Mechanical Lubricator Ratchet Wheel

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gwrdriver
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Location: Nashville Tennessee

Re: Mechanical Lubricator Ratchet Wheel

Post by gwrdriver »

Dick_Morris wrote:gwrdriver - Harry, you've been quiet for a while. Glad to see you're still kicking.
Hi Dick,
Yes, very much still kicking. It's been a busy year so far, lots of projects including a detached workshop building . . . and I don't feel I need to render an opinion on everything, only when I have something helpful to contribute.
GWRdriver
Nashville TN
Carrdo
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Location: Toronto, Canada

Re: Mechanical Lubricator Ratchet Wheel

Post by Carrdo »

Bill,

Can you cut 35 teeth with a Spindex easily (not 36 only?) The odd number of teeth on a lubricator ratchet wheel was set by LBSC many decades ago so that all of the ratchet teeth would be used making the wear on each ratchet tooth the same with time. if you had an even number of teeth (say you had a 36 tooth ratchet and the pawl arm advanced the ratchet every two or three or four teeth per stroke) then the same ratchet teeth would be used over and over again wearing out some of the ratchet teeth while not using other teeth on the ratchet wheel.

I have only done this with a dividing head to get a 35 tooth ratchet but maybe I am doing it the difficult way again.
Wolfgang
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Re: Mechanical Lubricator Ratchet Wheel

Post by Wolfgang »

Has anyone here ever worn out a hardened ratchet wheel on their lubricator??? Me neither.

I suspect that we'll all be pushing up daisies before our precious ratchets are worn out. Wolfgang
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Bill Shields
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Re: Mechanical Lubricator Ratchet Wheel

Post by Bill Shields »

I will let you know. Have a loco in my shop that that
has been run hard for 50 years and the ratchet is 36 teeth and still in good shape
Too many things going on to bother listing them.
Carrdo
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Re: Mechanical Lubricator Ratchet Wheel

Post by Carrdo »

Wolfgang,

I can show you a few or did I throw them all out already?

Bill,

I will admit to making 36 tooth lubricator ratchets also but then I had access to Richard's Industrial heat treating furnace (super expensive) and so all of the heat treating and tempering we (he) did on the ratchet wheels was perfect.
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gwrdriver
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Re: Mechanical Lubricator Ratchet Wheel

Post by gwrdriver »

BTW, I heated mine from the underside of a piece of black steel sheet, to bring it all up to red heat equally without burning up the teeth.
GWRdriver
Nashville TN
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Harold_V
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Re: Mechanical Lubricator Ratchet Wheel

Post by Harold_V »

gwrdriver wrote:BTW, I heated mine from the underside of a piece of black steel sheet, to bring it all up to red heat equally without burning up the teeth.
Probably a good idea, as it helps eliminate decarburization from an oxidizing flame when a controlled atmosphere isn't available. Prolonged heating would also be a bad idea, for the same reason.

H
Wise people talk because they have something to say. Fools talk because they have to say something.
Wolfgang
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Re: Mechanical Lubricator Ratchet Wheel

Post by Wolfgang »

Don,

If you still have them I would like to see them; I always like to give my 2 cent's worth on failed mechanical parts. :-))
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dwilloughby
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Re: Mechanical Lubricator Ratchet Wheel

Post by dwilloughby »

Try AJ Reeves in England. web-site is AJReeves.com
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