IMPROVE- MENTS IN RAILWAY WHEELS
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Blake, of Brighton, in the County of
Sussex, Railway Carriage Builder, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN RAILWAY WHEELS."
Sealed the 12th October 1853, and dated the 12th April 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Blake at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 12th April 1853.
I, HENRY BLAKE, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY WHEELS" to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in a new mode of combining wood and
metal together in the construction of railway wheels, whereby they are
rendered more durable and less expensive than the railway wheels as
hitherto constructed; and in order to explain and ascertain this Inven-
tion more fully, reference must be had to the illustrative drawing
hereunto annexed, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, as
follows:--
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Fig. 1, exhibits an elevation of a railway wheel constructed accord-
ing to this Invention. Fig. 2, is a transverse and vertical section taken

page_text: through the line A, B, at Fig. 1. A, marks the nave of the wheel; B,
the spokes; C, a rini or felloe: these parts are cast together in one
mass. D, marks a wrought iron tire, the inner periphery whereof is
formed with a recess, as also the outer periphery of the rim or felloe C:
and into these recessed parts, segments of wood E, E, are placed.
The ring D, is then put on cold, and there are holes formed therein, as
also through the segments E, and rim or felloe C, through which bolts
a, are passed, for connecting these parts firmly together by nuts b, upon
the screwed ends of the bolts a;. and in order to enable the ring D, to
contract, as the wood segments are compressed, the ring is cut at one
part for that purpose, as at z, Fig. 1. G, marks a wrought iron flanged
tire, which is made hot and shrunk upon the tire D; and the whole is
connected together by bolts c, with countersunk heads at one end, the
other end being rivetted to the rim or felloe C. It should be observed,
that the pieces of wood E,,E, are not perfect segments, but are some-
what less, so as to leave a space between the ends of each segment, to
allow the wood to expand laterally as it is compressed by the pressure
of the tire D, thereon. And further, it is proposed by this Invention to
fill up such said space, and make perfect the joints of the segments by
placing therein an elastic substance or composition d, known as Kamp-
tulicon, or any other suitable elastic substance or material possessing
similar properties. And having thus arranged, combined, and
connected together these several parts, so as to form an entire and
substantial wheel, all the fitting that is afterwards required is to turn
out the hole in the nave for the reception of the axle; and it is this
mode of constructing railway wheels which constitutes this Invention.

page_text: +
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of April, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the six-
teenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Henry Blake, Her special licence
that I, the said Henry Blake, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as the said Henry Blake, 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 RAILWAY WHEELS,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Henry Blake, by
an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, 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 Henry Blake, 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 thereof (that is to say):
My Invention consists in a new mode of combining wood and metal.
together in the construction of railway wheels, whereby they are
rendered more durable and consequently less expensive than the
railway wheels as hitherto constructed; and in order to explain my said
Invention as completely as possible, I proceed to describe the best
means I am acquainted with for carrying my said Invention into
practical effect, reference being had to the illustrative drawing hereunto
annexed, and to the numeral figures and letters of reference marked
thereon respectively, as follows:-
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1, exhibits an elevation of a railway wheel constructed

page_text: a transverse and vertical section taken through the line A, B, at Figure
1. Figures 3, and 4, are detached parts hereinafter referred to. At
each of the foregoing Figures I employ similar letters of reference to
denote corresponding parts, in so far as such parts appear or can be
seen at each of the Figures respectively.
A, marks the nave of the wheel, which is of cast iron; B, the spokes;
C, a rim or felloe. These parts are cast together in one homoge-
nous mass; or such parts may be connected together by any other of
the modes hitherto employed, and in known and common use in the
construction of railway wheels. D, marks a wrought iron flanged tire,
the inner periphery whereof is formed with a recess, as also the outer
periphery of the rim or felloe C, and into these recessed parts segments
of wood E, E, are placed, and securely held in the following manner
and by the following means. And I prefer, for the purposes of my said
Invention, using wood known and distinguished as "Sabicu;" and I
impart to these segments of wood the desired curvature by turning
such segments in a lathe, taking care to keep the grain of the wood in
the direction of the length thereof; and between the ends of these
segments I place an elastic substance or material known as "Kamp-
tulicon," and for which Letters Patent were granted some time since,
said material having been employed for paving or covering court yards
to prevent noise; and having arranged and disposed said segments of
wood around and within the recessed part of the metal rim or felloe
C, and interposed pieces of the aforesaid " Kamptulicon" between the
ends of said segments, I then pass a wrought iron hoop of metal G, in
a cold state, around said segments, and connect the same temporarily to
the segments E, by passing screws through the ends of said hoop; and
in order to allow the hoop G, to contract as the segments are com-
pressed, I cut or divide the hoop, as at Z, Figure 3; and having
tightened the nuts b, upon the screw bolts a, and compressed the
segments E, as much as possible by hand, I then shrink the wrought
iron flanged tire D, thereon, in the manner usually practised in the
construction of railway wheels, and I securely connect the said tire to
the other parts of the wheel by passing bolts G, through countersunk
holes formed through the tire, the segments E, and the rim C, as

page_text: exhibited in section at Figures 1, and 2, and I finally secure the said
bolts to the rim by rivetting, as exhibited.
Thus it will appear manifest, that by the tightening of the nuts b,
and shrinking of the tire D, the wooden segments will be made to
converge towards the centre of the wheel; at the same time the
Kamptulicon," or elastic substance, will be squeezed between the ends
of such said segments, and thereby prevent them from becoming loose
by contraction of the wood or other causes.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be and may be performed, I desire it to be
distinctly understood that I do not claim the exclusive use of any of
the separate parts above mentioned and referred to, except in so far as
regards the "Kamptulicon," or other similar substance or material
before mentioned; and the remaining parts I claim when used in
combination and for the rposes of my said Invention, which I hereby
declare to consist in, and I claim the use and application of "Kamp-
tulicon," or other suitable elastic substance, in the construction of
the felloes of railway wheels, by placing the same between the ends
of the wood segments which compose said felloe, as hereinbefore
particularly described, set forth, and represented by the illustrative
drawing hereunto annexed, and for the purpose set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Blake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twelfth day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
HENRY BLAKE. (L.S.)
Witness, ALEX. PRINCE, Patent Agent,
4, Trafalgar Square, Charing Cross.