Felt wick as Guide rail lubricators for Elevator - Lift
Guide rail lubricator felt wick is an absorbent wool fiber pad material
used in elevator oil cups to steadily apply lubricant to the steel guide
rails. It acts like a sponge, drawing oil from the reservoir and
pressing against the rail to leave a thin, even coat while the elevator
moves using capillary action. Felt wicks rely on passive soaking to feed
oil continuously. Felt wick is highly oil absorbent and relies on
capillary action which is a natural process where lubricating oil
automatically flows through tiny space gap in the wick without needing a
outside pump. This feature ensures the guide rail gets exactly the right
amount of oil needed , neither less nor excess.
Key Functions :
● Controls Oil Flow: It prevents the oil from leaking, dripping, or
pooling at the bottom of the elevator shaft.
● Reduces Friction: It provides continuous lubrication between the steel
rails and the sliding guide shoes, stopping squeaky noises and
preventing wear.
● Cleans the Rail: As the elevator travels, the felt pad wipes away
dust, metal shavings, and debris.
How it works: The wick stays touching the guide rails. It feeds oil
slowly and constantly as long as the cup reservoir has oil in it. A
detailed diagram is shown as below :
Advantages :
● Simple, cheap, and has no moving parts to break.
●
Maintenance : It must be routinely checked as it can get clogged with
dirt over time. Flow rates can also change if the oil level drops.
Felt wick for door guide lubricators act like oil-soaked
sponge pad. These door guide lubricators press against the door track or
guide rail, leaving a thin film of lubricating oil when the door slides.
The thin layer of lubricating oil prevents direct metal to metal wear,
stops squeaking noise, and also keeps the door moving smooth and easily.
The felt wick is part of the door gib (the guide shoe assembly) that
sits at the very bottom of the elevator doors and slides inside the sill
groove.
Function and Advantages :
● Noise reducing: Elevator doors are generally direct metal to metal
contact systems. As the heavy doors slide back and forth across the
aluminum or bronze sill tracks, the metal parts would rattle and make
screech noise without proper insulation. The felt acts as an acoustic
buffer preventing the noise and keep the sliding operation completely
silent.
● Friction Reduction: High-density compact wool felt always holds a
trace amount of lubricant oil for long time. It allows the door gib to
glide smoothly through the channel track without any friction.
● Cleaning: The bottom sill of an elevator attracts dust, dirt, small
rocks, and trash dropped by people during movement. As the doors open
and close, the felt guide functions like a mini-broom, cleaning small
dirt out of the way so it doesn't jam the doors.
● Packing & Stabilization: It fills the space gap between the guide shoe
and the track wall, stopping the bottom of the door from shaking or
rattling when passengers step into the lift or when air pressure changes
in the shaft.
Square Lubricator for Elevator Oil Cup in Elevator/Lift
