Au» 39, i947.
c. L. WALLACE y
«
21,426,073
PISTON DEVICE
Filed Oct. 11.6, 1943
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CHAR Les : L_TwA LLACE
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A'ITORNEY
Patente-d Aug. i9, 15949?
UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE
2,426,073
PESTON DEVICE
Charles L. Wallace, Wilkinsburg, Fa., assigner Yto
The Westinghouse Air Brake Company, Wil
merding, ra., a corporation of Pennsylvania
Application October 16, 1943, Serial No. 506,510
s claims. (c1. 1841-18)
l
This invention relates to automatically con
trolled lubricating means for supplying lubricant
periodically to a plurality of cooperating friction
surfaces and more particularly to a type of lubri
cating means suitable for use in fluid pressure
control devices, such as brake controlling devices,
having a piston slidably mounted therein.
In these controlling devices for ñuid pressure
brakes it is especially desirable to maintain a
The invention is shown applied to a fluid pres
sure brakecontrolling valve device 0f the type
having a piston responsive to variations in the
pressures of fluid- acting onv opposite sides thereof
for actuating brake controlling slide Valves, not
shown, but it will be understood that it is capable
of more general use in any apparatus where pres
sures on opposite sides of a movable abutment
may be varied.
`
As shown, the brake controlling valve device is
consistent minimum of friction between the pis 10
or" the type commonly employed in the emergency
ton and packing ring and between the packing
portion of the now standard “AB” brake equip
ring and the bushing in which they are recip
ment disclosed in Patent No. 2,031,213, issued to
rocable> in response to variations in iiuid pres
Clyde C. Farmer on February 18, 1936, and com
sure. ' Limited and periodic lubrication has been
prises
a casing IV having mounted therein a bush
found to be one of the best methods for main 15
ing 2 in whichrthere is slidably mounted for re
taining this minimum of friction over an extended
ciprocable action a piston 3 having a stem 4 for
period of time. It is preferred that the amount
actuating the usual'slide valves, not shown.
of lubricant delivered to the friction surfaces loe
The piston 3 is yprovided with the usual ring
proportional to the amount of operating service
groove 5 for the reception of a packing ring 6
in which the device is engaged.
20
which is in sliding contact with the bushing 2 and
It is an object of my invention to provide means
with the side walls of the ring groove.
in the piston of the device for limiting the delivery
At the front or right hand‘side of the piston 3
of lubricant to the friction surfaces to an amount
is a chamber 'l which is open through a passage
commensurate with the reciprocatory activity of
8 to the brake pipe, not shown, or any other con
the piston.
trol
pipe in which the pressure of liuid carried
Another object of my invention is to restrict
may be varied. At the other or stem side of the
the flow of lubricant to the friction surfaces to
piston is a chamber 9 in which the slide valves
prevent the accumulation on these surfaces of an
may
be actuated by the stem to vent fluid under
excess ofA lubricant which might in a subsequent
period of inactivity become dirty and gummy re 30 pressure therefrom and thus effect a reduction
in the pressure of fluid in the chamber.
sulting in an increase in friction.
Formed centrally of the piston 3 and piston
Since the piston activity is governed by the
stem
d is a recess l0 which is open at the face or
variations and consequent differentials between
right hand side of the piston. The open end of
fluid pressures on opposite sides of the piston
recess is closed by a cover plate I l of the body
head, these variations and differentials are, in 35 this
portion of a gauging or vmeasuring assemblage
accordance with the- invention, also utilized to
l2, which cover plate is rigidly clamped to the
acuate gauging or measuring means which
measure the amount of lubricant permitted to
?loW subsequently to the friction surfaces. The
right _hand face of _the piston by bolts or any other
suitable means, there being a sealing gasket I3
gauging means comprises a grooved plunger 40 interposed between the face of the piston and
theplate.
coupled to a diaphragm which is responsive to
The cover plate Il has formed integrally there
the same iiuid pressures as the piston head, so
with a lubricant storage reservoir lil which pro
that, a substantial differential in fluid pressure
such as will move the piston will also actuate the
jects into the. recess lll and normally carries a
gauging means to dispense a measured quantity 45 quantity of lubricant as shown. >The outer sur
faces of this reservointhe inner faceof the cover
of lubricant. The lubricant is discharged from
plate and the inner surfaces of the recess [email protected] de
a passage in the bottom of a storage reservoir
line a chamber I5.
into a collecting reservoir from whence it _is dis
Leading from chamber l5't0 the bottom of the
tributed to the periphery of the piston through
50 ring groove 5 is an upwardly extending bore or
the medium of a Wick.
passage I6 which is provided in the ypiston for
In the drawing:
.
the reception of a portion of a lubricant conduct
The ligure is a cross-sectional View of the
ing element yl 1 which as_shown may bein the form
>lubricating apparatus mounted on the actuating
of a fabric'wick. This wick is of sufficient length
_piston of a fluid pressure brake controlling valve
55 thatthe lower end will rest on the bottom of the
device.
3
4
chamber and the upper end will project a short
distance into the ring groove 5. The purpose of
pipe from whence it flows through passage 8 to
the chamber 1 and from this chamber flows
this wick is to transfer by capillary attraction
through a passage means 31 to chamber 9 and
lubricant, supplied to chamber I5 in a manner
also by way of a passage 31a to a quick action
hereinafter described, to the ring groove 5.
Ul chamber 39.
The cover plate II and a thickened portion of
To effect an emergency application of the
the bottom of the oil storage reservoir I4 is pro
vided With a bore I8 which extends in a direction
brakes an emergency reduction in brake pipe
longitudinal of the piston, and slidably fitted in
this bore for reciprocatory movement between two
since chamber 1 is connected to the brake pipe
through passage 8, a reduction in the pressure of
fluid in chamber 1 corresponding to the brake
pipe reduction results. The reduction in the
pressure is effected in the usual manner and,
positions is a cylindrical plunger I9.
The bore I8 communicates with the lubricant
storage reservoir I4 by way of a plurality of ports
20 and also communicates with the chamber l5
pressure of fluid in chamber 1 will be at a faster
rate than fluid under pressure can possibly ñow
back from the chamber 9 to the chamber 1 by
by way of a port 2| located at a point a short
distance to the left of the ports 29 and directly
under which is positioned the lower end of the
way of passage means 31 and as a consequence
the higher pressure in chamber 9 will cause the
piston to move toward the right into sealing en
gagement with a gasket 38 clamped between two
provided with a groove 22. 'I‘he sides of this
portions of the casing of the device.
20
groove and the inner surface of the bore I8 define
The piston, as it thus moves, acts through the
a chamber which, when the plunger is in its eX
medium of the piston stem 4 to shift the usual
treme right hand position as shown, is in open
emergency Slide valves to their emergency posi
communication with the ports Zû, and since the
tion in which fiuid under pressure is vented from
storage reservoir I4 contains a supply of lubricant,
the chamber 9 to the atmosphere at a restricted
the chamber will of course be charged with lubri
rate. This venting reduces the pressure in cham
cant. With the plunger in this position, the por
ber to atmospheric pressure, as is well known.
tion thereof to the left of the groove 22 laps the
Since the chamber 35 is in open communica
Wick I1.
The left hand end portion of the plunger I9 is
port 2| and thereby prevents the flow of lubricant
from the reservoir I 4 and the groove to the cham
ber I5.
tion through passage 36 with the chamber 9, the
30 pressure of ñuid in chamber 35 will reduce with
that of chamber 9.
It will here be understood that since the cham
ber 33 is in open communication with the cham
ber 1 by way of passage 34, the pressure of fluid
in chamber 33 will reduce with the pressure of
fluid in chamber 1. It will be understood that
the pressure of fluid in chamber 33 will reduce
The right hand end of the plunger I9 projects
outwardly from the outer face of the cover plate
Il and is provided with an enlarged cylindrical
right hand end portion 23 which provides a stop
shoulder 24 on the plunger for engagement with
the front face of the cover plate to limit move
ment of the plunger in the direction toward the
at a faster rate than the pressure of fluid in
chamber 35, and as a consequence the fluid at
the higher pressure in chamber 35 will cause the
left hand as will hereinafter appear.
The outer end of the enlarged portion 23 of
the plunger is provided with an integral follower
25 which is in operative engagement with the
end wall 26 of a bellows diaphragm 21. The inner
end of this diaphragm is secured in air tight re
lationship to an outwardly extending radial flange
28 which is clamped tightly between the front
bellows diaphragm 21 to flex in the direction
toward the left hand and move the plunger I9
in the same direction from the position in which
it is shown to its eXtreme left hand position
where it is arrested by the engagement of the
stop shoulder 24 with the face of the cover plate
I l . With the plunger in this position, the groove
22 will be out of communication with the port
25 and in communication with the port 2|, so
that the lubricant with which the groove is
face of the cover plate || and the flange 29 of
a cap 30 by means of bolts 3| which pass through
the flange and cover plate. These bolts have
screw-threaded connection with the piston and
thus also serve to clamp the cover plate I I to the
face of the piston.
Interposed between and operatively engaging
the front face of the cover plate I I and the back
of the follower 25 and encircling the plunger I9
is a coil spring 32 which acts to urge the plunger
toward the position in which it is shown.
charged now ñows through the latter port into
the chamber I5 and preferably directly upon the
lower end portion of the wick |1. The wick now
serves to transfer the lubricant to the ring
groove 5.
The piston packing ring 5 ñts slidably in the
ring groove 5 and the lubricant deposited in the
ring groove will flow due to capillary attraction
along the walls of the groove and the outer sur
faces of the packing ring 6 and piston head 3.
When the piston moves the lubricant will be dis
tributed over the inner surface of the bushing 2.
When the pressure of ñuid in valve chamber
9, and consequently in chamber 35, has been
65 reduced to a low degree, the spring 32 acts to
move the plunger I9 forwardly to the position in
It will be seen that the inner surfaces of the
diaphragm 21 and the face of the cover plate I I
define a chamber 33 which together with reser
voir I4, is open to a passage 34 leading through a 60
portion of the cover plate to the chamber ï. It
will also be seen that the outer surfaces of the
diaphragm and the inner surfaces of the cap 39
deñne a chamber 35 which is connected to a
passage 36 leading through the cap, cover plate
|| and piston 3 to chamber 9.
which it is shown, so that lubricant will now flow
Operation
through the port 20 from the storage reservoir
to the groove 22 in the plunger. Movement of
Assuming now that the mechanism shown in 70 the plunger in this direction is limited by the
the drawing is the emergency portion of the
engagement of the end wall of the bellows dia
usual “AB” brake equipment, the lubricating
phragm with the end wall of the cap 3f).
apparatus functions in the following manner.
To release the brakes, fluid under pressure is
In charging a fluid pressure brake equipment,
again supplied to the brake pipe and thereby to
fluid under pressure is supplied to the usual brake
the chamber 1. The pressure of ñuid in cham
2,426,073
5
ber 1 causes the piston 3 to move to the position
in Which it is shown. In this position fluid under
pressure ñows from chamber 1 through the pas
sage means 31 to the quick action chamber 39
by way of passage 31a and also to the chamber
9 and thereby to the chamber 35 by Way of the
passage 33. Fluid under pressure also flows
from chamber 1 through passage 34 to chamber
33. With the equipment fully charged, the sev
eral parts of the brake controlling device and 10
lubricating apparatus associated therewith will
be in their normal brake released position as
shown.
It should be mentioned that, in response to a
service reduction in brake pipe, the piston 3 moves
outwardly and closes communication between
the chamber 1 and the charging port 31 and at
this time one of the slide valves, which is shifted
by the piston, establishes a communication
through which ñuid under pressure is vented from
6
ried in a bore in the casing of said reservoir and
having provided therein a lubricant carrying
groove which connects with said reservoir in one
position and with said chamber in another po
sition, and a movable abutment subject to the
fluid pressure acting upon said piston and re
sponsive to a reduction in the fluid pressure at
one side oi said piston to actuate said plunger
from said one position to said other position.
2. In a lubricating apparatus for a device hav
ing a piston reciprocable in a bore in response to
variations in the pressure of duid on opposite
sides of the piston, a reservoir carried by said
piston and adapted to contain lubricant, a lubri
cant receiving cham-ber, means for conveying lu
15
bricant from said chamber to the periphery of
the chamber 9 to the atmosphere to effect a re
said piston, and lubricant gauging means located
between said reservoir and said chamber lfor con
veying lubricant from said reservoir to said cham
ber, said means comprising a plunger carried in
a bore in the casing of said reservoir and having
provided therein a lubricant carrying groove
which connects wtih said reservoir in one posi
tion and with said chamber in another position,
duction in the pressure of fluid in chamber 9 at
substantially the same rate as that at which the
pressure of fluid in chamber 1 is reducing. As a
a movable abutment subject to the fluid pres
consequence, the piston and several parts asso 25 sure acting upon said piston and responsive to a
ciated therewith, will come to a stop in this posi
certain reduction in the pressure of fluid at one
tion as is well known,
side of said piston to actuate said plunger from
It will be understood here that, in effecting a
said one position to said other position, and pres
service reduction in the pressure of fluid in cham
sure means biasing said abutment toward said
ber 1, the fluid pressure differential produced over 30
one position.
the bellows diaphragm 21 will not be suñîcient
3. In a lubricating apparatus for the periph
to overcome the pressure of the spring 32, so that
eral portion of the piston of a ñuid pressure op
the plunger will remain in the position in which
erated controlling valve device, said piston being
it is shown.
normally subject on opposite sides to equalized
35
From the foregoing description it will be seen
ñuid pressures and being responsive to a reduc
that lubricant will be delivered to the wick I1 only
tion in the pressure of ñuid on one side at a cer
tain rate to assume one control position and
when an emergency application of the brakes is
initiated. Since emergency applications of the
brakes are made at far less frequent intervals
being responsive to a reduction in said pressure
at a rate faster than said certain rate to assume
than service applications, an excessive supply of 40 another control position, a chamber carried by
lubricant to the parts to be lubricated is pre
said piston, means for conducting lubricant from
vented.
the bottom of said chamber to the peripheral
While the lubricating apparatus has been par
portion of said piston, a reservoir extending into
ticularly described in combination with the pis 45 said chamber and adapted to contain lubricant,
ton of the emergency portion of the “AB” brake
means operative to supply a measured amount of
equipment, it will be understood that it may 'be
lubricant to the ñrst mentioned means, the lat
employed without change in the service portion
ter mentioned means comprising a casing for said
of the equipment, since it is well known that the
reservoir, a plunger carried in a bore in said
piston thereof is subject on one side to fluid at
casing and having provided therein a lubricant
brake pipe pressure and on the other side to fluid 50 carrying groove which connects with said reser
at the pressure of a reservoir charged with fluid
from the brake pipe in a manner similar to that
of the emergency portion. It will also be under
stood that the apparatus may be employed in
voir in one position and with said chamber in an
other position, and a movable abutment subject
opposingly to said equalized pressures and re
sponsive only to the faster rate of reduction in
the pressure of ñuid on said one side of the piston
for operating the second mentioned means.
other than fluid pressure brake equipment where
the proper pressure differentials over the bellows
diaphragm are obtainable.
Having now described my invention, what I
claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Pat
'
CHARLES L. WALLACE.
REFERENCES CìTED
60
ent, is:
1. In a lubricating apparatus for a pneumat
The following references are of record in the
ically operated piston device, a piston reciproca
ñle of this patent:
ble in a bore in said device in response to vari
ations in the pressure of fluid on at least one
side of the piston, a chamber carried by said pis
ton, a passage extending from said chamber to
UNTTED STATES PAI’E NTS
Number
Name
Date
the periphery of said piston, a lubricant conduct'
ing element extending from the bottom of said
chamber and through said passage, a reservoir eX
tending into said chamber and adapted to con
tain lubricant, and lubricant gauging means lo
cated between said reservoir and said chamber for
conveying lubricant from said reservoir to said
chamber, said means comprising a plunger car
70
-
504,178
597,860
764,886
1,287,701
1,405,375
2,151,008
2,163,399
Snyder ___________ __ Aug.
Rolfe ____________ __ Jan.
Donnenwerth ____ __ July
Kosenko _________ __ Dec.
Allen ____________ .__ Jan.
Campbell ________ __ Mar.
Hewitt __________ __ June
29,
25,
l2,
17,
31,
21,
20,
1893
1898
1904
1918
1922
1939
1939
829,866
1,650,091
Gratiot __________ __ Aug. 28, 1906
Nelson ___________ __ Nov. 22, 1927