Studies in Lubrication. VIII. Lubrication of Plane Sliders

Abstract

The coefficient of friction has been experimentally determined in the thick film region of lubrication for both fixed angle and pivoted plane sliders as a function of the lubricant viscosity μ, the relative speed of sliding U, and the load W. Three steel, brass, or bronze sliders of one centimeter length and width constituted the stationary surfaces; the moving surface was of steel. Deviations between experiment and theory for the fixed angle wedges at low values of μN/W may be explained on the basis of variations and inaccuracies in the sliders themselves. However, in the case of the pivoted sliders the experimental results are in excellent agreement with theory, and, in fact, provide for the first time an absolute and quantitative direct empirical check of the hydrodynamic theory of lubrication.