IMPROVEMENTS IN AXLE BOXES FOR RAILWAY CARRIAGES
Year: 1851

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, MOSES
POOLE, of the Patent Office, London, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent, under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Twenty-third day, of
October, (One thousand eight hundred and fifty-one,) in the fifteenth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Moses Poole, my exors, adûiors, and assigns, Her especial licence,
full power, sole privilege, and authority, that I, the said Moses Poole, my
exors, aduiors, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Moses Poole, my
exors, admiors, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from
time to time and at all times during the term of years therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England,
Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, in the Islands of Jersey.
Guernsey, Alderney, Sark, and Man, and in all Her Majesty's Colonies
and Plantations abroad, the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN AXLE BOXES FOR
RAILWAY CARRIAGES," communicated to me by a certain foreigner residing
abroad, in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso that I, the said
Moses Poole, shall cause a particular description of the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, by an instrument
in writing under my hand and seal, to be inrolled in Her Majesty's High
Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately after the
date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference
being thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Moses Poole, do hereby declare that the nature of the said Invention, and the
manner in which the same is to be performed, are fully described and
ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, reference being had
to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked
thereon, that is to say :-
The first part of the Invention or improvement is exhibited in the Drawings
of Sheet I., and may be thus described :-
Of the said Drawings of Sheet I., Figure 1 denotes a side elevation of the
improved box; Figure 2 is a central section taken in line of the axis of
the journal of the axle which plays in it; Figure 3 is a transverse section
of the box; and Figure 4, is a rear elevation of it; Figure 5 is a front view of
the same, as it appears with the plate M (herein-after described) removed.
The nature of this part of the Invention consists, first, in, applying to or
combining with the box and axle a stuffing box so disposed as to effectually
prevent the admission of dirt or dust into the box or between it and the axle ;
second, in so constructing the composition bearing of the box, and other parts
connected with it, as to readily admit of the removal of said bearing at any
time after it may have become heated or injured.
In said Drawings of Sheet I., A represents the journal of the axle; B, the
composition box or bearing against which it plays; and C, the enclosing or oil
case. The journal is made to enter the box through a circular aperture made
through the rear side of it, and of a size a very little larger than the diameter
of that part of the axle which remains within said aperture when the axle is
fitted to the box. Around this aperture, and at about one half an inch from
the axle, I place a circular flanch E, which is attached to or made to project
from the rear face of the box C, as seen in the Drawings, and to be of a diameter
sufficient to admit one or more leather rings, or suitable packing a, a, to be
arranged between it and the axle, the said packing being held in place by a
cap ring F, which is made to surround the axle, and to fit into the flanch E,
and be drawn within the same and close down upon the packing by two screws
G, II, which pass entirely through the case C, and screw into ears or projections
I, I, made to extend from the ring F. Between the composition bearing B
and the top of the box C, I arrange a slide or plate of metal or other
proper material K, the said plate being made to correspond in width with the
composition bearing. The said bearing rests directly against the said slide plate,
while the latter bears against the top of the enclosing case. It (the plate K)
should be of a thickness sufficient to allow, when it is removed or withdrawn.
from the case, the composition bearing to be lifted far enough above the collar

page_text: L of the journal to be easily drawn out of the case, and through an aperture S
made in or through the front part of it (see Figure 5), which aperture is gene-
rally closed by a plate M confined down by screws N, N. In order to prevent
the slide plate being forced against the moveable plate M so as to strain the
screws, I form a ledge or flanch O on the top of the case, which I make to
project down in front of the front end of the slide K, as seen in Figure 2.
The case C should be so fitted to its vertical slides as to admit of its being
canted sufliciently to allow the front end of the plate K to drop below the
flanch O to the extent required to enable a person to withdraw the slide plate.
The afore-described method of supporting the composition bearing on a slide
plate made capable of being removed, and of making the enclosing case C with
an opening through its front sufficiently large to allow of the removal of the
slide plate and composition box, is a very great improvement, inasmuch as it
saves much of the labour and time usually consumed in common methods of
proceeding required to effect a change or removal of the composition box.
What I claim in this part of the Invention is the moveable plate K and
aperture S made through the front of the box in combination with one another,
and the composition bearing and enclosing case, and made to operate substan-
tially as above specified.
The second part of the Invention or improvements is represented in the
Drawings, Sheet II.
Of the said Drawings of Sheet II., Figure 1 denotes a rear end view of the
railway car-box as improved by the inventor; Figure 2 is a longitudinal,
central, and vertical section of the said box.
In the said Figure (Sheet II.) A denotes the journal of the axle P; B is
the composition bearing; K. is the seat slide thereof; C is the box; M is the
removable front plate; and N, one of the screws thereof; E is a circular
projection cast on the rear face of the box C, and having a circular passage
made through it for the introduction of the journal into the box. The said
projection E, which is concentric with the shaft, is provided with an annular
opening, groove, or recess a, a, cast or otherwise formed in it, the said recess.
being about one half an inch in width and about one inch in depth. It is.
intended to hold one or more rings or washers b, formed of leather or other
proper material, although stiff sole leather is preferable to any other substance.
The internal diameter of the washer is made to correspond with the diameter
of the shoulder of the axle which it encircles. In fitting the leather washer
into the recess, it is bent up and gradually crowded and sprung into the same.
Heretofore it has been customary to fasten the washer into the recess by means
of a cap plate confined in place by two or more screw bolts or screws and nuts.

page_text: The great concussion or jar to which the box is subjected when in use soon
loosing such fastenings, however tight they may be set up; and it has become
exceedingly difficult, if not impossible, to keep the washer and cap plate in
place when so applied to the box. They are constantly getting loose and out
of place, so as not only to occasion a loss of the confining screws, but to allow
of the entrance of dust into the box to the great detriment of the journal and
its composition bearing.
The improved mode of fixing the washer in place, videlicet, by entirely dis-
pensing with a cap plate and its confining screws, or casting or forming the
recess in one solid piece with the box, and doubling or contracting and spring-
ing the leather washer into the recess, renders the whole not only perfect in
operation, but not liable any way to become deranged..
.
I therefore claim the said improved mode of applying and fastening the
washer in place, the same consisting in making the recess which receives it in
manner shewn in the Drawings, and in a piece of metal cast in one piece with
the box, in combination with contracting and springing the leather into the
recess, the whole being effected substantially in the manner and for the purpose
as specified.
The third or next feature of the improvement is delineated in the Drawings
or Figures of Sheet 3, and may be thus described:-
Of the said Drawings of Sheet 3, Figure 1 denotes a side elevation of one
of the improved boxes as made for inside bearings, or, in other words, for an
axle whose journals are between the two wheels; Figure 2 is a rear end view
of the same; Figure 3 is a central, vertical, and transverse section of the
box and axle; Figure 4 is a central, vertical, and longitudinal section
of the same.
The improvement, although represented as applied to "inside bearings," is
equally applicable to outside bearings. The object or purpose of it is to en-
tirely dispense with screw bolts, nuts, or contrivances of like character, to
hold any one or more of the parts of the box together, as it is well known that
their liability to become loosened by reason of the constant shocks, concussion,
and -jar produced by the wheels and irregularities of the rails of the track is
such as to often require careful inspection and ." tightening up" on the part of
those in charge.
"
In the said Drawings, A represents the case of the box. In the common
manner of constructing such case it has been made with its top cast in one
piece with its sides, and with an opening through one side, which opening had
to be covered with a cover or plate secured in place by screws.
In the improved box the top a is made separate from the side, and has the

page_text: cover plate of the side opening cast at right angles to and in one piece with
it. Each of the two opposite sides of the case A has a projection or shoulder c
or c', cast or formed on its inner surface, and at its upper part, as seen in the
Drawings; such projections being for the purpose of supporting the case A on
the bearing B, which bearing is made to extend or slide directly underneath
them, and to rest upon the axle or journal D. The cover plate 6 and the end d
of the case are each provided with a semicircular recess or groove, for the
reception of a semicircular packing e or e¹ of leather, which is placed in them
and made to surround the axle in order to prevent the admission of dust or
extraneous matters into the box.
A portion of the hub of the wheel is seen at E as placed outside of the box
and on the axle. In order to keep the top a and the side plate 6 in place, each
side plate f, or f', has a rectangular projection 9 from and cast upon its top,
and when the top is placed on the sides such projection is made to enter into a
corresponding recess h cast or formed up into the top plate a. The cheeks k, k¹,
of the box extend up above the top surface of the sides f, f', in order to hold
the top a in place in directions transversely of the axle.
Figure 5 shows a vertical, central, and longitudinal section of the improved
box, as made for "outside bearings," or those for journals which project
beyond the outer surface of a wheel; Figure 6 is a vertical, central, and
transverse section of such box; Figure 7 is a side view of it. In the said
Figures, A denotes the case of the box; B is the bearing; C, the axle; D, the
journal thereof; F is the slide plate; a is the moveable top plate of the box,
while is the cap or cover plate cast to it and making one piece with it;
c, c', are the projections from the sides f,f', of the case, the slide plate F
being made to extend underneath and rest against the same, while the bear-
ing B rests against the under side of such slide plate. The cheeks are seen
at k, k¹; I is the sponge and oil reservoir, while K is the leather packing,
extending around the axles; 9 denotes the projection, and h the recess, as
before described.
What I claim as the Invention or improvement is, to support the case A on
the bearing B by projections c, c', or analogous contrivances, applied to its
sides, in combination with making the top plate A of the case and the cap or
side plate 6 in one piece, separate from the rest of the case, and holding them
in place by recesses and projections, or analogous contrivances, substantially as
described, the whole being to enable me to entirely dispense with the use of
screws or screws and nuts in the construction of a railway car axle box, and
thereby avoid, not only the injurious consequences which frequently result from
their becoming loose, but also the necessity of that care and attention on the