IMPROVEMENTS IN WHEELS FOR RAILWAY CARRIAGES AND OTHER VEHICLES
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the "International Patent
Office," Southampton Buildings, London, Consulting Engineer, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN WHEELS FOR RAILWAY CARRIAGES
AND OTHER VEHICLES."-A communication from abroad by Almond
Franklin Cooper, of San Francisco, California, United States of
America.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Robert Lake at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and
Declaration, on the 21st July 1870, pursuant to the 9th Section of
the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the "International Patent Office," Southampton
Buildings, London, Consulting Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
WHEELS FOR RAILWAY CARRIAGES AND OTHER VEHICLES," and have petitioned
Her Majesty to grant unto me, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
Her Royal Letters Patent for the same, and have made solemn

page_text: Declaration, that it has been communicated to me from abroad by
Almond Franklin Cooper, of San Francisco, California, United States
of America.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Robert Lake, do hereby
declare that the following Complete Specification, under my hand and
seal, fully describes and ascertains the nature of the said Invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawing, making
a part of this Specification:-
The present Invention particularly relates to certain improvements
in wheels for railway carriages and other vehicles, and the object of the
said Invention is to provide additional means for rendering the wheel
clastic as well as for increasing its strength and durability. It consists
in an auxiliary elastic packing interposed between the inner surface
of one or both covering plates and the outer surface of the wheel, one
or both sides of which are provided with a circular flange or projection
of a diameter exceeding that of the covering plate, in order that the
wheel may receive the said plate and packing, the latter being of a
diameter exceeding that of the inside of the flange; when the plate is
secured in place the packing will lap over its outer edge and snugly and
completely fill the space between it and the flange, the covering plate
being free to yield in a vertical as well as in a lateral direction when the
wheel passes over an uneven track or road, and the concussion and noise
incident to the use of wheels of the ordinary construction thereby
avoided. The said Invention also consists in providing the wheel on one
or both sides with one or more series of projections surrounded by elastic
sleeves or thimbles, which fit into recesses in the covering plate and act
as springs or buffers, whereby the necessary elasticity is insured and
greater strength afforded than where solid rubber blocks are employed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 is a central longitudinal section through my improved wheel,
shewing the same in place upon its axle; Figure 2 is a perspective view
of the said improved wheel with one of its covering plates removed;
Figure 3 is a perspective view of the inner side of one of the said covering
plates; Figure 4 is a plan of the outer side of the same.
A is a solid wheel, with only a circular opening at its centre, in which
snugly fits a rubber block B surrounding an axle C. Each side of the

page_text: wheel has projecting from it, and formed in one and the same piece
therewith two circular flanges a, b; the inner circular flange a is
surrounded by a circular ring of rubber c, and the outer circular flange b
is of such diameter as will enclose a space sufficiently large to receive
a covering plate D, provided with an elastic packing E fitted to its inner
side. The diameter of the circular flange b is greater than the diameter
of the covering plate D, and the diameter of the elastic packing E is
greater than that of the inside of the flange b, so that when the covering
plate is in place the packing will occupy the space between the flange b
and elastic ring c, and be interposed not only between the inside of
the covering plate and the outside of the wheel, but also between the
outer edge of the covering plate and the inside of the flange b; thus
the packing laps and folds over the outer edge of the covering plate in
such manner as to snugly and completely fill the space between them,
whereby the plate is free to yield gradually in a vertical as well as in a
lateral direction (see Figure 1). The covering plate D is provided with
a groove d, within which and around the central boss or projection e of
the plate is fitted an elastic ring f, which fits snugly within the flange a
of the wheel. On each side of the wheel A, within the space enclosed
by the two flanges a, b, is formed (in one and the same piece as the
wheel) a series of projections 9 surrounded by a series of rubber sleeves
or thimbles h (see Figure 2), which are of a greater length than the
projections g, and and fit into a series of circular recesses i (Figure 3),
formed in the covering plate D and extending through the packing E
secured thereto. The thickness of the portion of the plate D where the
recesses i are formed is increased at 5, so as to insure the necessary degree
of strength, and the depth of the recesses i is a little less than that of
the elastic sleeves h, so that they will be compressed when the plates D
are properly secured in place. These rubber sleeves act as buffers or
cushions, and in connection with the elastic rings c, f, and packing E,
serve to support the weight upon the wheel, which is thus allowed to
have a slight motion, independently of the axle in passing around curves,
whereby the concussion and noise incident to wheels of the ordinary
construction are avoided and the wear of the parts materially reduced.
The principal office of the buffers however is to keep the wheel from
turning independently of the plates D, which after being fitted in place
upon the sides of the wheels are forced by hydraulic or other pressure
until the packing E, sleeves h, and rings e, f, are compressed to a
sufficient degree; and in this position the plates are securely held by
g

page_text: bolts passing through holes 6, 7, in the plates D and the wheel A, the
holes in the latter being made sufficiently large to allow the plates to
yield. The covering plates are now bored out to receive the axle, and
the wheel with its plates is forced tightly thereon. Instead of only one
series of projections 9 (on each side of the wheel) surrounded by rubber
sleeves h, two or more series of projections may be employed, and the
projections may be surrounded with sleeves of some elastic material
other than rubber, or stiff spiral springs may be used in lieu of the
elastic sleeves.
g
It is evident that my improvements may be applied to carriage
wheels for ordinary roads, in which case the axle box will pass through
the central opening in the wheel and the plates D and will be firmly
secured to the latter.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, I wish it understood that I claim,
the wheel A with one or more flanges 6, in combination with elastic
packing E, and one or more covering plates D provided with recesses i,
to receive one or more series of elastic buffers a springs h, the whole
being constructed and operating substantially in the manner and for the
purpose set forth.
Also, one or more series of projections 9 formed in one and the same
piece with the wheel, and surrounded by elastic sleves or thimbles h,
in combination with one or more covering plates D provided with
recesses i for their reception, substantially as and for the purpose
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of July, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.
Witness,
C. H. WARD.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE. (L.S.)