CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY CARRIAGES, AND IN MACHINERY FOR WORKING RAILWAYS, PARTS OF WHICH ARE APPLICABLE TO OTHER CARRIAGES AND THE BEARINGS OF OTHER MACHINERY
Year: 1846

page_text: MALLET AND DAWSON'S SPECIFICATION.
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TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, ROBERT
MALLET, of the City of Dublin, Civil Engineer, and JOHN SOMERS DAWSON, of
the said City of Dublin, Coach Builder, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date.at
Westminster, the Thirtieth day of July, in the tenth year of Her reign, did,
for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the said Robert
Mallet and John Somers Dawson, our exors, admiors, and assigns, Her especial
licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that we; the said Robert Mallet
and John Somers Dawson, our exors, adñiors, and assigns, or such others as
we, the said Robert Mallet and John Somers Dawson, our exors, admors, or
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and
at. all: times during, the term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully
might' make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town
of: Berwick-upon-Tweed, and in the Islands of Guernsey, Jersey, Alderney,
Sark, and Man, and in all Her said Majesty's Colonies and Plantations abroad,
our;
Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY CARRIAGES, AND IN
MACHINERY FOR WORKING RAILWAYS, PARTS OF WHICH ARE APPLICABLE TO OTHER
CARRIAGES AND THE BEARINGS OF OTHER MACHINERY," being partly a communi-
cation from abroad; in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso that we,
the said Robert Mallet and John Somers Dawson, or one of us, should cause.
a particular description of the nature of our said Invention, and the manner
'

page_text: in which the same is to be performed, to be inrolled in Her said Majesty's
High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same,
reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, we, the said
Robert Mallet and John Somers Dawson, hereby declare that the nature of
the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, are
fully described and ascertained in and by the present Specification thereof,
reference being had to the Sheets of Drawings hereunto annexed, marked
respectively No. 1 and No. II., that is to say :-
Our Invention consists, firstly, in an improved turn-table for shifting railway
engines or carriages from one line of rail to another. The principal objects
aimed at in this part of our Invention have been, first, to make the principal
parts of the table adjustable independantly of the masonry to which it is
secured; second, that the centre of gravity of the whole moveable structure
shall be kept as much as possible below the point of support upon which it
revolves; third, that the table shall be capable of support at the edge or peri-
phery at any point of its revolution, and that this support may be promptly
applied or withdrawn; and fourth, that the friction and resistances to motion
shall be reduced to the utmost possible degree consistent with strength and
rigidity.
Figure 1, the Sheet No. 1 of the Drawings annexed, represents a sectional
elevation of a turn-table constructed on these principles, and Figure 2 is
a plan thereof on the level of the rails; Figure 3 a section on the line A, B,
of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a vertical section through the centre post; Figure 5
a section on the line C, D, of Figure 1; and Figure 6 is a section on the line
E, F. a, a, are parts of the masonry foundation; 6 is the centre post round
and upon which the whole revolves. It is made of cast-iron and hollow, and
is bolted at bottom to a large four-armed cross frame c, imbedded in the
masonry, the extremities of the arms of which are firmly wedged with hard
wood inserted into four or more recesses prepared to receive them at the
bottom of the sides of the well of masonry, as at d, d. The lower end of the
post 6 has a cylindrical turned part at the level of e, e, with a horizontal pre-
jecting bench or fillet at f, f, also turned and at right angles to the axis of the
post. The upper end of the post supports a cylindrical wrought-iron pivot g
which sustains the whole weight of the table and its load. The framing of
the table consists of a large square central casting h, with a cylindrical box in
the centre of it, in which a gun metal or other suitable bearing is placed to
rest upon the top pivot g. The bearing last mentioned is adjustable in the

page_text: box laterally by set screws, and vertically, either by chase wedges, as shewn, or
by one large square-threaded screw and nut inserted in the upper end of the
box, or in any other convenient way. As all parts of the framing of the table
are in connection with the central piece h, the adjustment laterally and ver-
tically of this central gun metal or other bearing adjusts the surface of the
whole table in the same directions. To this central casting h two main girders
i, i, are bolted at either side, from the outer sides of which other half girders
or cantilevers, secured by bolting, project at right angles, being made respec-
tively of such lengths as to meet the circle or circumference of the table, and
support its top surface. In the turn-table represented in the Drawing these
half girders are supposed to be covered at top with timber planking laid
diagonally across them and bolted thereto. We prefer, however, that they
should be covered with cast-iron plates moveable at pleasure. To the lower
edge of the two main girders i, i, the two frames k, k, are bolted and secured
with diagonal pieces connecting them with the outer parts of the girders at l, l.
The lower part of the frames k, k, are formed to receive the bottom hollow
collar e, e, which is dropped down over the post. This collar is bored cylin-
drical internally, and is of such diameter that a space of some inches is left
all round betwixt it and the turned collar at bottom of the post b. Into this
space the traversing ring of the friction rollers m fits. Any lateral strain pro-
duced by unequal loading of the table is transmitted from the collar e, through
these rollers to the post b. The construction of this loose ring of rollers is best
seen in Figures 4 and 5. There are six (more or less) turned cast-iron rollers
whose diameter is such as to be rather less than half the difference between
the external diameter of the post at e, and the internal diameter of the bored
collar e, so as to allow a little play. The edges of these rollers are rounded a
little in the turning, and they are always maintained equidistant from each
other by means of two flat horizontal wrought-iron rings through which the
pins on which the rollers revolve are passed to connect them. The whole
structure of the rings and rollers is sustained by three or more smaller rollers
which are attached to the lower wrought-iron ring, and rest upon and revolve
on the turned fillet f. f. The axles of these small rollers are radial and per-
pendicular to the axis of the post b. When the table is caused to revolve, this
loose collar of rollers revolves also, but not to the same extent, and removes,
in great part, the friction otherwise encountered by the bottom bearing of all
turn-tables which revolve upon a fixed vertical post. Between the outer ends
of the main girders i, i, cross framing n, n, is secured, and provided with proper
bearings to receive the horizontal shafts p, p, which are radial to the post b,
and turn freely in all their bearings. 0, 0, are cast-iron rollers turned and

page_text: bored concentrically, which are free to turn upon the shafts p, p, and are placed
between the framing n, n. The portions of the shafts p, p, upon which the
rollers o, o, revolve, are excentrics, that is to say, the axis of the cylinder form-
ing the portion of the shaft p, which is within the roller o, does not coincide
with the axis of all other parts of the shaft, but is excentric to the said axis,
although the axes of all parts of the shafts are parallel. The inner ends of
the shafts p, p, are provided with chain wheels, or with cranks, or with toothed
wheels, or any other equivalent arrangement, by means of which a revolution,
either backwards or forwards, to the extent of half a circle, may be simulta-
neously given to the shafts p, p, by the movement of the hand lever 1, Figure 3,
and the combination is so adjusted that when the lever is at one extremity
of the circular arc in which it moves, the excentric parts of the shafts p, p,
within the rollers are turned downwards, and when it is at the opposite
extremity of its arc these excentrics are turned upwards, as shewn in Figure 6,
where one of the excentrics and rollers is shown as thrown down; and their
position, when thrown up, is also indicated by dotted lines. A horizontal
traverse ring of cast iron, resting upon a bench of masonry, and adjustable, as
to level, &c., all round, is provided beneath the rollers o, o, and suited to the
circle they describe with the table. When the excentric parts of the shafts
p, p, are thrown down, the rollers o, o, bear hard upon the upper face of this
traverse ring, and in this position firmly support the outer edge of the turn-
table, while they permit it freely to turn. When, however, the excentric parts
of the shafts p, p, are thrown up, the effect is to lift the rollers 0, 0, vertically
off the traverse ring s, by a height equal to twice the distance between the
axis of the excentric portions and that of the other portions of the shafts p,p;
and in this state the turn-table rests only upon the central pivot g, and, being
prevented from oscillating by the bearing collar and rollers at e, is free to
revolve either alone or with its load. It being further requisite to provide
means for stopping the revolution of the turn-table at any given point, the
shafts p, p, have for this purpose palls t, t, attached to them, one at each outer
end close to the rollers o, o, these palls turning loosely upon the shafts, and
those at the opposite ends of the shaft being turned towards opposite sides of
the diameter of the table. The traverse rings is provided with stops of a
wedge shape, as at w, w, which are adjusted to receive these palls, and are
placed at the requisite points, so that when the palls abut against these at the
same moment, they shalt bring the table to rest without
central pivot. The stops w, w, are separate from the traverse ring, in orde
that they may be altered in position at pleasure, and are secured
fixed, by bolts, or in any other convenient way. A cast-iron boss
any shock
upon the
it, whe
is keye

page_text: P, P,
upon the shafts
close to the pall; at either end a portion of the circum-
ference of this boss is cut away at the side next the pall, and a pin projects
from the side of the eye of the pall into the quadrantal space so cut away.
The effect of this arrangement is, that when the rollers o, o, are thrown down
or come into their bearing position, the palls also are freely at liberty to drop
into the stops w, w, set to receive them; but when the rollers o, o, are thrown
up (as already described by the excentrics) the palls are also lifted, so that the
table may be caused to revolve to any extent without being stopped, by dropping
into any of the stops, as w, w, however numerous these may be. The operation
of the table requires but little further explanation. Supposing the table to be
at rest, and the rollers o, o, bearing upon the traverse rings and the palls t, t,
against their stops, the locomotive engine or other load is then brought in upon
the rails which are secured on the surface of the table. The lever r is now
caused to move through its full arc, the palls are lifted nearly into a horizontal
position, and the rollers o, o, are lifted clear of the traverse ring. The table
is now caused to rotate as far as desired, and when it comes within two or three
feet (at its circumference) of the point at which it is to stop, the lever r is moved
back rather more than half way towards its former position, by which the palls
are dropped and trail along the traverse ring until they abut against their stops
and bring the table to rest, at which moment the lever r is moved on through
the remainder of its arc back to its first position, whereby the rollers o, o, are
brought again to bear firmly upon the ring s, to support the edge of the table,
while the load is being rolled off from it. The same combination of a concen-
tric roller turning loose upon an axle or shaft having an excentric motion,
whereby motion may be given to the roller in the direction of its radius, either
while at rest or while it is revolving, may be applied with more or less advan-
tage to various sorts of machinery; and it is therefore specified, not only as
forming a prominent part of our improved turn-table, but as a new mechanical
movement, to the use of which, in all its applications, we have an exclusive
title during the term of our herein-before recited Letters Patent.
Second, our Invention relates to a method of transferring railway or other
carriages, or parts of such carriages, from one line of. rails to another, whether
of the same or of different guages; and also of moving private carriages or other
vehicles for common road traffic upon or from off the carriage trucks upon
railways. Our improved apparatus for these purposes may be used anywhere
on a railway, but is chiefly applicable in the passenger sheds of railway stations,
in place of the ordinary turn-tables used for passing railway carriages from one
line to another, and in place of the docks used for loading and unloading
commion road carriages upon railway trucks; and, lastly, in transferring carriages,

page_text: or parts of them, from rails of one guage to those of a different guage. The gene-
ral system on which we proceed in this part of our Invention is as follows:-
A set of rails, laid at whatever width asunder may be required (usually from thirty
to forty feet), is supported upon posts or on brackets attached to columns, as
shown in the Drawings herein-after described, or in any other suitable way, and
at a sufficient height above the level of. the railway to give clear headway for
engines and carriages below. These overhead rails cross the railway line at
right angles, and upon them traverses in either direction one or several frames
(analogous to the "setting frames" commonly used in house building) of
timber or iron, which move on large rollers caused to revolve by gearing
or otherwise, and which frames are also provided with suitable gearing to
raise or lift, to a certain height from off the rails, the railway carriages, or parts
of them, and lower the same again on to the rails, after traversing with the
load backwards or forwards upon the railway overhead, and across the main
lines of rails. Similar traversing frames, provided with hoisting and lowering
gear, but of a lighter description, are used for raising common road carriages
from the departure platforms, or other parts of railway termini or stations, and
transferring the same over the carriage trucks, and there depositing them, or,
vice versa, raising common road carriages from off the trucks and depositing
them upon arrival platforms.
The same improved arrangement may also be applied generally to the load-
ing or unloading of goods' waggons upon railways. We do not confine
ourselves to any particular construction or arrangement of machinery for the
purpose, but we consider that the combinations shewn in Figures 1 and 2, Sheet
No. 2, Figures 5 and 6, Sheet No. 2, and Figures 8, 4, and 7, Sheet No. 2, as
being on the whole the best.
In Sheet No. 2, Figure 1 is a transverse section through part of a passenger
shed across the lines of rails; and Figure 2, a partial longitudinal section
through the same. In Sheet No. 2, Figure 5 is a plan of the whole arrange-
ment of the traversing frame shown in elevation. Figures 1 and 2 in Sheet
No. 2, and Figure 6, is an end elevation of the same. a, a, are the columns
of cast iron which support the roof of the shed, and sustain by brackets the
overhead railway d; b, b, are the ground lines of railways; e, part of the pas-
sengers platform; x, a railway carriage lifted from the rails (Figure 1); and
ready to be transferred; f, the transferring frame, composed of boiler plate
framing; 9, 9, are six chains by which the carriage is lifted. The lower ends
of these chains terminate in large hooks, and the chains, having been passed in
beneath the axle guards of the carriages and between the spokes of each wheel,
are hooked in over the axles as shown, by which means the carriage is only

page_text: subjected to such strains in lifting as are similar to those it is obliged to sustain
when resting upon the road; c, c, are the wheels or rollers upon which the
traverse frame moves on the overhead rails d; h (Figure 2, Sheet No. 2,) is part
of the roof framing of the shed, which connects the columns a, a; kis the plat-
form overhead, upon which the men stand to work the machine; is the winch
handle by which a carriage or other body is raised and lowered, which winch
bandle gives motion by a pinion and wheel to the wheels b, b, b, in either
direction. The axles of these wheels b, b, b, are right and left handed nuts,
into which the horizontal screws a, a, work, and to which the hoisting chains g, g,
are attached. The carriage or other body is thus raised or lowered, or held
fast, at any point, by the screws working simultaneonsly in or out of the fixed
nuts. m is another winch handle, by which motion laterally, along the over-
head rails, in either direction, is given to the whole transferring frame and load,
it being connected by toothed gearing with the rollers c, upon which the frame
traverses. There are two changes of speed provided for in this gear, with
means of engaging either, by the handle o operating upon a coupling box p.
n is a brake handle, by which the motion laterally upon the overhead rails
is rapidly stopped at any required point, so as to land the carriage over any set
of rails. A latch or pall may also be made to act upon the overhead rails, or
on the framing which carries them, so as to drop in and arrest the lateral
movement of the transferring frame at any point with precision.
Figures 3, 4, and 7, Sheet No. 2, represent respectively a side elevation, a
plan, and end elevation of the sort of transferring frame which we consider best
suited for moving common road carriages, or other heavy bodies, on and off
railway carriage trucks. f is the traversing frame, which is made of light
boiler plate iron, stiffened by timber; c, c, are the rollers, by means of which it
traverses on the overhead rails, and which are moved by a chain k indicated
by the dotted line, Figure 7, passed round the rollers 9, 9, at the extremities of
the utmost distance which the frame has to traverse. When one of these
rollers is caused to revolve by hand gear, the chain, whose extremities are
united by the traversing frame, pulls the latter either way, as it is itself caused
to move by the rollers g. This traversing frame carries two separate sets of
hoisting machinery. That to the left hand of the plan, Figure 4, is for hoisting
four-wheeled road carriages; that to the right hand may be used for light two-
wheeled carriages, or for goods, &c. a is a rope wheel, to which rotation is given
by an endless rope wound over it, and worked by men standing on the level of
the ground rails, which wheel has a pinion on its shaft which takes into two
spur wheels. The four barrels b, b, are caused to revolve either way. Each
of these barrels has a rope wound upon it or fastened to its circumference,

page_text: and the extremities of these ropes being fastened to the wheels of the common
road carriage, it follows that when the rope wheel a is caused to revolve the
carriage is lifted, and when it is moved the other way the carriage is turned off.
A pall and ratchet is attached to the shaft of the wheel a, and worked by a
cord at the ground level, so as to prevent a carriage, when hoisted, from falling
before it is desired to be lowered.
The gear for hoisting two-wheeled carriages or goods is the same as the fore-
going in principle, but has only two rope barrels b, b, on the same shaft with
the rope wheel a; d is the lever for acting on the brakes by which the
lateral movement of the transferring frame may be instantly stopped when
required.
Thirdly, our Invention relates to an improved method of connecting the axle
boxes and bearings of the axles of railway carriages with the framing of the
under carriages, so as to give freedom of oscillation, within certain limits, to
the wheels, axles, and axle bearings, without such oscillation being transferred
to the body of the carriage itself, whereby much of the unpleasant lateral jolting
or oscillation, now and heretofore experienced by passengers in railway carriages,
will be obviated, and the axle friction, the wear and tear of the flanges, and
tyres of the wheels, the expenditure for lubrication, and for maintenance of
way, be all much diminished. We effect this by hanging the under frame
of the carriage at the lower extremities of peculiarly formed axle guards, by two
links or bars, the upper ends of which are connected with the axle box at its
upper part, and which links are free to oscillate within certain limits round
their lower extremites (or eyes), as centres in a plane transverse to the line of
motion of the carriage.
This mode of construction will be fully understood by reference to the
Figures 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11, of Sheet No. 1. a is part of the side frame of
the under carriage of a railway carriage; b, an axle guard, similar to those
commonly in use; c, the cross bar connecting its extremites; d is our new
axle guard, formed of wrought iron, and of the form shewn. The upper part
of this guard is secured to the carriage bearing spring which rests directly
upon it, by bolts and nuts; and the guard d is at liberty to move up and down
with the play of the spring f, but has a very limited amount of horizontal play
given to it, which limitation is produced by the wrought-iron guide pieces or
jaws e, e, which pass (loosely) round the outer edges of the common axle
guard b, which is fixed to the under carriage by bolts in the usual way. The
lower extremites of the axle guard & consist of two wrought-iron bored eyes,
prepared to receive the bolt r, whose direction is parallel to the side frame of
the under carriage. Parallel with the vertical sides of this axle guard are

page_text: placed the two suspending or oscillating links q, through the lower eyes of
which the bolt r runs, and between these eyes, when the links are in place,
the distance pieces is confined and kept by the nut and bolt r.
The upper
extremites or eyes of the two oscillating links are united by the cross piece of
wrought iron h, the central portion of which is square, but its two ends are
turned round to fit the upper eyes of the links. k is the axle box, consisting
of its upper and lower parts, seen in side elevation, with one oscillating link
attached, in Figure 9, and in longitudinal section in Figure 10. is the axle
bearing, of brass or other material; the upper part of the axle box is cast with
a recess to receive the cross piece h, and the latter is provided with two holes
to receive the two bolts and nuts m, m, which at once serve to connect the
cross piece firmly to the axle box, and to unite both the upper and lower parts
of the axle box together. n is the cover of the hollow grease box, formed in
the upper part of the axle box, to lubricate the axle bearing in the usual
way.
It will now be understood that when the foregoing arrangement is applied
to all the axles (four or more) of a railway carriage, the following effects are
produced:-
First, the axle box itself becomes free to rotate round the axis of the turned
necks or ends of the cross piece h, within certain limits, so that the bearing
brass or other metal shall always press firmly and uniformly upon the axle
journal, and this, however the several wheels and axles of the carriage
may get out of level or be distorted by travelling upon an irregular line of
railway.
Secondly, the wheels and axles, carrying with them the axle boxes and
bearings, are free to oscillate within certain limits transversely to the line
of motion of the carriage by the free motion of the suspending links 9, without
communicating any oscillation to the body of the carriage.
Thirdly, the carriage axles are free, within certain limits, to assume the
directions of radii to any curve round which the carriage may happen to be
passing, and be no longer parallel, and again to assume their parallelism when
the straight part of the railway is reached.
And, fourthly, these several directions of advantageous freedom are given to
the axle bearings and boxes with greater strength and safety of parts than
usual, and with perfect freedom of play to the bearing springs.
Fourthly, our Invention consists in an improved method of oiling or lubri-
cating all sorts of journals, or other revolving and rubbing cylindrical surfaces,
and which are especially applicable to the journals of the axles of locomotive
engines, railway carriages, tenders, &c. We place, at a suitable distance

page_text: below the journal or rubbing surface to be oiled, a vessel containing oil or
other fluid unguent, and one or several small balls or spheres of such specific
gravity, that it or they may float on the surface of such oil. These balls or
spheres may be of cork or light wood, or, if made hollow, they may be made of
glass, or metal, or porcelain. The size of the floating body or bodies is such,
and the distance from the lower side of the journal to the surface of the
oil is so adjusted, that the floating body or bodies shall be in contact with
the lower side of the journal, or with some part of it very near its lowest
part. When the journal or cylindrical axle is now caused to revolve in
either direction upon its own axis the slight friction between its surface
and that of the floating body or bodies is sufficient to cause these to revolvo
also; they thus lick up (as it were) the oil or other such fluid in which
they float, and continually apply it to the under surface of the revolving
axle or journal. The superfluous portion of oil so applied to the axle or
bearing is swept off by the top brass or metal in which the axle or journal
is placed, for the upper half of its circumference, at the side towards which
the surface of the axle or journal revolves, and from which it drops back
again into the dish or vessel of oil beneath. The advantages of this con-
trivance are, that oil is thus constantly and uniformly applied to the axle,
or journal, or shaft, and with a rapidity exactly proportionate to its own
velocity of revolution; that there is scarcely any waste of oil; that the
cleanest and best part of the oil is that always in use; and that the
arrangement is so simple as not to be liable to get out of order, and admits
of examination of the state of the axle and oiling apparatus at any moment.
Figures 18, 19, 20, and 21, of Sheet No. 1, represent the details of an axle
box and bearing brass, fitted with our improved oiling apparatus, in the way
which we consider the most suitable for railway carriages, &c. a is the cast-
iron axle box, formed so as to slide in the usual axle guard; b, part of
the axle of a railway carriage in place; c is the brass bearing or pillow
of metal, in which the axle journal revolve; k, k, are holes for bolts by which
the axle box is fixed to the bearing spring of the carriage; d the oil vessel,
which we prefer to have made of cast iron. Its edge rises as high as
meets the lower edge of the
the horizontal diameter of the axle journal, and
brass bearing or pillow c. At the end next the wheel of the carriage the edge
of the oil box embraces the lower half of the axle journal, but projects beyond
the axle altogether at the other or outer end, so as to allow of oil being
poured in, and of the journal being inspected upon drawing up the front slide
of plate iron (h). The oil box d is secured in its place by a cotter or wedge e
which is very slightly bent before being driven across so as to bear hard and

page_text: with a little elasticity against the under side or bottom of the oil box at the
middle of its length; f, f, are the balls or spheres floating in and upon the oil,
and in contact with the lower part of the axle b; g is a tray or box of copper
or of tin plate, which slides into its place in a rabbate cast on the lowest part
of the axle box, and is secured there by the slide h. The office of this tray is
to catch any small quantity of oil that may escape from the oil box d, or from
the axle, and from this tray it may be returned readily into the oil box for
further use. The floating bodies may be the shape of almost any solid of
revolution, but we prefer the sphere.
Fifthly. Our Invention consists in the employment for the journals of loco-
motive and other revolving axles or shafts, pillows or bearings formed partly of
agate, or flint, or other hard and suitable stone or mineral, or of glass or the
harder descriptions of porcelain, such as that known as Wedgewood's ware,
and partly of metal or metals. The glass or agate, or other like material,
is to be formed into the usual shape of metallic bearings or pillows, but,
in place of being inserted directly into the cast-iron or other axle box (in
which case they would be liable to fracture), they are made smaller by
a certain amount all round them than the recess of the axle box which is to
receive them, and the space between is filled up by pouring in fluid fusible
metal, such as any of the alloys of lead and tin, between the axle box and
bearing, so as to fill the intermediate space completely, and make the two
bodies to act and be acted on as one body when in use. A compound bearing
of this description is represented in Figure 22, Sheet No. 1. a is the axle
box; b, the journal of the axle in cross section; c, the agate or porcelain,
or other like bearing; m, the bed for the same of fusible metal; & is the oil
vessel for lubricating by the floating balls f,f; e, the cotter which retains the
oil vessel. We also use mastic or other resinous cement, or Parker's cement,
or plaster of Paris, or gutta percha, or pressed leather, to form the bed for the
axle bearing, placing the material so as to fill completely the space between it
and the axle box.
Sixthly, and lastly. Our Invention consists in an improved railway break,
or combination of means serving the purposes of a railway break. At the
back or flange edge of the tire of the wheels of such carriages we form a pro-
jecting ring or fillet, which is surrounded by a hoop, the extremities of which
are provided with means by which they may be brought closer together, so
that the fillet shall be grasped by the hoop, and the wheel thus held fast and
prevented from revolving. Various arrangements may be made for effecting
this object, but those that we consider the most suitable are represented in
Figures 12, 14, 15, 16, and 17, in Sheet No. 1, and also in Figure 1 of same
Sheet, where the hoop is applied, not to a fillet at the tyre, but to one formed

page_text: upon the boss or nave of the wheel. a is part of the side frame of the under
carriage of a railway carriage; b, the ordinary axle guard; c, the wheel; d, its
axle; e, the bearing spring; f, the axle box; g, the fillet, which may be either
rolled in one with the tyre bar or made separately, and the tyre, when finished
ready for turning, shrunk on upon it, as shewn in Figure 17. p is the wrought-
iron or steel hoop surrounding the wrought-iron fillet g; r and s are the right
and left handed nnts, in which the screw m works, and by turning which (by
hand) one way the hoop contracts and grasps the fillet or nave of the wheel,
As the under carriage is
and by turning it the reverse way releases the same.
the fulcrum against which these nuts screw, and their shaft must abut to
prevent the hoop being twisted round by the tendency of the wheel to revolve
when braked, and as the under carriage plays up and down with the bearing
springs while it is necessary that the hoop should always maintain the same
place, as respects the wheel, it is therefore necessary that the hoops,
screws, &c., should be sustained by a plate o, v, and the arms y, y, which,
being connected by a pin joint with the upper part of the bearing spring, and
sliding in the vertical grooves of the plate w, which is fastened to the under
carriage frame, permit the latter to move up and down with the play of the
bearing springs without deranging the relative positions of the hoop and wheel
which it embraces. The arms y, y, are connected by the bars t, t, between
which the tails of the right and left hand nuts r and s slide back and forwards
when the shaft m is turned, these serve to keep the lower part of the hoop p
from quitting the fillet. In Figure 13, Sheet No. 1, a right or left hand
screw only is used; the screw turning in collars in the place of the second nut.
And having now described the nature of our said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we claim is as
follows:-
Firstly, we claim the improved railway turn-table firstly herein-before
described, in the general arrangement and combination of parts of which the
same consists, that is to say, in so far as the loose collar of rollers m, m, the
concentri-eccentric rollers o, o, and the stop palls t, t, form peculiar and essential
parts of such combination and arrangement.
Secondly, we claim the cinployment of the said loose collar of rollers m, m,
and the concentri-eccentric rollers o, o, (with or without the stop palls t, t,) in
railway turn-tables, however such turn-tables may be otherwise constructed.
Thirdly, we claim the application of the concentri-eccentric movement
before described, that is to say, of the concentric roller turning loose upon an
axle or shaft, having an eccentric motion to all other machinery besides
railway turn-tables) to which the same is or may be applicable.
Fourthly, we claim the machinery or apparatus described under the second

page_text: head of this Specification, for transferring carriages and other bodies from one
line of rails to another, whether of the same or of different guages in the
general arrangement and combination of parts of which the same consists,
that is to say, in so far as such machinery or apparatus consists of railways
fixed overhead in directions at right or other angles to the ground rails, and
actuated by a moving force applied overhead, as aforesaid.
Fifthly, we claim the improved mode before described of connecting the
axle boxes and bearings of railway carriages, with the under framings or
carriages, whereby the liability of the bodies of such carriages to lateral jolting
or oscillation is greatly, if not entirely, diminished, as aforesaid.
Sixthly, we claim the employment, for the purpose of lubricating the journals
of the axles of locomotive engines and railway carriages and all other sorts of
revolving and rubbing cylindrical surfaces, of a vessel of oil or other fluid
unguent, having floating on the surface thereof a ball or sphere or balls or
spheres, or other suitably shaped body or bodies, as before described, for the
purpose of applying the said unguents.
Seventhly, we claim the employment for the journals of locomotive and
other revolving axles, and shafts of compound bearings, formed partly of agate
or flint, or other natural stone or mineral, or of glass, porcelain, stoneware, or
other like artificial composition, and partly of metal or metals, as before
described.
Eighthly, and lastly, we claim the improved railway break, or combination of
means serving the purposes of a railway break, lastly herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Mallet, on behalf of myself
and the said John Somers Dawson, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Twenty-seventh day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and forty-seven.