IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF RAILWAY AND OTHER WHEELS, AND IN THE APPARATUS TO BE USED IN SUCH MANUFACTURE, PART OF WHICH INVENTION IS APPLICABLE TO THE WELDING AND SHAPING OF OTHER ARTICLES IN IRON AND STEEL
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Dunnell Garrett, of Buckau, near Magdeburg, Prussia,
but at present residing at Cambridge Terrace, Hyde Park, in the County of
Middlesex, Agricultural Implement Maker, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF RAILWAY AND OTHER WHEELS, AND IN THE
APPARATUS TO BE USED IN SUCH MANUFACTURE, PART OF WHICH INVENTION
IS APPLICABLE TO THE WELDING AND SHAPING OF OTHER ARTICLES IN IRON
AND STEEL."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Dunnell Garrett at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 7th November 1876.
JOHN DUNNELL GARRETT, of Buckau, near Magdeburg, Prussia, but at present
residing at Cambridge Terrace, Hyde Park, in the County of Middlesex, Agricultural
Implement Maker. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF RAILWAY AND
OTHER WHEELS, AND IN THE APPARATUS TO BE USED IN SUCH MANUFACTURE, PART
OF WHICH INVENTION IS APPLICABLE TO THE WELDING AND SHAPING OF OTHER
ARTICLES IN IRON AND STEEL."
The chief object of this Invention is to facilitate the manufacture and improve the
quality of railway and traction engine wheels. To this end I employ a novel
principle of pressure in dies for shaping up certain of the parts of which the wheels
are composed (while such parts are in a heated state) and for effecting the welding
of the parts when that is required.
It is well known that the compression of metals in dies is used in a variety of
hardware manufactures, but the novel principle which I employ is the causing of the
flow of the metal under pressure so that it will not only fill the dies but will induce
such an arrangement of the fibres of the metal as will ensure great structural
strength to the moulded parts and an intimate union between the pieces submitted
to pressure in the dies.
In constructing, say, for example, a railway wheel according to my Invention I
provide two discs of suitable diameter which are slightly dished and flanged at their
edges to carry the tyre of the wheel. These discs I flange in dies by hydraulic

page_text: pressure, making them so true that when put together their flanges will form an
even bed for the reception of the tyre.
To form these flanges I use a male die which is capable of contraction by means
of a wedge; this provides for the easy removal of the disc while in the act of
cooling. For forming the nave of the wheel I provide for cach disc a lump of metal
of suitable weight, which being heated with the disc is applied to the inner side
thereof in suitable dies. These dies I raise by a hydraulic press against a fixed die
which will pierce the centre of the disc and of the lump and cause the metal of the
lump and disc to run together, thus making a perfect weld and at the same time
forming a half nave. In order to ensure this flow of the heated metal it is
necessary to provide in the female die, at or about the lowest level thereof, lateral
cavities or vents for the discharge of the surplus metal contained in the dies.
The tyre, which may be cast in steel or iron, has an internal rib dovetailed in cross
section, which is gripped between the dies and is secured by means of bolts or rivets
passed through the discs and flange.
The discs are also further secured together by a ring of bolts or rivets passed
through the same at the nave or thickened centre.
I propose in some cases to construct the wheel with a single flanged disc, and to
form the tyre of such section that it will not only bed upon but embrace the flange
of the disc and provide a flange for the reception of the bolts or rivets by which the
tyre and disc are connected together. The nave of this wheel will be formed from a
lump of metal moulded into shape and welded to the centre of the disc by pressure
as before described, and if desired this welding operation may be further extended
to the axle of the wheel, a suitable die and plunger being provided for the purpose
of uniting the metals together.
Dies constructed on the principle of providing for a discharge of surplus metal and
the flow of the metal consequent thereon I propose to employ in the manufacture of
the heads and boxes of buffers for railway engines and carriages; also for the
coupling of heavy shafting in lieu of the coupling boxes commonly employed and for
kindred uses. Thus in the manufacture of buffers the head is formed by uniting a
flanged disc with a stem or rod, the flow of surplus metal being in the line of
junction of the two parts; this surplus metal is readily chipped or turned off in the
after process of finishing.
The flanged disc is provided with a wood filling which is secured in place by
turning down the flange upon it. I also weld and form the buffer case of wrought
metal under pressure with an outlet for the surplus metal at the small end of the
case.
The coupling for shafts I make by welding on the ends of the shafts to be
coupled a flange by continuous pressure with outlets for the surplus metal at the
line of junction of the shaft and the lump which goes to form the flange.
The flanges when faced up may then be secured together by bolts and nuts. It
will be understood that in all cases where a weld is required, the form of the parts
must be so adapted as to permit of the use of a stationary or other plunger, which
with the aid of the supporting die or dies will impart a lateral pressure to the
heated metal.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Dunnell Garrett in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 7th May
1877.
JOHN DUNNELL GARRETT, of Buckau, near Magdeburg, Prussia, but at present
residing at Cambridge Terrace, Hyde Park, in the County of Middlesex, Agricultural
Implement Maker. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF RAILWAY AND
OTHER WHEELS, AND IN THE APPARATUS TO BE USED IN SUCH MANUFACTURE, PART
OF WHICH INVENTION IS APPLICABLE TO THE WELDING AND SHAPING OF OTHER
ARTICLES IN IRON AND STEEL.”

page_text: This Invention relates firstly to improvements in the manufacture of railway
wheels and traction engine wheels. In carrying out this part of my Invention I
employ a novel principle of pressure in dies for shaping up certain of the parts of
which the wheels are composed (while such parts are in a heated state) and for
effecting the welding of the parts when that is required.
It is well known that the compression of metals in dies is used in a variety of
hardware manufactures, but the novel principle which I employ is the causing of the
flow of the metal under pressure, so that it will not only fill the dies but will induce
such an arrangement of the fibres of the metal as will ensure great structural
strength to the moulded parts and an intimate union between the pieces submitted
to pressure in the dies. This process I have described in a Patent Specification filed
on the Thirtieth day of November, One thousand eight hundred and seventy-six,
and having reference to the manufacture of the wheel axles of traction engines,
and I now propose to shew its application to the manufacture of railway wheels and
traction engine wheels, and to illustrate its further applicability to the manufacture
of gearing wheels and other articles composed of iron or steel which will admit of
being brought to shape in dies by the compound operation of moulding and
welding.
I will first describe my improved construction of disc wheel which I propose to
use on railways and to apply to traction and portable engines, modifying the form
of tyre to suit the special work for which the wheels are intended to be used.
In constructing such wheels I provide two discs of suitable diameter, which are
slightly dished and flanged at their edges to carry the tyre of the wheel. These
discs I flange in dies by hydraulic pressure, making them so true that when put
together their flanges will form an even bed for the reception of the tyre. The
nave of the wheel I form by applying to the inner face of one or both discs a lump
of metal of suitable weight, which being heated with the disc is by means of dies
and pressure caused to unite therewith, thus making a perfect weld.
The tyre, which may be cast in steel or iron, has an internal rib dovetailed in cross
section which is gripped between the discs and is secured by means of bolts or rivets
passed through the discs and flange. This construction of wheel and also the
apparatus used in manufacturing it are illustrated in several views in Sheets I.
and II. of the accompanying Drawings.
In Sheet I. Fig. 1 represents a partial side elevation, and Fig. 2 a cross section of
my improved disc railway wheel; Fig. 3 is a transverse section of the dies used for
uniting the nave with the disc; and Fig. 4 is a plan view of the lower die.
A, Fig. 2, is a flanged dish shaped disc of wrought iron welded to the nave B in
the manner to be presently described in detail;. C is a second and corresponding disc
secured to the nave by a clamping nut D, which holds it tightly against a shoulder
formed on the nave by recessing the latter to receive the clamping nut. The flanges
of these discs form a bed for the flanged tyre E which is cast with an internal rib or
flange that enters between the discs, and by means of transverse rivets F the tyre is
made fast to the discs.
Fig. 3 illustrates. the manner of welding the disc A to a coil or lump of metal to
form the nave for the railway wheel; G is the lower die with its outer case H fitted
to the bed of a hydraulic press. This die is made in three parts, as shewn at Fig. 4,
and it is made slightly conical at its periphery to fit the conical inner periphery of
the case H and ensure the parts coming into close contact. In the centre of the die
is placed a coil or lump of heated metal B that is to be united with the disc to form
tho nave.
In the central opening of this die is an annular recess y, which is intended to allow
for the lateral flow of metal when pressure is applied to the heated lump or coil; I
is the upper fixed die formed with a dished face corresponding to the dished shape
of the disc A, which is placed in a red-hot state on the lower die G, and above the
red hot lump B. This die I is fitted in an outer case K, and it is provided at its
centre with a pin L, which acts as a plunger when the die G under the action of the
hydraulic press is moved up into contact with the fixed die. The continued rise of,

page_text: the die G causes the plunger L to pierce the disc A at its centre, and then to enter
the lump B and force the heated metal to fill the die and enter the lateral cavity g.
This cavity or vent g not only admits of this, but also ensures a continuous flow of
metal until the rise of the die G is arrested by the outer casings H and K coming
into contact as shewn at Fig. 3. The result of this will be a perfect weld between
the disc and the lump or coil, the fibre in the metal of the two junction pieces
being continuous.
It should be remarked that the capacity of this outport or vent must be more
than sufficient to take up the surplus metal indicated by close sectioning at b, b.
Should it be filled before the dies are at rest the fibre of the iron would necessarily
be crushed and the desired form would not be obtained. I would further remark
that in all cases where my improved plan of welding under pressure in dies is em-
ployed, the relative positions of vent or outport and plunger shown at Fig. 3
should be preserved, that is to say, the port begins somewhat above the lowest point
that the plunger reaches. It is found by experience that this is very important,
for if the port or vent is lower than indicated, the fibre is crushed, and if higher,
the weld is not sound. It is also necessary, in order to ensure a perfect weld and a
continuous fibre in the iron, that considerably more metal must be put into the dies
than is required for the actual forging.
The flanging of the plates or discs is the next operation; this is done on a con-
tracting ring or die shewn in transverse vertical section at Fig. 5, Sheet II., in
partial plan view at Fig. 6, and in partial side elevation at Fig. 7. The use of this kind
of die I have described in a Patent Specification filed on or about the Thirtieth day of
November, One thousand eight hundred and seventy-six, and having reference to the
manufacture of thrashing machines' drums, such die having been found requisite
to carry out in a satisfactory manner the flanging of the discs forming part of such
drums.
In Figures 5, 6, and 7, A. is a steel cylinder split from end to end, and inserted in the
opening thus made is a wedged-shaped piece a; the lips of the opened cylinder are
made to correspond to the wedge-shaped piece. This piece a extends from the top
to the bottom of the cylinder, as shewn at Fig. 7, and through it is passed a screw
bolt a, which projects through a clamping pieco a², and receives a nut on its
outer end.
The wedge a forms a portion of the periphery of the die when the die is in use;
but when the shaping of the flanged disc has been effected, and it is desired to re-
move the same from the die, the bolt a¹ is slackened, and the cylinder A will then
contract by its own elasticity, leaving the flanged disc free.
The upper portion of the periphery of this split cylinder is slightly countersunk,
to enable the flange of the disc to be turned over at right angles, and thus to make
a straight seat for the tyre of the wheel to bed upon.
Inside the split cylinder A is a bed B, the counterpart of the dished plate or disc,
and serving to support the same. These two pieces A and B, which form together
the lower die, are mounted on the bed of the hydraulic press and are by means of
the press raised up to the fixed die C, which is so shaped that as the disc is brought
into contact therewith it will turn over the edge thereof and convert it into an an
nular flange as shewn at Fig. 5. When two discs are thus formed they are brought
together and caused to embrace the inner flange of a tyre cast in steel or other
suitable metal, and the three parts are then rivetted together as shown at Fig. 2,
Sheet I.
The manner of connecting the disc C with its boss shewn at Fig. 2 facilitates the
removal and renewal of a worn-out tyre, it being only necessary to unscrew the
clamping nut D, and cut off the heads of the rivets F, to effect the disengagement
of the disc C and the tyre E from the wheel.
Figures 8 and 9, Sheet II., show modifications of my improved disc wheel suit-
able for traction and portable engines. In both these examples I make the wheel
with a divided hub, that is to say, I weld a lump or coil to the inner surface of each
disc A instead of welding to one disc a lump or coil of sufficient depth to form a

page_text: complete hub or nave. These half hubs B, B, I connect together by a series of
transverse screw bolts C, C, and I further secure the discs together by a series of
shorter screw bolts D. In Fig. 8 these bolts are shown as passing through the tyre
E, which is cast with a pair of internal flanges; but at Fig. 9 they are shewn as
passing through a wooden felloe or filling blocks F, on to which a tyre E is shrunk
in the ordinary manner.
Moulding dies constructed on the principle of providing for a discharge of surplus
metal, and the flow of the metal consequent thereon, I propose to employ in the
manufacture of the heads and boxes of buffers for railway engines and carriages;
also for the couplings of heavy shafting in lieu of the coupling boxes commonly
employed, and for kindred uses. One of these kindred uses is illustrated in
Sheet III. of the Drawings, which shows at Fig. 10 a transverse vertical section
of moulding dies suitable for forming wrought-iron gear wheels, and moulding
such wheels upon their axles. In this Figure the lower die is composed of three
vertical wedge-shaped pieces A, A, resting upon a false bottom B, and enclosed in
an outer casing C, the diameter of which is contracted at its upper part to form
a retaining head for a ring D; this ring D constitutes the mould for shaping the
teeth of the wheel, and for this purpose it is recessed on its inner periphery, such
recesses corresponding with the form of the teeth desired to be made, and having at
the bottom of each recess cavities or vents for the escape of the surplus metal. This
ring D (which is shewn in partial plan view at Fig. 11) rests upon the wedge-
shaped pieces A, and the sides of the teeth are formed by the face of the pieces A
and the overhanging head of the casing C, which constitute the top and bottom of
that part of the mould; E is the upper fixed die which fits the casing C, and acts
as the compressing plunger. The face of this die is a counterpart of one side of the
wheel intended to be moulded, and the faces of the pieces A of the lower die form a
counterpart of the other side of the wheel. A central space is formed in the lower die to
receive the heated shaft on which it is intended to mould the gear wheel, and in the
line of the axis of this shaft is a projection on the face of the upper die E, which is
intended to indent the underlying heated metal and cause it to flow laterally as above
explained.
Supposing a shaft heated to red or welding heat to be inserted in the lower die,
and a coil or lump of metal having a central hole corresponding to the diameter of
the shaft and similarly heated to be placed on the die, then by raising the lower die
through the action of a hydraulic press into contact with the upper die the metal
will be caused to flow laterally, fill the recesses formed in the ring D, and dis-
charge its surplus into the extension of those recesses as illustrated in the plan
view, Fig. 11. The wheel is released from the lower die by the removal of the false
bottom B.
In order to finish this wheel and bring it to the form indicated in the sectional
view at Fig. 12, the dotted annular projection on the face of the wheel is to be
turned off and the waste metal at the extremities of the teeth is to be removed.
Wheels thus produced in wrought metal may be made of any desired size to suit
heavy mill work, and where cast-iron gear wheels are unavailable owing to their
liability to fracture, the large gear wheels now used are produced by the costly
operation of cutting in a lathe.
In Sheet IV. of the Drawings I have illustrated the application of my improved
moulding and welding dies to the manufacture of buffers, and also the couplings of
heavy shafting. This buffer head is formed by uniting a flanged disc with a stem
or rod, the flow of surplus metal being in the line of junction of the parts.
Fig. 13 shews a pair of buffer heads made according to this part of my Invention
with wood filling. Fig. 14 shews in longitudinal section a buffer head and case;
and Fig. 15 shews in external view a coupling for heavy shafting.
Referring now to the buffer head illustrated at Fig. 13, in order to produce the flanged
disc which is to receive the wood filling I employ a pair of flanging dies similar to
those described with reference to Figures 5, 6, and 7, Sheet II. These dies are shewn
in sectional elevation at Fig. 16, A being the lower die, and B the upper dic. This

page_text: upper die, which carries a central guide pin b, is shewn in inverted plan at Fig. 17.
The disc having been flanged on these dies is next to be united to its rod by means
of the welding dies shewn in vertical section in Fig. 18, the construction and opera-
tion of which it will be unnecessary to describe. The surplus metal in the line of
the junction is indicated by the dotted lines in the figure, and it will be understood
that it may be readily chipped or turned off in the after process of finishing. For
retaining the wood filling in place it will only be necessary to press the flange tightly
on to the wood.
When the buffer head is intended to be made solid I simply dish the disc and
submit it to pressure in dies for the purpose of uniting it with the rod, employing
a loose pin as a plunger for imparting the lateral pressure to the heated metals
which are to be united. Fig. 19 shews a pair of dies for welding this form of buffer
head to its rod; and Fig. 20 is a plan view of the lower die. The loose plunger
used in effecting the welding I leave in the metal, and thus produce a solid buffer
head. To insure the retention of this pin or plunger I slightly rebate it, as shewn
at Fig. 19, so that it will have no tendency to work loose but will be imbedded on
the buffer head.
When making case buffers I also weld and form the buffer case of wrought metal
under pressure with an outlet in the dies for the surplus metal, as indicated by the
dotted lines in Fig. 14.
The coupling for shafts I make by welding on the ends of the shafts to be
coupled a flange by continuous pressure in dies, with outlets or vents for the surplus
anetal at the line of junction of the shaft with the disc or lump which goes to form
the flange, This is clearly illustrated at Fig. 21, which represents in vertical section
a pair of dies suitable for moulding and welding the parts to form couplings for
heavy shafting. The flanges of the shafts when faced up may be secured together
by bolts and nuts, as shewn at Fig. 15.
Having now set forth the nature of my Invention of "Improvements in the
Manufacture of Railway and other Wheels, and in the Apparatus to be used in
such Manufacture, part of which Invention is Applicable to the Welding and
Shaping of other Articles in Iron and Steel," and explained the manner of carrying
the same into effect, I wish it to be understood, that under the above in part recited
Letters Patent I claim,
First. The construction of railway wheels and traction engine wheels, in the
manner above described with reference to Sheets I. and II. of the accompanying
Drawings.
Secondly. The construction of wrought-iron gear wheels, in the manner described
with reference to Sheet III. of the Drawings.
Thirdly. The use in the manufacture of wheels and other articles (for which the
same is applicable) other than the travelling wheel axles of portable and traction
engines, of moulding or compressing dies having lateral cavities or vents for the
escape of the surplus metal when pressure is applied to the dies.
Fourthly. The use of contracting dies, as described with reference to Sheet II.
of the Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Dunnell Garrett, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Second day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven