IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY WHEELS
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Alexander Jeffreys, Engineer, of Low Moor, near
Bradford, in the County of York, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
RAILWAY WHEELS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Alexander Jeffreys
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 16th February 1876.
EDWARD ALEXANDER JEFFREYS, Engineer, of Low Moor, near Bradford, in the
County of York. 'IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY WHEELS."
"
This Invention has for its object the fastening of tyres to most kinds of railway
wheels, engine tenders, carriages, wagons, vans, and other vehicles.
In carrying out the Invention the rim or shoe of the wheel is formed with a
projecting rim or rims on one or both sides. These projecting rims are slightly
dovetailed, so that a circular ring or segments with a corresponding dovetail or
dovetails is slipped into its place by the ring or segments being left open at the
joints, with sufficient space to get a wedge or wedges in to force the ring out to the
full diameter, the wedge or wedges being kept in position by rivetting or by set
screws or studs. The ring or segment has also a lip to secure the tyre to the rim of
the wheel. The ring can be put in its place before or after the tyre is put on the
wheel, and does not require any hammering over of the tyre or rings to keep ring
or segments in the proper position; the lip that secures the tyre to the rim of the
wheel may be bevelled. In that case the tyre may be put on before the ring is put
into its place; these rings do not require any bolts or studs to keep them in their
places; after they are sprung into their places the dovetail or dovetails keep them
80. The wedge piece or wedge pieces may be rivetted at the joints of the rings
after being driven home or secured with a stud or tapped bolt, which quite prevents
the rings from collapsing or getting out of their places.
The second part of my Invention relates to an improved mode for pressing out
my patent rings J described in the Specification filed in pursuance of Letters
Tatent granted me, dated March 9th, 1875, No. 866, with reference to Figures 16
and 17 of the Drawings annexed thereto.
My improvements consist, firstly, in placing the screw W parallel with the rims
of the wheel by reducing the end of the screw and pointing the end so that when
the screw W is screwed home it forces ring J into and keeps it in its place.
[Price Isl

page_text: My improvements consist, secondly, in introducing wedges from the side instead
of screws W to press out and keep ring J in position.
My improvements consist, thirdly, when a bolt passes through the rim of the
wheel in keeping the retaining ring or rings in position by driving a pointed drift
before the bolt; the bolt will force out and keep ring J in position.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Edward Alexander Jeffreys in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
19th July 1876.
EDWARD ALEXANDER JEFFREYS, Engineer, of Low Moor, near Bradford, in the
County of York. IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY WHEELS."
This Invention has for its object the fastening of tires to most kinds of railway
wheels, engine tenders, carriages, wagons, vans, and other railway vehicles.
In carrying out the first part of my Invention the rim or the shoe, as the case
may be, of the wheel is formed with a projecting lip or lips on one or both sides.
These projecting lips are slightly inclined on one surface or dovetailed so that an
external ring or segments with corresponding inclines or dovetails is slipped into
its place by the ring or segments being left open at the joints, with sufficient space
to get a wedge or wedges in to force the ring out to the full diameter, the wedge or
wedges being kept in position by rivetting or by set screws or studs, or the outer
ring may be kept in position by bolts passing through the wheel that secure the
inner ring. The ring or segment has also a lip to secure the tire to the rim of the
wheel. The ring in some cases.can_be_put.in its place before or after the tire is put
on the wheel and does not require any hammering over of the tire or rings to keep
the ring or segments in the proper position, or an outer ring can be used to keep an
inner ring in position. The lip that secures the tire to the rim of the wheel may
be slightly bevelled. In that case the ring may be put on before the tire is put
into its place. These rings do not require any bolts or studs to keep them in their
places, after they are sprung into position the dovetail or dovetails keep them to.
The wedge piece or wedge pieces may be rivetted at the joints of the rings after
being driven home or secured with a stud or tapped bolt, which quite prevents the
rings from collapsing or getting out of their places.
The second part of my Invention relates to an improved mode for pressing out
the retaining or key rings J described in the Specification filed in pursuance of
Letters Patent granted to me, dated March 9th, 1875, No. 866, with reference to
Figures 16 and 17 of the Drawings annexed.
My improvements under this part of my present Invention consists, firstly, in
placing the screw W parallel with the rims of the wheel by reducing the end of the
and pointing the end so that when the screw W is screwed home it forces the
key or retaining ring J into the groove in the tire and keeps it in its place.
screw,
The improvements consist, thirdly, in introducing wedges from the side instead
of screws W to press out and keep the key ring J in position.
My improvements consist, fourthly, when a bolt passes through the rim of the
wheel in keeping the retaining ring or rings in position by driving a pointed drift
before the bolt; the bolt will force out and keep the ring J in position.
In carrying out the Invention the rim S for a metal wheel or the shoe A for
a wood wheel is formed with a projecting lip or lips X on one or both sides, as
shown in Figures 1, 2, 3, 31, 33, and 34 of the accompanying Drawings. These
projecting lips X are slightly inclined or dovetailed so that an external ring Y or
segments with a corresponding incline or dovetail X is slipped into its place by
the ring Y, being left open at the joint with sufficient space to get a wedge Z,
Figures 4, 35, and 36, or wedges in to force the ring Y out to its full diameter, the
wedge Z being kept in position by rivetting or by a set screw, as shown in

page_text: Figures 4, 35, and 36. These rings Y do not require any bolts or studs in the rim
or through the wheel to keep them in their places, the dovetail being sufficient for
the purpose. The ring Y is unable to collapse after the wedge Z is driven into its
proper position.
In Figures 52, 53, 56, 57, 58, 60, the ring Y is shown to fix the ring T which
can be put into a groove cut for it in tyre F and rim of wheel S or only in tyre
F, as shown. The ring Y being in two or cut in two is contracted in diameter,
then put into position, and expanded in the groove, which groove may be square or
bevilled, as shown, and kept tight by the wedge Z or by the bolts D, as shown in
dotted lines, Figure 60, the depth of the ring Y being greater for the purpose.
Figures 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, are improved sections of my shoe A, also improved
section of my key ring J, which can however be made of various sections or shapes.
Screws W employed to press out the ring J are shown in Figures 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11,
13, 15, 17, 19, and wedges to press out the key ring J are shown in Figures 2, 6, 8,
10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 20, 31, 33, 34. Figures 27, 30, 37, 38, show an inner ring K
to keep ring J in position.
Figures 41 and 42 are plans of a cramp or double "Lewis" A¹, A¹, for keeping
my shoe A together, to take the strain off the bolts D or rivets N by putting in a
sufficient number of them at the joint of the shoe A, the shoe A being a ring that
may be welded or weldless.
The ring J, Figure 43, is got back by slotting or cutting small grooves B, B, in
the tyre F, as shown by dotted lines in Figures 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17; 19, or
when wedges K are used to keep the ring Y in position, as shown in Figures 2, 6,
8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 26, 27, 30, 31, 33, 34, 37, 38, 44, 45, a sharp pointed chisel
or cramp being driven in behind the ring J to force it back, to enable the tyre to
be slid off after the screws W or wedges K are withdrawn. The wedges K may be
let into a groove B, B, in the tyre, as shown in Figure 44, which will prevent the
tyre F slipping round, should it become loose.
Figures 21, 22, 25, 26, 29, 30, 34, 39, 40, 51, 53, 54, 55, 57, 58, and 59, show a
projection E on tyre in combination with the other plans, as shown.
Figures 9, 10, 11, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, show methods of dispensing with lip G on
tyre F, and also with ring T, by using two retaining rings J, as shown, set out by
screws or wedges or set back, as before described.
Figure 39 shows a portion of a wheel with external rings, known as Mansell
rings, but used in connection with my shoe A and with or without my projections E.
The bolt D is fixed with a collar a or a countersunk head b, so that in taking a
wheel of this construction apart it is only necessary to take off the nuts F, F, on
one side and only to take one ring off to get the tire off. Similar bolts D are shown
in Figures 37, 38.
Figures 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 33, 34, 40, rivets N, may be used instead of
bolt D.
Figure 40 shows an improved shoe A with ring Y and the clamps A¹, A', with
reference to Figure 41 or 42.
Figures 21 and 23 show rings T on both sides and used in combination with a
retaining ring J, the ring J being kept in position by the bolt D or by the screw W,
as shown in Figure 24; a pointed drift may be driven before the bolt D to force
the ring J into position, if necessary. The ring or key J, which may be made of
iron, steel, or other metal, turned or rolled or made near the size of the section or
shape required, and then be drawn through a die or dies, similar to drawing wire,
and bent to a circle, or rolled and bent to a circle similar to making Ramsbottom's
piston rings. These rings or keys J may be caused to enter the groove or be made
in the tyre F by being bent, or be made slightly larger in diameter than that
of the rim S of the wheel, so that when the tyre F is slid or forced into its position
by pressure the ring or key J will contract and then spring outwards (by the
elasticity given to it by its being larger in diameter) into the groove turned in the
tyre F, and may be kept in position by introducing at the joint or joints a wedge C
which can be pressed out by a screw W from the inner face of the rim, Figure: 46,

page_text: or be forced out by the screw W from the side, as before shown, by wedge K, as in
Figure 44, which can be rivetted into its place at the joint of the ring. Any of these
methods will prevent the key ring J becoming smaller in diameter or loosening its
hold upon both rim and tire.
When fitting a tire on to a rim the ring J can be forced back into the groove in the
rim S by any workman's method or by a wedge shaped ring H, H, Figures 47, 48, 49,
50, this ring being made of two pieces to enable it to be got over the axle, which
will cause the ring J to contract until the groove in the tire comes over it, when
the ring J will spring into position in the tire groove and act as a key. If this
plan is adopted it may not require the screw W or the wedge K to keep ring J in
position. The ring or key J can be made as before described or any other way and
may be rolled and bent or turned to a circle of smaller diameter; if smaller in
diameter it can be expanded and be caused to spring in passing over the rim S of
the wheel and take into the rim groove, and can then be pressed out by one of the
means before described into the tyre F.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I declare that I claim-
Firstly. The construction of wheels for railway purposes, as described with
reference to the several Figures shown in the annexed Drawings.
Secondly. I claim specially fitting a key ring into a groove in the rim of a wheel,
when such key ring is made of a larger diameter than the groove in the rim itself
that the ring can be expanded and put over the rim and then sprung into the
groove formed in the rim, in order that when the tire is put on the ring can be
again contracted to allow the tire to pass on until a groove in the tire comes
opposite the ring, which will then expand or be forced out and occupy a position
partly in the tire groove and partly in the rim groove, as set forth.
Thirdly. I claim the appliances shown and described for keeping out the
key ring J in its expanded form, especially the reduced end and pointed screw W,
or as an equivalent the wedge key K as separate pieces, as shown in Figures 32, 44,
and 45 of the annexed Drawings.
Fourthly. I claim the key or wedge Z for keeping the external ring Y in an
expanded form and its lips within the dovetailed grooves X in the tire and under
the rim of the wheel, as set forth and as shewn.
Fifthly. I claim the employment of a ring as an external ring Y, severed at one
or more parts of its circumference to enable the lips or edges of it to be inserted
into dovetailed or square grooves in the tire face and into or on to the rim, that the
ring can be afterwards expanded by suitable means and retained in its expanded form
by one or more wedge pieces Z, which can be rivetted or bolted in place or by the
bolts D passing through the wheel, as described in Figures 2, 3, 4, 31, 33, 34, 35,
36, 40, 52, 53, 55, 56, 57, 58, 60.
Sixthly. I claim the employment of one or more inclined or angled-shaped rings J
as key rings within grooves in the rim or shoe and the tire of railway wheels,
as set forth and substantantially as shown, and which can be made of various
sections.
Seventhly. I claim the employment of two flanged shaped half shoes or a divided
shoe whose inner portions or meeting edges are held in contact by wedge key A¹,
Figures 41 and 42, in combination with two angled key rings within grooves in
the tire and in the shoe, as set forth, with reference to Figures 9, 10, 11, and 12 of
the annexed Drawings, external rings or lip and ring being in this case dispensed
with.
Eighthly. I claim the combination of my shoe A. or shoes with rings Y or T, or
with iron plate forged or cast in boss of wood or papier mâché, or other disc wheel
or plates, on either or both sides of disc, or a plain shoe without flange on either
side in combination, as described.
Ninthly. I claim that when rings Y, Y, are used the ring J may be dispensed
with or the two rings may be used together.
Tenthly. I claim the employment of ring Y, Y, or segments, as shown in

page_text: Figure 61, which after ring Y or ring T is in position ring Y, Y, is pressed into
space left for it all round the tyre F; ring Y, Y, on being hammered will expand
and fill up the space so as to prevent tyre F or ring T or Y moving laterally, thus
keeping all in position without any bolts being necessary.
Eleventhly. I claim the combination of projection E, as shown in Figures 51, 53,
54, 55, 57, 58, 59, when a wooden or disc wheel is used or without my shoe A.
Twelfthly. I claim the combination of ring J with lip P, G, on tire F, and
lip P, G, on rim S of wheel, as shown in Figure 62 of the annexed Drawings.
Thirteenthly. I claim the combination of Mansell or other external rings with a
key ring J in the grooves of rim or shoc and tire when used in connection with
holding bolts, which not only keep the external rings in place but also keep the
key ring J expanded, as described and shown in Figures 21 and 23.
Fourteenthly. I claim the combination of Mansell or other external rings with a
key ring J kept expanded by separate screws or wedges, as described with reference
to Figures 24, 26, 27, 28, 30, 31, 33, 34, 37, 38, 51, 55, of the annexed Drawings.
Fifteenthly. I claim the employment of a flanged shoe with Mansell or other
external rings and key ring J in combination with collars a, b, on the holding bolts,
as described with reference to Figures 37 and 38 of the Drawings annexed.
Sixteenthly. I claim the employment of one or more flanged shoes with the
Mansell or other external rings in combination with collars a or b on the holding
bolts, as described with reference to Figure 39 of the annexed Drawings.
Seventeenthly. I claim the employment of wedge keys K in the face or faces of
railway wheels, such wedge keys taking partly into the tire and partly into the rim
of the shoe to prevent the tyre slipping round, should it become loose from any
cause, as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Alexander Jeffreys, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of June, One thousand eight hundred
and seventy-six.
EDWARD ALEXANDER JEFFREYS. (L.S.)