IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF AXLE BOXES FOR RAILWAY CARRIAGES AND OTHER VEHICLES
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the "International
Patent Office," No. ε, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, iu
the County of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF AXLE BOXES FOR RAILWAY
CARRIAGES AND OTHER VEHICLES," -A communication from abroad by
Frederick Collier Christy, of Melbourne, in the Colony of Victoria,
Australia Engineer.
Sealed the 21st September 1869, and dated the 24th April 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 24th April 1869.
1, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the "International Patent Office,"
No. 8, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, Consulting Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF AXLE BOXES
FOR RAILWAY CARRIAGES AND OTHER VEHICLES," a communication, to be as
follows:-
My Invention consists in certain improvements in the construction of

page_text: axle boxes for railway and other rolling stock, and has for its object the
regulation of the flow of the lubricating fluid to those parts requiring it.
The principle upon which my axle boxes are to be constructed is that
such regulation shall be the result of the admission of air into an air-
tight vessel or chamber containing the lubricating fluid to enable the
fluid to descend as required by the axle, and thus keep the lubricating
fluid at one uniform level in the lower part or pan of the axle box.
In order to effect this object an air-tight vessel or chamber is cast on or
attached to the axle box. Into this chamber two pipes are introduced.
Que pipe is perforated at the bottom of the chamber to allow the
lubricating medium free egress to the journal. At the bottom of the said
pipe a valve is fitted, which closes by means of a spiral spring when the
cover of the air-tight chamber is removed, so that no fluid can run during
the time the cover is off the chamber for the purpose of filling the chamber
or vessel with lubricating fluid. The screwing down of the cover
opens this valve and gives free egress to the lubricating fluid. The lower
end of the other pipe is placed at the required level of the lubricating
fluid, and is carried up to the top of the air-tight vessel or chamber
merely for the purpose of admitting air as the level of the fluid sinks in
the lower portion of the axle box; air being admitted into the lower
portion of the axle box or pan, as soon as the fluid leaves the bottom of
the air pipe air will ascend through the said pipe, destroy the vacuum in
the air-tight chamber, and cause the fluid to descend until the lower
portion of the air pipe is closed by the fluid. The lubricating fluid being
kept at one level a simple disc may be used to convey the lubricating
material to the top of the journal, or lubricating pads or any other medium
may be used.
A collar is placed on the axle to more effectually prevent
the lubricating medium passing the leather washer. A cap or cover for
feeding the box is made air-tight by a leather washer or other means.
When the vessel or chamber to receive the lubricating fluid is fitted to an
axle box, and is not cast on the axle box, a cock and pipe may be
substituted for the valve for cutting off the flow or lubrication while the
box is being fed.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 21st October 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the "International Patent Office," No. 8, South-
ampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Con-
sulting Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of April, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the
thirty-second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said William Robert Lake, Her
special licence that I, the said William Robert Lake, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Robert
Lake, my exccutors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should aud lawfully might makė,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF AXLE BOXES FOR RAILWAY CARRIAGES
OTHER VEHICLES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said William Robert Lake, iny executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and
seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and
cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
AND
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Robert Lake, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawing forming a part of this Specification :-
My Invention consists in certain improvements in the construction of
he axle boxes of railway rolling stock and other vehicles and journals

page_text: for the purpose of obtaining a constant and uniform supply of lubricating
material where required.
This purpose I accomplish by the admission of air into an air-tight
vessel or chamber containing the lubricating fluid (in connection with
the axle box or journal) at such times and to such an extent as to permit
a sufficient quantity of the lubricating fluid to flow into the desired
position.
Of course there might be many methods designed for applying this
construction for the purposes stated, but in the accompanying Drawing
I have illustrated that one which I believe to be the best in its application
to the axle boxes of railway rolling stock, for which I believe it will be
principally used.
Figure
is a sectional plan; and Figure 3, a longitudinal sectional elevation of
In all these Figures the same letters indicate the same parts
wherever they occur.
A is the axle or journal; B, the metal or bearing; C, the axle box
casting D, the pan for receiving the lubricating fluid; E, the level
of the fluid therein; F, the air-tight vessel or chamber for the lubricating
fluid; G, the level of fluid in same when partially consumed; H, a pipe
connecting vessel F with pan D; H', a valve at bottom of such pipe;
H2, a perforation in the said pipe; H³ is a spiral spring on the spindle
of valve H¹; I is the cover of the vessel F; I* is a pipe, which is parallel
to and of the same length as pipe H; L is a disc fixed on the journal;
K is an open space above the bearing B; P, P, are oil passages from the
said open space to a journal; L' is a piece of leather; M is an iron
collar shrunk on the axle; O is a leather washer. In order to maintain
the supply of the lubricating fluid after the pan D has been once charged
it is necessary to unscrew the cover I of the air-tight vessel F, the
consequence of which is that the spiral spring H³ extends itself, and by
so doing lifts the spindle to which it is attached and closes the valve H¹,
thus shutting off the communication between this chamber and pan D.
As soon as enough lubricating fluid has been supplied the cover is to be
screwed on again, and consequently the spring H' compressed and the

page_text: Second. The particular method of constructing the same as herein
particularly described and illustrated in the Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of October, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-
nine.
Witness,
HARRY WBAIGHT.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE. (L.S.)