AN IMPROVE- MENT IN RAILWAY OR TRAMWAY WHEELS
Year: 1885

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
I, JOHN KENARD SAX of Main Street, Borough of Pittston, County of Luzerne,
State of Pennsylvania in the United States of America, Railway Car Wheel
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "AN IMPROVE-
MENT IN RAILWAY OR TRAMWAY WHEELS" and in what manner the same is to be
performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
This invention relates to a construction of railway or tramway wheels so as to
secure effective union of the body portion and tyre without requiring expensive
forgings, and also to avoid the objections incident to the employment of rigid
wheels.
Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings is a side view partly in section, and fig. 2
is a transverse section of a wheel according to my invention, figs 3 and 4 are
corresponding views shewing a modification.
The rim A which may be of steel or iron, cast, hammered or rolled into shape
with the usual flange a, has at its inner side either a continuous dove-tailed recess
or a number of dovetailed recesses at equal distances, between flanges o o made
with inclined inner faces.
The inner rim B consists of cast-metal, cast in contact with, so as to unite by
fusion with, the outer rim A, a portion b of the inner rim entering the recess in
the outer rim, and to this inner rim is connected the middle body C of the wheel,
as will be set forth hereafter.
In the manufacture of the wheel, I first make the outer rim or tyre, and then
prepare the mould in which to cast the inner rim, this mould having an annular
space to receive the outer rim, and a space or spaces or recesses corresponding to
the form of the inner rim. The outer rim is heated and placed in the mould, which
is then closed and molten metal is poured into the mould, thus casting the inner
rim in direct contact with the outer rim, causing an intimate welding or fusion of
the two together, so that they form practically one piece.
The middle of the whole consists of a boss provided with double or single spokes,
as shewn in figs 1 and 3, these spokes having their ends d. spread out as fingers in
the recesses or sockets x of the inner rim which are adapted to receive these ends,
but are somewhat larger and are covered by cap pieces g held by bolts or rivets i.

page_text: When the spokes are single as in fig. 3 they are split to form the two fingers d d.
In the spaces e between the sides of the fingers d and the sides of the recesses are
inserted caoutchouc or other elastic packings n, and wedges f are driven between
the fingers d d so as to separate them and compress the packings n. At the ends
of the spokes, which do not extend to the ends of the recesses x, there are left
spaces 8, in which I insert packings of caoutchouc, oakum wood, or other suitable
material after which the cap pieces g are fixed, the ends of the spokes being thus
firmly clamped to the inner rim.
The inner rim may consist of separate sections fused to the tire, but I prefer to
make it as one continuous annular piece adapted to the continuous groove within
the outer rim, the sides c c of which prevent lateral displacement and help to
strengthen the tire.
The groove between c c is preferably dovetailed, but its sides may be parallel or
outwardly inclined, as the two rims are so united by fusion or welding as to form
practically one piece, rendering the dovetailing unnecessary except to ensure
connection in case the weld should be defective at any point.
By making the sockets or recesses for the reception of the spoke ends of cast
metal, I am enabled to cheaply fit the body to the rim of the wheel, while by
fusing the cast metal portion to an outer rim of forged metal, I am enabled to
secure the advantages of using the latter without the expense which would result
from forging the entire rim with recesses adapted for connection to the body
portion. By providing the rim with recesses adapted to receive the ends of the
spokes, and by compressing packings between the two and securing them, by means
of detachable cap plates, I obtain great elasticity, and a secure connection of the
parts, with ability to disconnect them when necessary for repairs or repacking.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
The construction of a railway or tramway wheel, having an outer tyre and
united to it by casting an inner tyre or sections thereof presenting dove-tailed
recesses, in which opened out ends of spokes with elastic packings are secured by
wedges and cover-plates, substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.
Dated thia 2nd dow of dunil 100×