Year: 1885

page_text: I WILLIAM MALAM of Edgemoor in the State of Delaware, United States of
America, Boiler Maker 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 and accompanying drawings:-
My Invention relates to the wheels and axles of Railway and Tramway Rolling
stock and has for its object to obtain a better connection between the wheel and
the axle so that the injurious strains arising from too tight a fit of the hub upon
the axle or the dangers arising from too loose a fit are avoided.
To this end I form the hub of the wheel in one piece with the axle.
My Invention will be best described with reference to the accompanying
drawings wherein Fig. 1. is a longitudinal section of a wheel and part of the axle
constructed in accordance with, my Invention; Fig. 2 is a similar view showing
the parts of the wheel separated; Fig. 3 is a face view of the wheel looking from
the end of the axle ; Fig. 4 is a sectional view of a modified form of wheel and
axle and Fig. 5 is a section on the line 1-2 in Fig. 4.
Amongst the objections to such wheels as usually constructed, are on the one
hand the undue straining of the wheel owing to too tight a fit of the wheel hub
upon its seat on the axle, or on the other hand the danger incident to too loose a fit
of the said parts.
With the view of overcoming these objections I forge or otherwise form the
bub A of the wheel upon the axle B the said hub forming one solid piece with the
said axle and I secure to the said hub the inner portion of the body of the wheel
by bolting or riveting the same thereto, the tire being bolted or riveted to the outer
portion of the said body.
Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 it will be seen that the hub has a flange consisting of.
two parts a and b, the part a. being less in diameter than the part b. both parts
being formed with annular seats adapted for the reception of the inner portions of
the annular plates D. D¹ which form the body of the wheel. The said plates are
securely bolted to the respective portions of the flange by means of 'transverse

page_text: .
bolts d. provided with suitable nuts e. The tire F of the wheel has an inwardly
projecting rib f. which fits between the outer portions of the annular plates D. D¹
and is secured thereto by means of transverse bolts g: and nuts h. further security
being assured by forming on each of the said plates D. an inwardly projecting
aunular flange i adapted to fit an annular groove formed in the rib f. at the base of
the same, that is to say, at the point where it joins the body of the tire.
'
It will be evident that when the wheel and axle are constructed in this manner,
the structure possesses much greater strength and rigidity than when the wheel
complete with its hub is made separate from the axle, and is forcibly driven on to
the same in the usual manner and furthermore that the objections before referred 1
to as incident to the use of such separately made wheels are effectually overcome.
As each of the plates D. forming the body of the wheel is a continuous annular
plate and as the diameter of the flange of the hub is necessarily greater than that
of the central openings in the plate D. it is impossible to attach the inner plate D¹
to the inner side of the hub as in making an ordinary Railway wheel, hence, the 1
formation on the hub of the two outwardly facing seats for the said plates D, and
the making of the central opening of the inner plate D¹ larger in diameter than
that of the outer plate D. so that it can be passed over the portion a. of the flange
forming the seat for the outer plate D.
This construction can however, be modified by making the inner plate D¹ in
sections. In the example illustrated by Figs. 3 and 4, I have shown the hub A. as
having a collar or flange to the opposite faces of which collar the inner and outer
plates D. D¹ forming the body of the wheel are bolted, the inner plate D¹ being
made in two semi-annular pieces, which, after they have been applied to the axle,
inside the hub, are securely connected together by means of inner and outer
joint covering plates m. the plate D¹ being then applied and secured to the hub
and tire.
If desired, the body of the wheel may consist of a single web of suitable strength
instead of two plates as shown, but I prefer the construction as illustrated.
A number of narrow plates or spokes may be used instead of continuous annular
plates as shown, to form the body of the wheel, these plates being bolted to the
seat formed by the flange on the body of the wheel, in the same manner as the
annular plates or other suitable parts may be used to connect. the tire with the hub
or enlargement on the axle.
The flange constituting the wheel hub may be welded to the axle in place of
being forged on the same, but I prefer the latter method.
I am aware that it has been proposed to form the entire body of a wheel in one
piece with the axle and also to weld the body of a wheel to an enlargement on the
axle, but these plans have not been practically successful in consequence of their
expense, whereas, my invention provides a cheap and effective plan of producing a
wheel having its hub in one piece with the axle.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
1. The combination of an axle formed with an enlargement to take the place of
a wheel hub and formed in one piece with the axle with a plate or with plates or
with connecting members which are secured to the said enlargement and to the tire
or rim of the wheel by means of bolts or fastenings substantially as and for the
purposes set forth and indicated.
2. An axle having a wheel hub formed or welded thereon which hub has a
"projecting flange or collar presenting two seats or faces to which are secured inner.
and outer connecting plates constituting the body of a wheel substantially as and
for the purposes set forth and indicated.
3. An axle having a wheel hub formed in one piece therewith and presenting
two outwardly facing seats for the reception of the inner portions of the plates

page_text: which are used to connect the tire with the said hub substantially as set forth with
reference to Figs. 1, 2 & 3 of the drawings.
4. The combination of the axle having a wheel hub formed in one piece there-
with, and presenting two outwardly facing seats, with the wheel, the body of which
consists of annular plates secured to the said outwardly facing seats substantially
as set forth with reference to Fig. 1, 2, and 3 of the drawings.
Date LL 1
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