Improvements in Car Axle Lubricators.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Dec., 1899-Accepted, 17th Feb.,
1900
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Car Axle Lubricators.
We, ALBERT ALLEN FREEMAN and OGDEN ARMSTRONG, both citizens of the
United States, the former residing at No. 3321, North Board Street, and the
latter at No. 1320, Locust Street, in the City of Philadelphia, in the County of
Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, Mechanical Engineers, 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;-
Our invention has relation to a lubricating device for car axles; and in such
connection it relates more particularly to the construction and arrangement of
such a device.
-
The principal object of our invention is to provide a lubricating device for car
axles, which is simple and comparatively inexpensive in construction and adapted
to automatically feed or discharge the lubricant to the bearing block for the axle.
Our invention stated in general terms, consists of a lubricating device for
car axles when constructed and arranged in substantially the manner hereinafter
described and claimed.
:
The nature and scope of our invention will be more fully understood from the
following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings
forming part hereof, in which
Figure 1, is a front elevational view of a car axle-box and pedestal together
with the lubricator chamber or reservoir and connections embodying main features
of our invention.
Fig. 2, is a cross sectional view of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3, is a longitudinal sectional view enlarged of the lubricator chamber
or reservoir detached from the pedestal.
Fig. 4, is a top or plan view of Fig. 3, with the cover of the chamber or
reservoir removed and certain parts broken away to more clearly illustrate the
interior of said chamber or reservoir.
Fig. 5, is a vertical sectional view still further enlarged illustrating the locking
device for the means for adjusting the feed of the lubricant.
Fig. 6, is a top or plan view of Fig. 5.
Fig. 7, is a front elevational view of a car axle-box, pedestal and a modified
form of lubricating device in which the chamber of the device is supported by
the lid of the axle-box.
Fig. 8, is a cross-sectional view of Fig. 7.
Figs. 9 and 10, are respectively front elevational and cross sectional views
of a still further modified form of device in which the chamber of the lubricating
device is supported by the roof of the axle-box; and
Figs. 11, 12 and 13, are respectively top or plan, side-elevational and end-
elevational views of a preferred form of bearing block for the axle adapted to
conduct or feed the lubricant from the lubricator to the axle.
Referring to the drawings a, represents the pedestal and b, the car axle-box
adapted to ride up and down in said pedestal. The car-axle d, rests beneath.

page_text: a bearing block e, within the box 6, and this block e is secured in the box in
the usual manner by a removable key e¹. Referring now to Figs. 1 to 6
inclusive, upon the pedestal a, and directly above the box b, is secured a box or
casing f, having at its base a hopper-like extension f', communicating by a
flexible tubeif, with a duct or opening , in the roof of the axle box 6. Resting
upon the base of the box or casing f, and above the hopper f¹, is a tank or reser-
voir g, having an outlet g¹, arranged preferably in alinement with the tube f²,
leading from the hopper f. The tank or reservoir g, is adapted to be placed in
or removed from the casing f, and for this purpose the casing is provided with
a removable cover or lid f³, fitted tightly down upon the casing f, and adapted
to be secured thereto in any suitable manner. The reservoir g, is provided
with a cover g³, consisting preferably of a screen or perforated plate, which
serves to screen the oil or lubricant prior to its entrance through the cover g³,
into the reservoir, and also serves to confine the lubricant within the reservoir
and to prevent its splashing or slopping over into the casing f. The outlet g',
from the tank or reservoir g. is controlled by a ball-valve h, fitted to the under
face of the outlet and held thereto under the tension of a spring ¹, which
traverses the outlet g¹, and the tank and is connected at its upper end to a
shaft, substantially square in cross-section and is also connected at its lower
end directly to the ball-valve h. The reservoir g, supports a bracket or block k,
having a square-shaped opening k¹, adapted to receive the square shaft, and
the upper surface of the bracket k, is notched or indented as at . The shaft h².
terminates in a threaded end h³, extending through the bracket k, and adapted
to receive a nut, provided with pins h5, resting normally in the notches k³.
of the bracket k. As the nut 4, is turned in either direction, the tension of
the spring h¹, is increased or decreased and the pins h, by entering the notches k³,
serve to lock the nut h, in any position to which it may be turned. By making
the shaft h2, square and causing the same to traverse a square opening in the
bracket k, the spring, shaft and ball are prevented from turning or twisting either
in the tank or reservoir g, its bracket k, or the outlet g'. In the form of apparatus
illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, the opening 61, in the roof of the axle-box b, registers
with a dish-shaped recess e, in the upper face of the bearing block e. In the
block e, and on its under face adjacent to the axle d, is formed a channel el,
communicating by means of a duct e, with the recess e². It necessarily follows
that as the oil or lubricant drips from the tube f, through the opening, b, into
the recess e, it will be fed through the duct e, and channel e, to the axle d.
In Figs. 7 and 8, a modification of the apparatus is illustrated, wherein the
casing f, is formed directly upon the lid 6, of the axlebox, and the hopper is
replaced by a downwardly curved extension f", communicating with a tube fl
carried by the lid be, and extending when the lid is closed, to the dish-shaped
recess, in the bearing block e.
+
In Figs. 9 and 10. a still further modified form of apparatus is illustrated,
in which the casing f. is formed directly upon the roof of the axle-box b. In
this form the base of the hopper f¹, is formed by the roof of the axle-box b, and
communicates directly with the opening in the roof.
In Figs. 11, 12 and 13, a preferred form of bearing block to be used with the
lubricating device is illustrated. In this form the dish-shaped recess e², com-
municates by means of the channels 10 and el, formed in the upper face of the
block, with grooves e12, formed at the sides of the block. From either end of
each groove the oil or lubricant is adapted to drop through the openings of
holes e¹³.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature and object of our
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:-
:-
1. A lubricator for
007

page_text: axle-box, a tank or reservoir located within said casing, a valve controlled outlet
leading from said reservoir to the axle-box, and a bearing-block for the axle
adapted to receive the lubricant from the reservoir and distribute it to the axle,
substantially as and for the purposes described.
2. In a device of the character described, a tank or reservoir for the lubricant,
an outlet formed at the base of said reservoir, a ball-valve controlling said outlet,
aspiral spring traversing the outlet and extending through the reservoir, said
spring carrying the ball-valve, a shaft from which said spring is suspended,
bracket supported by the reservoir and traversed by the shaft,
and means for advancing and retracting the shaft in said bracket to increase
or decrease the tension of said spring, substantially as and for the purposes
described.
a
3. In a device of the character described, a tank or reservoir having an outlet
in its base, a ball-valve normally resting against the under surface of said outlet,
a spiral spring from which the said ball-valve is suspended, a square shaft having
a threaded end from which said spring is suspended, a bracket having an opening
adapted to be traversed by said square-shaft and having a notched upper face,
a nut adapted to be advanced or retracted on the threaded end of said shaft, and
pins carried by said nut and adapted to engage the notched face of the bracket,
substantially as and for the purposes described.
4. In a device of the character described, a casing, a cover removably secured
to said casing, a tank or reservoir adapted to be mounted in or removed from
said casing, and a perforated cover secured to said reservoir, substantially as and
for the purposes described.
5. In a device of the character described, a bearing block for an axle provided
in its upper face with a dish-shaped recess in communication with a lubricating
device, and ducts or channels leading from the upper face of said block to its
inner face, substantially as and for the purposes described.
6. In a device of the character described, a casing located adjacent to an axle
box, a cover removably secured to said casing, a tank or reservoir adapted to be
mounted in or removed from said casing, a valve controlled outlet leading from
said reservoir to said axle-box, a bearing block for the axle adapted to receive the
lubricant from said tank or reservoir and to distribute the same to the axle, and
a perforated cover secured to said reservoir, substantially as and for the purposes
described.
7. In a device of the character described, a casing located adjacent to an axle-
box, a cover removably attached to said casing, a reservoir adapted to be mounted
in and removed from said casing, a valve controlled outlet leading from said
reservoir to said axle-box, a bearing block for the axle provided in the upper
face with a recess and ducts or channels to uniformly distribute the lubricant
over said axle and a perforated cover secured to said reservoir to screen the
lubricant prior to its passage through said reservoir, substantially as and for
the purposes described.
Dated at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this 28th day of November A.D. 1899.
ALBERT ALLEN FREEMAN.
OGDEN ARMSTRONG.
Per J. G. Lorrain, M.I.Mech. E., M.I.E.E.,
Norfolk House, Norfolk Street, London, W.C.,
Chartered Patent Agent.