CONSIDERABLE IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF WHEELS AND AXLETREES, BY WHICH WILL BE OBTAINED, AMONGST OTHERS, THE FOLLOWING MATERIAL ADVANTAGES:-THE CARRIAGES WILL BE LESS LIABLE TO OVERTURN; AND, IN CONSEQUENCE OF THE FRICTION BEING ALMOST WHOLLY DONE AWAY, WILL MOVE WITH MUCH LESS POWER OR LABOUR OF THE HORSES, THE NECESSARY OIL OR GREASE BEING SUPPLIED WITHOUT SEPARATING THE WHEELS FROM THE AXLES; THEY ARE SO SECURELY ATTACHED AS TO THE OF THE OF THE WHEELS IN TRAVELLING; AND, W, WHER OF CO, C OR WAGGON, AS SINGLE WHEEL OR SET OF WHEELS MAY BE SHIFTED FOR S AT PLEASURE
Year: 1807

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, RUDOLPHE
CABANEL, of Lambeth, in the County of Surrey, Engineer, send greeting.
2
WHEREAS His most Excellent Majesty King George the Third did, by
His Letters Patent under the Great. Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Fifth day of May, in the forty-seventh year of His reign, give
and grant unto me, the said Rudolphe Cabanel, His especial licence that I, the
said Rudolphe Cabanel, during the term of years therein mentioned, should and
lawfully might usc, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town
of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "CONSIDERABLE IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
CONSTRUCTION OF WHEELS AND AXLETREES, BY WHICH WILL BE OBTAINED, AMONGST
OTHERS, THE FOLLOWING MATERIAL ADVANTAGES:-THE CARRIAGES WILL BE LESS
LIABLE TO OVERTURN; AND, IN CONSEQUENCE OF THE FRICTION BEING ALMOST WHOLLY
DONE AWAY, WILL MOVE WITH MUCH LESS POWER OR LABOUR OF THE HORSES, THE
NECESSARY OIL OR GREASE BEING SUPPLIED WITHOUT SEPARATING THE WHEELS FROM
THE AXLES; THEY ARE SO SECURELY ATTACHED AS TO OBVIATE ENTIRELY THE
FREQUENT ACCIDENT OF THE COMING OFF OF THE WHEELS IN TRAVELLING; AND
SHOULD THEY BY ANY MEANS BE DAMAGED OR DESTROYED, ANY OTHER WHEEL,
WHETHER OF COACH, CART, OR WAGGON, MY BE SUBSTITUTED IMMEDIATELY AS A
TEMPORARY RESOURCE, AND DELAYS THEREBY PREVENTED, AS ANY SINGLE WHEEL OR
SET OF WHEELS MAY BE SHIFTED FOR OTHERS AT PLEASURE;" in which said Letters
Patent there is contained a proviso obliging me, the said Rudolphe Cabanel,
by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, to cause a particular
description of the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be inrolled in His Majesty's High Court of Chancery
within one calendar month after the date of the said recited Letters Patent, as

page_text: in and by the same, relation being thereunto had, may more fully and at largo
appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I,. the said
Rudolphe Cabanel, do hereby declare that my said Invention is described in the
Plan or Drawings thereof hereunto annexed, and by the explanation and
description following, that is to say:
Instead of making the axletree in one solid length, as hitherto practised, it
is to be made in two pieces of equal length, or separated in the middle, which
half axletree is represented in Figure A, one of which A" is a section of the
half axle, and Ab of the nave, boxes, &c.
1. is a shoulder or cap, the extremity of which is convex or spherical, having
a steel or other metal pin 2, fixed in the centre thereof, being_the_point..of
contact with the inetallic plate 3, and against which it is to work; and the
under side of the cap, being rather larger than the diameter of the collar 4,
works against the opposite side of the chamber of box B; the middle part of
the shoulder or cap being of a still larger diameter, dips into the oil contained
in.the bottom of the chamber, and by its revolution carries part of the oil
round with it, and thereby keeps the whole joint constantly and perfectly
greased. Figures B, section, side, and front views of a box having two
chambers or spaces of dimensions just sufficient to admit the revolution of the
shoulders or caps of the two half axles... These chambers are separated by the
plate 3, which may be made of steel, bell or other metal, and is to be firmly
fixed in the box. The box is to be divided into two parts at 5, each part
having two semicircular apertures or collars 4 to admit the two half axles,
which are to be turned, fitted, and ground so as to correspond accurately with
the apertures or collars of the box. When the axle is in its place the divisions
of the box are to be firmly fastened together, either by flanches or any other
convenient and effectual means. The chambers or cavities 6. are for the
reception of the shoulders or cap, and of the oil or grease, which is occasionally
supplied through the channel 7, without the necessity of ever taking off the
axle for that purpose. The box B is to be firmly fixed to the axle bed or other
part of the carriage, where, according to the variation in its form or con-
struction, it may be conveniently attached, and thus are formed two swivel or
socket joints, which keep the half axletrees securely in their places. As close
as suits with convenience in other respects to the shoulder 8, at the arm end of
Figure A, is another box, of which Figs. C are the sectional side and front
views, through which the half axle, ground, fitted, and turned, as before
mentioned, is to pass by means of a similar division, and which is to be made
to fit the half axle by four accurate semicircular apertures or collars, with a
chamber or cavity between them for the oil or grease, and channel for the

page_text: This box is also to be
On that part of the
13
supply thereof, as represented at 9, 10, 11, 12.
attached to the carriage, as is directed for the box B.
half axle which revolves in the chamber 11, it will be adviseable to fix a rim
of metal, leather, or other material, or pegs or pins, to dip into the oil and
convey it round in somewhat a similar manner to that described in Fig. B.
8 is a shoulder intended as a stop to the nave and against which it lodges.
is the arm; 14 is the box of the nave, and differs in its construction from
those now in use only in being made slighter. 15 is the nave; 16 are two
binding screw pins which pass through the nave and iron box into the arm
hollowed or excavated at 17, for the purpose of receiving their ends, which bind
the wheels securely to the arm. By this means the wheel is firmly attached
to the half axle, and their operation differs from the mode now in use, inas-
much as they turn together, whereby it is clear that side or lateral friction is
almost entirely done away, and the horizontal friction, instead of spreading
over the whole surface of the arm by the revolution of the wheel, is reduced to
that comparatively small portion only where the axle passes through and
revolves on the sides or collars of the two boxes B and C. As, in case of an
accident happening to a wheel or wheels in use, it may be necessary to replace
them by others, the nave whereof shall be longer than the arm of the axle 18,
at the extremity thereof is a projecting screw, with a bevelled or tapered
shoulder 19. Fig. D is an additional piece, of any convenient length, tapped
with a female screw 20, and countersunk so as to receive the shoulder 19, to
admit of being completely and tightly screwed on to 18. 21 are correspondent
holes in both to receive the stay pin 22, which prevents the possibility of their
separation or tendency to separate either by the motion of the carriage or
otherwise. 28, a small portion cut out of the solid in an octagon, but not
equilatiral form. 24, a projecting screw to receive the nut G. Figures E,
the front side, sectional, and perspective views of a square plate, in which is cut
an octagon hole 25, correspondent to and fitting the solid part 23. Figs. G
are similar views of the nut tapped with a female screw 26 to receive the male
screw 24, and to be screwed close up to the square plate E, to which it is
attached by means of the two small screw stay pins 27, which passing through
the female screws 28 in the nut, into the holes 29 in the square plate E, secures
as well the square plate from coming off as the nut from unscrewing. Figures
II, K, L, represent naves when the bore or opening is of larger diameter than
the arm itself, and point out several methods of obviating the difficulty arising
from that circumstance, and of making a cart, waggon, or other wheel to fit
the arm when the original wheel has been been broken or damaged, and it may
become necessary to supply the defect by a temporary wheel in cases or
For this purpose, in
situations where more proper ones cannot be obtained.

page_text: Fig. H, 30 are rim boxes or collars to fit the arm, one close to the shoulder 8,
and the other at the external or small end is to have the ferrel or hoop part
split or divided, as at 31; that as the arm runs tapering upwards, or enlarges
in circumference, the box may admit of such extension as closely to fit the arm.
The screws 16 are here introduced, as before described in Fig. A, which should
always be done, if practicable. Where the bore of the wheel to be substituted
is too large for the arm and not sufficiently large to admit of the rim boxes,
milled lead may be wound round the arm to the requisite thickness; and
where the bore shall require a little greater thickness than the rim boxes will
produce, milled lead may also be wound round them to the necessary extent.
In any case where the nave is shorter than the arm, a sufficient number of
washers, 32, Fig. K, are to be introduced to occupy the space between the end
of the nave and the square plate E, which, together with the nut G, are to be
applied as before described, so that the nave may be kept tight up to the
shoulder 8; but as the screws 16 cannot conveniently bo here introduced, they
may be omitted.
If these means should be still insufficient to fill up the
vacancy between the arm and the bore of the nave, the iron ferrels or collars
33 are to be used, the extremities of which are not to be welded together, but
made to meet without closing, so as to admit of expansion; and the plate or
washer 34 must be put on against the shoulder 8 to keep the ferrels in their
places, and to prevent the bore of the nave from slipping over the shoulder 8,
where it is of greater diameter than the shoulder, and the ferrels 35 and plate
36 are to be placed at the small end of the arm. When the bore of the nave is
of largest diameter, such as that of a heavy waggon, &c., as in Fig. L, a collar
or box with flanching straps 37 is to be put into the large cud of the nave, and
into the intervals between the straps are to be driven tight the four wedges 38,
so as to keep the external surface of the box all round at an equal distance
from the external surface of the bore, and the heads of the wedges which
remain out beyond the straps are to be cut off; and to keep the wedges firmly
in their places the plate 39 is to be put on the arm close to the shoulder 8,
which securing the heads of the wedges, effectually prevents their coming out
or even moving. At the small end of the arm are also to be driven in four or
more other wedges 40, the ends of which are to be cut off flush or even with
the end of the nave, upon which is to be placed the strap plate or washer 41,
when the bore is so large as not to be covered by the nut, and which plate or
washer must be of a diameter sufficient to cover a part of the solid of the
nave in order to prevent the wheel from coming off over the nut. The square
plate E and nut G are then to be applied as before described, by which means
the largest wheel may be as securely attached to the arm as one that is smaller.
one of the advantages of the present Invention is the improvement in the

page_text: construction of wheels, which are intended to be so contrived as to diminish
the friction bitherto incidental to carriages, and to render the carriage itself
less liable to overturn. It is manifest that as the nave is to be fixed to the arm,
and to revolve with it, the naves of the new wheels may be much shorter than
those of the present construction; the necessary consequence of which is that
without dishing the wheels more than or even so much as the present wheels,
several inches may be gained in the breadth of the track of the carriage with-
out occupying more actual space than the carriages now in use, and of course
the carriage will be less liable to overturn. Moreover, the axle and arm being in
a right line, the external edge of the felly and the extremity of the nave may be
in the same plane. The spokes may be made more upright (which will add
considerably to the strength of the wheel, and obviate the inconvenience of the
rim protruding beyond the external edge of the felly, which is requisite in
wheels which revolve round the arm in order to give them steadiness. It is
proposed to make the naves of the new wheels of seven, or at most not more
than eight inches in length. It is needless to add that a wheel working on a
streight arm and axle has less friction than when working on a bent, angular,
or curved arm and axle. If, however, any one should prefer the present mode
of putting on wheels, namely, on an arm inclined to the plane of the horizon,
the half axles may be fixed in that direction, only observing that in that case
the sides of the metal plate 3, against which the pins or pivots in the centres
of the shoulders or caps are to work, must be placed at right angles with the
half axles, and consequently the sides of the plate, instead of being parallel to
cach other, must diverge from the under part.
In witness whereof, I, the said Rudolphe Cabanel, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fourth day of June, One thousand eight