IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY WHEELS
Year: 1881

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Henry Kitson at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 1st February 1881.
WILLIAM HENRY KITSON, of Leeds, in the County of York, Engineer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY WHEELS."
My Invention bas for its object improvements in railway wheels and relates to
wheels in which rings are used to secure the tyres to the wheel centres or bodies.
In such wheels as constructed with a metallic disc that extends nearly to the
diameter of the centre or body, and which is overlapped by a ring furnished with
a lip or flange let into the tyre, I interpose a ring, washer, or layer of wood, paper,
or analogous material between the metallic disc and the fastening ring, for the
purpose of obviating any noise arising from direct contact of the metallic disc with
the metallic fastening ring. To prevent the tyres turning on wheel centres or
bodies I form the fastening ring with a lip, or flange, or tongues projecting
outwardly from the ring, and in the tyre itself, near the periphery of the ring and
face of the tyre, I form notches or recesses into which I "upset," or force, or cause
to enter parts of the projection or projections of the fastening ring already
referred to.
In some cases, in conjunction with a fastening ring formed with a lip or flange
let into the tyre, I use plates let into grooves or recesses in the inner circumference
of the tyre to prevent turning of the same on or about the wheel centre or body.
Parts of the tyre may be made to overlap the plates above referred to. The inner
circumference of the tyre may be formed with a continuous groove, into which the
plates may be inserted at one edge, so that the other part of the plate overlaps the
ring, and the outer side or wall of such groove may be forced inward somewhat at
the respective ends of the plates, so as to form stops or abutments therefor, to
prevent the tyre turning on the wheel centre or body when the plates have been
secured thereto by bolts or rivets passing through them and the ring; or the

page_text: recesses for the plates may be in the face of the tyre; or the wall of a continuous
groove may be removed at intervals to receive the plates.
To firmly secure segments of wood or analogous cushioning material between
spokes or arms radiating from the nave of the wheel I employ a fixed washer plate
in conjunction with an adjustable washer plate. The fixed washer plate is firmly
secured to the spokes or arms by rivetting, bolting, or otherwise, in such a way
that this washer plate is caused to bear firmly against the spokes or arms, with
which it is kept in actual contact at the one side of the wheel near the nave.
I make the segments of wood or other cushioning material thicker than the spokes
or arms are wide, so, that at the reverse side of the wheel to that at which the
fixed washer plate already named is secured the cushioning material projects
beyond the spokes or radial arms. At this side I provide the second or adjustable
washer plate, which by means of bolts I tighten up so as to hold the cushioning
material tightly between the fixed washer plate first referred to and the secondly
named or adjustable washer plate.
The first named washer plate may be secured to the spokes or arms by
independent bolts or rivets, or the bolts may be formed with threads at both
ends, and each with an intermediate conical or other enlargement taking into a
recess in the spoke or arm it passes through, such recess being at the reverse
side to that against which the fixed washer plate bears, thus leaving a screw stud
projecting, whereby the adjustable washer plate may be tightened up to the
cushioning material. Also instead of the cushioning material projecting beyond
the spokes or arms throughout their length, the said spokes or arms may be
recessed a distance not less than the width of the adjustable washer plate, so that
at this part the cushioning material will project beyond the spokes or arms.
It will be evident my improvements as above set forth may be carried out in
various forms without departing from the essential characteristics of my Invention.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Henry Kitson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
25th July 1881.
WILLIAM HENRY KITSON, of Leeds, in the County of York, Engineer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY WHEELS."
My Invention has for its object improvements in railway wheels, and relates to
wheels in which rings are used to secure the tyres to the wheel centres or bodies.
In such wheels as constructed with a metallic disc that extends nearly to the
diameter of the centre or body, and which is overlapped by a ring furnished with
a lip or flange let into the tyre, I interpose a ring, washer, or layer of wood, paper,
or analagous material between the metallic disc and the fastening ring, for the
purpose of obviating any noise arising from direct contact of the metallic disc with
the metallic fastening ring.
Referring to the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, Fig. 1 is a part section
showing a portion of a railway wheel, in which a ring is used to secure the tyre to
the wheel centre or body, a ring, washer, or layer of wood, paper, or other analagous
material being interposed between the metallic disc and the fastening ring, for the
purpose of obviating any noise arising from direct contact of the metallic disc with
the metallic fastening ring. Fig. 1 shews the same wheel in elevation to a smaller
scale, the upper half of the Figure representing part of the inside and the lower half
part of the outside of the wheel. A is the tyre; B, the wood body; C, C, the rings
used to secure the tyres to the wheel centre or body; D, the metallic disc formed
with or attached to the boss and extending nearly across the diameter of the centre
or body of the wheel; E, the ring of wood, paper, or other analagous material;
F, F, the retaining bolts. To prevent the tyres turning on the wheel centres or
bodies of railway wheels, I form the fastening ring with a lip or flange or tongues
projecting outwardly from the ring, and in the tyre itself, near the periphery of the
ring and face of the tyre, I form notches or recesses into which I "upset," or force,
or cause to enter parts of the projection or projections of the fastening ring already
referred to.
Figs. 2 and 3 are part sections of a wheel wherein the tyre is prevented from
turning on the centre or body according to my Invention, and Fig. 4 is an elevation
to a smaller scale, of which the upper half shows part of the inside, and the lower
half part of the outside of the wheel. A is the tyre; B, the wood body; C, the
ring used to secure the tyre to the centre or body; F, F, the retaining bolts. The
ring C has a lip or flange C' projecting from it outwardly, and the tyre A has
recesses or notches A' cut into it at intervals, as shewn, into which the lip C' is
upset or caused to enter. Fig. 2 shews the projecting lip or flange and one recess
as they appear when the parts of the wheel are first put together, and Fig. 3 shews
them when the lip or flange C¹ has been forced into the recess A¹. Fig. 5 is a part
section, and Fig. 6 is an elevation shewing parts of both sides of a railway wheel,
wherein the tyre is prevented from turning on the centre by a modification of the
above mentioned method. Upon the ring C tongues are formed at intervals, of
which one only, marked C2, is shewn in the Drawings. Each of these tongues takes
into or engages with a notch or recess A¹ in the tyre, and prevents the tyre from
turning with relation to the ring C. Fig. 6a is a part section, and Fig. 6b an
elevation shewing parts of both sides of a railway wheel, in which the tyre is
prevented from turning on the centre or body according to my Invention. The
tyre A has a groove round its inner face, the inner wall of the groove being formed
by an outwardly projecting ring or lip A2; the ring C has tongues (of which one,
marked C2, is shewn in the Drawings) which take into notches formed by cutting.

page_text: "
away the outer wall of the groove. This outer wall can afterwards be turned over
the ring C in places at either side of each tongue. In Figs. 6d and 6º, which are
similar views to Figs. 6 and 6, the tongue C³ is, as shewn, slightly different in
form from that shewn in the preceding Figures. In some cases, in conjunction with
a fastening ring formed with a lip or flange let into the tyre, I use plates let into
grooves or recesses in the inner circumference of the tyre to prevent turning of the
same on or about the wheel centre or body. Fig. 7 is a part section, and Fig. 8 is
an elevation shewing portions of both sides of a wheel according to this part
of my Invention. The plate G is secured by two of the bolts F, F, to the
wheel body, and has a tooth or projection C² which takes into or engages
with a notch or recess A' in the inner circumference of the tyre.
Or parts
of the tyre may be made to overlap the plates G, G, as shewn in Figs. 9, 10,
and 11, of which Fig. 9 is a section shewing the wheel as it appears when
first put together during manufacture, and Fig. 10 is a section shewing it when
completed; Fig. 11 is an elevation shewing parts of both sides of the wheel.
The recesses G', G, in this case are cut in the plates G, G, and a ring on the tyre
is upset or caused to enter the recesses. The inner circumference of the
tyre may be formed with a continuous groove into which the plates may be inserted
at one edge, so that the other part of the plate overlaps the ring, and the outer
side or wall of such groove may be forced inward somewhat at the respective ends
of the plates, so as to form stops or abutments therefor to prevent the tyre
turning on the wheel centre or body when the plates have been secured thereto by
bolts or rivets passing through them and the ring; Figs. 12, 13, and 14 shew a
wheel constructed according to this part of my Invention. Plates (one of which,
marked G, is shewn in the Drawings) have one of their edges inserted with a
continuous groove in the inner side of the tyre. When the plates have been
secured by the bolts F, F, passing through them and the ring C, as shewn in
Fig. 12, the outer side or wall of the groove is forced inwards somewhat at the
respective ends of the plates so as to form stops or abutments (Fig. 13) to prevent
the tyre turning. Or the recesses for the plates may be in the face of the tyre, in
which case they may be either cut out of the solid metal, as in Figs. 15 and 15 A,
or may be formed by removing at intervals the inner wall of a continuous groove,
as shewn in Figs. 16 and 17. To firmly secure segments of wood or analagous
cushioning material between spokes or arms radiating from the nave of the wheel,
I employ a fixed washer plate in conjunction with an adjustable washer plate.
The fixed washer plate is firmly secured to the spokes or arms by rivetting, bolting,
or otherwise in such a way that this washer plate is caused to bear firmly against
the spokes or arms, with which it is kept in actual contact at the one side of the
wheel near the nave. I make the segments of wood or other cushioning material
thicker than the spokes or arms are wide, so that at the reverse side of the wheel
to that at which the fixed washer plate already named is secured, the cushioning
material projects beyond the spokes or radial arms. At this side I provide the
second or adjustable washer plate, which, by means of bolts, I tighten up so as to
hold the cushioning material tightly between the fixed washer plate first referred
to and the secondly named or adjustable washer plate. The first named washer
plate may be secured to the spokes or arms by independent bolts or rivets, or the
bolts may be formed with threads at both ends, and each with an intermediate
conical or other enlargement taking into a recess in a spoke or arm it passes
through, such recess being at the reverse side to that against which the fixed washer
plate bears, thus leaving a screw stud projecting, whereby the adjustable washer
plate may be tightened up to the cushioning material. Also instead of the
cushioning material projecting beyond the spokes or arms throughout their length,
the said spokes or arms may be recessed a distance not less than the width of the
adjustable washer plate, so that at this part the cushioning material will project
beyond the spokes or arms. Figs. 18, 19, and 20 are similar sections, and Fig. 20ª
is a double sided elevation shewing three methods of securing segments of wood
or other analagous cushioning material between spokes or arms radiating from the

page_text: nave of a wheel. A is the tyre; H, H, radiating arms; I, I, segments of wood;
J, the fixed washer plate; K, the adjustable washer plate. In Fig. 18 the wood
segments are shewn wider than the arms or spokes, so that the adjustable washer
comes in contact with the cushioning material and not with the metal spokes.
The fixed washer is secured by independent rivets. In Fig. 19 the fixed and
adjustable washers are secured by double ended bolts with intermediate conical
collars or enlargements fitting into recesses in the arms.
In Fig. 20 the wood segments are the same width as the arms, but the latter
are cut away for a certain portion of their length below the wood to leave an
elastic bearing surface for the adjustable washer.
Figs. 18, 19, and 20 do not show any of my plans for preventing tyres from
turning round on the wheel centre, but any of the methods before described can be
applied to this description of wheel.
It will be evident my improvements as above set forth may be carried out
in various forms without departing from the essential characteristics of my
Invention.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and the manner in
which it is to be or may be performed or carried into practical effect, I would have
it understood that what I consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as
secured to me under the Letters Patent herein before in part recited is,-
1. In railway wheels constructed with a metallic disc overlapped by a fastening
ring engaging with the tyre, interposing between the said metallic disc and the
said fastening ring a ring, washer, or layer of wood, paper, or other analagous
material, for the purpose of obviating any noise arising from direct contact of the
metallic disc with the metallic fastening ring, substantially as hereinabove
described.
2. In railway wheels preventing the tyre turning on the wheel centres or bodies,
substantially as and by the means shewn in and described respectively with
reference to Figs. 2, 3, and 4, to Figs. 5 and 6, to Figs. 6 and 6b, to Figs. 6d and 6º,
to Figs. 7 and 8, to Figs. 9, 10, and 11, to Figs. 12, 13, and 14, to Figs. 15 and 15ª,
and to Figs. 16 and 17.
3. In railway wheels the method of securing the segments of wood or analagous
cushioning material between the spokes or arms by the use in combination of a
fixed washer plate and an adjustable washer plate, substantially as described and
shewn respectively in Fig. 18 and in Fig. 19, and in Figs. 20 and 20%.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Henry Kitson, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty third day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
WILLIAM HENRY KITSON. (L.S.)