The present invention can be most successfully utilized for lubricating friction surfaces of the parts operating within a wide range of temperatures and humidity, in polluted air and in abrasive-containing environment. An example of the friction surfaces in transport is a side surface of a rail top and a surface of a railway car wheel flange periodically contacting the surface of the rail top, or friction surfaces of the parts forming a coupler between railway cars and locomotives, or surfaces of sliding bearings of railway trucks.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Currently, in industrially advanced countries a great deal of financial resources is spent to overcome an adverse effect of friction surfaces on operation efficiency of mechanical systems.

This problem is of great concern in all fields of mechanical engineering including railway vehicles and the like.

As an example, up to 20% of traction energy of railway rolling stock is spent to overcome the so-called "parasitic friction" between wheel flanges and a side surface of a rail top.

In Russia, up to 25 % of the railway rolling stock stands idle due to a need to redress periodically wheel flanges as the result of "thin" flanges formed on them. Service safety of railway rolling stock depends on reliability of operation of the friction units mentioned above. At present, the problem of reducing wear of rails and wheel flanges of a railway rolling stock is most successfully solved by specialists in the Unites States and Russia.

There are various ways of solution of this problem, however, the inventors are of the opinion that the most promising way is to improve wear resistance of parts of open friction units in a railway rolling stock by applying to said parts lubricants having an increased service life and improved lubricating action, and to use special devices to apply lubricants to a friction surface, providing guaranteed application of lubricants to the surfaces being lubricated immediately in operation of a friction unit.

Known in the art, for instance, is OZP-l lubricant (Fuels, Lubricants, Process Fluids. Range of Products and Use. Reference Book edited by V.M.Shkolnikov, p.294, Moscow, Chemistry, 1989) for one shot application to open friction unit parts, such as gears of heavily loaded gear boxes, which lubricant, produced by fusion of asphalt flux, octol and bitumen, generally contains an anti-frictional additive. To the art is also known USSA graphite grease (Selection and Use of Plastic Lubricants, 2-nd edition revised and supplemented, V.V.Sinitsyn, p.p.322,323, Moscow, Chemistry, 1974), comprising cylinder oil as a dispersing fluid, hydrated calcium soap as a thickening agent and powdered graphite as an additive.

Experience of use of the lubricants above in the railway vehicles has shown that these substances exhibit poor anti- frictional and preserving properties at high specific loads and dynamic force experienced by friction surfaces, furthermore, they have a short service life at one shot application.

The conventional lubricants adapted to be applied to a friction surface, closest to the lubricants according to the invention, comprise a binding agent selected from the group consisting of bitumen, phenol-formaldehyde resin, silicone resin and coumarone resin; a solvent selected from the group consisting of gasoline, mineral oil and vegetable oil, and an anti-frictional additive selected from the group consisting of powdered graphite, powdered molybdenum disulfide and powdered Teflon. An example of such lubricants is bitumen nairit grease (Protection of Agricultural Machinery Against Corrosion, Reference Book, p.p.76,77, A.A.Mikhailov, R.A. Ignatev, Moscow, Rosselmash, 1981) produced on the basis of bitumen, or VNIINP-209 grease, a solid coating produced in Russia on the basis of silicone resin (Lubricants, Lubrication Equipment, Sliding and Rolling Supports, Vol.2, p.151, under edition of M.Khebda, A.B.Chichinadze, Moscow, Mashinostrojenie, 1990), or SGO-O grease produced in Russia on the basis of indene coumarone resin (Specifications of Greases and Other Products of Kouskovo Plant, p.p.26,27, Moscow, Transport, 1968).

In practice, despite the fact that the lubricants above form an anti-frictional film on a surface being lubricated, they exhibit poor tribotechnical, damping, preserving and current-conducting properties when the lubricated surface experiences heavy contact loads (above 1 GPa) at intense dynamic force. In addition, they have a short service life at one shot application to a friction surface due to a poor film-forming adhesive ability of the lubrication film.

To the art is also known an apparatus for applying a lubricant to a friction surface (SU,A, 4950157), comprising a housing filled with a lubricant, at one end of the housing being mounted a hollow lubricating core made of a flexible resilient material and provided with a plurality of longitudinal through passages to feed the lubricant to a friction surface being treated. Another end of the housing is connected to a compressed air source for moving the lubrication core and the lubricant through the longitudinal passages of the housing.

The aforementioned apparatus for applying a lubricant provides a continuous feed of a liquid lubricant to a surface being lubricated, ensuring thereby a constant dispense of the lubricant and a possibility to control the lubricant dispense by varying pressure from the compressed air source which is controlled by an operator or by a separate control unit. The apparatus is very efficient when servicing closed friction units, such as heavily loaded plain bearings common in mechanical engineering.

Practical use of the above apparatus for applying a lubricant demonstrated, however, that it is absolutely impracticable when it is necessary to apply to a surface lubricated two-phase lubricants, i.e. the lubricants which are in a solid plastic state when being applied and change to a solid dry state when in service, taking a form of a thin anti-frictional film after application. In other words, the apparatus design does not allow the two-phase solid plastic lubricants to pass through longitudinal passages to a surface being lubricated due to the fact that after expiration of some time in service and under the friction heat effect, the two-phase solid plastic lubricant changes to its second phase.

Furthermore, the apparatus above lacks any feedback from the surface being lubricated to a lubricant feeding unit and continues unregulated application of a lubricant to the surface lubricated even if there is a sufficient amount of the lubricant on the latter. This results in unjustified consumption of lubricants and in application of the lubricants to a friction surface even if there is no need in it.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the invention to provide a lubricant which is in a solid plastic state when being applied to a surface to be lubricated and changes to a solid dry state when in service, taking a form of a thin high-strength, anti-frictional film, and which possesses, when in service, improved tribotechnical, preserving properties, increased service life and meets the environmental safety standards.

It is another object of the invention to provide an apparatus for applying a lubricant to a surface being lubricated, which would ensure, owing to its structure, a quality application of solid plastic two-phase lubricants to a surface being lubricated and provide an unattended, self-controlled and optimum dispense of a lubricant.

The first object is attained by a lubricant applied to a friction surface and comprising a binding agent selected from the group consisting of bitumen, phenol-formaldehyde resin, silicon resin and coumarone resin; a solvent selected from the group consisting of gasoline, mineral oil and vegetable oil, and an anti-frictional additive selected from the group consisting of powdered graphite, powdered molybdenum disulfide and powdered Teflon, the lubricant according to the invention further comprising an adhesive film-forming additive, the components above being taken in the following proportion by wt.%; binding agent 10.0 - 90.0 solvent 3 0 - 40.0 anti-frictional additive 2.0 - 50.0 film-forming adhesive additive 2.0 - 55.0 Addition of a film-forming adhesive additive to a lubricant composition provides a formation of a thin high-strength anti- frictional film consisting of the lubricant components and the film-forming adhesive additive on friction surfaces. The film provides increased service life of the lubricant and a constant coefficient of friction between friction surfaces. Owing to improved film adhesion to a friction surface, the film operates steady under contact loads up to 3.5 GPa. This ultimately results in improved wear resistance of contacting surfaces in friction units. The aforementioned relationship of the components of a lubricant allows to obtain a composition having a required consistency and two-phase state and a wide range of tribotechnical characteristics. At less than 2 wt.% content of film-forming adhesive additives in a lubricant, a continuous anti- frictional film is not formed on a friction surface, on the other hand, a lubricant containing over 55 wt.% of said additive can not be practically applied to a friction surface and fails to take a solid plastic state. Furthermore, the content over 55 wt . % does not allow to bind the lubricant components by a binding agent.

It would be advantageous to use powdered polyethylene as a film-forming adhesive additive to a lubricant.

Use of powdered polyethylene allows to obtain on a friction surface a high-strength wear resistant anti-frictional film capable of experiencing contact loads up to 0.5 GPa for a long time, operate within the range of bulk temperatures from -300C to +800C, and to work steady at relative sliding velocities of friction surfaces up to 5 m/c.

It would be also advantageous to use powdered polyvinyl chloride as a film-forming adhesive additive to a lubricant.

Use of powdered polyvinyl chloride allows to increase the load range up to 0.7 GPa, to operate within the range of bulk temperatures from -40°C to +1 100C and to work steady at relative sliding velocities of friction surfaces up to 2 m/c.

Alternatively, a film-forming adhesive additive to the lubricant is powdered polystyrene.

Use of powdered polystyrene allows to increase the load range up to 1.0 GPa, to operate within the range of bulk temperatures from -400C to +1100C and to work steady at relative sliding velocities of friction surfaces up to 5 m/c.

Alternatively, a film-forming adhesive additive is a mixture consisting of powdered polystyrene, powdered polyvinyl chloride and powdered polyethylene. Its use is advisable when it is required to widen the range of desired tribotechnical characteristics of the lubricant or to obtain the desired tribotechnical properties for the existing friction unit.

It is also possible to use substances from a group of chemical substances, such as alkaline sodium silicate, as a film-forming adhesive additive.

Use of alkaline sodium silicate as an adhesive film forming additive allows to bear loads up to 3.0 GPa in a friction process, while providing relative sliding velocities of friction surfaces up to 3 mlc and to ensure a steady operation of a friction unit within the range of bulk temperatures from -200C to +950C.

Additionally, at areas of actual friction contact this additive provides conditions for a chemical reaction of sodium silicate with a friction surface metal and its oxides. In this case, there are formed secondary silicate structures which prevent occurrence of immediate contact between juvenile friction surfaces.

Formation of silicate structures (iron silicates) on friction surfaces ensures a friction condition free from setting and seizure until the velocity of the chemical reaction of forming silicates will not fall below the velocity of appearance of setting processes.

It would be also expedient to use silicon dioxide as a film- forming adhesive additive to a lubricant.

Silicon dioxide allows a friction pair to operate under the loads up to 3.5 GPa within the range of bulk temperatures from -2000C to +2200C, and at relative sliding velocities of friction surfaces up to 5 m/c. In the first work-in period, silicon dioxide additive acts as a finely divided abrasive accelerating a process of removing fatigue microcracks and areas distorting the optimum micro/macro relief of engaging surfaces. At the second stage, under high contact loads, silicon dioxide particles are divided into a finely dispersed powder which melts at high temperatures and dads the friction surfaces, forming a high-strength anti- frictional film together with the anti-frictional additive particles.

It is also possible to use copper oxide as a film-forming adhesive additive.

Addition of copper oxide to a lubricant provides a friction surface with an anti-frictional film containing free atoms of copper which actively absorb atomic hydrogen, preventing thereby disruption of surface layers of metal friction surfaces.

Alternatively, a film-forming adhesive additive is a mixture consisting of alkaline sodium silicate, silicon dioxide and copper oxide.

This is advisable when it is required to widen the range of desired tribotechnical characteristics of a lubricant or to obtain required tribotechnical characteristics for the existing friction unit.

It is most advantageous that a lubricant further contains a current-conducting, water-absorbing additive selected from the group consisting of powdered copper, powdered silver and powdered tin, the mixture of mentioned components being in the amount from 3 wt.% to 45 wt.%.

The resulting lubricant has a desired current conduction and is capable of absorbing atomic hydrogen formed in chemical reactions occurring on friction surfaces contact and leading to the intense hydrogen wear of juvenile friction surfaces. Introduction of the aforementioned additives into a lubricant in the amount less than 3% does not allow to obtain desired current conduction of the anti-frictional layer for the existing friction unit. On the other hand, the content of said additives over 45% limit does not allow to produce a lubricant having anti-frictional properties and to bind all the components by a binding agent.

The second object of the invention is attained by an apparatus for applying a lubricant to a friction surface, comprising a shell- shaped member mounted in a housing so as to advance towards a surface being lubricated, an inner space of the shell-shaped member being filled with a lubricant and open to the surface being lubricated, and means for urging an edge of the shell-shaped member to the friction surface being lubricated, an actuating unit of the urging means being connected with a bottom of the shell- shaped member and the wall of the shell-shaped member being made of a material capable of wearing out by friction of the shell- shaped element against the friction surface being lubricated.

Owing to the fact that the inner space of the shell-shaped member is open to the friction surface being lubricated, a lubricant contained in the inner space has a free access to the surface being lubricated, which provides a quality and unobstructed application of solid plastic two-phase lubricants to the surface. When the edge of the shell-shaped member contacts an unlubricated friction surface the shell-shaped member is worn out, its inner space being simultaneously reduced. As the result, the lubricant is forced out to the unlubricated surface to be lubricated. In the case the surface being lubricated is already coated with the lubricant layer, the edge of the shell-shaped member slides over the surface being lubricated at essentially "zero" wear and the process of feeding an additional amount of the lubricant to the surface does not occur. This provides an unattended self-controlled application of the lubricant at its optimum consumption.

The means for urging the edge of the shell-shaped member of an apparatus for applying a lubricant to a friction surface can be implemented in a plurality of embodiments. For instance, it can be made in a form of a spring, one end of the spring contacting the bottom of the shell-shaped member, while the other end contacts the wall of the housing. Otherwise, in another embodiment, the means for urging the edge of the shell-shaped member to the friction surface to be lubricated comprise a piston mounted within a housing, the piston being made of a resilient material and having a closed inner compartment filled with liquid or gas, and a compressed air source communicating by air with the housing and the piston. Implementation of the piston of resilient material and with the closed compartment filled with liquid or gas provides a reliable pressure-tightness of the pneumatic actuator.

In each particular case, various materials can be selected to make a shell-shaped member. The inventors' experience has shown that it can be made of polyethylene or caprone or polyvinyl chloride.

It is reasonable to make a side wall of the shell-shaped member and a housing of a tubular form and from materials allowing the longitudinal axes thereof to take a curved shape.

This allows to lubricate friction surfaces which are difficult to access.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Other objects and advantages of the invention will become evident from the following concrete examples of its realization and drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of a first embodiment of an apparatus for applying a lubricant to a friction surface in accordance with the present invention, having means for urging an edge of a shell-shaped member to a surface to be lubricated, made in a form of a spring; Fig.2 is a longitudinal section of a second embodiment of an apparatus for applying a lubricant to a friction surface in accordance with the present invention, having pneumatic means for urging an edge of a shell-shaped member to a surface to be lubricated.

The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to a particular example of a lubricant and a method of its production. In this example, a lubricant applied to a friction surface comprises a binding agent, such as bitumen, a solvent, such as mineral oil, an anti-frictional additive, such as powdered graphite, and an adhesive film-producing additive, such as powdered polyethylene, the listed components being taken in the following proportion, by wt.%: binding agent (bitumen) 10.0 solvent (mineral oil) 10.0 anti-frictional additive (powdered graphite) 40.0 adhesive film-producing additive (powdered polyethylene) 40.0 The lubricant is prepared as follows. The components in the aforementioned proportion are introduced into a thermal mixer and are stirred at a simultaneous smooth heating up to a temperature of about 950C. The obtained lubricant having a homogeneous consistence is cooled in the ambient temperature.

It can be cast in casting molds to give a desired form to the lubricating members. The resulting lubricant is designated to operate in friction units, such as a friction mechanism of a railway automatic coupler, or a railway wheel flange-rail pair, or in open gearing. It provides a reliable operation of a friction unit at contact loads up to 0.1 GPa, at sliding velocities up to 0.1 m/c and at ambient temperature within the range from -200 to 00C. When testing the lubricant on a pilot plant simulating the operation of a "railway wheel flange-rail" friction unit, the following tribotechnical characteristics have been obtained: service life of the lubricant 5 min friction coefficient 0.13 comparative cost (relative to the cost of OZP- 1 prior art lubricant) 1.1 biological decomposition factor 32% PB efficiency factor KA = 0.01 = 1 18, where P is a service life of the lubricant, B is a biological decomposition factor (%), f is a friction coefficient and C is a comparative cost.

The remaining examples of the lubricants are listed in Tables 1 to 16. Each of the tables lists the components, their percentages, main tribotechnical characteristics of the lubricant as compared to the prior art lubricant having the closest tribotechnical characteristics.

Table 1 Component content Component of a lubricant in a lubricant Prior art lubricant according to the invention according to the invention, wt.% 2 3 4 Binding agent: Bitumen nairit grease bitumen 81 60 35 comprising bitumen and phenol-formaldehyde resin gasoline in amount of silicone resin 55 wt.% and nairit coumarone resin mixture in amount of 45 wt.% Solvent: gasoline 2 5 10 mineral oil vegetable oiI Film-forming adhesive additive: polyethylene 2 25 50 polyvinyl chloride polystyrene sodium silicate silicone dioxide copper oxide Anti-frictional additive: graphite molybdenum disulfide Teflon Current-conducting, water- absorbing additive: copper silver tin Tribotechnical characteristics of The same as those of the lubricant according to the the prior art lubricant invention: Service life, P, min 6 7 8 5 Friction coefficient, f 0.11 0.10 0.10 0.12 Comparative cost, C 1 1.1 1.2 1 Biological decomposition, B,% 40 40 35 30 Efficiency factor of the lubricant The same as that of the according to the invention prior art lubricant PB 21 25 24 13 KA = 0.01- fC Note: Tests of the lubricants according to the invention and the prior art lubricant presented in Table 1 were carried out under a contact load of 0.5 GPa and lt relative sliding velocity of 0. 1 m/c.

Table 2 Component content Component of a lubricant in a lubricant Prior art lubricant according to the invention according to the invention, wt.% 5 6 7 Binding agent: Solid lubricant on basis bitumen of silicone resin with phenol-formaldehyde resin 88 62 33 molybdenum disulfide silicone resin additive, produced in coumarone resin Russia under the brand VNIINP-209 Solvent: gasoline mineral oil 5 10 15 vegetable oil Film-forming adhesive additive: polyethylene polyvinyl chloride polystyrene 2 25 50 sodium silicate silicone dioxide copper oxide Anti-frictional additive: graphite molybdenum disulfide 5 3 2 Teflon Current-conducting, water- absorbing additive: copper tin Tribotechnical characteristics of The same as those of the lubricant according to the the prior art lubricant invention: Service life, P, min 7 8 9 5 Friction coefficient, f 0.05 0.05 0.06 0.07 Comparative cost, C 1.1 1.2 1.3 1 Biological decomposition, B,% 35 33 33 28 Efficiency factor of the lubricant The same as that of the according to the invention ~ prior art lubricant PB 0.01 43 44 36 20 KA = 0.01- fC Note: Tests of the lubricants according to the invention and the prior art lubricant presented in Table 2 were carried out under a contact load of 0.5 GPa and at relative sliding velocity of 1 m/c.

Table 3 Component content Component of a lubricant in a lubricant Prior art lubricant according to the invention according to the invention, wt.% 8 9 10 Binding agent: Solid lubricant on basis bitumen of urea-formaldehyde phenol-formaldehyde resin resin and sodium silicone resin 83 53 20 silicate, produced in coumarone resin Russia under the brand VNIINP-2 12 Solvent: gasoline mineral oil vegetable oil 5 15 25 Film-forming adhesive additive: polyethylene polyvinyl chloride polystyrene 2 25 50 sodium silicate silicone dioxide copper oxide Anti-frictional additive: graphite molybdenum disulfide Teflon 10 7 5 Current-conducting, water- absorbing additive: copper silver tin Tribotechnical characteristics of The same as those of the lubricant according to the the prior art lubricant invention: Service life, P, min 7 8 7 6 Friction coefficient, f 0.05 0.06 0.06 0.07 Comparative cost, C 1.4 1.3 1.3 1 Biological decomPosition. B.% 30 30 30 25 Efficiency factor of the lubricant The same as that of the according to the invention prior art lubricant PB 30 32 31 21 KA= 0.01 Note: Tests of the lubricants according to the invention and the prior art lubricant presented in Table 3 were carried out under a contact load of 0.5 GPa and at relative sliding velocity of 0.5 m/c.

Table 4 Component content Component of a lubricant in a lubricant Prior art lubricant according to the invention according to the invention, wt.% 11 12 13 Binding agent: Bitumen nairit grease bitumen 87 60 40 comprising bitumen and phenol-formaldehyde resin gasoline in amount of silicone resin 55% and nairit mixture coumarone resin in amount of 45% by weight Solvent: gasoline 2 5 10 mineral oil vegetable oil Film-forming adhesive additive: polyethylene 2 10 15 polyvinyl chloride polystyrene 2 10 15 sodium silicate silicone dioxide copper oxide Anti-frictional additive: graphite molybdenum disulfide Teflon Current-conducting water- absorbing additive: copper silver tin Tribotechnical characteristics of The same as those of the lubricant according to the the prior art lubricant invention: Service life, P, min 7 8 8 6 Friction coefficient, f 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.12 Comparative cost, C 1.2 1.2 1.2 1 Biological decomposition. B,% 35 35 35 30 Efficiency factor of the lubricant The same as that of the according to the invention prior art lubricant PB 21 24 24 13 KA = 0.01 fC Note: Tests of the lubricants according to the invention and the prior art lubricant presented in Table 4 were carried out under a contact load of 1.0 GPa and at relative sliding velocity of 1 m/c.

Table 5 Component content Component of a lubricant in a lubricant Prior art lubricant according to the invention according to the invention, wt.% 14 15 16 Binding agent: Lubricant on basis of bitumen 90 50 17 cylinder oil, hydrated phenol-formaldehyde resin calcium soap and silicone resin powdered graphite, coumarone resin produced in Russia under the brand USSA Solvent: gasoline 5 5 3 mineral oil vegetable oil Film-forming adhesive additive polyethylene polyvinyl chloride polystyrene sodium silicate 2 25 50 silicone dioxide copper oxide Anti-frictional additive: graphite molybdenum disulfide Teflon Current-conducting water- absorbing additive: copper silver tin Tribotechnical characteristics of The same as those of the lubricant according to the the prior art lubricant invention: Service life, P, min 6 8 6 2 Friction coefficient, f 0. 11 0.1 0.12 0.13 Comparative cost, C 1.0 1.0 1.0 1 Biological decomposition, B,% 40 65 80 30 Efficiency factor of the lubricant The same as that of the according to the invention prior art lubricant PB 21 52 40 5 KA = 0.01 Note: Tests of the lubricants according to the invention and the prior art lubricant presented in Table 5 were carried out under a contact load of 2.5 GPa and at relative sliding velocity of 0.2 m/c.

Table 6 Component content Component of a lubricant in a lubricant Prior art lubricant according to the invention according to the invention, wt.% 17 18 19 Binding agent: Solid lubricant on basis bitumen of urea-formaldehyde phenol-formaldehyde resin 83 62 28 resin and sodium silicone resin silicate, produced in coumarone resin Russia under the brand VNIINP-212 Solvent: gasoline mineral oil 10 10 20 vegetable oil Film-forming adhesive additive: polyethylene polyvinyl chloride polystyrene sodium silicate silicone dioxide 2 25 50 copper oxide Anti-frictional additive: graphite molybdenum disulfide 5 3 2 Teflon Current-conducting water- absorbing additive: copper silver tin Tribotechnical characteristics of The same as those of the lubricant according to the the prior art lubricant invention: Service life, P, min 5 6 5 4 Friction coefficient, f 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 Comparative cost, C 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 Biological decomPosition, B,% 30 40 60 21 Efficiency factor of the lubricant The same as that of the according to the invention prior art lubricant PB 15 24 30 11 KA= 0.01 f Note: Tests of the lubricants according to the invention and the prior art lubricant presented in Table 6 were carried out under a contact load of 3.5 GPa and at relative sliding velocity of 0.5 m/c.

Table 7 Component content Component of a lubricant in a lubricant Prior art lubricant according to the invention according to the invention, wt.% 20 21 22 Binding agent: Solid lubricant on basis bitumen of silicone resin with phenol-formaldehyde resin molybdenum disulfide silicone resin 85 - 60 20 additive, produced in coumarone resin Russia under the brand VNIINP-209 Solvent: gasoline mineral oil vegetable oil 8 12 18 Film-forming adhesive additive: polyethylene polyvinyl chloride polystyrene sodium silicate silicone dioxide copper oxide 2 25 50 Anti-frictional additive: graphite molybdenum disulfide Teflon 5 3 2 Current-conducting, water- absorbing additive: copper silver tin Tribotechnical characteristics of The same as those of the lubricant according to the the prior art lubricant invention: Service life, P, min 8 8 8 4 Friction coefficient, f 0.08 0.09 0.08 0.1 Comparative cost, C 1.3 1.3 1.3 1.0 Biological decomposition, B.% 30 30 30 25 Efficiency factor of the lubricant The same as that of the according to the invention prior art lubricant PB 22 21 22 10 KA = 0.01 ic Note: Tests of the lubricants according to the invention and the prior art lubricant presented in Table 7 were carried out under a contact load of 3.0 GPa and at relative sliding velocity of 0.5 m/c.

Table 8 Component content Component of a lubricant in a lubricant Prior art lubricant according to the invention according to the invention, wt.% 23 24 25 Binding agent: Solid lubricant on basis bitumen of silicone resin with phenol-formaldehyde resin 80 62 43 molybdenum disulfide silicone resin additive produced in coumarone resin Russia under the brand VNIINP-2 13 Solvent: gasoline mineral oil 10 10 10 vegetable oil Film-forming adhesive additive: polyethylene polyvinyl chloride polystyrene sodium silicate 2 15 25 silicone dioxide 2 5 10 copper oxide 2 5 10 Anti-frictional additive: graphite molybdenum do sulfide Teflon 4 3 2 Current-conducting, water- absorbing additive: copper silver tin Tribotechnical characteristics of - The same as those of the lubricant according to the the prior art lubricant invention: Service life, P, min 6 6 8 4 Friction coefficient, f 0.11 0.11 0.1 0.1 Comparative cost, C 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 Biological decomposition, B,% 40 50 57 28 Efficiency factor of the lubricant The same as that of the according to the invention prior art lubricant PB 22 28 45 11 KA = 0.01 Note: Tests of the lubricants according to the invention and the prior art lubricant presented in Table 8 were carried out under a contact load of 3.0 GPa and at relative sliding velocity of 0.5 m/c.

Table 9 Component content Component of a lubricant in a lubricant Prior art lubricant according to the invention according to the invention, wt.% 26 27 28 Binding agent: Solid lubricant on basis bitumen 35 35 25 of indene coumarone phenol-formaldehyde resin resin produced in silicone resin Russia under the brand coumarone resin SGO-0 Solvent: gasoline mineral oil vegetable oil Film-forming adhesive additive: polyethylene 20 20 20 polyvinyl chloride polystyrene sodium silicate silicone dioxide copper oxide Anti-frictional additive: graphite 35 20 5 molybdenum do sulfide Teflon Current-conducting, water- absorbing additive: copper 5 20 45 silver tin Tribotechnical characteristics of The same as those of the lubricant according to the the prior art lubricant invention: Service life, P, min 14 13 15 10 Friction coefficient, f 0.1 0.1 0.09 0.1 Comparative cost, C 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.0 Biological decomposition, B,% 50 50 50 60 Current strength at 24V, I, A 0.9 0.93 0.95 0.95 Efficiency factor of the lubricant The same as that of the according to the invention prior art lubricant PBI 63 60 68 57 KA = 0.01 fC Note: Tests of the lubricants according to the invention and the prior art lubricant presented in Table 9 were carried out under a contact load of 0.2 MPa and at relative sliding velocity of 2 m/c.

Table 10 Component content Component of a lubricant in a lubricant Prior art lubricant according to the invention according to the invention, wt.% 29 30 31 Binding agent: Solid lubricant on basis bitumen of indene coumarone phenol-formaldehyde resin resin, produced in silicone resin 60 50 26 Russia under the brand coumarone resin SGO-0 Solvent: gasoline mineral oil 10 12 15 vegetable oil Film-forming adhesive additive: polyethylene polyvinyl chloride 20 15 12 polystyrene sodium silicate silicone dioxide copper oxide Anti-frictional additive: graphite 5 3 2 molybdenum do sulfide Teflon Current-conducting, water- absorbing additive: copper silver 5 20 45 tin Tribotechnical characteristics of The same as those of the lubricant according to the the prior art lubricant invention: Service life, P, min 15 15 10 10 Friction coefficient, f 0.05 0.05 0.05 0.1 Comparative cost, C 4.0 4.0 4.0 1.0 Biological decomposition, B,% 80 80 80 60 Current strength at 24V, I, A 0.98 1.0 1.0 0.95 Efficiency factor of the lubricant The same as that of the according to the invention prior art lubricant PBI 58 60 60 57 KA = 0.01 Note: Tests of the lubricants according to the invention and the prior art lubricant presented in Table 10 were carried out under a contact load of 0. 1 MPa and at relative sliding velocity of 5 m/c.

Table 11 Component content Component of a lubricant in a lubricant Prior art lubricant according to the invention according to the invention, wt.% 32 33 34 Binding agent: Solid lubricant on basis bitumen of indene coumarone phenol-formaldehyde resin 60 45 18 resin, produced in silicone resin Russia under the brand coumarone resin SGO-0 Solvent: gasoline mineral oil vegetable oil 10 15 20 Film-forming adhesive additive: polyethylene polyvinyl chloride 20 15 12 polystyrene sodium silicate silicone dioxide 1 copper oxide Anti-frictional additive: graphite 5 5 5 molybdenum disulfide Teflon Current-conducting, water- absorbing additive: copper silver tin 5 20 11 45 Tribotechnical characteristics of The same as those of the lubricant according to the the prior art lubricant invention Service life, P, min 13 13 13 10 Friction coefficient, f 0.05 0.05 0.06 0.1 Comparative cost, C 1.8 1.8 2.0 1.0 Biological decomposition, B,% 50 60 65 60 Current strength at 24V I, A 0.9 0.9 0.95 0.95 Efficiency factor of the lubricant The same as that of the according to the invention prior art lubricant PBI 58 65 65 - 57 KA = 0.01 Note: Tests of the lubricants according to the invention and the prior art lubricant presented in Table 11 were carried out under a contact load of 0.2 MPa and at relative sliding velocity of 2 m/c.

Table 12 Component content Component of a lubricant in a lubricant Prior art lubricant according to the invention according to the invention, wt.% 35 36 37 Binding agent: Solid lubricant on basis bitumen of indene coumarone phenol-formaldehyde resin resin produced in silicone resin 50 42 20 Russia under the brand coumarone resin SGO-0 Solvent: gasoline mineral oil vegetable oil 5 5 5 Film-forming adhesive additive: polyethylene polyvinyl chloride polystyrene 25 20 13 sodium silicate silicone dioxide copper oxide Anti-frictional additive: graphite molybdenum do sulfide Teflon 5 3 2 Current-conducting, water- absorbing additive: copper 5 10 20 silver 5 10 20 tin 5 10 20 Tribotechnical characteristics of The same as those of the lubricant according to the the prior art lubricant invention: Service life, P, min 15 15 15 10 Friction coefficient, f 0.05 0.05 0.05 0.1 Comparative cost, C 1.6 1.8 2.0 1.0 Biological decomposition, B,% 80 80 80 60 Current strength at 24V, 1, A 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.95 Efficiency factor of the lubricant The same as that of the according to the invention prior art lubricant PBI 60 60 60 57 KA = 0.01 fC Note: Tests of the lubricants according to the invention and the prior art lubricant presented in Table 12 were carried out under a contact load of 0.2 MPa and at relative sliding velocity of 5 m/c.

Table 13 Component content Component of a lubricant in a lubricant Prior art lubricant according to the invention according to the invention, wt.% 38 39 40 Binding agent: Solid lubricant on basis bitumen 63 48 23 of indene coumarone phenol-formaldehyde resin resin produced in silicone resin Russia under the brand coumarone resin ~ SGO-0 Solvent: gasoline mineral oil vegetable oil Film-forming adhesive additive: polyethylene polyvinyl chloride polystyrene sodium silicate 25 25 25 silicone dioxide copper oxide Anti-frictional additive: graphite 5 5 5 molybdenum do sulfide Teflon Current-conducting, water- absorbing additive: copper 5 20 45 silver tin Tribotechnical characteristics of The same as those of the lubricant according to the the prior art lubricant invention: Service life, P, min 13 13 13 10 Friction coefficient, f 0.08 0.08 0.08 0.1 Comparative cost, C 1.5 2.0 2.0 1.0 Biological decomposition, B,% 70 80 80 60 Current strength at 24V, I, A 0.95 0.95 0.95 0.95 Efficiency factor of the lubricant The same as that of the according to the invention prior art lubricant PBI PB 71 61 61 57 KA = 0.01 - Jr Note: Tests of the lubricants according to the invention and the prior art lubricant presented in Table 13 were carried out under a contact load of 0.2 MPa and at relative sliding velocity of 5 m/c.

Table 14 Component content Component of a lubricant in a lubricant Prior art lubricant according to the invention according to the invention, wt.% 41 42 43 Binding agent: Solid lubricant on basis bitumen 65 1 of indene coumarone phenol-formaldehyde resin resin produced in silicone resin 65 45 20 Russia under the brand coumarone resin SGO-0 Solvent: gasoline mineral oil 5 5 5 vegetable oil Film-forming adhesive additive: polyethylene polyvinyl chloride polystyrene sodium silicate 20 25 25 silicone dioxide copper oxide Anti-frictional additive: graphite 5 5 5 molybdenum disulfide Teflon Current-conducting, water- absorbing additive: copper silver 5 20 45 tin Tribotechnical characteristics of The same as those of the lubricant according to the the prior art lubricant invention: Service life, P, min 16 16 18 10 Friction coefficient, f 0.05 0.05 0.05 0.1 Comparative cost, C 4.0 4.0 4.0 1.0 Biological decomposition, B,% 80 80 70 60 Current strength at 24V, I, A 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.95 Efficiency factor of the lubricant The same as that of the according to the invention prior art lubricant PBI 64 64 63 57 KA,,,, 0.01 Jr Note: Tests of the lubricants according to the invention and the prior art lubricant presented in Table 14 were carried out under a contact load of 0.2 MPa and at relative sliding velocity of 5 m/c.

Table 15 Component content Component of a lubricant in a lubricant Prior art lubricant according to the invention according to the invention, wt.% 44 45 46 Binding agent: Solid lubricant on basis bitumen of indene coumarone phenol-formaldehyde resin resin produced in silicone resin 60 45 20 Russia under the brand coumarone resin SGO-0 Solvent: gasoline mineral oil 5 5 5 vegetable oil Film-forming adhesive additive: polyethylene polyvinyl chloride polystyrene sodium silicate 25 25 25 silicone dioxide copper oxide Anti-frictional additive: graphite molybdenum do sulfide Teflon 5 5 5 Current-conducting, water- absorbing additive: copper silver tin 5 20 ~ 45 Tribotechnical characteristics of The same as those of the lubricant according to the the prior art lubricant invention: Service life, P, min 18 17 16 10 Friction coefficient, f 0.05 0.06 0.02 0.1 Comparative cost, C 2.0 2.0 2.0 1.0 Biological decomposition, B,% 50 60 80 60 Current strength at 24V, I, A 0.95 0.95 1.0 0.95 Efficiency factor of the lubricant The same as that of the according to the invention prior art lubricant PBI 82 80 80 57 KA = 0.01 Jr Note: Tests of the lubricants according to the invention and the prior art lubricant presented in Table 15 were carried out under a contact load of 0.2 MPa and at relative sliding velocity of 5 m/c.

Table 16 Component content Component of a lubricant in a lubricant Prior art lubricant according to the invention according to the invention, wt.% 47 48 49 Binding agent: Solid lubricant on basis bitumen of indene coumarone phenol-formaldehyde resin resin produced in silicone resin 50 35 20 Russia under the brand coumarone resin SGO-0 Solvent: gasoline mineral oil vegetable oil 7 7 7 Film-forming adhesive additive: polyethylene polyvinyl chloride polystyrene sodium silicate 25 25 25 silicone dioxide copper oxide Anti-frictional additive: graphite molybdenum do sulfide Teflon 3 3 3 Current-conducting, water- absorbing additive: copper 5 10 15 silver 5 10 15 tin 5 10 15 Tribotechnical characteristics of The same as those of the lubricant according to the the prior art lubricant invention: Service life, P, min 16 16 16 10 Friction coefficient, f 0.05 0.05 0.05 0.1 Comparative cost, C 3.0 4.0 4.0 1.0 Biological decomposition, B,% 70 70 70 60 Current strength at 24V, I, A 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.95 Efficiency factor of the lubricant The same as that of the according to the invention prior art lubricant PBI 65 59 59 57 KA = 0.01 Jr Note: Tests of the lubricants according to the invention and the prior art lubricant presented in Table 16 were carried out under a contact load of 0.2 MPa and at relative sliding velocity of 5 m/c.

Fig. 1 illustrates an apparatus for applying a lubricant to a friction surface implemented in accordance with the present invention. The apparatus shown is designated to apply a lubricant to bearing sliding surfaces of railway cars and comprises a housing 1 in which a shell-shaped member 3 is mounted so as to advance towards a surface 2 being lubricated. An inner space of the shell-shaped member is filled with a lubricant 4 and is open to the friction surface 2 to be lubricated. In addition to the aforementioned components, the apparatus comprises means 5 for urging an edge 6 of the shell-shaped member 3 to the lubricated friction surface 2, an actuating unit of the means 5 being connected with a bottom 7 of the shell-shaped member 3. A wall 8 of the shell-shaped member 3 is made of a material capable of wearing out by friction of the edge 6 of the shell-shaped member 3 against the friction surface 2. In this embodiment of an apparatus for applying a lubricant to a surface to be lubricated, the means 5 for urging the edge 6 of the shell-shaped member 3 to the friction surface 3 is made in a form of a spring 9, one end 9a of the spring contacting the bottom 7 of the shell-shaped member 3, while the other end 9b thereof contacting the wall la of the housing 1. The spring 9 is retained by a fixing stud 10 mounted on the wall la of the housing 1.

The apparatus described above operates as follows. After mounting the shell-shaped member 3 within the housing 1, the spring 7 acts upon the bottom 7 of the shell-shaped member 3 so that the edge 6 of the shell-shaped member 3 rests upon the surface 2 being lubricated. In the case a lubricant layer already exists on the surface being lubricated, the edge 6 of the shell- shaped member 3 slides over the surface 2 and the wall 8 is not essentially worn out. As the result, the lubricant 4 is not further applied to the surface 2. However, if the surface 2 lacks a lubricant, the wall 8 of the shell-shaped member 3 is intensely worn out by dry friction of the edge 3 against the surface 2. The space volume of the shell-shaped member 3 is reduced, which causes squeezing out the lubricant to the surface 2 being lubricated and its even application in a form of an anti-frictional film.

It would be apparent that the described embodiment of an apparatus for applying a lubricant to a friction surface is not a sole embodiment and by no means restricts the scope of claimed patent protection of the present invention. There is possible, for instance, another embodiment of an apparatus for applying a lubricant to a friction surface, such as a side surface of a rail top, which periodically contacts a surface of a railway car wheel flange. The specialists are aware that it is just by this contact that the rails and railway wheels are intensely worn out. To reduce the wear, an apparatus described below and shown in Fig.2 is used. According to this embodiment, an apparatus for applying a lubricant to a friction surface, i.e. a side surface of a rail top, comprises a housing 11 in a form of a curved tubular body in which a shell-shaped member 13 is mounted so that to advance towards a surface 12 to be lubricated. The shell-shaped member 13 is also curved and the longitudinal axes of the tubular housing 11 and the shell-shaped member 13 match each other and follow the curved line. Additionally, the shell-shaped member 13 can be disassembled, its bottom 14 being detachable from the wall 15 and having a form of a piston mounted within the tubular housing 11, which piston is made of a resilient material and has a closed inner compartment 16 filled with gas or liquid, such as helium in this particular embodiment. The inner space of the shell-shaped member 13 is filled with a lubricant 17 and open to the lubricated side surface 12 of a rail top 18. At the opposite side, the housing 11 has a union 19 with a hose 20 put on a head 1 9a thereof. A fluid, in this case air, is fed through the hose to the bottom (piston) 14 of the shell-shaped member 13 from a compressed air source (not shown). Means for urging an edge 21 of the shell- shaped member 13 to the surface 12 lubricated is essentially formed by the compressed air source, hose 20, union 19 and bottom (piston) 14 of the shell-shaped member 13. The wall of the shell-shaped member 13 is made of a material capable of wearing out by friction of the edge 21 of the shell-shaped member 13 against the friction surface 12 being lubricated, in this particular embodiment the wall is made of polyethylene. For a specialist it would be apparent that the wall can be made of a different material, for example, polyvinyl chloride, capable of wearing out by friction of the edge 21 of the shell-shaped member 13 against the side surface 12 of the rail top 18. It would be also obvious for those skilled in the mechanical engineering that the apparatus for application a lubricant to a friction surface, shown in Fig.2, operates similarly to the apparatus shown in Fig. 1.