IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY WHEELS ALSO APPLICABLE TO WHEELS FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Longsdon of New Broad Street in the City of
London for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY WHEELS ALSO
APPLICABLE TO WHEELS FOR OTHER PURPOSES communicated to him from
abroad by Alfred Krupp of Essen in the Empire of Germany Cast Steel
Manufacturer
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Longsdon at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 12th June 1883.
ALFRED LONGSDON of New Broad Street in the City of London
"IMPROVE-
MENTS IN RAILWAY WHEELS, ALSO APPLICABLE TO WHEELS FOR OTHER PURPOSES "
(A Communication to me from abroad by Alfred Krupp of Essen in the Empire
of Germany, Cast Steel Manufacturer)
This invention consists in manufacturing wheels of various constructions of iron
or steel with steel or iron rims or tyres welded on.
I proceed in the following manner: I make the body and rim of the wheel
either by forging or rolling or by both in such a manner that the outer side of
the body of the wheel and the inner side of the rim are provided with a projecting
part or parts all round the oblique edges of which fit on to one another. Both
parts are then heated to welding heat and welded together in a die either by
baminering or by a press. The welding may take place with or without the
employment of welding flux.
In making a disc wheel, for example the disc with the nave is made of iron in a
die or rollers or any suitable manner, and the rim or tyre of steel. Both are
formed with the corresponding projections.
Then both the parts are laid upon each other in the position for welding and
exposed to welding heat.
The wheel is then laid in the die and the pressure necessary for a good weld is
applied by means of a steam hammer or a hydraulic press.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Alfred Longsdon in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 11th
December 1883.
ALFRED LONGSDON of New Broad Street in the City of London " IMPROVE-
MENTS IN RAILWAY WHEELS ALSO APPLICABLE TO WHEELS FOR OTHER PURPOSES
"
(A. communication to me from abroad by Alfred Krupp of Essen in the Empire
of Germany, Cast Steel Manufacturer)
This invention consists in manufacturing wheels of various constructions of
iron or steel with steel or iron rims or tyres welded on.
I proceed in the following manner:-I make the body and rim of the wheel
either by forging or rolling or by both, in such a manner that the outer side of tho
body of the wheel and the inner side of the rim are provided with a projecting
part or parts all round the oblique edges of which fit on to or into one another.
Both parts are then heated to welding heat and welded together in a die either by
hammering or by a press. The welding may take place with or without the
employment of welding flux.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings is a section through the inner or disc
part of a disc wheel and Figure 2 is a section through the tyre or rim part of
same.
Both
In making a disc wheel the disc with the nave Figure 1 is made of iron, in a
die or rollers, or any suitable manner and the rim or tyre Figure 2 of steel.
are formed with the corresponding projections A Figure 1 and B Figure 2
Then both the parts are laid upon each other in the position for welding as
shown in the sectional view Figure 3 and exposed to welding heat.
The wheel is then laid in the die and the pressure necessary for a good weld is
applied by means of a steam hammer or a hydraulic press when it assumes the
form shown in the sectional view Figure 4.
The disc and nave part of the wheel are by preference made according to the
specification of the Patent granted to me the 8th September 1875 N° 3149 being
for an invention communicated to me by the aforesaid Alfred Krupp.
Figures 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 show different sectional shapes that may be
given to the rim of the wheel and tyre when welded together. It is however
evident that other and similar modifications may be made for effecting the same
purpose without departing from this invention.
It will be observed that in these sections the union of the tyre and wheel is
rendered more secure by the sections when united forming a clip as well as a weld,
the metal of the wheel being driven into the section of the tyre in (or by) the
process of welding, pressure by hammering or otherwise being applied to the web
part of the wheel so as to expand it thus causing the outer shaped edge of the
web part to enter, embrace and fill the corresponding parts of the tyre.
And having thus described and ascertained the nature of this invention and
the manner of carrying the same into effect I declare that I am aware that it has
been heretofore proposed to make railway wheels with the tyre of one entire
piece of metal and the spokes welded to the same. Also that it has been proposed
to cast the body or centre of one kind of metal such as ordinary cast iron and the
tyre of another kind of metal such as hard cast iron or steel both cast in a mould
at or about the same time. Also that it has been proposed to weld a wrought
steel tyre to a cast iron body by heating the tyre running a flux onto its interior
surface and then casting the spokes and nave in, the flux thus serving to weld the
tyre to the spokes. Also that it has been proposed to shrink on a steel tyre to a

page_text: disc or wheel centre.
Also that it has been proposed to make the spokes or centre
of the wheel of wrought steel or iron or of rolled or forged steel or iron and to
cast a steel tyre round same.
I am also aware that it has been proposed to make the body of a wheel wholly
or mainly of cast iron having a steel tyre welded to the tread the union being
made in a mould in which the wheel is cast.
But I claim as the invention communicated to me.
The manufacture of disc or spoke wheels with iron or steel middle part and with
steel or iron tyre or rim, the two parts having previously been formed as described,
being welded together in a die by the application of blows, or pressure substantially
as described and illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings.
In witness whereof I the said Alfred Longsdon have hereunto set my hand
and seal this eighth day of December in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and eighty three.
ALFRED LONGSDON (L.S.)