IMPROVEMENTS IN WHEELS FOR WHEELED VEHICLES
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Spence, of 8, Quality Court, Chancery Lane, in
the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN WHEELS FOR WHEELED VEHICLES." A communication from abroad by John
B. Sammis and George W. Hayes, both of the City of New York, United
States
Sealed the 14th August 1877, and dated the 26th March 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Spence at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 26th March 1877.
WILLIAM SPENCE, of 8, Quality Court, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middle-
sex, Patent Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN WHEELS FOR WHEELED VEHICLES." (A
communication from abroad by John B. Sammis and George W. Hayes, both of the
City of New York, United States.)
This Invention has reference to improvements on the Invention described in the
Specification of a Patent granted to William Robert Lake, and bearing date the 18th
Sept., 1875, No. 3275.
In the Specification referred to there are described and claimed various combina-
tious of parts constituting the application to the hubs of wheels of clastic or yielding
bearings for the axle boxes, and it is the object of the present Invention to make
further improvements therein.
The first improvement is intended to prevent injury to the india-rubber cushions
from the passage thereto of oil used to lubricate the axle, or of grit or dirt at the
outer end of the axle box, and consists in the adaptation and application to the
recessed end of the outermost cushion of a conical nut, which being moved inwards
on a screw on the end of the axle box, is caused to expand the cushion at its outer
end and form a packing, whereby oil, grit, or other foreign substance is excluded
from the cushion or other parts of the hub. The recess in the outer end of the said
cushion is of slightly larger diameter at the entrance in order to form a lip, so that
when the conical nut is screwed inwards, the outer or larger end thereof being
caused to pass the said lip, this part of the cushion will be made to lap over such
end of the nut, and close the entrance against the admission of oil, grit, or other
foreign substance.

page_text: Another improvement is intended to provide for the required expansion of the
cushion at the inner end of the box, and against the entrance of oil, grit, or dirt in
the joints between the said inner cushion and the hub and box concentric therewith.
For this purpose the inner end of the axle box is formed with two wedge-like outer
surfaces, which are surrounded by the substance of the inner cushion, so that when
the box is moved longitudinally by the tightening of the conical nut, the inner
cushion will be expanded or have its substance compressed between the axle box
and the recess or chamber of the hub simultaneously with the corresponding effect
produced at the other end of the box by means of the conical nut, which expansion
of the said cushion will also prevent the entrance of oil, grit, or other foreign sub-
stance at the inner end of the axle box. By inserting the cushions in the cavities
or chambers of the hub in such a manner as to leave their outer ends unconfined,
the required amount of freedom is given for the flow of the india-rubber on the com-
pression of that substance by the wedge-formed nut at the outer end of the axle
box, and by the wedge-formed surfaces on the inner end of the box.
Another improvement, designed to prevent the axle box from turning within the
hub, consists in forming on the outer surface of the box radial projections, ribs, or
spurs fitting into corresponding grooves in the interior of the hub. These projec-
tions, ribs, or spurs may be variously arranged on the box; for instance, there may
be a single rib extending over a greater or less portion of the length of the box; or
there may be more of such ribs on the circumference of the box; or, instead of a
long rib, there may be two separate ribs placed at a suitable distance apart, and
duplicated on opposite sides of the box; or these ribs or spurs may be placed on
opposite sides of the box, near one end thereof, and adjacent to the inner ends of the
inner cushion.
And the last improvement consists in the fixing of a flanged ring so as to prevent
its turning in the hub, and in preventing the axle box from turning in the ring.
For this purpose spurs or projections extend from the flange of the ring and enter
cavities formed in the hub, and a spur or projection fitted on the axle box enters a
notch or aperture in the ring.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Spence in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 26th Sep-
tember 1877.
WILLIAM SPENCE, of 8, Quality Court, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middle-
sex, Patent Agent. " IMPROVEMENTS IN WHEELS FOR WHEELED VEHICLES." A
communication from abroad by John B. Sammis and George W. Hayes, both of the
City of New York, United States.
This Invention of "Improvements in Wheels for Wheeled Vehicles" has reference
to improvements on the Invention described in the Specification of a Patent granted
to William Robert Lake, and bearing date the Eighteenth of September One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, No. 3275.
In the Specification referred to there are described and claimed various combina-
tions of parts constituting the application to the hubs of wheels of elastic or yielding
bearings for the axle boxes, and it is the object of the present Invention to make
further improvements therein.
The first improvement is intended to prevent injury to the india-rubber cushions
from the passage thereto of oil used to lubricate the axle, or of grit or dirt at the
outer end of the axle box, and consists in the adaptation and application to the
recessed end of the outermost cushion of a conical nut, which being moved inwards
on a screw on the end of the axle box, is caused to expand the cushion at its outer
end and form a packing, whereby oil, grit, or other foreign substance is excluded
from the cushion or other parts of the hub. The recess in the outer end of the said

page_text: in order to compress the part ƒ of the cushion D between the outer surface of the
nut and the cavity of the hub, this compression of the said thinned portion of the
cushion effectually packing the joints, and excluding oil, grit, or dirt from both
the cushion and the interior of the hub.
It is also to be understood that the recess fin the cushion D is diminished at its
entrance to form a lip, as shown at c' in Fig. 8, so that when the nut E is screwed
inwards, the outermost edge f" of the nut, passing inwards beyond the said lip, this
latter will spring over the edge f¹, and close the entrance against the admission of
oil, grit, or dirt.
Upon the inner end of the box B are formed two wedge-like or tapered surfaces
m and n, embedded in a correspondingly shaped recess in the india-rubber
cushion H, so that when the box is moved longitudinally by the tightening of the
nut E, the wedge-like surfaces m and n will be caused to compress the substance of
the cushion H between such surfaces and the inside of the cavity or chamber,
thereby packing the joints and effectually preventing the passage of oil, grit, or dirt
to the cushions or to the interior of the hub.
It will be seen on reference to Fig. 1 that the cushions D and H are inserted in
the cavities or chambers A¹ and B¹ in such a manner as to leave the ends unconfined,
thereby giving the required amount of freedom for the flow of the india-rubber on
the compression of that substance by the conical nut E and the wedge-like surfaces
m, n, respectively, at the outer and inner ends of the axle box.
Upon the axle box B there are one or more radial projections F. In Fig. 1 is
shewn one such projection extending longitudinally the whole distance between the
cushions; there may also be another on the opposite side of the box or more round
the circumference.
If preferred, two shorter spurs or projections may be used, as shewn in Fig. 3,
and these may be repeated on the opposite sides of the box; or one of such spurs
or projections may be placed on opposite sides of the box in a position near the
inner cushion, as shown in Figures 5 and 7. In any modifications of the form
and arrangements described, the projection is made to fit into a groove & formed in
the wood of the hub, as shewn in Fig. 2, thereby retaining the box in connection
with the hub, as required.
In Figures 9, 10, 11, and 12 are represented the mode, berein-after referred to, of
preventing the axle box from turning in the hub by means of a flanged ring I,
having in the ring and flange an aperture i and studs,, projecting from the said
flange, and fitting into suitably formed cavities in the hub, thereby retaining the
ring I, as required, within the hub, and the axle box is retained in the ring by the
spur or projection F fitting into the aperture i formed in the ring and its flange.
In Figures 13 and 14 is represented a modification of the ring I, in which radial
pins are substituted for the studs or projections h, k, such radial pins being made to
fit into corresponding cavities formed in the wood of the hub.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention communicated to me
from abroad as aforesaid, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I hereby
declare that what I claim as of the said Invention is,--
First. The adaptation and application to the recessed end of the outer cushion D
of the conical nut E, which on being screwed inwards is caused to expand the
cushion D in the recess, and thereby form a packing to exclude oil, grit, or other
foreign substance from the said cushion or other adjacent parts of the hub, as herein-
before described.
Secondly. The combination of the lip c' with the nut E, whereby the said lip is
caused to lap over the edge of the nut, and prevent the entrance of oil, grit, or other
foreign substance, in the manner herein-before described.
Thirdly. The construction of the axle box with two wedge-like surfaces m and n
in combination with the rocessed inner cushion H, adapted to compress the substance
of the said cushion in the recess or chamber B¹ by the longitudinal movement of the
axle box, as herein-before described.
Fourthly. The box D, constructed with one or more radial projections, ribs, or

page_text: spurs, formed and arranged as described, and fitted into a groove or grooves G, as
and for the purpose herein-before described.
And, lastly. The flanged ring I inserted and fixed in the hub, and prevented from
turning therein by the spurs or projections k, k, fitting into suitably formed cavities
in the hub, and a spur or projection F on the axle box fitting into a notch or aper-
ture in the ring, as and for the purpose herein-before described.
In witness whercof, I, the said William Spence, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, the Twenty-sixth day of September, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
Witness,
FRANK REDMAN,
8, Quality Court,
Chancery Lane.
WILLIAM SPENCE. (L.S.)