An Improved Axle Lubricator.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 19th July, 1892-Accepted, 10th Sept., 1892
COME DELE OF CITICATION.
An Improved Axle Lubricator.
We, JAMES SHAW PATTEN, Inventor, and MORTON SCHAEFFER, Attorney-at-
Law, both of 208 Cortlandt Street Baltimore City, and State of Maryland, United
States of America, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:-
The oil or other lubricant for a car axle journal is usually placed along with its
vehicle, tow, or cotton, directly in the chamber of the box which slides up and
down in the hanger or pedestal, as the springs of the car truck expand and contract.
By our invention, we provide a separate or supplementary box for holding the
lubricant together with a roller for conveying it to the axle journal, and such box
is made of such reduced dimensions that it may be contained in the chamber of the
sliding box above referred to. Our improvement consists therefore in the con-
struction of such supplementary lubricant-holding box and its appurtenances or
attachments as hereinafter described and claimed.
In the accompanying drawing
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of our improved axle-box, together with a larger
enclosing box that slides in the hanger of a car-truck.
Fig. 2 is a vertical cross section of our improved box on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.
Figs. 3 and 4 are perspective views of the cover and body, respectively, of our
improved box.
Fig. 5 is a rear end view of the body of the same.
Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one of the roller journal blocks employed in the
aforesaid box.
Our improved journal box consists of the oblong rectangular body portion A,
which receives and holds the lubricant, and a cap or cover B of which the ordinary
brass or bearing block forms the top portion. Said box is of such dimensions
that it may be introduced through the mouth of the ordinary axle-box C, that
slides vertically in the car truck, pedestal or hanger. It is supported and pressed
upward against the axle journal by means of a spring or springs of any suitable
-form.
:
The cover B, has an end cap and a dependent flange b' on three sides. Said
flange conforms to but fits loosely within the corresponding side of the body
portion A, as shown. Wings also project horizontally rearward to cover a part
of the axle that would otherwise be left exposed. In the bottom of the chamber is
arranged longitudinally a roller D, having several circumferential grooves. The
axle-journal E, rotates in contact with this roller, which is therefore rotated in turn
with greater speed, and, being partly immersed in oil, it constantly takes up a
portion of the latter and thus transfers it to the journal E, so that the friction
bearing between the journal and brass b is always well lubricated.
The bearings of the grooved roller D, are two blocks Farranged transversely at
the ends of the box A, and held in such position by means of projections f of the
floor, of part B, which fit in sockets in the blocks, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The
journals of the roller D, fit and work in semi-circular grooves f¹, that extend
entirely across the respective bearing blocks, whose width is twice the length of the
journals. The said grooves being also formed in both the upper and under sides
of the block F, it is apparent the latter may be reversed in position, end for
end, or bottom for top, when one portion of a groove becomes worn so as to
require it.

page_text: The oil carried up on the axle journal E, as it revolves, tends to run over the
shoulder of the latter and accumulate on the larger portion next the wheel. To
remove it therefrom and thus prevent it from spreading farther, we provide a series
of scrapers a, which consist of thin parallel ribs formed interiorly on the semi-
cylindrical flange al that projects from the inner end of the body A of the oil box.
The said flange slopes inward, and the grooves between the ribs or scrapers a
become gradually deeper from the outer to the inner end, as is most clearly shown
in Fig. 4. Since the flange a fits the body of the axle, the oil is scraped off from
the latter as it revolves, and is received by the grooves which convey it into the
chamber of the box A. A portion of the oil that reaches the bearings bis rolled
back and runs down the adjacent inner side of flange b'.
We have found, however, by practical test, that some portion of it will not drip
into tlie box A, but run up and over its sides, and that by forming a series of
shallow notches or scallops 62 in the edge of the flange b¹, this result is mainly
prevented since such notches not only constitute spaces that break the continuity of
contact of the parts A, B, (Fig. 2), but provide openings through which oil may
pass back into the box A.
Such small quantity of oil as inevitably passes upward above the notches 6² and
flows down on the outside of the box A, is received by grooves a' formed in the
same and extending around three of its sides and inclined forward at a slight angle,
so as to convey the oil into the cavity of the lip a³, that projects from the outer
end of the box A, and whence it flows back into the latter through a hole formed
at the lowest part of said concavity.
Oil may be introduced into the box A, B, through the holes at the front or rear.
It will be seen that a comparatively small quantity is required to maintain a copious
lubrication of the journal bearing, and that, in consequence of being continuously
taken up and used, and escape from the box A B being cut off, the waste of the
lubricant is reduced to a minimum, and practically to nothing.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that
what we claim is :-
1. In a car axle bearing, the combination, with the lubricant-holding box and
take-up roller, of the reversible bearing blocks supported in the former and having
journal grooves extending entirely across their face whose width is twice the.length
of the journals of said roller, as shown and described.
2. In a car axle bearing, the combination, with the lubricant-holding box and
take-up roller, of the bearing blocks for the latter having journal grooves arranged
opposite and parallel in upper and under sides, and adapted to be reversed top for
bottom, as shown and described.
3. In.a car axle bearing, the combination, with the oil, take-up roller and the
lubricant-holding box having projections on its bottom, of the roller bearing blocks
having sockets to receive said projections, as shown and described for the purpose
specified.
4. In a car axle bearing, the combination, with the body portion A, of the cover
bearing having the depending flange, conforming to and fitting within the upper
edge of part A, as shown and described.
5. In a car axle bearing, the combination, with the body portion A, of the cap or
cover having the dependent flange conforming to and fitting within part A and
having notches formed around its edges, as and for the purpose specified.
6. In a car-axle bearing, the body portion of the lubricant holding box, having
the rearwardly-extended and inwardly inclined semicircular flange which couforms
to the axle, provided with ribs and grooves for removing lubricant from said axle
and conveying it back into the box, as shown and described.
7. In a car axle bearing the body portion A of lubricant-holding box A, provided
with a forwardly inclined groove in its sides and a concavity and opening at its

page_text: front end, for receiving the lubricant that passes over the upper edge of part A,
and reconveying it into the chamber of the same, as shown and described.
Dated this 19th day of July 1892.
F. W. BARKER,
Applicants' Agent.