Improvements in Axle Boxes for Locomotives, Railway Carriages, and other Vehicles.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Feb., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 7th Mar., 1892-Accepted, 28th May, 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Axle Boxes for Locomotives, Railway Carriages,
and other Vehicles.
I, FREDERICK ATTOCK of Fernyhurst, Palatine Road, Didsbury, Manchester
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
In the Specification of a former Patent granted to me, No. 321 of the year 1878,
I described a construction of axle box having an open front fitted with a sliding
door; it has also been proposed to construct an axle box with a removable chamber
in the upper part thereof for lubricant. Axle boxes according to my present
invention can be constructed with or without such removable chambers. One
object of this invention is to facilitate the removal and replacing of the bearing
by providing for the keeping open of the hinged or sliding door by which the open
front of the axle box is normally closed.
One arrangement for this purpose is as follows:-
The door is adapted to slide in guides, and is made with a slot through which
extends a stud or pin projecting from the upper part of the front of the axle box,
the arrangement being such that the journal or bearing can be examined by simply
sliding up the front door to a sufficient height; then, should it be found necessary
to remove the bearing for a further examination, or to substitute a new bearing
the door cau be simply turned over on the stud or pin until the door rests against
the side of the axle box thus exposing the whole of the interior of the axle box
to view, and allowing the attendant free use of his hands, so that he can operate a
lifting jack in order to raise the axle box and enable him to remove the bearing
and examine it and the journal, as also to previously remove the movable lubricant
chamber if the axle box be constructed with such.
Instead of arranging the front door to be turned over I sometimes provide means for
retaining it in its raised position. According to one arrangement for this purpose
the door is furnished with a projection or projections to limit its upward movement
and the box is formed with a recess or recesses adapted to receive the lower edge
of the door and to support it when open in an inclined position, or a catch or
catches may be so mounted as to enter (by gravity) into engagement with a pro-
jection or projections so as to retain the door until it is released by drawing back
the catch or catches.
In an axle box constructed with a removable lubricant chamber I provide for
retaining such chamber in position a cross bolt so applied that assuming the bolt to
be removed the lubricant chamber can then be withdrawn so soon as the bearing is
relieved of the weight of the vehicle, and thus free access will be obtained for the
removal of the bearing and examination of the journal.
With this arrangement it will be evident that both the lubricant chamber and
the bearing can be readily removed when necessary. Also that should the
lubricant chamber become foul or clogged with dirty grease or otherwise, it can be
readily withdrawn and cleaned without removing the bearing.
Furthermore that the bearing can be withdrawn without disturbing the removable
Inbricant chamber, by raising the axle box to a sufficient height which may be
easily effected by means of a small lifting jack, operated from underneath the box,
as described in the Specification of my application for Letters Patent No. 22140
of 1891.
Dh
1
1000

page_text: '
Fig. 4 a horizontal section;
Fig. 5 a cross section taken in two planes, the left hand half of the figure being
taken on the line A B and the right hand half on the line C D of Fig. 2; and
Fig. 6 a front elevation with the door in its turned over open position.
1 is the door formed with fillets 2 arranged to slide in lateral guides 3 in the front
portion of the axle box. This door is made with a slot 4 through which extends a
stud or pin 5 projecting from the upper part of the front of the axle box, the
arrangement being such that the journal 6 or bearing 7 can be examined by simply
sliding up the front door to a sufficient height; then, should it be found necessary
to remove the bearing 7 for a further examination, or to substitute a new bearing,
the door can be simply turned over on the stud or pin 5 until the door rests against
the side of the axle box as shown in Fig. 6 thus exposing the whole of the
interior of the axle box to view, and allowing the attendant free use of his hands,
so that he can operate a lifting jack in order to raise the axle box and enable him
to remove the bearing and examine it and the journal, as also to previously remove
the movable lubricant chamber 8 if the axle box be constructed with such.
Fig. 7 is a similar view to Fig. 6 illustrating a modified construction in which
the stud or pin 5 is fixed at one side of the upper part of the door 1 and works in
a slot 4 formed in the front of the axle box and the upper portion of which is
curved as shewn at 4", so that the end thereof serves as a bearing to support the
stud or piu and attached door when the latter is in the turned over open position
shewn.
Instead of arranging the front door 1 to be turned over, I sometimes provide
means for retaining it in its raised position.
Fig. 8 is a longitudinal section of an axle box shewing one arrangement for this
purpose the door being shewn in its closed position; and
Fig. 9 is a similar view shewing the door held in its raised and open position.
In this arrangement the door, which is arranged to slide in lateral guides 3, as
before, is furnished with a projection (or projections) as for example a nut 9 carried
by a bolt 10, to limit its upward movement by coming in contact with a part 11 of
the chamber 8 when the door is fully raised, and the box is formed with a recess 12
at one or at both sides adapted to receive the lower edge of the door and to support
it when open in an inclined position as shown in Fig. 9.

page_text: Or a catch or catches may be so mounted as to enter into engagement with a
projection or projections so as to retain the door in the raised position until it is
released by drawing back the catch or catches.
Figs. 10 to 12 inclusive are half front views, & Fig. 13 a part longitudinal
section illustrating various arrangements for this purpose. In the arrangement
shown in Fig. 10 the door 1 is formed at one or both sides near the bottom with a
recess 13 into which enters when the door is sufficiently raised, one end of a bent
wire spring 14, the other end of which is secured to the front of the axle box. In
Fig. 11 the door 1 is provided at one or both sides with a pivoted drop catch 15
that enters a recess 16 in the front of the axle so as to support the door when the
same has been raised sufficiently high. In Fig. 12 the pivoted drop catch shown in
Fig. 11 is replaced by a spring 15.
In Fig. 13, the front portion of the axle box is provided internally at one or
at both sides with a drop catch 15 arranged or each arranged to pass under and
support the door when the same is raised as shown.
In an axle box constructed with a removable lubricant chamber I provide for
retaining such chamber in position, a cross bolt 17 so applied that assuming the
bolt to be removed the lubricant chamber can then be withdrawn so soon as the
bearing is relieved of the weight of the vehicle, and thus free access will be
obtained for the removal of the bearing and examination of the journal. In the
construction of axle box shewn in Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive, in Fig. 7; and in Figs. 8
and 9, 17 is a cross bolt for the purpose mentioned arranged below the front outer
end of the removable chamber 8 so as to bear against a shoulder at 18 on the
chamber so as to retain the same in position.
With this arrangement it will be evident that both the lubricant chamber and
the bearing can be readily removed when necessary. Also that should the lubricant
chamber become foul or clogged with dirty grease or otherwise, it can be readily
withdrawn and cleaned without removing the bearing.
Furthermore that the bearing can be withdrawn without disturbing the removable
lubricant chamber, by raising the axle box to a sufficient height which may be easily
effected by means of a small lifting jack, operated from underneath the box, as
described in the Specification of my application for Letters Patent No. 22140
of 1891.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. An axle box constructed with an open front, a sliding door, a slot and a stud
or pin the arrangement being such that the door after being raised can be turned
over on the stud or pin as a centre until the door rests against the side of the axle
box substantially as described and shown for the purpose specified.
2. An axle box constructed with an open front a sliding door a projection or
projections on the door adapted to limit its upward movement, and a recess or
recesses in the box adapted to receive the lower edge of the door and to support
it when open substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and shown
in Figs. 8 and 9 of the drawings annexed.
3. An axle box constructed with an open front, a sliding door, and a catch or
catches arranged according to Fig. 10, or Fig. 11 or Fig. 12, or Fig. 13, so as to
retain the door in the raised position until it is released by drawing back the catch
or catches as described for the purpose specified.
4. An axle box constructed with an open front, a bearing, a removable lubricant
chamber and means for supporting and retaining such lubricant chamber in place
in such a manner that according to requirement the lubricant chamber can be
withdrawn without the hearing, or the bearing can be withdrawn without removing
the lubricant chamber, or both the lubricant chamber and the bearing can be
withdrawn substantially as described.

page_text: 5. My improved axle box with removable chamber, constructed and arranged
as hereinbefore described with reference to and shewn in Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive of
the drawings annexed or modified according to Fig. 7.
Dated this 7th day of March 1892.
W. LLOYD WISE,
Per F. J. Brougham,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.