IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF AXLE BOXES
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Chinnock, of Brooklyn, in the State of New
York, United States of America, but now residing at Queen's Road
West, Regent's Park, in the County of Middlesex, Merchant, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF AXLE BOXES."
Sealed the 24th February 1868, and dated the 6th October 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Chinnock at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their Petition, on the
6th October 1862.
I, CHARLES CHINNOCK, of Brooklyn, in the State of New York, United
States of America, but now residing at Queen's Road West, Regent's Park,
in the County of Middlesex, Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF AXLE BOXES," to
be as follows:-
The chief object of this Invention is to remove or neutralize the friction
that is now commonly created between the axles and axle boxes of carriages
caused by the lateral pressure of the wheels against the collars or shoulders
of the axle. To this end I turn in an enlargement of the axle (which forms
the shoulder for receiving the endway pressure of the axle box) a semi-
circular ring groove and in an annular cap piece which fits over this enlarge-
ment of the axle, and. in-the inner end of the axle box which butts against
it, I turn the counterpart of this groove, and I thus form an annular channel

page_text: in which I insert a series of antifriction balls. A rebate is turned in the
annular cap to receive a ring of packing, and also to receive a shoulder turned
on the axle, which collar lies against the packing ring. The balls are dropped
into their groove before the axle box is put on, a lateral recess being made in
the annular cap piece for permitting of their ingress. When inserted a screw
is applied to fill this recess, and thus the balls are kept in place even before
the axle box is applied to the axle. Screw bolts passing through the hub of
the wheel connect the wheel and annular cap pièce together, and so long as
this connection is maintained the wheel will be secure on its axle as the cap
piece is retained in its position by means of the balls.
It will now be understood that the lateral pressure of the wheel will be
taken up and neutralized by the antifriction balls, which will require to be
lubricated at the time of lubricating the axle box. A modification of this
arrangement, suitable for common purposes, may be made by grooving the
extremities of the axle to receive a series of balls, and making the cap piece
the cap of the box, and attaching it in the manner above described to the
hub of the wheel, but to the outer face thereof.
Another improvement in axle boxes is intended to prevent the frequent
loss of the cap which is screwed thereon to close the end of the box. To this
end I apply to the cap a catch which is jointed thereto and projects inwards
through the flange of the cap so as to bear against say the hub of the wheel.
This catch is pressed inwards by a spring, thereby producing sufficient adhesion
between the catch and the hub to prevent the cap from turning even if it
were loose when a spanner is applied to the axle box for removing the
cap the catch will be tripped up, and thus it will offer no impediment to the
removal of the cap.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Charles Chinnock in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
6th April 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES S
CHINNOCK, of Brooklyn, in the State of New York, United States of America,
but now residing at Queen's Road West, Regent's Park, in the County of
Middlesex, Merchant, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of October, in the year of our Lord 8

page_text: One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-sixth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Charles Chinnock, Her special license that I, the said Charles
Chinnock, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
I, the said Charles Chinnock, 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 THE CONSTRUCTION OF AXLE BOXES," upon the condition
(amongst others), that I, the said Charles Chinnock, by an instru-
ment in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe
and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same was to be performed, and cause the saine to be filed in the Great Seal
Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the
date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Charles Chinnock, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed, and to
the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
The chief object of this Invention is to remove or neutralize the friction
that is now commonly created between the axles and axle boxes of carriages
caused by the lateral pressure of the wheels against the collars or shoulders
of the axle. This I effect by coupling together the axle and axle box by
means of antifriction balls in such a manner that where a cap is used for closing
the axle box the connection may be readily made and also maintained on the
temporary removal or displacement of the cap without risk of the antifriction
balls dropping out of place. By a modified arrangement I am enabled to
provide against the displacement of the balls on the removal of the box itself
from the axle.
In the accompanying Drawing Fig. 1 shews in longitudinal section an
axle box with an axle connected thereto according to my Invention, A being.
the axle; B, the axle box, and C, the cap applied to the open end of the box.
A semicircular ring groove a is turned in the axle near its extremity to
receive the antifriction balls b. A counterpart of this groove is turned,. the
one half in the end of the axle box, and the other half in the cap C, so that
an annular race, circular in cross section, is provided for the balls. To permit.
of their being dropped into their place the grooves in the axle box. and axle..

page_text: are chamfered at one part so that when these chamfered parts are brought
into coincidence the balls may be readily dropped into their place. They
.may also with equal readiness be lifted out when it is required to remove the
,box from the axle. .D is a shoulder formed on the axle A, and pierced
with holes. to receive tie bolts E, E. These bolts pass through the hub F
.of the wheel and through the end covering plates, and their screwed extremities
project through bolt holes made in the cap C, by the application, therefore,
.of nuts c, c, to these tie bolts the cap is made fast to the axle box. From
this explanation it will be seen that the cap C may be removed for the
purpose of oiling the box without risk of the balls becoming displaced, and
that they will act as a linch pin to maintain the connection between the axle
and axle box. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of an axle box shewing a
modified arrangement for carrying out my Invention. In this arrangement
it will be seen that there is turned in an enlargement of the axle A (which
enlargement forms the shoulder for receiving the endway pressure of the axle
box) a semicircular ring groove a, the counterpart of which is formed in an
annular cap piece C, which fits over the enlargement of the axle, and in the
inner end of the axle box B, which butts against it. These semicircular ring
grooves form together an annular channel, in which I insert a series of anti-
friction balls b. A rebate is turned in the annular cap to receive a ring c
of packing and also to receive a shoulder D turned on the axle, which
shoulder lies against the packing ring c. The balls are dropped into their
groove before the axle box is put on, a lateral recess being made in.the
annular cap piece for permitting of their ingress (see the face view of the
detached cap piece Fig. 3, and the cap piece as applied to the axle in the
cross section, Fig. 4). When the balls are inserted, a screw d is applied
to partially fill the lateral recess, and thus the balls are kept in place even
before the axle box is applied to the axle. To allow of. the insertion of the
screw da lug is formed on the cap piece (see the back view Fig. 5), and
tapped to receive the screw. The axle box B is in this instance made with
a closed end. Screw bolts E passing through the hub of the wheel, as in the
first described arrangement, connect the wheel and annular cap piece C
together, and so long as this connection is maintained, the wheel will be
secure on its axle as the cap piece C is retained in its position by means of
the balls.
From the foregoing explanation it will be understood that similarly in
both described arrangements, the lateral pressure of the wheel will be taken
up and neutralized by the antifriction balls which to preserve their freedom of
action will require to be lubricated at the time of lubricating the axle box.

page_text: Another improvement which I have effected in axle boxes is intended to
prevent the frequent loss of the ordinary cap which is screwed thereon to
close the end of the box. The manner in which I provide for retaining the
cap in its place and yet allowing of its facile removal when required, is shewn
in the sectional view, Fig. 6, wherein B is the end of the axle box, and C the
brass cap applied thereto in the usual way. Mounted on the cap is a catch e,
which is jointed thereto and projects inwards through a slot formed in the
flange of the cap, so as to enter a slot cut-in the axle box B. The catch is
retained in this position by a spring f, whereby the cap will be effectually
prevented from turning, even if it were loose from not having been tightly
screwed up. When a spanner is applied to the axle box (as indicated by
the red lines) to remove the cap the catch e will be tripped up or thrust into
the dotted position, whereby its inner end will be withdrawn from the slot
in the axle box, and thus it will offer no impediment to the removal of the.
cap by the spanner.
Having now set forth the nature of my improvements in the construction
of axle boxes, and explained the manner of carrying the same into effect, I
wish it to be understood, that under the above in part recited Letters Patent
I claim,-
First, the manner of applying the antifriction balls (for taking off the
lateral friction of axle boxes) as shewn and described, whereby the connection
between the box and the axle will be maintained even though the cap of the
axle box should become displaced..
Secondly, the arrangement above described which admits of the axle
box being removed from its axle without the displacement of the antifriction
balls.
Thirdly, the means above described for securing the cap of the axle box in
position.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Chinnock, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, the Seventh day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
CH CHINNOCK (1.8.)
CHS CHINNOCK (18)