Improvements in Railway Axle Lubricators.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Mar., 1896-Accepted, 4th Apr., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Railway Axle Lubricators.
1, WILLIAM SILVER, of Tamworth, in the Colony of New South Wales,
Engineer, 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 :-
This invention relates to a self-contained lubricating device for railway car axles;
it has been devised with the object of efficiently applying oil to the axle uniformly
and continuously, preventing waste of oil, and providing a construction which will.
allow of the oil reservoir and the swab being easily and quickly cleaned and the
reservoir refilled.
I make my lubricator entirely independent of the axle box, and adapt it to fit
into such box in such a way that it can be readily withdrawn for cleaning or refilling,
and reset in the box without loss of time.
For the purposes of my invention the interior of the axle box is a simple cubical
cavity carrying the brasses and provided with a hinged or bolted cover through
which the fabricator can be inserted and withdrawn. The lubricator is made to
slide into the bottom of the axle box, so that the swab will bear up against the
axle.
The lubrientor consists of a light metal reservoir whose top plate is dished
downwards towards the middle where there is an orifice through which the swab
dips into it. The swab is a T shaped (or similarly shaped) block of soft felt or
other suitable spongy fabric and it is held in a yoke which is mounted on a pair of
flat riding springs whose ends bear on the top side of the reservoir, the yoke and
springs forming a spring seat for the swab. The lower part of the swab fills the
orifice in the reservoir, but is capable of sliding vertically in guides around said.
oritice and of moving about with ease to adjust itself, but so as not to leave any.
opening through which the oil could slop out. The riding springs hold the top of
the swab up against the axle, but allow it to adjust itself so that it will bear
constantly and evenly and apply an even film of oil to the axle. The sides of the
oil reservoir are continued up to form side guards which catch any spray or drips
of oil from the axle or brasses and direct them into the reservoir, and end guards,
may also be provided.
The shape of the reservoir effectually prevents the oil from being slopped out,
and as the swab applies only a wiped film of oil to the axle there cau be no drip or
waste.
The oil reservoir and swab can be lifted out of the axle box and a duplicate
complete lubricator inserted in a moment or a new swab inserted as may be
required.
Referring to the annexed drawings, Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section through a
railway axle box holding a lubricator constructed according to the present inven-
tion; Fig. 2 a horizontal section and plan on line A-B Fig. 1; Fig. 3 transverse
section; Fig. 4 longitudinal half-sectional clevation through the lubricator box
alone; Fig. 5 plan of same; Fig. 6 transverse half-sectional elevation through
same; and Fig. 7 end elevation of swab-yoke and riding springs. There is no
novelty in the construction of the box or bearings.

page_text: 1 is the oil reservoir whose top plate 2 is dished downwards from the outer part
to the central orifice 3 at the sides of which cheeks or vertical guide plates 4 are
set, having a number of holes 5 in their lower part to allow any oil which may come
on the top plate 2 to flow back in the reservoir through the orifice 3. The sides 6
of the reservoir 1 are continued up to form side splash or guard plates and their
top edges are turned in so as to come close up to the sides of the brasses 7; the
ends 8 of the reservoir 1 are also continued to form en splash or guard plates;
these side and end plates catch any oil sprayed or thrown from the axle or brasses
and cause it to flow back into the reservoir 1, whereby oil waste is prevented and
the box kept clean.
The yoke or swab carrier consists of two side plates 9 connected together by
transverse pieces 10, and if desired also a bottom loop 11; these hold the swab 12,
which is a rectangular piece of material the two lower corners of which are cut away
to decrease the length of its lower part; its upper part is as long as the brass, but
the lower part is only sufficiently long to fill the orifice 3. The swab cau he pulled
out of this yoke and reinserted very readily.
Brackets 13 on the plates 9 carry riding springs 14 whose ends bene on the top
plate 2 of the reservoir. The yoke fits between the plates so as to slide freely, and
the depth of the swab is such that its lower part will be always in oil whilst the
upper part is rubbing against the axle. The riding springs are light flat springs
which whilst bearing the swab constantly upwards allow it to adjust itself to the
axle so that it will bear for its full length.
15 is the door of the box, which must be opened when it is required to enter or
withdraw the lubricator.
It is evident that the shape of the reservoir 1 can he altered so long as the top
plate 2 is so arranged that there will. be a considerable surplus space over the oil
around the sides of the chamber, in which it can surge about, whereby splashing
and slopping out of oil is prevented.
The arrangement of the riding springs also might be varied; thus they
might be made to bear on sheef-pieces on the end guards 8, instead of on the top
plates 2.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what mauuer the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1. A railway axle lubricator consisting of an oil reservoir with a dished-in top
plate open at the centre and a T-section swab, hell in a yoke, which is supported
on a spring seat, which gives the swab facility for nutomatic adjustment and keeps
it in contact with the axle, substantially as described.
2. In a railway axle lubricator, an oil reservoir having its top side dished inwards
towards its central opening in which the end of the swab is placed, whereby
slopping and spilling of oil is entirely prevented and the back flow of oil directed
into the reservoir, substantially as described.
3. A railway axle lubricator comprising a non-spilling, drip catching oil reservoir
scated in the bottom of the axle box, and a swab which is adjusted and held in
contact with the axle by a yoke and spring scat, said swab dipping into the reservoir
and capable of settling itself therein to keep in contact with the axle, substantially
as described.
4. In a self-contained railway axle lubricator making the oil reservoir with a
dished-in top plate to prevent oil slopping and mounting the swab on a spring scat
resting on said top plate which gives it facility for automatic adjustment whilst
keeping its top end in contact with the axle and its lower end dipping in the oil,
substantially as described.
5. In a self-contained railway axle lubricator, the combination with a swab for
conveying oil from the reservoir to the axle, of a reservoir having vertical guard
plates to catch the oil spray from the axle, and a dished-in top plate with a central

page_text: swab aperture for preventing the oil from slopping or splashing out, substantially
as described.
Dated this 2nd day of March 1896.
G. G. M. HARDINGHAM,
191, Fleet Street, London, E.C., Associate Agent.