IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF RAILWAY WHEELS
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Emanuel Wharton, of Birmingham, in the
County of Warwick, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF RAILWAY WHEELS."
Sealed the 21st April 1854, and dated the 19th November 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Emanuel Wharton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 19th November 1853.
I, EMANUEL WHARTON, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF RAILWAY WHEELS" to be as
follows, that is to say :-
My Invention consists, firstly, of improvements in fixing tyres on
wheels in such manner that should the tyre get loose or break, it is
prevented from flying off. Fig. 1, is an elevation; Fig. 2, a cross sec-
tion of an engine wheel 5 ft. in. diameter; Fig. 3 & 4, are enlarged
sections of the same. This wheel is made in two halves, as shewn in

page_text: a rib
Fig. 2, 3, & 4, for the purpose of securing firmly between them the
tyre (c), which has a dovetail rib (B) formed round the internal circum-
ference in the middle of its breadth. The tyre is turned slightly taper
on each side of the dovetail rib (B), and in putting the wheel together
the tyre may be slightly heated. The halves of the wheel are then
drawn tight into the tyre with bolts & nuts until they are in close
contact, & have a firm hold of the dovetail rib (B). Distance pieces
(D, Fig. 2, 3, & 4,) being placed between the arms of the wheel; the
screw bolts are then removed one at a time, and rivets inserted in their
places, and the whole firmly rivetted together. It is also rivetted
through the nave or boss in the same manner. When a tyre is worn
out, the wheel is separated by removing the rivets, and a new tyre put
on in manner before described. In case steel or steeled tyres are
used they may, if necessary, be put on without being heated, and
bolts and nuts may be used instead of rivets, if considered desirable.
Figs. 5, 6, 7, & 8, shew another method of attaching the tyre to
a wheel of ordinary construction. It consists in forming
(E, Fig. 6, 7, & 8,) on one side of the internal circumference of
the tyre (C), and a second rib (F) formed round the outer circum-
ference of the felloe of the wheel. These ribs are turned to an angle
or dovetail on one side, and when put together fit into correspond-
ing dovetails formed on the wheel and tyre, locking into each other as
shewn at (E, F). There is a smaller rib (G) formed on the other side
of the internal circumference of the tyre, which is clenched or rivetted
over the rib (F) after the tyre has been shrunk on. The tyre in putting
it on to the felloe must be heated to a red heat, expanding it until the
rib (F) on the felloe will pass freely into the tyre (C) at the rib (G).
When the tyre has contracted firmly on the felloe, the rib (G) will
enclose it about th of an inch, as seen at (G, F, Fig. 8). The rib
(G) is then clenched or rivetted over, as seen (G, F, Fig. 6 & 7), per-
fectly securing the tyre. Instead of clenching or rivetting over the
rib (G), the cavity shewn between (G & F, Fig. 8), which is for con-
venience in getting on the tyre, may be filled up with iron or any suit-
able hard metal. Figs. 9 & 10, shew a smaller wheel, of the description
known as the back to back spoke wheel, having the tyre secured to it

page_text: in manner before described; the iron which forms the arms & felloe
of the wheel being rolled with the requisite ribs before named.
The next part of my improvements is shewn in Fig. 11 & 12, being
the elevation and section of a wheel composed of wood & iron. The
centre K, K, is made of strengthened cast iron, round which are placed
the hard wood segments (S¹) forming the entire circle. (W) is a
wrought iron hoop shrunk on to the segments and binding them all
firmly together. The tyre is shrunk on to this inner hoop (W), and
secured in the same manner described & shewn at (Fig. 5, 6, 7, 8).
In making this wheel the segments are cut from a plank of hard wood,
& placed the endway of the wood radial to the centre of the wheel.
The segments are then roughly turned inside & out to the
proper size,
and placed round upon the cast iron centre. A flexible hoop of wrought
iron is then placed round them. This hoop is made with a lap joint for
the purpose of folding when contracted on the wood segments. To
contract the hoop, it is made conical on the outside, so that when
forced down a die of the same angle as itself it is contracted to a less
diameter, compressing the wood into a firm state by uniform circum-
ferential pressure. This may be effected by an hydraulic press, and
after the wood has been subjected to sufficient pressure it should be
allowed to remain a short time to set. When taken from the press the
flexible hoop is removed, and the permanent one (W) is put on in a
red-hot state and instantly cooled by water. When the hoop has been.
turned, it is ready to receive the tyre, which is put on in precisely the
same manner as that described & shewn in Fig. 5, 6, 7, and 8.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Emanuel Wharton in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 16th May 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
PEMANUEL WHARTON, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of November, in the

page_text: year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the
seventeenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and succes-
sors, give and grant unto me, the said Emanuel Wharton, Her special
licence that I, the said Emanuel Wharton, my executors, administra-
tors, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Emanuel Wharton, my
executors, administrators, and 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 THE MANUFACTURE OF RAILWAY WHEELS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Emanuel Wharton, 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 Emanuel Wharton, 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 Drawings
hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that
is to say:
My Invention consists of improvements in forming and combining
the parts of railway wheels to prevent, as far as possible, accidents
arising from the breaking and flying off of portions of the tyres.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1, is an elevation of an engine wheel constructed according
to the first part of my improvements.
Figure 2, a section of the same.
Figures 3 and 4, enlarged sections of same, shewing the details more
clearly.
Figures 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, elevation and sections of an engine wheel,
shewing another mode of securing the tyre suited to the variation in the

page_text: construction, this wheel having single arms or spokes instead of
double.
Figures 10 and 11, elevation and cross section of a railway carriage
wheel, made somewhat on the principle of the engine 'wheel shewn in
Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4.
"
Figures 12 and 13, elevation and section of a "back to back'
spoke wheel, shewing the tyre secured as in Figures 5, 6, 7, 8,
and 9.
Figures 14 and 15, sections of wheels on the same principle as
Figures 1 and 2, but somewhat differently constructed.
I will now proceed to describe the construction of the engine wheel
shewn in Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4. This wheel is made in halves for the
purpose of securing the tyre firmly between them.
It will be seen on
reference to the Drawings that the tyre (C) has a dovetailed rib (B),
which may be of any suitable form, but I prefer those shewn at (B, B,)
Figures 3 and 4, formed round its inner circumference, and in the
middle of its breadth; the tyre is turned with a slight taper on either
side of the rib (B), and in putting the wheel together the tyre may be
slightly heated. The halves of the wheel (A, A,) are then drawn
tightly into the tyre with bolts and nuts until they come into close con-
tact and have a firm hold of the dovetailed rib (B). Distance pieces (D)
are then placed between the arms of the wheel; the screw bolts are
removed one at a time, rivets being inserted in their places, and the
whole is securely rivetted together; or bolts and nuts may be employed
instead of rivets, if considered desirable. When a tyre is worn out and
a new one required, it is merely necessary to separate the parts of the
wheel by removing the bolts or rivets, and put on a new tyre in
manner described. In cases where steel or iron tyres steeled are to be
used, they may, if necessary, be fixed without heating. The wheel
shewn in Figures 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9, being a single spoke wheel, requires
a differently constructed tyre, but still adhering to the principle of dove-
tailing. This I accomplish by forming a rib (E) on one side of the
internal periphery of the tyre (C), and another rib (F) on the outer
periphery of the felloe (W). Each rib has one of its sides turned to a
dovetail form of a suitable angle, as shewn, and fitting, when put toge-

page_text: ther, into a corresponding dovetail on the felloe or the tyre, as the case
may be (for it will be seen on reference to the Drawings that section
Figure 8 shews the same parts as Figure 7, only that the position of
the ribs (E) and (F) are reversed); thus the dovetails lock one into
the other. The smaller rib (G) on the other side of the inner periphery
of the tyre is for the purpose of being clenched or rivetted over the
rib (F)
on the felloe after the tyre has been shrunk on. The tyre when
put on the felloe, having been previously heated to a good red heat, will
expand, until the rib (F) will pass freely into the tyre at the rib (G);
and when the tyre by cooling has contracted firmly on the felloe, the
rib (G) will enclose the rib (F), leaving a small groove or space, as
scen at (G, F,) Figure 9. The small rib (G) is then clenched or
rivetted down, as seen in Figures 6, 7, and 8, or the cavity between the
ribs (G) and (F), see Figure 9, may be filled with any suitable hard
metal, instead of clenching or rivetting the rib (G). Figures 10 and 11
are an elevation and section of a carriage wheel, made in halves, in the
same manner as that of the larger wheel seen in Figures 1 and 2, but
instead of the arms and felloe being formed as therein shewn, I propose
to form those parts of circular boiler plates of suitable thickness, either
as a disc wheel or by piercing out portions, if preferred, as shewn at
Figure 10. The peripheries of the plates (A) are turned down at right
angles in moulds, for the purpose of enclosing the dovetail rib (B) for
securing the tyre, see Figure 11; the boss being either of iron cast
on in the ordinary manner, or, if requisite, may be of wrought iron.
Figures 12 and 13 are an elevation and section of another carriage
wheel, usually termed the back to back spoke wheel, shewing the tyre
secured in manner the same as that of the larger one described in
Figures 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9, the iron forming the arms and felloes having
the rib (F) rolled with it, as seen by the dotted lines F, F, F, in
Figure 12, and in section Figure 13. Figures 14 and 15 are sections
of wheels made on the same principle as already described under
Figures 1 and 2, 10 and 11, but with these variations:-In that shewn
at Figure 14, I propose to make the arms and felloe of L shaped iron,
the arms being back to back in the ordinary manner, same as shewn at
Figures 12 and 13; but the wheel will be made in halves as at

page_text: Figures 1 and 2, and 10 and 11. Figure 15 is on the same principle,
only that the arms and felloe will be made of T iron. These may
be secured by either cast or wrought iron bosses, as may be required.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is practically to be carried into effect, I wish it to be
clearly understood that I do not confine myself to the precise details
herein specified so long as the main features of my Invention be
retained; but that which I claim is, the improvements described in
the manufacture of railway wheels, together with the several methods
specified of attaching and securing the tyres to such wheels, in manner
herein set forth and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Emanuel Wharton, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Tenth day of May, in the year of
our Lord. One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
EMANUEL (L.S.) WHARTON.