IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF WHEELS FOR RAILWAY VEHICLES
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Rigby, of Rutland, Vermont, United States of
America, now of 8, Southampton Buildings, London, for an Invention of
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF WHEELS FOR RAILWAY VEHICLES,"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Rigby at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 4th January 1881.
JAMES RIGBY, of Rutland, Vermont, United States of America, now of
8, Southampton Buildings, London, "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF
WHEELS FOR RAILWAY VEHICLES."
My Invention relates to wheels for railway or tramway vehicles, and consists
mainly in the combination of a wheel-body of special construction with an
independent removable tyre and an independent removable flange.
It further consists in certain special features of construction fully described
hereinafter, by means of which great strength and durability are obtained with a
reasonable cost of production.
In carrying the said Invention into practice I construct a wheel the body portion
of which consists of a hub portion having an inner plate, an outer plate, and
intermediate radial arms terminating in a peripheral ring portion.
These parts
are cast together in one piece.
Enlargements are formed at the point of the union of the arms with the ring
portion, and there are openings through them for the securing bolts hereinafter
referred to. The ring portion is united to the inner and outer plate portions by
means of short arms, and there are semi-cylindrical recesses located at proper
points about the pheriphery of the bearing surface, the purpose of which will be
fully described hereinafter.
The tyre portion consists of a steel ring having one inclined side and semi-cylin-
drical recesses corresponding in location with similar recesses in the body portion.
The flange portion consists of a steel ring having an inner portion with parallel
sides, a series of openings and studs or pins, the latter corresponding in size and

page_text: location with the semi-cylindrical recesses in the body portion and the tyre. These
studs are screwed into the flange portion after the same has been finished in the
lathe.
An outer portion of the ring has an inclined face corresponding properly with
the inclined face of the tyre, and a flange portion proper having upon one side a
curved face, and upon the other a straight face.
When the parts are properly united together the tyre portion rests upon the
ring of the body portion with its straight side bearing against a projecting portion
of the inner plate.
The semi-cylindrical recesses coincide with each other so that a proper opening
is formed for the studs upon the flange portion.
The flange portion rests upon the periphery of the outer plate and against the
body portion, its inclined face coinciding with the inclined face of the tyre. Its
studs rest in the recesses of the body and tyre, and this securely holds the tyre
against movement upon the body portion.
Securing bolts are provided, by means of which all the parts are firmly bound
together.
.
A ring of india rubber may be employed if desired for the purpose of providing
for the expansion and contraction of the bolts. Each part of this wheel is made
according to a fixed standard in order that it may be used indiscriminately with
other proper parts to form a wheel.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed by
the said James Rigby in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 2nd July
1881.
JAMES RIGBY, of Rutland, Vermont, United States of America, now of
8, Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF
WHEELS FOR RAILWAY-VEHICLES."
My Invention relates to wheels for railway or tramway vehicles, and. consists
mainly in the combination of a wheel-body of special construction with an
independent removable tire, and an independent removable flange. It further
consists in special features of construction hereinafter described, by means of which
great strength and durability are obtained with a moderate cost of production.
In the accompanying Drawing,
Figure 1 represents a side elevation of the cast metal body of a wheel constructed
according to said Invention, a portion being broken away to shew its interior
construction, and
Figure 2, a vertical sectional elevation of the same taken through the line of the
short arms.
Figure 3 represents a side elevation of the tire, and
Figure 4 a vertical sectional elevation of the same.
Figure 5 represents a side elevation of the flange detached, and
Figure 6 a vertical sectional elevation of the same.
Figure 7 represents a side elevation of the entire wheel, and
Figure 8 a vertical sectional elevation of the same.
Figure 9 is a partial sectional elevation illustrating the employment of an india-
rubber packing to provide for the contraction and expansion of the bolts.
A, Figures 1, 2, and 8, represents the body-portion or body of the wheel
consisting of a hub-portion or hub a having an inner plate a', an outer plate a³,
and intermediate radial-arms a³ terminating in a peripheral ring portion or. ring a*,
as shown; these parts are cast together in one piece. a³, a³, represent enlargements
formed at the point of union of the arms a³ and arms a' with the ring-portion a*;
and a, as, openings through the same for securing bolts hereinafter referred to.
a7, a, represent short arms by means of which the ring-portion a* is united to the
inner and outer plate portions at points between the arms a³ as shown; as, as, represent
semi-cylindrical recesses located at suitable points about the pheriphery of the
bearing surface a*, the purpose of which will be fully described hereinafter.
B, Figures 3, 4, and 8, represents the tire portion or tire of the said wheel,
consisting of a steel ring having one inclined side 6 and the semi-cylindrical
recesses 6' corresponding in position with the similar recesses as in the body-portion
or body A as shown. C, Figures 5, 6, and 8, represents the flange-portion or flange
consisting of a steel ring having an inner portion c with parallel sides, a series of
openings c¹, and studs or pins c³, the latter corresponding in size and position with
the semi-cylindrical recesses a³ and 6' in the body-portion or body A and the tire B.
These studs are screwed into the flange portion or flange, as indicated in Figure 6,
after the same has been finished in the lathe. c³ represents the outer portion of
the said ring having an inclined face corresponding with the inclined face of
the tire, and a flange portion proper chaving upon one side the curved face co,
and upon the other side the straight face c', as shewn.
When the parts are properly united the tire rests upon the ring a* of the body-
portion with its straight side bearing against the projecting portion X of the inner
blate a¹, as shewn in Figures 2 and 8. The semi-cylindrical recesses coincide with
each other so that a proper opening is formed for the studs c³ upon the flange, as

page_text: shewn in the detached portion of Figure 4. The flange rests upon the periphery of
the outer plate a², and against the body of the wheel as shewn, its inclined face
coinciding with the inclined face of the tire. Its studs c² rest in the recesses of the
body and tire, and this securely holds the tire against movement upon the body
portion.
D, D, Figures 8 and 9, represent securing bolts: by means of which all the parts
are firmly bound together. E, Figure 9, represents a ring of india-rubber which
may be employed if desired for the purpose of providing for the expansion and
contraction of the bolts. Each part of this wheel is made according to a fixed
standard in order that it may be used indiscriminately with other proper parts to
form a wheel.
Some of the advantages of the above described form of construction are as
follows: The parts of the wheel being interchangeable it is possible.when either
a flange or a tire becomes worn to replace the same by a new one. The flange and
tire being independent of the body it is possible to make them of steel while the
body is made of cast iron. The body of the wheel being cast without the tire and
flange, no great amount of metal is located at the circumference of the wheel, and
hence in cooling the same is permitted to shrink uniformly from the circumference
to the centre, in consequence of which the body is without the usual tension and
strain which are incidental to the manufacture of railway-wheels in the ordinary
manner. In casting wheels for railway-vehicles with the body, tire, and flange all
in one piece, great difficulties occur from the unequal cooling of the different parts,
but these difficulties are entirely obviated by means of the construction above
described. By constructing the tire and flange-ring with the inclined surfaces
described, the former is strongly held under all circumstances, and, even if: broken
cannot escape from the recess in which it is held. By extending the inner plate a'
far enough outward the tire is strongly cheld against lateral movement; by the
employment of the short arms a great strength and rigidity are obtained with a
small amount of material; by the employment of the stud c² and the corresponding
recesses the necessary connection between the parts is obtained. The flange-
portion before the studs are inserted may be readily finished in a lathe.
Having thus fully described my said Invention and the manner of performing
the same, I wish it understood that I claim,―
First. In combination with the wheel-body having the inner plate extending
outward to hold the tire, the removable tire, and the flange, as above set forth, and
for the purposes specified.
Second. The wheel-body having the inner and outer plates, the radial arms a³,
and the short arms a', as above set forth, and for the purposes specified.
Third. In combination with the wheel-body and tire having recesses as described
the flange having the studs as above set forth, and for the purpose specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Rigby, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-first day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
JAMES RIGBY (LS)
JAMES RIGBY
(LQ)