IMPROVEMENTS RAILWAY WHEELS
Year: 1867

page_text: Sealed the 21st April 1868, and dated the 7th December 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Rae and George
Miller at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their Petition.
on the 7th December 1867.
We. JAMES RAE. of Sydenham. in the County of Kent. Engineer. and
GEORGE MILLER, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark. Rivet Manufacturer.
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
RAILWAY WHEELS," to be as follows. that is to say:-
IN
This Invention has for its objects the increasing the safety and durability
and simplifying the construction of railway wheels. and consists in the im-
provements herein-after described. We make the tyre of malleable or ordinary
cast iron, chilling the face and guiding flange of the tyre in the operation of
Pine Sd 1

page_text: casting, all the other parts of the tyre being so tempered as to allow of its
being turned, bored, and fitted: we also make the centre boss of malleable or
ordinary cast iron. We form recesses on the inside edges of the tyre and the
outside edges of the boss for the purpose of receiving dises or connecting plates
which we make of wrought iron, cast steel, or toughened cast iron: these
plates are let into the recesses herein-before mentioned. In making these
recesses in the sides of the tyre we form a projection on each side, which we
call a tongue." and which fits into recesses or grooves made in the plates.
We place the connecting plates or discs either parallel in each other or conical.
that is to say, closer together at the outer edge than at the centre or boss:
we prefer the latter mode. In connecting the plates to the tyre or boss we
use either one or two rows of bolts or rivets. preferring two rows, especially in
engine wheels. We sometimes fill the hollow space between the side plates
with wood, taking care to make it fit well between the tyre and boss, which
causes it to act as a cushion to the tyre. We sometimes fill the hollow space
with cement to increase the solidity of the wheel, which is very desirable in
the case of locomotive wheels, in the construction of which we use an inter-
mediate row of bolts or rivets to prevent any spring in the side plates or discs.
When we make the wrought-iron side plates conical. to obtain the proper
form we heat the plates and place them between two cast-iron moulds of the
desired form, applying hydraulic power to press them together. We do not
form any projection, such as ribs or tongues, on the surface of the plates.
When the parts have all been prepared we cramp them together and drill the
bolt or rivet holes through them all at one operation: they are then fixed
together with bolts or rivets. We now fix the wheels upon the axle. which
we place or hang between centres: the working parts of the wheels are then
surfaced or ground true by contact with a lapstone revolving in an opposite
direction to the wheels. or by any other suitable means. We sometimes make
the whole body of the wheel in one piece of malleable or ordinary cast iron.
either of a hollow or other form. We form upon the periphery of the body of the
wheel a hook flange which corresponds to a similar flange formed in the inside
of the tyre. Upon the opposite side of the wheel we connect the tyre to the
wheel by means of a clip ring embracing the tyre and wheel: we now proceed
10 cramp the parts together, drill the bolt or rivet holes, and insert bolts or
rivets in the same. The chilled part of the tyre goes through the same process
as before described for surfacing the working parts. We sometimes fill the
hollow malleable or ordinary cast-iron bodies with sawdust or other suitable
material to deaden sound and as a protection against frost, In some cases

page_text: where we use malleable or ordinary cast-iron bodies we cast the chilled tyre
separately and fit it on the body of the wheel in the usual manner; in this
case we use two clip rings. one on each side; these rings have projections on
each edge made out of the solid bar by means of a turning lathe. One of
these projections or lips is let into a groove turned in the side of the tyre, the
other clips on a projection formed on the side of the body or disc; they are
then bolted or rivetted together and the working parts of the tyre treated as
herein-before described. In some instances we fit malleable or ordinary cast-
iron bodies with wrought iron or steel tyres by using clip rings for fastening
them to each other as above described. Sometimes instead of using metal
side plates or bodies we make the disc of wood in two thicknesses; in that
case we cast one or more flanges on the inside of a chilled tyre. To fasten
the tyre to the wood disc we use two clip rings of the form before mentioned.
One of the projections in the edge of the ring fits into a groove made in the
side of the tyre. and the other into a groove made in the side of the wood
dise; holes are then drilled through all, and bolts or rivets inserted to fasten
the parts together. The boss of the wheel is made with corresponding flanges.
and wrought-iron rings are fitted in like manner to secure the wood discs to
the boss. The working parts are treated as before described.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Rac and George Miller in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 5th June 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JAMES
RAE, of Sydenham. in the County of Kent. Engineer, and GEORGE MILLER.
of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, Rivet Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven. in the thirty-first year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors. give and grant unto us, the
said James Rae and George Miller, Her special licence that we, the said
James Rae and George Miller, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as we. the said James Rac and George Miller, our 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,

page_text: 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 we. the said James Rac and George Miller. our
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under our, 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 per-
formed, 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 we, the said James Rae and George Miller, do
hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement. reference being had to the Drawing hereto annexed, and
to the figures and letters marked thereon. that is to say:-
This Invention has for its objects the increasing the safety and durability
and simplifying the construction of railway wheels, and consists in the
improvements herein-after described.
To make our Invention better understood we will proceed to describe the
same by reference to the accompanying Drawing in which Figure 1 is a half
side elevation; and Figure 2 a vertical section of a railway carriage wheel
constructed upon one of our improved modes; and Figures 3, 4, 5, and 6,
are vertical sections of carriage wheels; and Figures 7, 8, and 9, vertical
sections of engine wheels shewing other of our improved modes of construction:
Figure 10, half elevation of Figures 8 and 9; and Figures 11. 12. 13, and
14, are full sized sections of parts of Figures 3, 4. 7. and 9 shewing some of
the improved means of connecting the tyre to the body. Similar letters of
reference are used in the several Figures to represent parts which are similar.
except that in Figures 11, 12, 13, and 14, capitals are used instead of small
letters.
We make the tyres 1. t. of malleable or ordinary cast iron or of steel,
chilling the face and guiding flange of the tyre in the operation of casting, all
the other parts of the tyre being so tempered as to allow of its being turned.
bored, and fitted, we also make the centre boss e of malleable or ordinary cast
iron. We form recesses (Figures 4 and 12) in the edges of the tyre and
boss for the purpose of receiving discs or connecting plates p. p. which we
make of wrought iron. cast steel. or toughened cast iron. these plates are let
into the aforesaid recesses. In making these recesses R in the sides of the

page_text: tyre and boss a projection O is formed on each side which we call a "tongue
which tongues fit into recesses or grooves G made in the plates p, p, P.
ני
Instead of placing the connecting plates or discs p. p. parallel to each other.
as shewn in Figures 4 and 12, we sometimes placed them conically, that is to
say, closer together at the outer edge than at the centre or boss as shewn in
Figure 9: we prefer the latter mode. In connecting the plates to the tyre or
boss we use one row of bolts or rivets b. b. for carriage wheels, as shewn in
Figures 1 and 12. but prefer two rows, as shewn in Figures 8. 9. and 11. for
engine wheels. We sometimes fill the hollow spaces . . between the side
plates p. p. with wood, taking care to make it fit well between the tyre and
boss, which causes it to act as a cushion to the tyre. We sometimes fill the
hollow space with cement to increase the solidity of the wheel which is very
desirable in the case of locomotive wheels in the construction of which
we Use an intermediate row of bolts or rivets g'. g. to prevent any
spring in the side plates or discs as shewn in Figures 8, 9, and 10.
When we make the wrought-iron side plates conical. as shewn in Figure 9,
to obtain the proper form we heat the plates and place them between two
cast-iron moulds of the desired form, applying hydraulic pressure to press
them together: we do not form any projections, such as ribs or tongues, on
the surface of the plates. When the parts have all been prepared we cramp
them together, and drill the bolt or rivet holes through them all at one
operation; they are then fixed together with the bolts or rivets b. b.
We now
fix the wheels upon the axle which we place or hang between centres; the
working parts of the wheels are then surfaced or ground true by contact with
a lapstone revolving in an opposite direction to the wheels, or by any other
suitable means. We sometimes make the whole body 1. 1. of the wheel in
one piece of malleable or ordinary cast iron, hollow, as shewn in Figures 3
and 11. or they may be made otherwise. We form upon the periphery of the
body of the wheel a hook flange . . Figures 3 and 11. which corresponds to
a similar flange formed on the inside of the tyre : upon the opposite side
of the wheel we connect the tyre to the wheel by means of a hook ring h.
embracing the tyre and wheel. We now proceed to cramp the parts together,
drill the bolt or rivet holes, and insert the bolts or rivets b. b, in the same.
The tyre of the wheel is chilled. and goes through the same process as before
described for surfacing the working parts. We sometimes fill the hollow
malleable or ordinary cast-iron bodies with sawdust or other suitable material
to deaden sound. and as a protection against frost. In all cases for engine
wheels the hollow body is cast with an intermediate rib j, Figure 7.
In some

page_text: cases where we use malleable or ordinary cast-iron bodies we cast the chilled
tyre. Figures 1 and 2, separately, and fit it on the body I, I, of the wheel in
the usual manner. In this case we use two clip rings h. h. one on each side:
these rings have a projection i. i, on each edge, made out of the solid bar by
means of a turning lathe. One of these projections or lips is let into a corre-
sponding groove turned in the side of the tyre; the other clips on a projection
formed on the side of the body or disc 1, 1; they are then bolted or rivetted
together by the bolts b, b, and the working parts of the tyre treated as before
described.
In some cases we fit maleable or ordinary cast-iron bodies with wrought
iron or steel tyres by using clip rings for fastening them to each other as
above described.
Sometimes, instead of using metal side plates or bodies we make the disc of
wood in two thicknesses, as shewn in Figure 5: in this case we cast a flange <
on the inside of a chilled tyre. To fasten the tyre to the wood discs we use
two hook rings h, h, of the form before mentioned; one of the projections on
the edge of the ring fits into, a groove made in the side of the tyre. and the
other into a groove made in the side of the wood disc. Holes are ther.
drilled through all. and bolts or rivets b. b. inserted to fasten the parts
together the boss of the wheel is made with a corresponding flange, and
wrought-iron rings h', ', are fitted in like manner to secure the wood discs
to the boss; the working parts are treated as before described.
In Figure 6 the flange s is cast on the side of the tyre and a corresponding
flange on the boss: the wood disc or body is secured to the tyre by a
single hook ring h, a single ring also only being used for the boss.
required the body may be made in more than one thickness.
If
Having now described our said Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, we wish it to be understood that we do not confine ourselves to the
precise details herein laid down and shewn in the Drawing: but what we
claim is :-
Firstly. The combinations of parts for the construction of railway wheels as
herein-before described and represented in the accompanying Drawing.
Secondly. The forming tongues or projections on the sides of the tyre. and
forming grooves on the sides of the connecting plates to correspond there-
with as herein-before described and represented in the accompanying
Drawing.
Thirdly. The filling the hollow part of the carriage wheel with sawdust or
other like material, as herein-before described.

page_text: Fourthly. The filling the hollow spaces of locomotive engine wheels with
food, cement, or other heavy material, as herein-before described.
In witness whereof. we. the said James Rae and George Miller. have
hereto set our hands and seals. this Twenty-ninth day of May. in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-
eight.
JAMES RAE.
(I..S.)
GEORGE MILLER. (...)