Modified interlocking solid stick

Abstract

The present invention provides a modified interlocking solid composition stick for applying to steel surfaces that are in sliding or rolling-sliding contact. The modified stick comprises a body member with four sides, a first end and an opposed second end, and a nib member attached to the first end of the body member, the nib member having four sides connected by substantially curved side edges. The second end of the body member contains a cavity with substantially curved sidewalls dimensioned to snugly receive a nib member of a corresponding interlocking solid stick. To reduce the likelihood of failure of the nib or cavity, the dimensions of the nib are optimized such that a length of one side of the nib member (nl) and a length of the side of the body member (l) in the same plane have a ratio nl/l from about 0.6 to about 0.75.

1 . An interlocking solid stick comprising a body member with four side faces, a first end and an opposed second end, and a nib member joined to the first end of the body member, the nib member having four side faces connected by substantially curved side edges, wherein the second end of the body member contains a cavity with substantially curved side walls dimensioned to snugly receive a nib member of a corresponding interlocking solid stick and wherein a length of one side face of the nib member (nl) and a length of the side face of the body member (l) in the same plane has a ratio nl/l from about 0.6 to about 0.75.  
   
   
       2 . The interlocking solid stick of  claim 1 , wherein the ratio nl/l is from about 0.67 to about 0.73.  
   
   
       3 . The interlocking solid stick of  claim 1 , wherein the cross-sectional shape of nib member is substantially oval.  
   
   
       4 . The interlocking solid stick of  claim 1 , wherein the stick comprises a low coefficient of friction (LCF) composition.  
   
   
       5 . The interlocking solid stick of  claim 1 , wherein the nib member tapers away from the body member at an angle of taper.  
   
   
       6 . The interlocking solid stick of  claim 5 , wherein the angle of taper is from about 7.0 to about 40.0 degrees.  
   
   
       7 . The interlocking solid stick of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the side edges of the body member is substantially curved.  
   
   
       8 . The interlocking solid stick of  claim 7 , wherein all of the side edges of the body member are substantially curved.  
   
   
       9 . The interlocking solid stick of  claim 8 , wherein at least one of the edges of the first end of the body member is substantially curved.  
   
   
       10 . The interlocking solid stick of  claim 9 , wherein all of the edges of the first end of the body member are substantially curved.  
   
   
       11 . The interlocking solid stick of  claim 1 , wherein the nib member is a flattened truncated cone.  
   
   
       12 . An interlocking solid stick comprising a body member with four side faces, a first end and an opposed second end, and a nib member joined to the first end of the body member, the nib member having four side faces connected by substantially straight side edges, wherein the second end of the body member contains a cavity with substantially straight side walls dimensioned to snugly receive a nib member of a corresponding interlocking solid stick and wherein a length of one side face of the nib member (nl) and a length of the side face of the body member (l) in the same plane has a ratio nl/l from about 0.75 to about 0.95.  
   
   
       13 . The interlocking solid stick of  claim 12 , wherein the ratio nl/l is from about 0.8 to about 0.9.  
   
   
       14 . The interlocking solid stick of  claim 12 , wherein the ratio nl/l is from about 0.82 to about 0.87.  
   
   
       15 . The interlocking solid stick of  claim 12 , wherein the cross-sectional shape of the nib member is substantially rectangular.  
   
   
       16 . The interlocking solid stick of  claim 12 , wherein the stick comprises a low coefficient of friction (LCF) composition.  
   
   
       17 . The interlocking solid stick of  claim 12 , wherein the nib member tapers away from the body member at an angle of taper.  
   
   
       18 . The interlocking solid stick of  claim 17 , wherein the angle of taper is from about 7.0 to about 40.0 degrees.  
   
   
       19 . The interlocking solid stick of  claim 12 , wherein at least one of the side edges of the body member is substantially curved.  
   
   
       20 . The interlocking solid stick of  claim 19 , wherein all of the side edges of the body member are substantially curved.  
   
   
       21 . The interlocking solid stick of  claim 20 , wherein at least one of the edges of the first end of the body member is substantially curved.  
   
   
       22 . The interlocking solid stick of  claim 21 , wherein all of the edges of the first end of the body member are substantially curved.  
   
   
       23 . An interlocking solid stick comprising a body member with four side faces, a first end and an opposed second end, and a nib member with four side faces joined to the first end of the body member, wherein the second end of the body member contains a cavity dimensioned to snugly receive a nib member of a corresponding interlocking solid stick and wherein the dimensions of the stick are selected from the group consisting of: 
 (i) a width of one side face of the nib member (nw) and a width of the side face of the body member (w) in the same plane has a ratio nw/w from about 0.30 to about 0.48; and    (ii) the cross-sectional area of the nib member (An) and the cross-sectional area of the body member (Ab) have a ratio An/Ab of about 0.19 to about 0.35.    
   
   
       24 . The interlocking solid stick of  claim 23 , wherein the ratio nw/w is from about 0.30 to about 0.48 and the ratio An/Ab is from about 0.19 to about 0.35.  
   
   
       25 . The interlocking solid stick of  claim 23 , wherein the ratio nw/w is from about 0.30 to about 0.45 and the ratio An/Ab is from about 0.19 to about 0.30.  
   
   
       26 . The interlocking solid stick of  claim 23 , wherein the side faces of the nib member are connected by substantially curved side edges.  
   
   
       27 . The interlocking solid stick of  claim 26 , wherein the cross-sectional shape of the nib member is substantially oval.  
   
   
       28 . The interlocking solid stick of  claim 23 , wherein the solid stick comprises a composition having a High Positive Friction (HPF) or a Very High Positive Friction (VHPF)  
   
   
       29 . The interlocking solid stick of  claim 23 , wherein the nib member tapers away from the body member at an angle of taper.  
   
   
       30 . The interlocking solid stick of  claim 29 , wherein the angle of taper is from about 7.0 to about 40.0 degrees.  
   
   
       31 . The interlocking solid stick of  claim 23 , wherein at least one of the side edges of the body member is substantially curved.  
   
   
       32 . The interlocking solid stick of  claim 31 , wherein all of the side edges of the body member are substantially curved.  
   
   
       33 . The interlocking solid stick of  claim 32 , wherein at least one of the edges of the first end of the body member is substantially curved.  
   
   
       34 . The interlocking solid stick of  claim 33 , wherein all of the edges of the first end of the body member are substantially curved.  
   
   
       35 . The interlocking solid stick of  claim 23 , wherein the nib member is a substantially flattened truncated cone.