Improvements in or connected with the Wheels and Axles of Tramcars, Railway Rolling Stook, and the like.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Mar., 1895-Accepted, 30th Mar., 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with the Wheels and Axles of
Tramcars, Railway Rolling Stook, and the like.
I, JOSEPH WILLOUGHBY, of Erme House, Mutley, Compton Gifford, in the
County of Devon, Engineer, 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 :-
My said invention relates to improvements in or connected with the wheels
and axles of tramcars, railway rolling stock and the like.
In tramways at crossings, points, sidings, and other places, some very sharp
curves or angles are met with which owing to the difference in the distance to be
travelled by the inner and outer wheels of a pair of wheels fixed with their axle
necessitate one of the wheels slipping with relation to the rail upon which it is
running thus causing a great amount of friction and throwing a severe strain upon
the horses and seriously increasing their work,
The wear and tear upon the rails is also very severe and a heavy cross strain is
thrown upon the axle bearings with an increase of friction at those parts.
In the case of a train travelling at a considerable rate of speed, a very severe
strain is similarly at curves thrown upon the wheels and axle, and the wear and
tear upon the rails is correspondingly severe.
Various devices have been suggested for obviating this difficulty but they have
not proved altogether successful..
Now, the object of the present invention is by a simple and inexpensive device
to obviate the defect above pointed out in a more satisfactory manner.
In carrying the invention into effect, the axle of the wheels is divided transversely
at about the centre of its length the wheels being fixed with the axle as heretofore,
and the two lengths of the axle are at their meeting ends coupled by the means
hereinafter described.
Upon the two parts of the axle adjacent to their inner ends are formed or
provided two or more grooves, collars or flanges of considerable depth, and the two
parts of the axle at their ends are coupled by means of a loose sleeve. which is
caused to embrace a considerable part of the axle and is divided transversely and
sometimes longitudinally into two or more parts bolted together so that each part
of the sleeve will represent a tube adapted to be slidden onto its respective part of
the axle.
The sleeve at the joint is formed with an enlargement upon one part thereof or
partly upon each part thereof and within this enlargement and embracing the
grooves collars or flanges of the axle is arranged a longitudinally divided brass or
other block which is closely embraced by the sleeve so that any longitudinal
movement of the two parts of the axle with relation to each other is prevented
and the proper guage of the wheels is maintained whilst the sleeve efficiently
keeps the two parts of the axle in proper alignment and at the same time by reason
of the closely fitting grooves and collars preserves the rigidity and transverse
strength of the compound axle.
As a modification of this device, the enlargement of the sleeve may be dispensed
with and the brass or block may constitute a central part of the sleeve bolted
to the other parts thereof and longitudinally divided to enable it to be applied to
the axle.
By this arrangement of parts, when the vehicle is running in a straight path and

page_text: the wheels consequently have the same distance to travel they will run at an equal
speed whilst upon running over a curve or incline, the wheels will by reason of the
loose sleeve coupling run at differential speeds, the sleeve coupling permitting the
independent movement of the wheels with relation thereto and to each other, whilst
at the same time all the advantages of a continuous axle are maintained and the
strain is not borne by any one part.
And, in order that the said invention may be more clearly understood and
readily carried into effect, I will proceed aided by the accompanying drawings
b
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is an elevation partly in section of a pair of tramcar or railway carriage
wheels together with their axle having the present invention applied thereto.
Figure 2 is a transverse section thereof taken on the line 1-1 of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a similar view to Figure 1, but with the wheels removed representing
a slightly modified form of the device.
Figure 4 is a similar view representing a further modification, and,
Figure 5 is a transverse section taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 4.
In the several figures like parts are indicated by similar letters of reference.
Referring to Figures 1 and 2, a. represents a pair of tramcar or railway carriage
wheels and b. represents the axle which is fixed with the wheels in the ordinary
manner.
The axle b. of the wheels is divided transversely thereof at about the centre of
its length the wheels a. being fixed with the axle as heretofore, and the two
lengths of the axle b. are at their meeting ends coupled by the means hereinafter
described.
Upon the two parts of the axle b. adjacent to their inner ends are formed or
provided two or more grooves b¹ of considerable depth or they might be collars or
Hanges, and the two parts of the axle b. are coupled by means of a loose sleeve c.
which is caused to embrace a considerable length thereof and is divided transversely
and sometimes longitudinally into two or more parts bolted together by means of
bolts c³ passing through flanges etc so that each part of the sleeve c. will represent
a tube adapted to be slidden onto its respective part of the axle 6.
The sleeve c. at the joint is formed with an enlargement upon one part thereof,
and within this enlargement and embracing the grooves b' or collars or flanges of
the axle b. is arranged a longitudinally divided brass or other block or liner c*
which is interiorly formed with projecting rings *1 corresponding with and
engaging the grooves b' in the two parts of the axle b.
The block is circumferentially closely embraced by the enlargement c³ of the
sleeve c. whilst at one end it abuts against a shoulder formed upon one part of
the sleeve c. and at the other end it abuts against the end of the other part
of the sleeve c. and thus when the two parts of the sleeve c. are bolted together
any longitudinal movement of the two parts of the axle b. with relation to cach
other and to the sleeve is prevented and the proper guage of the wheels a. is
maintained, whilst the sleeve c. efficiently keeps the two parts of the axle b. in
proper alignment and at the same time by reason of the closely fitting grooves &
and collars c* preserves the rigidity and transverse strength of the compound
axle.
Inasmuch as the two parts of the sleeve are adapted to slide onto the corre-
sponding parts of the axle b. it is not essential that the sleeve c. should be
longitudinally divided as shown at Figures 1 and 2, with respect to one half
thereof but both parts of the sleeve c, muy if desired be formed of tubes although
in some cases the longitudinal joint might be employed to facilitate the manufacture
of the device.
In the example given at Figure 3, the parts are similar to those hereinbefore..
described except that in this case the enlargement of the sleeve c. is formed

page_text: partly upon each half thereof but the arrangement hereinbefore described is the
preferred one, as it is thought to afford better transverse support to the axle b.
In the example given at Figures 4. and 5, the enlargement of the sleeve c. is
dispensed with and the block c✶ is formed as a central section or part of the
sleeve c. and is provided with flanges e corresponding with those of the two parts
of the sleeve c. so that the several sections of the sleeve. are capable of being
firmly bolted together, whilst the central section or part * is longitudinally divided
into two or it might be into more parts bolted together to enable it to be applied to
the axle b.
By this arrangement of parts, when the vehicle is running in a straight path and
the wheels a. consequently have the same distance to travel they will run at an
equal speed, whilst upon running over a curve or incline the wheels a. will by
reason of the loose sleeve coupling run at differential speeds the sleeve coupling c..
permitting the independent movement thereof with relation thereto and to each
other, whilst at the same time all the advantages of a continuous axle are
maintained, and the strain is not borne by any one part.
The peculiar construction of parts hereinbefore described provides for the
ready renewal of the principal wearing parts that is to say the brass or other
block e whilst at the same time it admits of the two parts the sleeve c. heing
slidden onto the respective parts of the axle thus facilitating the application of the
device and sometimes cheapening the cost of construction thereof.
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 of a pair of tramcar, railway carriago or like wheels, an axle
divided transversely into two parts fixed with the wheels, a coupling sleeve
transversely divided into two tubular parts adapted to slide on to the axle and
bolted together such sleeve being loose upon both parts of the axle whilst adapted
to turn therewith and connecting together with capability of independent
revolution the two parts thereof, rings or grooves upon the axle, a horizontally
divided block upon its interior formed with co-acting rings or grooves and au
enlargement upon one or both parts of the sleeve to embrace the block, substantially
as herein shown and described and for the purpose stated.
2. The combination of a pair of tramcar, railway carriage or like wheels, an
axle divided transversely into two parts fixed with the wheels, a coupling sleeve
transversely divided into two tubular parts adapted to slide onto the axle, flanges
rings or grooves upon the axle, a longitudinally divided block constituting a central
section to the sleeve upon its interior formed with co-acting rings or grooves and
provided with transverse flanges the several sections being bolted together whilst
the entire sleeve is loose upon both parts of the axle and adapted to turn therewith
and yet connect together with capability of independent revolution the two parts
thereof, substantially as herein shown and described and for the purpose stated.
Dated this 2nd day of March 1895.
VAUGHAN & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.