Improvements in the Manufacture of Axle Boxes, and in Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Nov., 1894
Complete Specification Left. 7th Sept., 1895-Accepted, 12th Oct., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Axle Boxes, and in Apparatus
therefor.
I, SAMSON Fox, of the Leeds Forge, New Wortley, Leeds, in the County of
York, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention of improvements in or relating to the manufacture of axle boxes;
has reference to the formation of the axle guard grooves in the sides of axle boxes
formed of plate metal by pressure between dies, and it has for object to enable
the said grooves to be formed without reducing the thickness of the metal around
them.
For this purpose in conjunction with a collapsible mandril and side dies suitably
shaped to form the sides of the axle box with axle guard grooves, there are
employed removable auxiliary die pieces adapted, when in place, to form extensions
of the ribs on the side dies that serve in conjunction with corresponding recesses in
the collapsible mandril to form vertical grooves in opposite sides of the metal tube
from which an axle box is to be made, the arrangement being such that at the
commencement of the pressing operation the auxiliary mould pieces will first act
against the opposite sides of the tube and cause portions thereof to enter the
recesses in the collapsible die before the remainder of the side portions of the tube
are subjected to pressure, after which the auxiliary mould pieces are removed and
the formation of the sides of the axle box completed by closing the side dies
on the collapsible mandril. The whole operation is preferably performed at one
heat.
T
1 1
1
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W. LLOYD WISE,
46 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Chartered Patent Agent.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Axle Boxes, and in Apparatus
therefor.
I, SAMSON Fox, of the Leeds Forge, New Wortley, Leeds, in the County of
York, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
This invention of improvements in or relating to the manufacture of axle boxes,
has reference to the formation of the axle guard grooves in the sides of axle boxes
formed of plate metal by pressure between dies, and it bas for object to enable
the said grooves to be formed without reducing the thickness of the metal around
them.
For this purpose in conjunction with a collapsible mandrel and side dies suitably
shaped to form the sides of the axle box with axle guard grooves, there are

page_text: employed removable auxiliary die pieces adapted, when in place, to form extensions
of the ribs on the side dies that serve in conjunction with corresponding recesses in
the collapsible mandrel to form vertical grooves in opposite sides of the metal tube
from which an axle box is to be made, the arrangement being such that at the
commencement of the pressing operation, the auxiliary die pieces will first act
against the opposite sides of the tube and cause portions thereof to enter the
recesses in the collapsible mandrel before the remainder of the side portions of the
tube are subjected to pressure, after which the auxiliary die pieces are removed
ard the formation of the sides of the axle box completed by closing the side dies
on the collapsible mandrel. The whole operation is preferably performed at one
heat.
In the accompanying drawings,
Fig. 1 is a vertical cross section on the line x x of Fig. 2, and Fig. 2 a horizontal
section partly in plan, showing a collapsible mandril and side dies provided with
auxiliary die pieces for forming the axle-guards grooves in an axle box according
to the present invention, the plate metal tube from which an axle box is to be
made being shown in section and in position to be acted upon by the said die
pieces.
Figs. 3 and 4 are similar views to Fig. 2, showing different stages in the
manufacture of the axle box.
1 is a collapsible mandrel and 2, 2 side dies suitably shaped to form the sides of
a plate metal tube 4 from which an axle box is to be made, with axle guard
grooves when the said side dies are forced together, which may be effected by any
convenient means, as well understood. 3 is a top die or presser that serves to hold
down the upper portion of the tube 4 upon the collapsible mandrel whilst the axle
22 are the ribs on the
guard grooves are being formed in the sides of the tube.
inner surface of the side dies 2 corresponding to grooves 1ª in the collapsible
mandrel 1 for forming the axle guard grooves 4* in the tube 4. 5, 5 are removable
auxiliary die pieces adapted, when in place, to form extensions of the said ribs 2".
Each of these die pieces may conveniently he supported as shown, namely in a
groove 2 and hole 2 in the corresponding side die 2, by forming it with a shoulder
at 5, a lateral projection 5b permitting of its being readily withdrawn when
necessary.
In carrying out my invention, the side and top dies 2 and 3 are moved apart, a
metal tube 4 having roughly the general form of the required axle box and heated
to a suitable temperature, say a bright red heat, is slipped over the mandrel 1, and
the auxiliary die pieces 5 inserted in place, the several parts occupying the
positions shown approximately in Figs. 1 and 2. The side dies 2 are then forced
towards each other sufficiently to cause the auxiliary die pieces 5 to force
portions of the opposite sides of the tube 4 into the grooves 1" in the mandrel 1 as
shown in Fig. 3, and so form the axle guard grooves 4* in the tube before the other
portions of the tube are subject to pressure between the side dies and mandrel.
In this way the metal necessary to form the sides and inner ends of the axle guard
grooves can be taken up from the tube without or practically without drawing and
thereby reducing the thickness of the metal around the grooves, as has heretofore
been usual when the metal around the said axle guard grooves has been com
pressed between the side dies and mandrel during the process of forming the said
grooves.
After the axle guard grooves 4* have been formed as described, the side dies :
are moved slightly apart and the auxiliary die pieces 5 removed, after which the
side and top dies 2 and 3 respectively may be closed upon the tube and mandrel a
shown in Fig. 3 so as to press the metal round about the formed axle guar
grooves 4 to shape, and to impart any desired preparatory formation to th
remaining portions of the tube for which purpose the inner surfaces of the side die
are suitably shaped to attain the object in view. After this preparatory pressing
operation is finished, the dies 2 and 3 are moved apart and the mandrel 1 an
partly pressed tube 4 removed from between them and quickly separated from eac

page_text: other, after which the pressing of the tube to the general form of an axle box is
completed, preferably in the manner and by means of the apparatus described and
shown in the Specification of my Patent No. 12300 of 1892.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In the manufacture of an axle box by compression of a metal tube as set forth,
forming the axle guard grooves by pressure before pressing the tube to the general
form of the required axle box substantially as described.
2. In the improved manufacture of axle boxes by pressure as referred to in the
preceding claim the use of apparatus substantially as described and illustrated
and comprising a collapsible mandrel and a female die in parts furnished with
removable auxiliary die pieces adapted to form the axle guard grooves preparatory
to the pressing of the tube to the general form of an axle box as set forth.
Dated this 7th day of September 1895.
For the Appra
W. LLOYD WISE,
46 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Chartered Patent Agent.