ROBERT BURKE FOSTER
Engineers in Erie, PA

7802656, Sep 28, 2010

Jan 20, 2006

11/336039

John E. Macklin - Fremont NE, US
Robert B. Foster - Erie PA, US
Paul Bien - Downers Grove IL, US

Magnus Division of LV Ventures, Inc. - Fremont NE

F16N 7/12

184 64, 384399, 384408, 384409, 384412, 184102

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.

7055439, Jun 6, 2006

Jun 3, 2004

10/862114

Paul Bien - Downers Grove IL, US
Robert B. Foster - Erie PA, US
John E. Macklin - Fremont NE, US

Magnus Division of LV Ventures, Inc. - Fremont NE

B61C 17/00

105136, 105103, 384192

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×M to the horizontal, and an apex angle of substantially arc tan 2×M, where M is the value of the misalignment factor associated with the locomotive load on the axle.

7857101, Dec 28, 2010

Nov 21, 2005

11/284635

John E. Macklin - Fremont NE, US
Robert B. Foster - Erie PA, US
Paul Bien - Downers Grove IL, US

Magnus Div. of L. V. Ventures, Inc. - Fremont NE

F16N 7/12

184 64, 184102, 384409

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.

7178463, Feb 20, 2007

Apr 10, 2006

11/401177

Paul Bien - Downers Grove IL, US
Robert B. Foster - Erie PA, US
John E. Macklin - Fremont NE, US

Magnus Division of LV Ventures, Inc. - Fremont NE

B61C 17/00, F16C 27/00

105136, 384215

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×M to the horizontal, and an apex angle of substantially arctan 2×M where M is the value of the misalignment factor associated with the locomotive load on the axle.

4730833, Mar 15, 1988

Dec 29, 1986

6/946723

Robert B. Foster - Erie PA
Dale C. Walker - Erie PA

General Electric Company - Erie PA

F16J 1512, F16H 5702, F16P 102

277 12

For sealing the axle opening in a traction motor gearcase on the motor side thereof, an annular member of elastomeric material has a sleeve portion that is adapted to be clamped to a motor-supporting axle bearing thrust flange and a radially outwardly projecting flange portion that is adapted to fit inside an annular groove formed in an edge of the gearcase sidewall that surrounds the hub of an axle gear adjacent to the thrust flange. The seal further comprises a reinforcing ring having concentric outer and inner sections: the outer section is attached to the flange portion of the annular member to ensure a tight fit in the aforesaid groove, and the inner section extends from the groove to within close proximity of the axle gear hub and forms, with the axle-gear end of the sleeve portion, an annular trough for collecting axle bearing lube oil that escapes through the gear hub-thrust flange interface.

5951081, Sep 14, 1999

Oct 29, 1997

8/959259

Robert Burke Foster - Erie PA
Michael Philip Hagle - Mason OH

General Electric Company - Erie PA

B60B 3500

295 361

A method and apparatus for aiding in positioning during assembly of a locomotive wheel with respect to a drive gear mounted adjacent the wheel during assembly and for maintaining the position of the drive gear during locomotive operation. The apparatus includes a lateral stop including a spacer formed of a semi-elastomeric material having a low coefficient of friction and specially adapted to fit into a stress relief groove of an axle between a hub of the drive gear and a hub of the wheel. The spacer is so designed as to be installable on the locomotive axle after installation of the drive gear, to be self-centering on the axle and to inhibit rotation of the spacer with respect to the axle such that the axle will not be marked circumferentially by spacer rotation.

7874255, Jan 25, 2011

Sep 8, 2009

12/555013

Robert B. Foster - Erie PA, US
Paul Bien - Downers Grove IL, US
John E. Macklin - Fremont NE, US

Magnus Div. of L.V. Ventures, Inc. - Fremont NE

B61F 5/26, F16C 17/00

1052181, 384 7

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.

2002010, Aug 8, 2002

Jan 4, 2002

10/039287

John Donner - Union City PA, US
James Holtgrefe - Erie PA, US
Robert Foster - Erie PA, US

G08B021/00

340/682000, 340/680000

A method and apparatus for monitoring the condition of an oil lubricated bearing based on the phenomenon that the bearing will operate at a reduced temperature for a limited time period after losing its flow of lubricating oil. The invention includes steps and means for comparing the bearing temperature to an average of similar bearing temperatures, and for generating a low temperature alarm when the bearing temperature drops more than a threshold amount. The setpoint of this threshold may be a function of the standard deviation of the temperatures of a plurality of similar bearings. The invention may include steps and apparatus for generating a high bearing temperature alarm and for communicating data to a remote location.

7603955, Oct 20, 2009

Mar 1, 2007

11/680729

Robert B. Foster - Erie PA, US
Paul Bien - Downers Grove IL, US
John E. Macklin - Fremont NE, US

Magnus Div. of L.V. Ventures, Inc. - Fremont NE

B61F 5/26, F16C 17/00

1052181, 384 7

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.

7308856, Dec 18, 2007

Jul 11, 2005

11/178937

Robert B. Foster - Erie PA, US
Paul Bien - Downers Grove IL, US
John E. Macklin - Fremont NE, US

Magnus Div. of LV Ventures, Inc. - Fremont NE

B61F 5/26, F16C 17/00

1052181, 384 7

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.