IMPROVEMENTS IN AXLE-BOXES FOR RAILWAY CARRIAGES TRAMCARS AND THE LIKE
Year: 1885

page_text: and the like.
I WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, Fel. Inst. P.A., of the Agency for foreign
Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster and
323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex Civil Engineer do hereby declare
the nature of the said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN AXLE-BOXES FOR
RAILWAY CARRIAGES TRAMCARS AND THE LIKE" (a communication from abroad
by Sumner Alexander Bemis of Springfield, county of Hampden, State of Massa-
chusetts, United States of America Mechanical Engineer) to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in car-axle boxes for railway carriages
and for tramway cars and the like, and the object thereof is to provide for use in
conjunction with a car wheel having a tubular projection thereon or otherwise,
an axle or journal box of improved construction whereby dust is prevented from
entering it and becoming mixed with the lubricating oil therein; and having an
improved front cap, aud fastening therefor, presenting a plain exterior surface
whereby dangerous projections thereon are obviated; and having an improved
journal-brass which provides for a perfect distribution and control of the oil
relative to the journal; and provided with improved means for conveying oil
continuously to the journal and securing a proper distribution thereof.
The axle box has on its rear end a tubular sleeve or projection surrounding the
axle, and reaching backward within the aforesaid tubular projection on the wheel.
Upon said projection on the axle-box, is placed a flexible flat ring of rubber,
leather or other suitable material which is prevented from being moved quite
back against the base of the recess in which it is, by the shoulder on the aforesaid
projection against which it rests, so that when the edge of the projection on the
wheel strikes the side of the ring near its periphery, the latter is permitted to
yield with the movements of the box and wheel, but by its springy nature is
constantly held against the projection, thereby closely shutting the rear end of
the box against the admission of dust. And furthermore the wear of the ring is
also taken up-by its springing against the projection on the wheel.

page_text: The rectangular openings on the upper and under side of the axle-box are for
the reception of the iron straps which connect the box with the pedestals and
truck of the car or locomotive tender. The part at the rear end of the box outside
of the projection consists of a wood filling to reduce the space around said
projection. The car-box has at its front end, a bolt socket, extending through the
end as shown, the latter being high enough to form the front wall of the lubricant
chamber in the lower part of the box.
The cap of the axle-box is of a width equal to the end of the box, and is of a
curved form. The cap has its upper edge made of hook-form to engage with an
upwardly turned lip, on the box and its lower end overlaps the end of the box
outside of the bolt socket. A finger socket is formed beneath the outer surface of
the cap having an upper overhanging portion for the ends of the finger to engage
with, for lifting the cap, to place it on and to take it off from the box, said over-
hanging part having its outer surface on a line with the curve of the cap.
The cap has formed on its inner side, and located about at the centre thereof
near its lower edge, two brackets forming jointly a socket to receive the head of
the bolt, but separated sufficiently to let the bolt pass between them.
A bolt having its head engaged with said brackets on the inner face of the cap,
extends through the socket below the underside of the box, and has a nut screwed
on its lower end.
To remove the cap the bolt nut is taken off and the cap is lifted up with the
bolt, drawing the latter out of the socket. The projecting web over the bolt,
serving to keep the bolt from being disengaged from the cap, unless it is swung
to one side to carry its head upward between the up turned edge of the bracket
and said web. Thus when taken off from the box, the cap and bolt are not
separated and liable to be displaced.
The cap thus made and secured by the engagement of the bolt with its interior,
presents no exterior projections which would render the parts liable to be broken
by concussion with other objects.
The axle has a groove, around it near its end, and a key, straddling the grooved
part of the axle, and sliding in grooves in the inner sides of the box, locks the box
and axle together.
Under the end of the axle and extending between the inside of the cap and a
rear partition or wall is located in the box-the waste box, its lower side resting on
the bottom of the axle box and within the oil chamber, and its upper edges reaching
up and standing very close to the sides of the axle. The sides of the box are
perforated, and its forward end extends upward about to the centre of the end of
the axle.
This box is filled with waste or felt or other suitable absorbent material against
which the lower side of the journal part of the axle turns, so that when the
chamber is supplied with oil, the journal receives a constant supply thereby. The
webs each side of the box, support it in an upright position.
The journal brass is made with pendent sides. The inner bearing surface for
the journal terminates at the off set, on each side of the brass, considerably above
the said curved sides or their lower edges. The surplus oil taken up by the
journal is scraped off by the off-sets and flows against the inner sides of the sides,
and following their curved edges, is made to drip from the lower part thereof into
the chamber below. The brass is provided with an exterior projection on each
side with which corresponding grooves in the saddle above the brass, engage, the
saddle receiving the weight of the box and its load.

page_text: Improvements in Axle Boxes for Railway Carriages, Tramcars,
and the like.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON Fel. Inst. P. A. of the Agency for Foreign Patent
Solicitors Lord Street Liverpool in the County of Lancaster and 323 High
Holborn in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer do hereby declare the nature
of this invention (a communication from abroad by Sumner Alexander Bemis
of Springfield, County of Hampden, State of Massachusetts United States of
America, Mechanical Engineer) 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 improvements in car axle boxes for railway carriages
and for tramway cars and the like and the object thereof is to provide for use in
conjunction with a car-wheel having a tubular projection thereon or otherwise, an
axle or journal box of improved construction whereby dust is prevented from
entering it and becoming mixed with the lubricating oil therein, and having an
improved front cap and fastening therefor, presenting a plain exterior surface
whereby dangerous projections thereon are obviated; and having an improved
journal brass which provides for a perfect distribution and control of the oil
relative to the journal; and provided with improved means for conveying oil
continuously to the journal and securing a proper distribution thereof.
Referring to the drawing, Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of the axle box,
and a portion of the wheel showing in side elevation the end of the axle, the
journal-brass and its saddle, the waste holder, and the bolt securing the cap to
the box.
Figure 2 is a front elevation partly in section of the axle box with its cap
removed and its journal key removed.
Figure 3 perspective view showing parts in detail.
In the drawing A represents the central portion of the car wheel surrounding
the axle, or a section thereof, and c is a tubular projection on the side of the
wheel A surrounding the axle B, the wheel being fixed on the latter so that they
revolve together.
The axle box D has on its rear end a tubular sleeve or projection o surrounding
the axle B and reaching backward within the aforesaid tubular projection c on the
wheel. Upon said projection o on the axle box, is placed a flexible flat ring of
rubber, leather, or other suitable material, which is prevented from being moved
quite back against the base of the recess in which it is, by the shoulder on the
projection o against which it rests, as seen in Figure 1, so that when the edge of
the projection c on the wheel A, strikes the side of the ring e, near its periphery,
the latter is permitted to yield with the movements of the box and wheel, but by
its springy nature is constantly held against the projection c, thereby closely
shutting the rear end of the box D against the admission of dust. And further-
more the wear of the ring e is also taken up by its springing against the projection
on the wheel.
The rectangular openings m on the upper and under sides of the axle box are
for the reception of the iron straps which connect the box with the pedestals and

page_text: truck of the car or locomotive-tender. The part w at the rear end of the box D,
outside of the projection c consists of a wood filling to reduce the space around
said projection. The car box has at its front end the height of which is seen
at 4 Figure 1, a bolt socket 10, extending through the end as shown, the latter
being high enough to form the front wall of the lubricant chamber K in the lower
part of the box.
The cap h of the axle box, is of a width equal to the end of the box D, and is
of a curved form as shown. The cap has its upper edge made of hook forni at 3
to engage with an upwardly turned lips on the box, and its lower end 4 overlaps
the end of the box outside of the bolt socket 10. A finger socket 5 is formed,
beneath the outer surface of the cap, having an upper overhanging portion for the
ends of the finger to engage with, for lifting the cap to place it on and to take it
off from the box, said overhanging part having its outer surface on a line with the
curve of the cap.
The cap has formed on its inner side and located about at the center thereof
'near its lower edge, two brackets 8 one of which is shown, forming jointly a socket
to receive the head of the bolt 6, but separated sufficiently to let the bolt pass
between them.
A bolt 6 having its head engaged with said brackets on the inner face of the
caph extends through the socket 10, below the underside of the box D, and has a
nut screwed on its lower end as shown.
Figure 1 shows the positions of the cap and bolt when the former is secured to
the box, the hook part 3 of the cap being forcibly engaged with the lip 8, of the
box by means of bolt 6, and by the same means, the lower end 4 of the cap is
tightly drawn against the end of the box, effectually shutting out all dust.
To remove the cap, the bolt nut is taken off and the cap is lifted up with the
bolt drawing the latter out of the socket 10. The projecting web t over the bolt,
serving to keep the bolt from being disengaged from the cap unless it is swung to
one side to carry its head upward between the up turned edge of the bracket 8 and
said web. Thus when taken off from the box, the cap and bolt are not separated
and liable to be displaced.
The cap thus made and secured by the engagement of the bolt with its interior,
presents no exterior projections which would render the parts liable to be broken
by concussion with other objects.
The axle has a groove around it near its end, and a key n straddling the
grooved part of the axle and sliding in grooves in the inner sides of the box, locks
the box and axle together.
Under the end of the axle, and extending between the inside of the cap h and
a rear partition or wall 16, is located in box D, the waste box y its lower side
resting on the bottom of the axle box and within the oil chamber K and its upper
edges reaching up and standing very close to the sides of the axle. The sides of
the box y are perforated as shown in Figure 1 and its forward end extends
upward about to the center of the end of the axle.
This box y is filled with waste or felt, or other suitable absorbent material
against which the lower side of the journal part of the axle turns, so that when
chamber K is supplied with oil, the journal receives a constant supply thereby.
The webs 15, each side of box y, support it in an upright position. In raising up
a car-box to take the weight off from the brass b, and saddle a so that the brass
can be withdrawn, it has occurred that the box has been at times raised so far as to
crush the waste box y; and the lugs C, shown plainly Figure 3) are adapted to
allow only a limited upward movement of the box, for they hit the axle when
the box is raised up, which movement while it is sufficient to allow the easy with-
drawal of the brass b and saddle a after key n, has been removed, is not sufficient
to allow the waste box to be forced against the axle, and injured. One edge of the
key n slides in the groove w, in said lug. The lugs are on the inner opposite sides
of the box. The journal brass b, is made with pendent sides 13, having the curved
form shown in Figure 1. The inner bearing surface for the journal terminates at

page_text: the off set 14, on each side of the brass (see Figure 2) considerably above the said
curved sides or their lower edges. The surplus oil taken up by the journal is
scraped off by the off-sets 14 and flows against the inner sides of the sides 13 and
following their curved edges is made to drip from the lower part thereof into the
chamber below. The brass b provided with an exterior projection on each side,
(shown in dotted lines in Figure 1) with which corresponding grooves in the
saddle a above the brass engage, the saddle receiving the weight of the box and
its load.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is
1st. A car axle box having the front cap h with its upper edge engaging with a
lip extending across the end of the box and its lower end bearing against the
front end thereof, and a bolt engaging with the inside of the cap and extending
below the box and secured by a nut, substantially as described.
2nd. The box d having the tubular projection o thereon, the cap & secured to
the box as described, combined with the car wheel A, having the projection c
thereon, and the flexible washer e, substantially as set forth.
3rd. An improved journal brass having curved sides or wings extending below
the journal bearing therein, the inner sides of said wings standing away from and
not in contact with the journal.
4th. The combination with the axle box and journal of the brass b and the
saddle said brass and saddle having interlocking projections and depressions
thereon, substantially as set forth.
5th. The combination with the axle box, the journal B and the journal brass of
the waste box y adapted to hold absorbent material in contact with the journal,
substantially as described.