IMPROVEMENTS IN AXLES FOR CARRIAGES
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Watkins, of Balsall Heath, in the County of
Worcester, Machinist, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN AXLES FOR
CARRIAGES."
Sealed the 19th July 1867, and dated the 11th May 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Watkins at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
11th May 1867.
I, JOHN WATKINS, of Balsall Heath, in the County of Worcester, Machinist,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
AXLES FOR CARRIAGES," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists of the improvements herein-after described in the
construction of axles for carriages, whereby perfect security is obtained in
the connection of the axle box to the axle combined with simplicity of the
parts.
In constructing axles for carriages according to my Invention I apply to
that part of the arm of the axle commonly called the cone or front collar a
flanged nut, and if necessary a collet; this flanged nut is screwed internally,
a screw being made on the arm to receive the said screwed flanged nut. A
revolving collar, bush, or socket provided with an internal flange is situated
over the front collar and flanged nut described, the flange of the said revolving
collar, bush, or socket being situated and working between the front collar
and the flanged nut described on- the arm of the axle; the revolving collar,

page_text: bush, or socket also works upon the periphery of the front collar. By the
flange of the revolving collar, bush, or socket working between the front collar
and flanged out on the arm of the axle the said revolving collar, bush, or
socket is securely connected to the said arm. The axle box which carries the
wheel is connected in any convenient manner to the revolving collar, bush, or
socket described. Instead of a single flanged nut as described two flangel
nuts may be employed, and instead of screwing the flanged nuts on the arm
of the axle they may be otherwise fastened to the said arm.
My improvements are applicable to all kinds of cranked and flapped axles
as well as to ordinary axles.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Watkins in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
6th November 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
WATKINS, of Balsall Heath, in the County of Worcester, Machinist, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by IIer Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirtieth year of Her reign, did,
for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said John
Watkins, Her special licence, that I, the said John Watkins, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John Watkins, my
executors, 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 and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within
the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and
Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN AXLES FOR CARRIAGES," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Watkins, my 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Watkins, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,

page_text: to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement
thereof, that is to say:→
My Invention consists of the improvements herein-after described in the
construction of axles for carriages whereby perfect security is obtained in:
the connection of the axle box to the axle combined with simplicity of the
parts.
:
In constructing axles for carriages according to my Invention I apply to
that part of the arm of the axle commonly called the cone or front collar a
flanged nut and if necessary a collet; this flanged nut is screwed internally, a
screw being made on the arm to receive the said screwed flanged nut. A
revolving collar, bush, or socket provided with an internal flange is situated;
over and works upon the cone or front collar, the flange of the said revolving
collar, bush, or socket working in an annular groove or channel in the
ordinary or back collar of the axle. By the revolving collar, bush, or socket:
working between the ordinary collar and flanged nut on the arm of the axle
the said revolving collar, bush, or socket is securely connected to the said
arm. The axle box which carries the wheel is connected in any convenient
manner to the revolving collar, bush, or socket described. Instead of a single:
flanged nut, as described, two flanged nuts may be employed, and instead of
screwing the flanged nut or nuts on the arm of the axle they may be otherwise
fastened to the said arm:
Having explained, the nature of my Invention I will proceed to describe,
with reference to the accompanying Drawing, the manner in which the same
is to be performed.
Figure 1 represents in longitudinal section a portion of a carriage axle con-
structed according to my Invention, and Figure 2 is a side elevation of the
same; Figures 3 and 4 are parts of the same as herein-after explained. The
same letters of reference indicate the same parts in Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4.
a is the arm of the axle; b'is the cone or front collar; and d is the ordinary.
or back collar; c, is a flanged nut screwed infernally, the said nut being
screwed upon the screw made on the arm a of the axle. Upon the cone or
front collar band between the flanged nut'c and back collar d is a revolving
collar, bush, or socket f; this revolving collar fis provided with an internal
flange f, which works in an annular groove or channel 9 in the back collar d,
as seen in the section Figure 1. The revolving collar f has an external
screw h, upon which screw h the wide open end of the screw box i is screwed..
The flanged nut and revolving collar have left-handed threads for the left-hand,
arm of the axle, and right-handed threads for the right-hand arm of the axle..
The revolving collar, bush, or socket is represented separately in side and front,

page_text: elevation respectively in Figure 3, and the flanged nut c is represented
separately in side and front elevation respectively in Figure 4. Leather
washers k, l, are interposed between the flanged side of the revolving collar f
and inner side of the back collar d, and a leather washer m is also interposed
between the end of the axle box i and the revolving collar f. A leather washer n
is also placed between the flanged nut c and outer end of the revolving collar f.
In arranging the parts described on the arm a of the axle the revolving
collar with its washers k, l, is first placed upon the cone or front collar 6 of
the axle, its flange fs being engaged with the annular groove or channel g in
the ordinary or back collar d, as seen in Figure 1; the flanged nut c is next
screwed upon the screwed part of the arm a, and the flange of the said uut
made to bear firmly against the revolving collar f, the washer n being placed
between the said parts; the revolving collar f is thus securely fixed to the
arm of the axle, the said collar on revolving working or bearing between the
flanged nut c and the ordinary or back collar d, and also working upon the
cone or front collar b. The axle box i is finally screwed upon the screw h of
the revolving collar f, and thereby secured to the said collar and to the arm of
the axle, the said axle box i on revolving carrying with it the revolving collar,
as will be understood by an examination of Figure 1. The outer end of the
axle box i is closed by an ordinary screw cap it. In addition to the flanged
nut ca collet may be employed, or a screw or lock nut or a cross pin or cotter
may be employed to securely retain the flanged nut in its place, or the flanged
nut c instead of being screwed may slide on the arm of the axle, and be fixed
in its place by a cross pin or cotter, or be otherwise fastened to the said arm.
Although I find it convenient to effect the connection of the axle box to the
revolving collar by means of a screw, as described and represented, yet other
methods may be used with the same or nearly the same effect.
My improvements are applicable to all kinds of cranked and flapped axles
as well as to ordinary axles. Axles constructed according to my Invention
may be used with wheels having either wooden or iron naves.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in which
the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I do not limit
myself to the precise details herein described and illustrated, as the same may
be varied without departing from the nature of my Invention; but I claim as
my Invention, the improvements in axles for carriages herein-before described
and illustrated in the accompanying Drawing, that is to say, connecting the
axle boxes of carriage axles to the arm of the axle by means of a revolving
collar, bush, or socket applied to and rotating upon the cone or front collar of
the said arm, the said revolving collar, bush, or socket bearing in its rotation

page_text: between the ordinary or back collar, and a nut or a flanged nut screwed or
otherwise fastened to the arm of the axle, substantially as described and
illustrated.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Watkins, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fourth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
Witness,
RICHARD SKERRETT,
Clerk to George Shaw,
Birmingham.
JOHN WATKINS. (L.B.)