Railroad bearing with corrosion inhibitor

Abstract

A backing ring that serves to position an antifriction bearing on the journal of an axle for a railcar or locomotive carries a ring containing a corrosion inhibitor. During installation of the bearing on the journal, the backing ring is advanced over the journal followed by the bearing. When the axially directed force that advances the bearing over the journal is transmitted through the bearing to the backing and is resisted at the fillet, the corrosion inhibitor exudes from the backing ring and forms a coating on the fillet to inhibit fretting and other corrosion between the backing ring and the journal.

1 . An assembly for installation over an axle journal having a fillet at one end, said assembly comprising:
 an antifriction bearing defining an axis of rotation;   a backing ring aligned axially with the antifriction bearing;   a corrosion inhibitor carried by the backing ring for release onto the fillet of the axle journal upon installation of the assembly over the axle journal.   
   
   
       2 . An assembly according to  claim 1  wherein the backing ring has a contoured inner surface configured to seat against the fillet, with the inner surface having a large end and a small end. 
   
   
       3 . An assembly according to  claim 2  and further comprising a wear ring located between the bearing and the backing ring and aligned with both; wherein the backing ring at the small end of the contoured inner surface has a counterbore that ends at a shoulder in the backing ring; wherein the wear ring fits into the counterbore; and wherein the corrosion inhibitor also fits into the counterbore between the end of the wear ring and the shoulder. 
   
   
       4 . An assembly according to  claim 3  wherein the corrosion inhibitor takes the form of a ring. 
   
   
       5 . An assembly according to  claim 2  wherein the corrosion inhibitor is at the large end of the contoured inner surface on the backing ring. 
   
   
       6 . An assembly according to  claim 5  wherein the backing ring has a lip that projects axially beyond the large end of the contoured inner surface and the corrosion inhibitor is within the lip. 
   
   
       7 . An assembly according to  claim 6  wherein the corrosion inhibitor takes the form of a ring. 
   
   
       8 . In combination with an axle journal having a cylindrical portion and a fillet at the end of the cylindrical portion, the improvement comprising:
 a backing ring that is advanced over the journal to ultimately seat against the fillet and provide a backing for an antifriction bearing, and a corrosion inhibitor carried by the backing ring and configured to exude over the fillet under a force applied to the backing ring when advancement of the backing ring is resisted at the fillet.   
   
   
       9 . The combination according to  claim 8  wherein the backing ring has a contoured inner surface along which the backing ring will ultimately seat against the fillet, with the surface having a large end and a small end; wherein the backing ring also has a counterbore at the small end of the contoured surface; and wherein the corrosion inhibitor is in the counterbore. 
   
   
       10 . The combination according to  claim 9  wherein the corrosion inhibitor is the form of a ring. 
   
   
       11 . The combination according to  claim 8  wherein the backing ring has a contoured inner surface along which the backing ring will ultimately seat against the fillet, with the contoured surface having a small end and a large end; and wherein the corrosion inhibitor is at the large end of the contoured surface. 
   
   
       12 . The combination according to  claim 11  wherein the backing ring has a lip that projects axially beyond the large end of the contoured surface; and wherein the corrosion inhibitor is within the lip. 
   
   
       13 . The combination according to  claim 12  wherein the corrosion inhibitor is in the form of a ring. 
   
   
       14 . The combination according to  claim 8  and further comprising an antifriction bearing around the journal, with the backing ring being between the fillet and the antifriction bearing. 
   
   
       15 . A process for installing a backing ring over an axle journal having a cylindrical portion and a fillet at one end of the cylindrical portion, said process comprising:
 providing the backing ring with a corrosion inhibitor;   advancing the backing ring over the cylindrical portion of the journal substantially without releasing the corrosion inhibitor; and   releasing the corrosion inhibitor onto the fillet when the backing ring encounters the fillet.   
   
   
       16 . The process according to  claim 15  wherein the corrosion inhibitor is released by applying an axially directed force to the backing ring. 
   
   
       17 . A process according to  claim 15  wherein the backing ring has a contoured inner surface with a large end and a small end, and the backing ring also has a counterbore at the small end of the contoured surface and a shoulder at the end of the counterbore, and further comprising:
 inserting the corrosion inhibitor into the counterbore;   inserting a wear ring into the counterbore such that the corrosion inhibitor is captured between the wear ring and the shoulder; and   when the backing ring encounters the fillet, forcing the wear ring into the counterbore to cause the corrosion inhibitor to exude from the counterbore onto the fillet.   
   
   
       18 . A process according to  claim 15  wherein the backing ring has a contoured inner surface with a large end and a small end; and wherein the corrosion inhibitor is at the large end of contoured surface where it will exude over the fillet as the backing ring is forced toward the fillet.