Improvements in Vehicle Axles.
Year: 1896

page_text: Improvements in Vehicle Axles.
I, OCTAVIUS SUTTON EBERT, of Galesburg, in the County of Knox, and State of
Illinois, United States of America, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in the meaus
employed in supplying oil to journal bearings generally through the intervention
of a conductor of felt, or other substance adapted to the purpose, which conductor
is interposed between a duct or oil reservoir, upon the shaft or vehicle axle skcin
and the box, sleeve or journal rotating thereon, the said oil conductor being held
by the action of suitably arranged springs into contact with the journal or sleeve,
thus insuring a constant and uniform supply of lubricant.
The present invention relates particularly to vehicle axles and more particularly
to the form of the axle whereby the tendency of the wheel, under certain conditions
to work inward and form grooves at the inner end of the boxing, will be avoided.
The invention relates further to the peculiar form and position of the oil-duct or
chamber, the "oil-conductor" in its relation to the said oil-duct and the means
employed in supplying oil to the oil-duct.
A further object of the invention resides in the provision, in connection with the
axle spindle, and the oil-duct formed therein, of the oil-conductor, which is of a
form adapting it to uniformly supply the oil to the boxing throughout the entire
length of the spindle said conductor at the same time serving effectually as a dust-
guard to prevent the dust or other foreign substances from entering the bearing.
The vehicle axle is provided with a suitable spindle which latter is provided
upon its upper face with a longitudinal recess or chamber extending substantially
the entire length of the spindle and at its inner end communicates with a lateral
channel formed in the enlarged inner end of the spindle, said lateral channel
extending either a portion or the entire distance around the periphery of the said
enlarged end of the spindle. Communicating with the inner end of the oil
duct or channel at the point where said channel intersects the peripheral channel,
is a channel leading from a suitable filling aperture in the upper face of the axie.
The oil-conductor is made of felt or other porous substance and is designed to be
seated in the oil-duct or chamber and convey the oil from said duct to the inner
face of the boxing of the wheel by capillary attraction, the same principle being
involved as in the ordinary lamp-wick. The oil-conductor has a main or body por-
tion of a size adapting it to be seated in the oil-duct and at its inner end it has
lateral arms or extensions designed to be seated within the lateral peripheral
channel. The end of the oil-conductor opposite to that provided with lateral trin
has on its under face a lug or shoulder which lug resting on the bottom of the oil-
duct raises the body portion of the conductor a sufficient distance to permit of the
insertion of a suitable spring secured to the under face of the conductor and serving
to normally hold same into contact with the boxing. The lug on the conductor
also serves to convey the oil to the body portion of the strip. The under faces of

page_text: the lateral arms of the conductor are also provided with springs to press said arms
outward.
In order to prevent the boxing from being grooved by the shoulder at the inaer
end of the spindle as is common with the use of ordinary axles, I extend the
plane of the lower face of the spindle inwardly for a considerable distance beyond
the inner end of the boxing.
I prefer to extend the oil groove only about two-thirds around the periphery of
the spindle and by having the lower portion filled in, the wearing surface of the
spindle is increased, and consequently the life of the axle and also of the boxing.
Dated this 13th day of October 1896
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.
I, OCTAVIUS SUTTON EBERT, of Galesburg, in the County of Knox, and State of
Illinois, United States of America, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:
This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in the means
employed in supplying oil to journal bearings generally through the intervention
of a conductor of felt, or other substance adapted to the purpose, which conductor
is interposed between a duct or oil reservoir, upon the shaft or vehicle axle skein
and the box, sleeve or journal rotating thereon, the said oil conductor. being held
by the action of suitably arranged springs into contact with the journal or sleeve,
thus insuring a constant and uniform supply of lubricant.
The present invention, in which I have illustrated my invention in its applied
form, relates particularly to vehicle axles, and more particularly to the form of
the axle whereby the tendency of the wheel under certain conditions to work
inward and form grooves at the inner end of the boxing will be avoided.
The invention relates further to the peculiar form and position of the oil-duct or
chamber, the oil-conductor in its relation to the said oil-duct, and the means
employed in supplying oil to the oil-duct.
A further object of the invention resides in the provision in connection with the
axle spindle and the oil-duct formed therein of the oil-conductor which is of a
form adapted to uniformly supply the oil to the boxing throughout the entire
length of the spindle; said conductor at the same time serving effectually as a
dust-guard to prevent the dust or other foreign substances from entering the
bearing.
To these ends, and to such others as the invention may pertain the same con-
sists in the peculiar construction, and in the novel combination, arrangement and
adaptation of parts, all as more fully hereinafter described, shown in the accom-
panying drawings and then specifically defined in the appended claims.
The invention is clearly illustratoil in the accompanying drawings, which,
with the letters of reference marked thereon, form a part of this specification or
and in which:-
Figure 1 is a central vertical section through a vehicle axle skein and boxing
provided with my improvements.
Figure 2 is a top plan view of the same with the box or sleeve removed.
Figure 3 is a detail view in perspective of the oil-conductor removed from its
seat, and
Figure 4 is a vertical transverse section upon the line 44 of Fig. 1.

page_text: Reference now being had to the details of the drawings by letter A designates a
vehicle axle which is provided with a suitable spindle B, which spindle
is provided upon its upper face with a longitudinal recess or cham-
ber C, which chamber or recess extends substantially the entire length of the
spindle, and at its inner end communicates with the lateral channel which is
formed in the enlarged inner end of the spindle, as shown; said lateral channel
extending either a portion or the entire distance around the periphery of the said
enlarged end of the spindle. In the accompanying drawings I have shown this
peripheral channel as extending substantially two-thirds of the distance around
the spindle, though it will be at once evident that the length of the channel may
be varied without departing from the spirit of my invention.
Communicating with the inner end of the oil-duct or channel C, at the point
at which said channel intersects the peripheral channel C3, is a channel D
leading from a suitable filling aperture D2 which is provided in the
upper face of the axle.
This filling aperture is provided with any suitable
stopper or other closing device which serves to prevent dust on other foreign
suitable stopper or other closing device which serves to prevent dust or other foreign
matter from entering the oil-duct, as will be readily understood.
E is what I term an "oil-conductor." It is made of felt or of any porous sub-
stance adapted to the purpose, and is designed to be seated within the oil-duct or
chamber and to serve to convey the oil from the said duct to the inner face of the
boxing of the wheel by capillary attraction, the same principle being involved as
in the ordinary lamp wick which serves to convey the oil from the body of a lamp
to the burner. This oil-conductor 1 has a main or body portion of a size and form
adapting it to be seated within the oil-duct C and at its inner end is provided with
lateral, curved arms or extensions E2, E2, which are designed to be seated within
the lateral peripheral channel C.
The end of the oil-conductor opposite to that thus provided with lateral arms a
is provided upon its under face with a lug or shoulder which lug, resting upon
the bottom of the oil-duct raises the body portion of the said conductor a suffi-
cient distance to permit of the insertion of a spring F which is secured to the under
face of the conductor, and serves to normally hold same into contact with the
boxing. The lug serves also to convey the oil to the body portion of the
strip. The under faces of the lateral armis of the conductor are also provided
with suitable springs H which springs in like manner serve to press said arms
outward.
In order to prevent the boxing from being grooved by the shoulder at the inner
end of the spindle as is so common with the use of axles of onlinary construction,
I extend the plane of the lower face of the spindle inwardly for a considerable
distance beyond the inner end of the boxing, as is shown at I.
While, as I have before stated, the groove may, if preferred, be extended the
entire distance around the inner end of the spindle at its base or inner end, I liave
found that the construction which I have illustrated in the accompanying draw-
ings is, for many reasons by far the preferable construction. By having the
grooves extend but a portion of the distance around the spindle, and having the
lower portion filled in, as shown at J, the wearing surface of the spindle is increased
and in consequence the life of the axle and also of the boxing. It will be noted
that this filled in portion J is substantially the same width as the width of the rear
portion of the shoulder on the spindle, and as this is the point where the wear
occurs the wearing surface is doubled, or in other words the life of the spindle is
doubled.
Having thus described the details of my invention a few words will suffice to
render its operation clear to those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains.
It will be seen that when the oil-conductor has been seated in the oil-duct, the
body portion of the conductor will be normally forced outward by the tension of the
spring upon its under surface, and it will also be seen that the lateral curved arms E
will in like manner be forced outward by their respective springs. The oil which

page_text: is taken up by the conductor will, by capillary attraction, be uniformly conveyed
to the boxing, thus insuring at all times a perfect lubricating of the parts. When
the oil supply becomes exhausted, it will be seen that it may be readily renewed
without necessitating the removal of the wheel.
Attention is particularly called to the curved arms E2, and to the double office
which is performed by them, viz: that of conducting the oil and also preventing
dust or other foreign substance from entering the bearing at the inner end of the
hub of the wheel.
It will be at once seen that being forced outward by the action of the springs,
the said arms will serve to effectually prevent dust from entering the bearing at
this point.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. The combination with the spindle of a vehicle axle having an oil chamber
formed therein, of an oil conveyer of felt or other absorbent material interposed
between said oil chamber and the wheel boxing, substantially as shown and
described.
2. The combination with an axle spindle having an oil chamber formed therein,
of an oil conveyor of felt or other absorbent material seated within said chamber,
and a spring for forcing the conveyer into contact with the boxing, substantially
as described.
3. A spindle for axles having an oil chamber formed in its upper face and
extending substantially the entire length of the spindle and a strip of felt or other
absorbent material seated within the oil chamber, and a spring beneath the said
strip, substantially as and for the purpose described.
4. In a spindle for vehicle axles, the combination with the spindle having an
oil chamber formed in its upper face and extending substantially the entire length
of the spindle, a channel formed in the upper face of the enlarged inner end of the
spindle and extending partially around the periphery of the same, an oil conveyor
seated within the said channel and springs adapted to force the conveyor outward,
substantially as described and for the purpose specified.
5. A spindle for vehicle axles having its inner enlarged end upon the lower side
of the spindle extended to a point beyond the extreme inner end of the boxing
when the wheel is in place upon the spindle, substantially as shown and described,
and for the purpose specified.
Dated this 5th day of July 1897.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.