secured at its centre to the bottom
of the axle box, preferably by a bolt passed from below the box through an opening
in the same, and adapted to a nut on the said lower disc.
A force pipe p extends upwards from the upper disc m of the pump, and
terminates at such a point that the oil will be discharged from it against the journal
of the axle immediately below the edge of the bearing.
Suction valves are formed
in the lower disc n and a discharge valve in the upper disc m, preferably in the
manner illustrated in Figures 4 and 5.
Where a valve has to be formed in the leather an incision is made through the
same, preferably of the segmental form shown in Figure 4, the portion of the
leather bounded by the incision becoming a flap-valve, connected to the disc by
the uncut portion of the leather, but free to open and close, the incision being made
in the inclined course shown in Figure 5, so that there will be a beveled scat on
the edge of the opening in the leather for the beveled edge of the valve. There is
a single discharge valve g of this character in the centre of the upper disc where
the force pipe p is connected to the same; the lower disc is provided with
suction valves, two in the present instance, one on each side of the bolt which
secures it to the bottom of the box.
The pipe p is secured to and moves with the weighted arm, in other words, the
pipe is the pump rod by which the weighted arm is connected to the upper disc of
the pump, simplicity in construction being attained by this arrangement.
A force pump of any known and suitable construction may be substituted for
the leather pump hereinbefore described.
It is preferred to filter the oil which drops from the journal and bearing before
it reaches the pump, for which purpose cotton waste or other absorbent filtering
medium is placed between the bottom of the box and a removeable perforated plate
or plates H, the pump being contained within a well W, which is bounded on one
side by a side of the box and on the three remaining sides by vertical perforated
plates I, and the said well may be covered, so that the oil from the journal and
bearing must pass through the filtering medium before it can gain access to the
pump.
When desired the pipe p is provided with a branch, as shown by dotted lines in
Figure 2, so that the oil is discharged against the journal in opposite directions, in
which case there will always be a supply of oil to be conveyed by the journal
directly to its bearing, whichever of the two directions the journal is revolving in;
or, in some cases, the box contains two pumps, each furnished with the actuating
appliances hereinbefore described, one pump discharging oil against one side of
the journal, and the other pump forcing the oil against the opposite side of the
same.
This Invention, although especially applicable to the axle boxes of cars,
locomotives, and tenders, can also be adapted to any bearings which are so moved
or agitated as to impart a vibrating motion to a weighted arm.
It is not essential that the spring h should be situated at the point shown, but

page_text: the spring, wherever it is located, should be such in relation to the weight exerted
on the spring that the latter will balance the former, and a column of oil will
extend from the pump to the outlet of the force pipe when the box is in a quiescent
state, so that the first movement imparted to the weighted arm will be at once
followed by the discharge of oil against the journal.
If desired, the oil may be discharged at such a point that it will pass through a
channel in the bearing to the journal..
"
When it is not desired to rely altogether on the inertia of a weighted arm G to
effect the operation of the pump, a rod, shown by dotted lines in Figure 1, is, in
some cases, arranged so as to extend from the lever, or from the pump itself,
through an opening in the top of the box, the end of this rod being arranged to
come in contact with a portion of the fixed frame in which the box is guided, so
that as the said box moves in its guides a positive movement will be imparted to
the arin G or to the upper disc or piston of the pump. In other words, instead of the
pump operating device being contained entirely within the box and acting by
inertia, it may extend beyond the box and be acted upon by a portion of the fixed
frame. The arrangement shown in the accompanying Drawings, however, is
preferred, as it is simple in construction, effective in operation, and does not
necessitate the formation in the casing of the box of openings through which dust
or moisture can enter.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said George Edward Vaughan in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 9th December 1880.
OF
GEORGE EDWARD VAUGHAN, of 67, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent.
LUBRICATING 5
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
CONSTRUCTION
THE
MECHANISM TO BE EMPLOYED IN CONNECTION WITH AXLE BOXES AND FOR
OTHER LIKE PURPOSES." A communication from abroad by Charles James
Adolph Dick, of Philadelphia, in the United States of America.
The main object of this Invention is to combine with an axle box pumping
mechanism, substantially as hereinafter described, whereby the oil which has fallen 1
from the journal or bearing of the box is raised and discharged against the journal
or bearing when. the car, locomotive, or tender to which the box appertains is in
motion, the operation of the pump being due to the movement of the box in its
guides.
I will now proceed to refer to the accompanying Drawings from which the
nature of the said Invention will be clearly understood. The same letters of
reference indicate like parts in the several Figures. Figure 1 is a vertical section
of an axle box with the lubricating mechanism applied thereto; Figure 2 is a
transverse section of the same through the line 1-2, the discs constituting the
pump being shown entire. Figure 3 is a plan of the pumping mechanism, and
Figures 4 and 5 are views illustrating the mode of forming and arranging the
valves of a pump which may be advantageously employed in connection with the
mechanism forming the subject of this Invention.
The axle box A is of the usual construction, and is furnished with the ordinary
bearing B for the journal d of the axle D. In the interior of the said box, and to
one side of the same, is pivoted a weighted arm or lever G by means of a stud b,
and this arm or lever is acted on by a spiral spring h. The arm or lever remains
in a quiescent condition as long as the car to which the axle box appertains is
stationary; but when the car is in motion there must always be more or less
vertical movement of the box in its guides, and there must consequently be more
or less vibration of the arm on its pivot pin. By the combination of the said arm
with the pumping appliances, the oil which falls from the journal and bearing into
the bottom of the box is raised through a pipe and re-applied to the journal or
hearing, which is thus constantly maintained in a thoroughly lubricated condition
when proper lubrication is most essential, that is, when the car is in motion.
Although various kinds of pumping mechanism can be employed, as will be well
understood by persons conversant with such mechanism, the apparatus hereinafter
described will be found to be simple and economical in construction, and efficient in
the performance of the duties required of it.
The pump consists of two discs m and n formed of leather, and properly secured
together near their edges, the lower disc being secured at its centre to the bottom
of the axle box, preferably by a bolt passed from below the box through an opening
in the same, and adapted to a nut on the said lower disc.
A force pipe p extends upwards from the upper disc m of the pump, and
terminates at such a point that the oil will be discharged from it against the
journal of the axle immediately below the edge of the bearing. Suction valves are
formed in the lower disc n, and a discharge valve in the upper disc m, preferably
in the manner illustrated in Figures 4 and 5.
Where a valve has to be formed in the leather, an incision is made through the
same, preferably of the segmental form shown in Figure 4, the portion of the
leather bounded by the incision becoming a flap-valve, connected to the dise by the

page_text: uncut portion of the leather, but free to open and close, the incision being made in
the inclined course shown in Figure 5, so that there will be a beveled seat on the
edge of the opening in the leather for the beveled edge of the valve. There is a
single discharge valve q of this character in the centre of the upper disc where the
force pipe p is connected to the same; the lower disc is provided with suction valves,
two in the present instance, one on each side of the bolt which secures it to the
bottom of the box.
The pipe p is secured to and moves with the weighted arm, in other words, the
pipe is the pump rod by which the weighted arm is connected to the upper disc
of the pump, simplicity in construction being attained by this arrangement.
A force pump of any known and suitable construction may be substituted for
the leather pump hercinbefore described.
It is preferred to filter the oil which drops from the journal and bearing before it
reaches the pump, for which purpose cotton waste or other absorbent filtering medium
is placed between the bottom of the box and a removeable perforated plate or
plates H, the pump being contained within a well W, which is bounded on one side by
a side of the box, and on the three remaining sides by vertical perforated plates I,
and the said well may be covered, so that the oil from the journal and bearing
inust pass through the filtering medium before it can gain access to the pump.
When desired, the pipe p is provided with a branch, as shown by dotted lines in
Figure 2, so that the oil is discharged against the journal in opposite directions,
in which case, there will always be a supply of oil to be conveyed by the journal
directly to its bearing, whichever of the two directions the journal is revolving in ;
or, in some cases, the box contains two pumps, each furnished with the actuating
appliances herein before described, one pump discharging oil against one side of the
journal, and the other pump forcing the oil against the opposite side of the same.
This Invention, although especially applicable to the axle boxes of cars,
locomotives, and tenders, can also be adapted to any bearings which are so moved
or agitated as to impart a vibrating motion to a weighted arm.
It is not essential that the spring h should be situated at the point shown, but
the spring, wherever it is located, should be such in relation to the weight exerted
on the spring that the latter will balance the former, and a column of oil will
extend from the pump to the outlet of the force pipe when the box is in a
quiescent state, so that the first movement imparted to the weighted arm will be
at once followed by the discharge of oil against the journal.
If desired the oil may be discharged at such a point that it will pass through a
channel in the bearing to the journal.
When it is not desired to rely altogether on the inertia of a weighted arm G
to effect the operation of the pump, a rod, shown by dotted lines in Figure 1, is in
some cases arranged so as to extend from the lever or from the pump itself through
an opening in the top of the box, the end of this rod being arranged to come in
contact with a portion of the fixed frame in which the box is guided, so that as
the said box moves in its guides, a positive movement will be imparted to the
arm G, or to the upper disc or piston of the pump. In other words, instead of the
pump operating device being contained entirely within the box and acting by
inertia, it may extend beyond the box, and be acted upon by a portion of the
fixed frame. The arrangement shown in the accompanying Drawings, however, is
preferred, as it is simple in construction, effective in operation, and does not
necessitate the formation in the casing of the box of openings through which dust
or moisture can enter.
Having thus described and ascertained the nature of the said Invention, and
the manner in which the same is to be performed, I would observe in conclusion
that what I consider novel and original, and therefore claim as constituting the
Invention secured to me by the herein before in part recited Letters Patent, are,-
First. The combination, in an axle box, of a balanced and weighted arm pivoted
to the said box, with a pump actuated by the said arm, and with a pipe through

page_text: which oil may be forced by the pump against the journal or to a point above the
same, substantially as hereinbefore described and set forth.
Secondly. The combination, in an axle-box, of a weighted and balanced arm,
and a pump actuated by the said arm, with a well formed in the bottom of the
box and bounded by perforated plates, substantially as hereinbefore described and
set forth.
And, Thirdly. The combination, in an axle-box, of the weighted and balanced
arm a pump composed of two flexible discs, and a force-pipe connected to the said
arm and to one of the discs, substantially as herein before described and set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Edward Vaughan, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Seventh day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty.
GEO. E. VAUGHAN. (L.S.)