Extrudable lubricant wicking material
AssigneeWestinghouse Electric Corp.
InventorsGordon C. Gainer, Russell M. Luck
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An extrudable, oil-permeated wicking material, for use in lubricating sleeve metal bearings, is made from a mass of steam-pressure-splayed, swollen, lignin-containing, dried, wood fibers, and a contained lubricating oil; where the weight ratio of oil:lignin containing wood fibers is from about 8:1 to about 3:1, and the oil is contained in microcapillary voids in contact with the lignin.
Claims10
An extrudable, oil-permeated wicking material, comprising a lubricating oil, having a viscosity of between about 100 SUS. and 500 SUS. at 100.degree. F, and a mass of steam-pressure-splayed, lignin-containing, celluosic wood fibers, wherein the fibers retain substantially all of the lignin present initially in the wood, the weight ratio of oil:lignin-containing wood fibers is from about 8:1 to about 3:1 and the oil is contained in micro-capillary voids primarily in contact with lignin in the wood fibers so that the lignin in contact with the oil is effective to block oil penetration into the cellulose of the wood.
A method of making an extrudable oil-permeated wicking material comprising the steps of:
- (A) steam-pressure-splaying wood fibers and drying to provide swollen, lignin-containing wood fibers containing micro-capillary voids, wherein the fibers retain substantially all of the lignin initially present in the wood;
- and then
- (B) cutting the fibers to pass through a 0.095 inch diameter screen opening, and then
- (C) homogeneously mixing the dried wood fibers with a lubricating oil, wherein the weight ratio of oil:
- lignin containing wood is from about 8:1 to about 3:1, wherein the oil is contained in the micro-capillary voids and primarily in contact with lignin in the wood fibers so that lignin in contact with the oil is effective to block oil penetration into the cellulose of the wood.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.