Transit rail lubricant applicator

An applicator for mounting a block of solid lubricant to deposit a thin film of lubricant on the flange of a transit rail car wheel. The applicator (10) includes a bracket (12) adapted to mount the applicator to an unsprung portion of a transit rail car. A pivot arm (26) is pivotally connected at one end of bracket (12) and a block of solid lubricant (42) attached to a mounting plate (34) is bolted to the other end of the pivot arm. The block of solid lubricant is biased against the flange (40) of a transit car wheel by a torsion spring (28). A stop (32) prevents the pivot arm from contacting the wheel as the lubricant block wears by deposition of a thin film of lubricant on the rail car wheel flange as the wheel rolls.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A lubricant applicator comprising:

(a) a fixed bracket adapted to attach to an undercarriage of a rail car;

(b) a lubricant support arm, pivotally connected to the fixed bracket and adapted to mount a block of solid lubricant on a surface of the lubricant support arm at a point spaced apart from the pivotal connection; and

(c) spring means for biasing the lubricant support arm so that it and the block of solid lubricant mounted thereon swing through an arc, bringing the block of solid lubricant into contact with a rail car wheel flange.

2. The lubricant applicator of claim 1 wherein the spring means comprise a torsion spring disposed about the pivotal connection.

3. The lubricant applicator of claim 1 further comprising a stop limiting the rotation of the arm so that it does not contact the rail car wheel.

4. The lubricant applicator of claim 1 further comprising a lubricant block mounting plate that is disposed intermediate the solid lubricant block and the arm, and which is attached to both the lubricant block and the arm.

5. The lubricant applicator of claim 1 wherein one of the fixed bracket and the arm crosses a plane through the rail car wheel circumference.

6. An applicator for applying a film of a solid lubricant to a rail car wheel flange, comprising

(a) bracket means for fixedly attaching the applicator to an unsprung portion of the rail car, proximate the wheel to be lubricated;

(b) an arm pivotally connected to the bracket means and able to swing in an arc substantially perpendicular to a line tangent to the rail car wheel flanges;

(c) means for mounting a block of the solid lubricant to a surface of the arm so that it extends unconfined from said surface toward the rail car wheel; and

(d) spring means for biasing the arm and the block of lubricant to swing in an arc toward the rail car wheel flange, bringing the solid lubricant block into contact with the flange, so that a thin film of solid lubricant is deposited thereon.

7. The applicator of claim 6 wherein the bracket means comprise a slotted flat bar formed generally in an "L" shape.

8. The applicator of claim 6 wherein the arm is pivotally connected to the bracket means by a pin, and wherein the spring means comprise a torsion spring surrounding the pin and embracing the bracket means and the arm.

9. The applicator of claim 6 further comprising means for limiting the pivotal movement of the arm, preventing it contacting the rail car wheel.

10. The applicator of claim 6 wherein the means for mounting the block of solid lubricant comprise a plate connected to the block and to the arm.

11. The applicator of claim 6 wherein the arm subtends an acute angle as the block wears against the rail car wheel flange.

12. A method for lubricating a rail car wheel flange, comprising the steps of:

(a) fixedly attaching a bracket to an unsprung portion of a rail car, proximate the wheel to be lubricated;

(b) pivotally connecting an arm to the bracket so that it may rotate toward the rail car wheel flange;

(c) mounting a block of solid lubricant to a surface of the arm so that it is otherwise unconfined;

(d) biasing the arm and the block of solid lubricant to swing in an arc toward the rail car wheel flange;

(e) bringing the solid lubricant block into contact with the flange; and

(f) depositing a thin film of solid lubricant onto the flange as it rubs against the solid lubricant block when the wheel rolls.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the arm is biased toward the flange by means of a torsion spring.

14. The method of claim 12 further comprising the step of limiting the rotational travel of the arm to prevent it contacting the wheel.

15. The method of claim 12 further comprising the steps of removing and replacing the block of solid lubricant when it is worn.