IMPROVEMENTS IN LUBRICATING THE AXLES OF RAILWAY CARRIAGES
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Augustus Torrey, of No. 65, Beaver Street,
New York, in the United States of America, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN LUBRICATING THE AXLES OF RAILWAY CARRIAGES."-A
communication from Joseph Wood, residing at Red Bank, New Jersey,
in the United States of America.
Sealed the 31st May 1864, and dated the 24th March 1864.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Augustus Torrey
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
24th March 1864.
I, WILLIAM AUGUSTUS TORREY, of No. 65, Beaver Street, New York, in
the United States of America, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention
for." IMPROVEMENTS IN LUBRICATING THE AXLES OF RAILWAY CARRIAGES," to be
as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in lubricating the axles of
railway carriages. Heretofore in some cases the axles of railway carriages have
been lubricated by making the lower box a receptacle, which has been filled
with cotton waste saturated with oil, and the cotton waste coming in contact
with the portion of the axle which is in the bearing, keeps it constantly oiled,

page_text: the capillary action of the cotton ensuring the bringing up of the oil to the
axle. This arrangement is disadvantageous, however, as the cotton after a
time becomes charred, and it is then unfit for further use. Now, according
to this Invention, I employ wood shavings, by preference those of pine or sca
grass, in place of cotton waste; the lower box is made larger than when
cotton is used, and at starting as much oil is poured into it as it will hold, in
addition to the shavings or sea grass. It will be found that the pine shavings
and sea grass are not liable to char, and have sufficient capillary power to
bring up the oil as it is required, so that the box of a railway axle when thus
arranged and lubricated will frequently run for months without requiring any
attention.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Augustus Torrey in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 21st September 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
AUGUSTUS TORREY, of No. 65, Beaver Street, New York, in the United States
of America, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of March, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-seventh year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs. and successors, give and grant.unto
me, the said William Augustus Torrey, Her special licence that I, the said
William Augustus Torrey, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as 1, the said William Augustus Torrey, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time
and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom
of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN LUBRICATING THE AXLES OF RAILWAY CAR-
.RIAGES," a communication from Joseph Wood, a person resident at Red
Bank, New Jersey, in the United States of America, upou the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said William Augustus Torrey, my executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one
of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be per-
formed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office

page_text: within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Augustus Torrey, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, that is to say:-
⚫ This Invention has for its object improvements in lubricating the axles of
railway carriages. Heretofore in some cases the axles of railway carriages
have been lubricated by making the lower box a receptacle, which has been
filled with cotton waste saturated with oil, and the cotton waste coming in
contact with the portion of the axle, which is in the bearing, keeps it con-
stantly oiled; the capillary action of the cotton ensuring the bringing up of the
oil to the axle. This arrangement is disadvantageous, however, as the cotton
after a time becomes charred, and it is then unfit for further use. Now,
according to this Invention, I employ wood shavings, by preference those of
pine or sea grass" (ruppia) in place of cotton waste. The wood shavings I
employ are such as are made by carpenters, and when sea grass (ruppia) is
employed it is only necessary that it should be previously dried; the lower
box is made larger than when cotton is used, and at starting as much oil is
poured into it as it will hold, in addition to the shavings or sea grass. The
form of axle box I prefer to employ is shown in the Drawing hereunto
annexed. It will be found that pine shavings and sea grass are not liable to
char, and have sufficient capillary power to bring up the oil as it is required,
so that the box of a railway axle when thus arranged and lubricated will
frequently run for months without requiring any attention.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Augustus Torrey, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this 27th day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.

page_text: By this public instrument: be it known to all whom the same doth or may.
in anywise concern; That I, James W. Alexander, a Public Notary in and
for the State of New York, by Letters Patent under the Great Seal of said!
State, duly commissioned and sworn, dwelling in the City of New York, do
hereby certify that on this Twenty-seventh day of July, A.D. One thousand
eight hundred and sixty-four, before me personally came William A. Torrey,
to me known to be the individual named in and who executed the foregoing
instrument, and acknowledged that he executed the same.
1
JAMES W. ALEXANDER,
Notary Public,
N. Y. City.
(L.S.)