Magnus Div. of L.v. Ventures, Inc.

Magnus Division of Lv Ventures, Inc.

Magnus/farley, Inc.

Ge Healthcare Bio-sciences Corp.

John E Macklin

Paul Bien

Robert B Foster

John Richard Nelson

Shiv R Kumar

Carl Williams Fuller

Anup Sood

Roger M Boor

Paul R Bien

An improved sleeve bearing for locomotive traction motor that provides additional lubrication over and above that of the one central wick currently used. The sleeve bearing is provided with a recirculation system comprised of either at least two additional wicks located near the 6:00 operating location or multiple oil communication and delivery grooves passageways communicating with the oil flinger grooves placed for the purpose of collecting and providing a mechanism for providing additional lubrication for extending the oil-wetted envelope available for supporting the truck-axle journal in the axial direction.

Sleeve bearing for railway traction motor

An improved wick-holder for mounting a felt lubricating wick of a lubricating system for lubricating the axle journal surface supported in a support bearing of a traction motor used in a locomotive is provided with a plurality of oil-reservoir louver pockets or splash-cups molded or pressed into the wick holder which store oil from the time that the oil reservoir was full or near its maximum height and which store splashed oil during normal operational use, and delay the run off of the oil to increase the oil saturation of the wick housed within the wick holder. The oil reservoir pockets are located above the minimum serviceable oil level, and are designed to improve and increase oil saturation of the wick. As a result of the increased oil saturation, the wick are, therefore, capable of delivering increased amounts of oil to the axle journal area. The increased amount of oil saturation and reduced wicking height provide increased protection against traction motor support bearing failure if a locomotive is used with axle journal oil levels near the recommended minimum oil levels. Each reservoir pocket or splash cup is preferably louver-shaped, whereby during normal locomotive operating service, the splashing of oil in the bearing housing oil reservoir is collected and delivered to the lubricating wick. In a second embodiment, the reservoir pockets or splash cups are provided on a separate splash sleeve telescopingly mounted over, and to, the lower, free end of the central lubricating wick.

Wick holder for a lubricating system of a locomotive traction motor support bearing

An improved wick-holder for mounting a felt lubricating wick is provided with a passive inertia-activated pump mounted for submersion in the axle-cap lubricant-reservoir at a level that ensures that for all levels of the reservoir, the pump inlet is submerged in the lubricant of the reservoir. In a first embodiment, the passive inertia-activated pump takes the form of a piston-type pump, while in a second embodiment, the passive inertia-activated pump takes the form of a diaphragm pump. In either embodiment, the inlet of the passive inertia-activated pump is submersed in the lubricant-reservoir, and the output of the passive inertia-activated pump is directed to the surface-interface between the felt wick and the axle journal surface-area to increase the lubrication thereof over and above that which normally ensues owing to the conventional capillary action of the felt wick. In a modification of the first embodiment, the piston pump is mounted to a splash sleeve forming part of the wick-holder and which is telescopingly received over the free end of the felt wick, with the output of the passive inertia-activated pump delivering the lubricant to the surface-interface between the felt wick and the axle journal surface-area via the hollow interior-volume of the splash sleeve and wick holder proper. The slosh pump of the invention may replace the wick assembly entirely, whereby the lubrication is achieved solely by the slosh pump of the invention.

Method and apparatus for improving the delivery of oil of a wick lubricating system for a locomotive traction motor support bearing

A contour or profile of a bore of a locomotive traction-motor support bearing structure, where such profile preserves the currently center-loading of the upper load zone but moves inboardly the lower load zone to a more general central location. The profile of the bore for the support bearing, according to the invention, takes into account not only truck-axle bending due to locomotive weight, but also that from motor tilt through bearing clearances, and couple action on the axle from heavy radial loads on PE support bearing and adjacent axle gear. The bore is configured such that the upper surface is horizontal, but the lower surface slopes downwardly in the outboard direction at an angle based on a function dependent upon the three misalignment factors. In a preferred embodiment, the bore mid-section is defined as a frustroconical section of a cone with an altitude having a slope of substantially 1&#xd7;Mto the horizontal, and an apex angle of substantially arctan 2&#xd7;Mwhere Mis the value of the misalignment factor associated with the locomotive load on the axle.

Interior contour for bore of a friction support bearing of a railway locomotive traction motor

A contour or profile of a bore of a locomotive traction-motor support bearing structure, where such profile preserves the currently center-loading of the upper load zone but moves inboardly the lower load zone to a more general central location. The profile of the bore for the support bearing, according to the invention, takes into account not only truck-axle bending due to locomotive weight, but also that from motor tilt through bearing clearances, and couple action on the axle from heavy radial loads on PE support bearing and adjacent axle gear. The bore is configured such that the upper surface is horizontal, but the lower surface slopes downwardly in the outboard direction at an angle based on a function dependent upon the three misalignment factors. In a preferred embodiment, the bore mid-section is defined as a frustroconical section of a cone with an altitude having a slope of substantially 1&#xd7;Mto the horizontal, and an apex angle of substantially arc tan 2&#xd7;M, where Mis the value of the misalignment factor associated with the locomotive load on the axle.

A method for converting a locomotive traction motor originally equipped with sleeve bearings to roller bearings is provided. The ensuing method includes removing all parts of the original motor leaving only the motor frame. Recesses are then machined in the motor frame at both the pinion end and commutator end. The recesses are sized accordingly, to receive the roller bearings, which have a larger diameter then the sleeve bearings. Upper and lower frame inserts, each having an additional mounting opening, are then mounted to the machined frame to increase the strength and stiffness around the machined regions. A replacement axle is then equipped with the roller bearings, a pair of labyrinth seals, a gear and a pair of wheels. A pair of bearing housings may then be placed over the roller bearings. Each bearing housings has a reservoir that when the traction motor is assembled, is in communication with the roller bearings. Each bearing housing further includes an aperture in communication with the reservoir, such that grease may be added through the aperture to the reservoir and the roller bearings periodically. The bearing housing further include a bore, which is integrally cast into the bearing housings and sized to receive the outer race of the roller bearings. Lastly, an axle shield is attached between the two bearing housings protecting the axle and bearings from dirt and foreign particles. The entire axle/wheel assembly is then bolted to the machined frame.

Growing community of inventors

Fremont, NE, United States of America

John E Macklin