Improvement in Self-oiling Car Wheels.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application (in United Kingdom), 4th July, 1893
Complete Specification Left, 4th July, 1893-Accepted, 5th Aug., 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvement in Self-oiling Car Wheels.
1, JAMES H. WATT, of Barnesville, in the County of Belmont and State of
Ohio United States of America, 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 is an improvement in self-oiling wheel hubs, especially designed
for coal-car wheels and wherever the wheels are revolubly mounted on their axles,
and its object is to insure the greatest supply of lubricant at the point where the
greatest friction or wear is engendered; to wit-at the butt of the wheel hub and
axle, and what I consider original in my wheel hub is that it has two or more oil-
holding chambers instead of one, and permits the oil to pass over the axle right at
the butt of the hub. The point of the axle is always well lubricated, but it is not
so with the butt of the wheel, and my wheel overcomes that difficulty. There
being two boxes instead of one adds very materially to the strength of the wheel
and will allow much less iron in the hub to get the desired strength.
Another great advantage which I claim is, that there being a wall between the
boxes therefore the oil cannot so freely flow over the axle when the wheel is idle
and therefore it will be better oiled when again started after a short stop.
The invention therefore consists in the novel construction of the wheel as herein-
after described, and illustrated in the drawings, in which :-
Fig. 1 is a transverse central section through a wheel hub embodying my
invention.
Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view on line 2-2 Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a front view.
The hub A of the wheel is cast with an annular series of closed chambers B, B,
two only being shown, separated by radial partitions C, C, so that there is no direct
communication between said chambers. Through the front wall of the hub are
openings c through which said chambers can be filled with lubricant and a cap D
is bolted to the front end of the hub as indicated so as to cover said openings.
Said cap has a central opening d and the oil can be poured therethrough into the
cap and thence pass into the chambers. At the butt end of the hub are transverse
slots b, one at the rear end of and communicating with each chamber B, and
through these slots the lubricant can escape from the chambers and onto the axle
at the butt and larger end thereof where the greatest friction and wear usually
take place, the lubricant working downward on the axle and fully lubricating the
whole hub bearing.
It will be seen that my wheel contains two distinct oil chambers that are in no
vise connected in the hub. The openings in the outer wall of the wheel permit
the oil to flow into either one of them or both at the same time when the wheel is
n the proper position to receive oil in both at the same time. I look upon this as
quite an advantage in a wheel. There being two separate chambers the axle is
nuch more likely to be immersed in oil than when there is but one. By this

page_text: device the oil is forced to strike the axle right at the hub and butt of the wheel,
and the point is always oiled as that is where the oil enters from the chambers.
My observation in self-oiling wheels for many years teaches me that in the
ordinary construction of self-oiling wheels the oil flows off too easily and escapes
into the lower part of the box, but this invention prevents this to a very great
extent. The oil is supplied near the butt end of hub and largest part of axle
instead of near the centre or small end. This arrangement of chambers allows
the hub bearing on the axle to be almost continuous, and the partitions form strong
braces to reinforce the bearing portion of its hub.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A self-oiling hub having an annular series of non-communicating oil chambers
around its bore, and transverse slots at its butt end about as long as the chambers
are wide establishing communication between its bore and said chambers, and
partitions between said chambers, openings in the front end of hub communicating
with said chambers, and a cap secured thereon, all constructed and arranged to
operate substantially as and for the purpose described.
Dated this 4th day of July 1893.
ABEL & IMRAY.