Lubricant delivery system for lubricating rail wheel flanges

A method for lubricating a rail wheel flange of a rail wheel that rolls along a track, during an extended predefined maintenance interval of a train on which the rail wheel is disposed, comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a supply of a fluid lubricant having sufficient viscosity to avoid being flung off the rail wheel flange at normal operating rotational speeds, and to prevent migration of the fluid lubricant from a side of the track onto a crown of the track, the supply of the fluid lubricant comprising a plurality of containers, each container comprising a collapsible, flexible bag disposed within a box, said plurality of containers being coupled together in fluid communication;
• (b) storing said plurality of containers in a vertical stack at a plurality of different elevations in an internal compartment of the train in sufficient quantity to enable the lubricant to be continuously applied to the rail wheel flange while the train is moving, without replenishment of the supply during said extended predefined maintenance interval;
• and
• (c) pumping the fluid lubricant from the supply onto the rail wheel flange to lubricate the rail wheel flange, minimizing wear between the rail wheel flange and the side of the track along which the rail wheel is rolling, such that a lubricant in a container that is disposed at a lower elevation in the stack is drawn by the pump and applied to a rail wheel flange before a lubricant in a container that is disposed at a higher elevation in the stack.

A system for applying a lubricant to a rail wheel flange of a rail wheel that rolls along a track, comprising:

• (a) a plurality of containers adapted to store a quantity of lubricant, wherein each container of said plurality of containers comprises a collapsible, flexible bag within a box, said plurality of containers being stored in a vertical stack at a plurality of different elevations;
• (b) a pump having an inlet port and outlet port, said inlet port being coupled in fluid communication with said plurality of containers;
• (c) an applicator adapted to be mounted adjacent to a rail wheel flange and connected in fluid communication with the outlet port of the pump;
• and
• (d) a prime mover drivingly connected to the pump, said prime mover being adapted to apply a driving force to the pump that causes the pump to draw a lubricant from a container that is disposed at a lower elevation in the stack before a lubricant in a container that is disposed at a higher elevation in the stack and to force a lubricant so drawn through the applicator onto a rail wheel flange, thereby lubricating a rail wheel flange to reduce friction and wear between a rail wheel flange and a side of the track.

A system for applying a lubricant to a rail wheel flange of a rail wheel that rolls along a tack, comprising:

• (a) a plurality of containers adapted to store a quantity of a lubricant, said plurality of containers being stored in a vertical stack at a plurality of different elevation;
• (b) a pump having an inlet port and outlet port, said pump inlet port being coupled in fluid communication with said plurality of containers;
• (c) a lubricant distributor having an inlet port and a plurality of outlet ports, said inlet port of the distributor being coupled in fluid communication with said outlet port of the pump;
• (d) a plurality of applicators, each adapted to be mounted adjacent to a rail wheel flange and connected in fluid communication with a different outlet port of the lubricant distributor;
• and
• (e) a prime mover drivingly connected to the pump and to the lubricant distributor, said prime mover applying a driving force to the pump and to the lubricant distributor that causes the pump to draw a lubricant from a container that is disposed at a lower elevation in the stack before a lubricant in a container that is disposed at a higher elevation in the stack, and to force a lubricant so drawn through the lubricant distributor to successively different applicators and onto a rail wheel flange, thereby providing lubrication to reduce friction and wear between a rail wheel flange and a side of the track.

A system for applying a lubricant to a plurality of rail wheel flanges of rail wheels that roll along a track, comprising:

• (a) a plurality of containers adapted to store a quantity of a lubricant, said plurality of containers being stored in a vertical stack at a plurality of different elevations;
• (b) a pump having an inlet port and outlet port, said inlet port of the pump being coupled in fluid communication with said plurality of containers;
• (c) a lubricant distributor having an inlet port and a plurality of outlet ports, said inlet port of the lubricant distributor being coupled in fluid communication with said outlet port of the pump, said lubricant distributor being adapted to provide a continuous flow of a lubricant through successive outlet ports of the lubricant distributor;
• (d) a plurality of applicators, each applicator being adapted to mount adjacent to a rail wheel flange and being connected in fluid communication with a different one of said plurality of outlet ports of the lubricant distributor;
• and
• (e) a prime mover drivingly connected to at least one of said pump and said lubricant distributor, thereby enabling a flow of a lubricant from said plurality of containers, such that a lubricant first flows from a container that is disposed at a lower elevation in the stack before a lubricant flows from a container that is disposed at a higher elevation in the stack, sad lubricant thus drawn flowing through said distributor to successive ones of said plurality of applicators, and onto a rail wheel flange, thereby lubricating a rail wheel flange to reduce friction and wear between a rail wheel flange and a side of the track.