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An apparatus for applying granular material to a rail adjacent to a wheel of a train includes a granular supply material container to which a granular material injection assembly is connected. The granular material injection assembly includes a housing having a mixing chamber. An insert is connected

An apparatus for applying granular material to a rail adjacent to a wheel of a train includes a granular supply material container to which a granular material injection assembly is connected. The granular material injection assembly includes a housing having a mixing chamber. An insert is connected with the housing. A first end portion of the insert has an air inlet through which air flows into the mixing chamber. A second end portion of the insert has an air outlet through which air and granular material flow from the mixing chamber. A valve may be mounted in the air inlet portion of the insert. A venturi may be mounted in the air outlet portion of the insert. A deflector portion of the insert deflects granular material away from a path of flow of air between the air inlet and the air and granular material outlet.

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1. An apparatus for use in applying granular material to a rail adjacent to a wheel of a train, said apparatus comprising a housing adapted to be connected with a portion of the train and with a granular material supply, a mixing chamber disposed in said housing, said mixing chamber having an upper

1. An apparatus for use in applying granular material to a rail adjacent to a wheel of a train, said apparatus comprising a housing adapted to be connected with a portion of the train and with a granular material supply, a mixing chamber disposed in said housing, said mixing chamber having an upper portion through which granular material from the granular material supply enters said mixing chamber and a lower portion in which granular material accumulates, an air inlet which directs a flow of air into the mixing chamber at a location above the lower portion of the mixing chamber, and a venturi having an inlet disposed above the lower portion of said mixing chamber, said venturi having an outlet which is connected in fluid communication with a nozzle which directs a flow of the granular material toward the rail during the flow of air from said air inlet to the mixing chamber and from the mixing chamber to said inlet to said venturi, said venturi cooperating with the flow of air from said air inlet to induce an upward flow of the granular material from the lower portion of the mixing chamber into said inlet to said venturi.2. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 further including a deflector which is disposed between opposite sides of said mixing chamber and is disposed above a path of flow of air from said air inlet to said inlet to said venturi to deflect granular material entering the mixing chamber away from the path of flow of air from said air inlet to said inlet to said venturi.3. An apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said deflector cooperates with said housing to at least partially define first and second openings, said deflector being effective to deflect granular material toward the first and second openings.4. An apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said deflector has an arcuate side surface which is formed as a portion of a cylinder having a longitudinal central axis extending parallel to the path of flow of air from said air inlet to said inlet to said venturi.5. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said inlet to said venturi has a converging configuration, said venturi having an outlet with a diverging configuration.6. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 further including a valve member disposed at said air inlet, said valve member being movable relative to said housing to vary size of an opening through which air flows from said air inlet toward said venturi.7. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 further including means for varying a rate of flow of air from said air inlet as a function of variations in speed of the train.8. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 further including a compressor connected in fluid communication with said air inlet and means for varying an operating speed of said compressor as a function of variations in speed of the train.9. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 further including a valve member disposed at said air inlet and means for moving said valve member to vary the size of an opening through which air flows from said air inlet toward said venturi as a function of variations in speed of the train.10. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 further including a heater mounted in said housing beneath the lower portion of said mixing chamber to retard freezing of granular material in the lower portion of said mixing chamber.11. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 further including first and second compressors connected in fluid communication with said air inlet and first and second motors connected with said first and second compressors to drive said first and second compressors to supply air which flows from said air inlet across said mixing chamber to said inlet to said venturi.12. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 further including a compressor connected in fluid communication with said air inlet and operable to supply air at a pressure of thirty pounds per square inch or less to said air inlet.13. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 further including a conduit connecting the outlet from said venturi in fluid communication with said nozzle, and a source of air under pressure connected in fluid communication with said air inlet and with said conduit.14. An apparatus as set forth in claim 13 wherein air at a first pressure is conducted from said source of air under pressure to said air inlet and air at a second pressure is conducted from said source of air under pressure to said conduit, said second pressure being less than said first pressure.15. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 further including a deflector which is disposed in said mixing chamber and has an outer side surface which deflects a flow of granular material away from a path of flow of air from said air inlet to said venturi, said deflector cooperating with said housing to at least partially define first and second paths along which granular material flows from the upper portion of the mixing chamber to the lower portion of the mixing chamber, said first and second paths having substantially equal lengths along the outer side surface of said deflector.16. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 further including a deflector which is disposed in said mixing chamber and has an outer side surface which deflects a flow of granular material away from a path of flow of air from said air inlet to said venturi, said deflector cooperating with said housing to at least partially define first and second paths along which granular material flows from the upper portion of the mixing chamber to the lower portion of the mixing chamber, said first and second paths having substantially different lengths along the outer side surface of said deflector.17. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 further including a deflector which is disposed in said mixing chamber and has an outer side surface which deflects a flow of granular material away from a path of flow of air from said air inlet to said venturi, said deflector at least partially defines an opening through which the upward flow of granular material moves from the lower portion of the mixing chamber into said inlet to said venturi.18. An apparatus as set forth in claim 17 wherein the opening which is at least partially defined by said deflector has a rectangular cross sectional configuration.19. An apparatus as set forth in claim 17 wherein the opening which is at least partially defined by said deflector has a circular cross sectional configuration.20. An apparatus for use in applying granular material to a rail adjacent to a wheel of a train, said apparatus comprising a housing adapted to be connected with the train and with a granular material supply, a mixing chamber disposed in said housing, said mixing chamber having an upper portion through which the granular material from the granular material supply enters said mixing chamber and a lower portion in which the granular material accumulates, an air inlet which directs a flow of air into the mixing chamber at a location above the lower portion of the mixing chamber, an air and granular material outlet from said mixing chamber disposed above the lower portion of said mixing chamber on a side of said mixing chamber opposite from said air inlet, said air and granular material outlet being connected in fluid communication with a nozzle which directs the flow of air and the granular material toward the rail during the flow of air from said air inlet to said air and granular material outlet, and a deflector which extends between opposite sides of said housing and is disposed above a path of flow of the air from said air inlet to said air and granular material outlet, said deflector being effective to deflect the granular material away from the path of flow of the air from said air inlet to said air and granular material outlet.21. An apparatus as set forth in claim 20 further including a venturi through which air and granular material flows at said outlet from said mixing chamber.22. An apparatus as set forth in claim 20 wherein said deflector cooperates with said housing to at least partially define first and second openings, said deflector being effective to deflect granular material toward the first and second openings.23. An apparatus as set forth in claim 20 wherein said deflector has an arcuate side surface which is formed as a portion of a cylinder having a longitudinal central axis extending parallel to the path of flow of air from said air inlet to said air and granular material outlet.24. An apparatus as set forth in claim 20 further including a conduit connecting said air and granular material outlet in fluid communication with said nozzle, and a source of air under pressure connected in fluid communication with said air inlet and with said conduit.25. An apparatus as set forth in claim 20 further including a deflector which is disposed above a path of flow of air from said air inlet to said air and granular material outlet to defied granular material entering the mixing chamber away from the path of flow of air from said air inlet to said air and granular material outlet.26. An apparatus as set forth in claim 25 wherein said deflector has an arcuate side surface which is formed as a portion of a cylinder having a longitudinal central axis extending parallel to the path of flow of air from said air inlet to said and granular material outlet.27. An apparatus as set forth in claim 25 wherein said deflector cooperates with said housing to at least partially define an opening through which granular material flows toward the lower portion of the mixing chamber.28. An apparatus for use in applying granular material to a rail adjacent to a wheel of a train, said apparatus comprising an insert having first and second end portions interconnected by a deflector portion, a valve member disposed in said first end portion of said insert, a venturi disposed in said second end portion of said insert, said valve member and venturi being disposed in a coaxial relationship to enable a flow of air past said valve member to move along said deflector portion of said insert into said venturi, said deflector portion of said insert having an outer side surface which deflects a flow of the granular material away from a path of flow of air between said valve member and said venturi, said deflector portion of said insert at least partially defining an opening on a side of said insert opposite from said outer side surface on said deflector portion of said insert, said flow of air between said valve member and said venturi being effective to induce a flow of the granular material through the opening in said insert into said venturi, said venturi having an outlet through which a flow of air and granular material is conducted to the rail at a location adjacent to the wheel of the train.29. An apparatus as set forth in claim 28 wherein said deflector portion of said insert has an arcuate side surface which is formed as a portion of a cylinder having a longitudinal central axis extending parallel to the path of flow of air from said valve member to said venturi.30. An apparatus as set forth in claim 28 wherein said first end portion of said insert has an annular flange which is engagable with a housing and said second end portion of said insert has an external thread convolution which is engagable by an internally threaded member to enable the housing to be held between said flange and the internally threaded member.31. An apparatus for use in applying granular material to a rail adjacent to a wheel of a train, said apparatus comprising a housing adapted to be connected with the train and with a granular material supply, a mixing chamber disposed in said housing, an insert connected with said housing, said insert having first and second end portions and a deflector portion extending between said first and second end portions of said insert, said first end portion of said insert being supported by said housing and having an air inlet through which air flows into the mixing chamber in said housing, said second end portion of said insert being supported by said housing and having an air and granular material outlet through which air and the granular material flow from the mixing chamber in said housing, said deflector portion of said insert having an outer surface which deflects granular material flow to the mixing chamber away from a path of flow of air between said air inlet and said air and granular material outlet.32. An apparatus as set forth in claim 31 further including a valve member disposed in said first end portion of said insert to control a flow of air through said air inlet and a venturi disposed in said second end portion of said insert to accelerate a flow of air and induce a flow of granular material in the mixing chamber toward said air and granular material outlet.33. An apparatus as set forth in claim 31 further including a compressor connected in fluid communication with said air inlet, a motor connected with said compressor and operable to drive said compressor, a sensor which is operable to provide an output which is a function of train speed, and a controller connected with said motor and said sensor, said controller being operable to effect operation of said motor at a speed which is a function of the speed of the train to effect operation of said compressor at a speed which is a function of the speed of operation of the train.34. an apparatus for use in applying granular material to a rail adjacent to a wheel of a train, said apparatus comprising a housing adapted to be connected with a portion of the train and with a granular material supply, a mixing chamber disposed in said housing, said mixing chamber having an upper portion through which granular material from the granular material supply enters said mixing chamber and a lower portion in which the granular material accumulates, an air inlet which directs a flow of air into the mixing chamber at a location above the lower portion of the mixing chamber, said air inlet being connected in fluid communication with a source of air at thirty rounds per square inch or less, a venturi having a converging inlet disposed above the lower portion of said mixing chamber, said venturi having a diverging outlet which is connected in fluid communication with a nozzle which directs a flow of the granular material toward the rail during a flow of air from said air inlet to the mixing chamber and from the mixing chamber to said inlet to said venturi, said venturi cooperating with the flow of air from said air inlet to induce an upward flow of the granular material from the lower portion of the mixing chamber into said inlet to said venturi, and a deflector which is disposed between opposite sides of said mixing chamber and is disposed above a path of flow of air from said air inlet to said inlet to said venturi to deflect the granular material entering the mixing chamber away from the path of flow of air from said air inlet to said inlet to said venturi, said deflector has an arcuate side surface which is formed as a portion of a cylinder having a longitudinal central axis extending parallel to the path of flow of air from said air inlet to said inlet to said venturi, said arcuate side surface of said deflector cooperates with said housing to at least partially define first and second paths along which the granular material from the upper portion of said mixing chamber moves to the lower portion of said mixing chamber, said deflector having an opening through which the upward flow of the granular material moves from the lower portion of the mixing chamber into said inlet to said venturi.