On-board lubrication system for direct application to curved and tangent railroad track
US5477941A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 15, 1994 |
| Grant date | Dec 26, 1995 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 15, 2014 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB61C15/107
- WIPO fieldTransport
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
In railroad applications, an improved method and apparatus for optimizing on-board rail lubrication for both curved and tangent track. The lubricants are applied by an apparatus directly to the rails behind the last axle of the last locomotive of a locomotive consist. The system uses lubricant delivery nozzles which are integrated with the sand pipe and nozzle for each rail. The lubricant nozzles are aimed toward the wheel rail contact at a distance of several inches behind the contact for accurate application of one lubricant on the top of the rail (TOR) and another on the rail gage side (RAGS). The lubricant quantities sprayed on the rail are controlled by a miroprocessor with the use of a flow injection pulse, system or flow control valves. Furthermore, the microprocessor triggers sand application when emergency brakes are applied. A new method of determination of trailing tons in the train is used by averaging the total power used by the locomotives at a certain speed.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.