IMPROVEMENTS IN WHEELS, AXLE BOXES, AND BRAKES FOR RAILWAY CARRIAGES
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Edward McConnell, of Wolverton, in the
County of Bucks, Civil Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
WHEELS, AXLE BOXES, AND BRAKES FOR RAILWAY CARRIAGES."
Sealed the 8th September 1854, and dated the 6th July 1854.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Edward McConnell
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
6th July 1854.
I, JAMES EDWARD MCCONNELL, of Wolverton, in the County of Bucks, Civil
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN WHEELS, AXLE BOXES, AND BRAKES FOR RAILWAY CARRIAGES," to be as
follows:-
This Invention relates, in the first place, to the manufacture or construction
of wheels in one single mass or piece from wrought-iron plate or slab, by the
aid of pressure in moulds, the requisite pressure or moulding action being
obtained in any convenient and suitable manner.
Under the second head of axle boxes, the improvements relate to modifi-
cations of the form of axle box for which Henry Vigurs obtained Letters
Patent for England, on the 4th day of November 1851. According to these
improvements, the washer or disc plate which fits on to the shoulder of the
axle, and acts as the means of retaining the grease in the box, is made of the
pulpy matter from which paper, card, or millboard is ordinarily manufactured.
These washers or disc plates are moulded to the required form under
pressure, or instead of such moulding process the washers may be shaped by
other means. Various plastic materials or compositions may be used from
which to mould these washers or disc plates, so as to produce cheap and light
covers.
Or instead of thus moulding the washers out of plastic materials,

page_text: wood or other light substance may be used for the washers. It is intended
to form or arrange in this way all those parts of axle boxes where the escape
of oil may occur, in addition to the adaptation of the improvements to the
special arrangement of Mr. Vigurs.
The last head of brakes relates to the forming the brake blocks with metallic
or cast or wrought iron shoes, holders, or frames, to hold the wood or other
material of which the frictional block is formed. Or the brake blocks may
be formed of blocks or layers of wood and metal, or other suitable materials,
disposed alternately.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Edward McConnell in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 6th January 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
EDWARD McCONNELL, of Wolverton, in the County of Bucks, Civil Engineer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the cighteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said James Edward McConnell, Her special license that I, the said
James Edward McConnell, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said James Edward McConnell, my executors, admi-
nistrators, or 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 WHEELS, AXLE BOXES, AND BRAKES
FOR RAILWAY CARRIAGES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said James Edward McConnell, by an instrument 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 same 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 James Edward McConnell, 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 accompanying Drawings, and to the
tters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-

page_text: My said Invention relates, in the first place, to the manufacture or con-
struction of wheels in one single mass or piece from a wrought-iron plate or
slab, (either solid or previously piled, built, or welded together to the rough size
and form of a railway wheel,) by the aid of pressure in moulds, the requisite
pressure or moulding action being obtained in any convenient and suitable
manner.
Under the head of axle boxes, the improvements relate to modifications*
of the form of axle box for which Henry Vigurs obtained Letters Patent.
for England, on the Fourth day of November, One thousand eight hundred.
and fifty-one. According to these improvements, the washer or disc plate,
which fits on to the shoulder of the axle, and acts as the means of
retaining the grease in the box, is made of the pulpy matter from which
paper, card, or millboard is ordinarily manufactured. These washers or disc
plates are moulded to the required form under pressurė; or instead of such.
moulding process the washers may be shaped by other means. Various plastic
materials or compositions may be used from which to mould these washers or.
disc plates, so as to produce cheap and light covers. Or instead of. thus
moulding the washers out of plastic materials, wood or other light substance
may be used for the washers. It is intended to form or arrange in this way
all those parts of axle boxes where the escape of oil may occur, in addition to.
the adaptation of the improvements to the special arrangement of the said.
Henry Vigurs.
The last head of brakes relates to the forming the brake blocks with
metallic or cast or wrought iron shoes,. holders, or frames, to hold .the wood
or other material of which the frictional block is formed. Or the brake
blocks may be formed of blocks or layers of wood and metal, or other suitable
materials, disposed alternately.
And in order that my said Invention may be more readily understood, I shall
now proceed to describe and refer to the several Figs. on the Sheets of
Drawings hereunto annexed.
.
Fig. 1, on Sheet 1 of my Drawings, represents a section of a solid wrought-
iron disc or slab in the rough state, previous to its being subjected to the
moulding action. Fig. 2 is a section of the matrix and die for moulding the
lises into suitable form, a disc being shewn in the process of being moulded
into the shape requisite to form one side of a railway wheel. Fig. 3 is a
section of another form of matrix and die, by which both sides of the wheel are
moulded at one operation. The rest of the Figures on this Sheet represent, in
section and plan, various constructions of railway wheels, which I shall herein-
after more fully refer to. Figs. 4 and 5 represent, in section and elevation, one

page_text: of the modes which I adopt for making wrought-iron railway wheels. The
body of the wheel is composed of two plates or discs A, A, bent or moulded into
the requisite shape at B and C, to form respectively the rim and boss of the
wheel. During the moulding process, which is effected by one or more
descents of the die, the metal plate or slab is turned round a short distance
between each successive descent of the die, for the purpose of ensuring perfect
rotundity and equality of thickness in the metal, by presenting its surface in
a different position at each descent of the die. These plates when formed are
subsequently rivetted together, as shewn in the Drawing, and a tyre is put on,
which completes the wheel. The plate or disc A (Fig. 1) is bent into shape
by the die D (which may be worked by hydrostatic or other power) and the
matrix E (Fig. 2), a slight increase of metal being allowed on the plate at its
centre, which forms the boss or nave, and at its outer circumference, to form
the rim. An aperture F is made in the centre of the plate before subjecting it
to the action of the die. This aperture is placed immediately over the central
raised portion G of the matrix; and as the plate is laid on to the matrix E
in a heated state, the descent of the die D causes the edges of the plate to be
turned up all round to a vertical position, whilst the central portion of the
plate or disc is similarly turned up, and the aperture expanded sufficiently to
form the usual opening in the boss by the action of the raised portion G, which
corresponds to the internal diameter of the boss or nave. Two of these plates
having been formed or shaped in the manner herein-before described, they are
rivetted together back to back, as shewn at Figs. 4 and 5, and the wheel is
completed by afterwards shrinking on the tyre. The die and matrix, shewn at
Fig. 3, are for the purpose of moulding an entire wheel (with the exception of
the tyre) at one operation, out of a suitably-shaped slab or disc, which may
be either solid or composed of a number of pieces piled, built, or welded
together to the rough size and form of a railway wheel. In this arrangement
an aperture is also formed in the centre of the slab, through which aperture
the raised portion of the matrix H, Fig. 3, is forced, thereby forming the
opening in the boss of the wheel. The rim of the wheel is formed by the
metal being squeezed into suitably-shaped recesses in the die and matrix.
Figs. 6 and 7 represent, in section and elevation, a solid wrought-iron rail-
way wheel, formed out of one block or slab by the die and matrix (Fig. 3).
A third modification of wheel is shewn in section and elevation at Figs. 8
and 9. This wheel is of a somewhat similar construction to that shewn at
Figs. 4 and 5, with the exception that one entire disc A only is used; this disc
being somewhat similar in shape, but of rather thicker metal than the separate
discs in Figs. 4 and 5. The rim is formed by rivetting a ring B of angle iron

page_text: to the back of the plate; and the boss is formed by rivetting a ring C on to
each side of the plate or disc A, an opening being left in the plate sufficiently
great for the end of the axle to pass through. Or, in place of two rings for
the boss, one only need be employed, the other portion of the boss being
formed on the disc itself, as shown by the moulded disc A. in Fig. 2. These
rings both for the boss and rim are also formed by the aid of suitable discs
and matrices, as described with reference to the moulding of the discs.
Fig. 1 on Sheet 2 of my Drawings is a section of a plate or slab piled, built,
or welded into the rough size and form of a railway wheel before being sub-
jected to the action of the press; Fig. 2 shews another mode of piling, building,
or welding; and Figs. 3 and 4 are respectively a section and plan of a rough
slab, wherein the body or disc of the wheel is piled, built, or welded out of a
number of segments, in such a manner as to break the joints between the upper
and lower series of segments.
Fig. 1 on Sheet 3 of my Drawings represents a side elevation of a portion
of a carriage framing with my improved brake block attached thereto;
Fig. 2 is a detail side elevation of the brake block on a larger scale; and
Fig. 3 is a corresponding face view of the samc. A, A, is a metallic cast or
wrought iron shoe or frame, having a series of dovetailed grooves or
slots formed transversely across it, into which grooves or slots are driven
tightly the double angular blocks of wood B, B, cut across the grain.
The angular intervals or spaces C, C, between the projecting portions of the
blocks B, B, are filled up with lead, or other metal or material tending to
produce friction; or the spaces may be filled up with wood, having the grain
running at right angles to the grain of the blocks B, B. By employing brakes
of this description a great saving of wood is effected; as, in place of the whole
back of the block being rendered useless by the wearing away of the face of
such block, the small blocks B and C alone are required to be renewed, which
is readily effected, by knocking them out of the shoe with a hammer, and fresh
blocks having been inserted in the same manner, the brake is rendered as good
as new again in the course of a few minutes. The angular blocks may be cut
in large quantities at a time, and all made after the same pattern, after the
mode adopted for cutting the blocks for wood paving. Although I have
represented a certain form of wooden block in my Drawings, yet I wish it to
be distinctly understood that I do not confine myself to any particular form of
such blocks; neither do I restrict myself to the mode shewn in my Drawings,
of inserting such blocks into their holding shoes or frames, as they may be
inserted either longitudinally in the shoe or at an angle across the same.
Fig. 4 on Sheet 3 of my Drawings represents a longitudinal vertical section

page_text: of an axle box constructed on the principle patented by the said Henry Vigurs,
but fitted with my improved washer or shield. Fig. 5 is a corresponding ele-
vation of the back of the axle box, shewing the face of the shield. Fig. 6
is a half section plan of the box, shewing the shield in section and cle-
vational plan; and Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the shield detached. This
shield or washer A is composed of papiér maché, and has the projecting swell
In place of
or boss B formed upon it by being pressed into suitable moulds.
papiér maché, or paper in a wet or pulpy state, wood or other light material
may be employed in the construction of the washers.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I would observe, in conclusion, that I do not confine or restrict
myself to the precise details or arrangements which I have had occasion to
describe or refer to, as many variations may be made therefrom without
deviating from the principles or main features of my said Invention; but what
I consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention
secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is,—
First, the system or mode of forming the body part of railway wheels in
one single mass or piece by the aid of pressure and suitably-shaped dies and
matrices out of one solid slab or plate of metal, or from a plate or slab which
has been piled, built, or welded together to the rough size and form of a rail-
way wheel previous to being subjected to the action of the press.
Second, the system or mode of constructing brake blocks for railway or
other purposes, by inserting two or more blocks of wood into suitably-shaped
slots formed in a metal shoe or holding frame, the interstices between the pro-
truding portions of such blocks being filled up with lead, wood, or other suitable
materials.
Third, the application of papier maché or other light analogous material to
the construction of washers or disc plates for preventing the escape of grease.
from axle boxes.
.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Edward McConnell, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Sixth day of January, One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-five.