The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1916-06-08
Manufacturing Gar Ax|es
A Brief and Pithy Description of the Manu-
faCture of Car Axles
recharged and the process repeated.
BY Mr.. E. M.

recharged and the process repeated.
If the order calls for iron axles.
the slabs are placed one on top of
the other until the pile is three or
four slabs high, varying with the
size and type of axles ordered.
A locomotive axle requires four
or five slabs; axles for horse drawn
cars require but two slabs. If the
order is for locomotive axles, dies
are fitted to the anvil block and
hammer block. Dies for this type
of axle have a single half circular
groove in them, and are so adjusted
that when the upper and lower dies
are brought together they form a
circular hole across the dies.
When making axles of size for
locomotives but two axles are placed
in the furnace at one time. The
pile of slabs to be used is placed for
little over half its length inside The
furnace and when heated pair of
heavy tougs are fastened on to the
cool end. 1t is then placed on the
anvil and one end is hammered into
shape. AS soon as the mass begins
to assume circular form, a gauge is
brought into use and is constantly
applied until the desired diameter
has been obtained. The half formed
axle is then returned to the furnace;
the unfinished end being placed
inside this time. The other pile is
then drawn and treated the same as
the preceding one.
When the first half of the second
axle is finished, it is returned to the
furnace and the first axle is again
taken out and its unfinished end
rounded up. When the axle has
been brought to the desired length
and diameter, the hammersmith
stamps his initials and the COM
pany's name on it. 1t is then put
aside to cool off. From here it goes
to the lathes, where it is turned
down and smoothed off.
A great deal of skill is necessary
in hammering out the axles in order
to make them perfectly straight.
Locomotive axles being the same
diameter throughout their entire
length are more easily made than
those made for coaches or freight
cars. When axles of the type just
mentioned are to be made, the dies
for the anvil block and hammer
ram contain three grooves, each
groove being of a different size. The
center groove is used in rounding
up the stock and forming what is
called the shoulder" The shoulder
being that part of the axle to which
the wheel is attached, and is the
first part of 1the axle that is ham
mered out. When the shoulder has
been brought to the desired size the
axle is shifted to the groove on the
right side of the dies. This groove
is used to form what is called the
CENTER; the center being the taper
ing part of the axle just inside the
shoulder. After the center has
been rounded out the axle is shifted
to the left side of the dies and into
groove that has kind of a ridge
running around inside. This groove
is used to form what is called the
journal; the journal being that part
of the axle on which the car rests
The process of turning and finishing
the axles in the lathes requires 8
great deal of care, as the journal
and shoulder must not be more than
one five -hundredth of an inch over
or under the required size.
When an axle is finished the ma
chined parts are usually smeared
with heavy oil to prevent them
from rusting, and if there is any
doubt as to the strength of the ma
terial of which an axle is made, the
axle is taken out and placed under
a sort of a drop hammer. This
hammer works on the order of a