IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OF OR APPARATUS FOR REDUCING THE FRICTION OF MOVING PARTS OF CARRIAGES, ENGINES, MACHINERY, AND APPARATUS
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT. to Michael Henry, of 84, Fleet Street, in the City of
London Patent Agent for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MEANS OF OR APPARATUS FOR REDUCING THE FRICTION OF MOVING PARTS OF
CARRIAGES, ENGINES, MACHINERY, AND APPARATUS." -A communication from
abroad by Charles Badin, of 33, Boulevart Saint Martin, Paris, France.
MEANS OF OR APPARATUS FOR REDUCING THE FRICTION OF MOVING PARTS OF
CARRIAGES, ENGINES, MACHINERY, AND APPARATUS." A communication from
abroad by Charles Badin, of 33, Boulevart Saint Martin, Paris, France.
Sealed the 13th April 1865, and dated the 17th October 1864.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Michael Henry at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 17th
October 1864.
I, MICHAEL HENRY, of 84 Fleet Street, in the City of London, Patent
Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MEANS OF OR APPARATUS FOR REDUCING THE FRICTION OF MOVING PARTS OF
CARRIAGES, ENGINES, MACHINERY, AND APPARATUS," communicated to me from
abroad by Charles Badin, of 33, Boulevart Saint Martin, Paris, France, to be
as follows:-
On the shaft or other moving part or appliance whose friction is to be
reduced is a collar or ring which rests on or works against a moving or
turning plate or surface resting on or bearing against balls supported or work-
ing on a stationary plate or surface. The balls thus work between the move-

page_text: able and fixed plates, and are moved by the former, which is itself actuated by
the collar or ring.
In carrying the Invention into effect the balls are by preference connected
to an axis by radial arms passing through openings in the balls of such size or
form as to allow due freedom of action.
-SPECIFICATION-in-pursuance-of-the-conditions of the Letters-Patent, filed
by the said Michael Henry in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
15th April 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, MICHAEL
HENRY, of 84, Fleet Street, in the City of London, Patent Agent, send
-greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-eighth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Michael Henry, Her special licence that I, the said
Michael Henry, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said Michael Henry, 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 "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OF OR APPARATUS FOR REDUCING THE FRICTION OF MOVING
PARTS OF CARRIAGES, ENGINES, MACHINERY AND APPARATUS," communicated to
me from abroad by Charles Badin, of 33, Boulevart Saint Martin, Paris,
France, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Michael Henry,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my,
or their, or one of their hands and seals; 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 Michael Henry, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the fol-
Jowing statement thereof, as communicated to me, reference being. had to the

page_text: ompanying Drawings and to the letters and ngures marked thereon, that
is to say.
On the shaft or other moving part or appliance, whereof the friction is to be
reduced, is a collar or ring which works against a moving or turning plate or
surface employed in combination with balls which work between the moveable
plate and a fixed plate, and are moved by the former which is itself actuated
by the collar or ring.
The accompanying Drawings exemplify the manner in which the Invention
may be carried into effect.
Figure 1 is an elevation, and Figure 2 a 'horizontal section shewing the
Invention applied to reducing the friction of a shaft; J is the shaft whereof
the friction is to be reduced. h is a collar fixed thereon; A is a fixed
plate supported in any convenient manner; B is a plate free to turn or
move; E, E, E, are balls placed between the plates A and B. They are
supported on the plate A, and are kept duly apart from each other by any
convenient means, but preferably by arms a, a, radiating from and attached
to a boss X on an axis P; these arms pass through holes in the balls of
a diameter rather larger. than that of the arms, so that the latter have
sufficient play to ensure due freedom of action to the balls. The plate B is in
contact with the balls E, and the collar h rests on and works against the plate
B, thereby causing it and the balls E beneath it to turn. By these means
the friction of the shaft is reduced.
Figure 3 is a section, and Figure 4 an elevation shewing the Invention
applied to reducing the friction of a railway or other carriage axle. J is the
axle whereof the friction is to be reduced, and h is a collar formed or fixed
thereon. A is the fixed plate; B, is the moveable plate; and E, E, are the
balls working between them, as described in reference to Figures 1 and 2,
except that in the arrangement shewn in Figures 3 and 4, the moveable plate
B, is under the fixed plate A instead of being above it, as in Figures 1 and 2.
The balls are kept apart preferably as described in reference to Figures 1 and
2, by armis radiating from a boss on an axis, and traversing holes in the balls
of rather larger diameter than the diameter of the arms to ensure to the balls
proper freedom of action; C is a bracket fixed to the framework d of the
carriage body for supporting the plates A and B; or the plates may be other-
wise supported, as for example, by supports fitted at m, m. The collar works
against the plate B, causing it and the balls E to turn or work. In order that
the apparatus may work properly the balls are so fitted that when below the
springs y of the carriage, their axis shall correspond or be in a line with the
axis of these carriage springs g, and when above the collar h their axes corres-

page_text: pond with that of the collar h so that the weight of the carriage body may be
immediately over the balls, and so that such weight may be properly poised.
When applied to carriages the plate B rests on the collar h so that the weight
of the carriage body bears on the fixed plate A, in the direction of the axes of
the balls E.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same may be performed, I declare that I claim the means of reducing
friction in which a collar on the axle or other article, whereof the friction
is to be reduced, works against a moveable plate employed in combination
with balls-working between.such.moveable plate and a fixed plate, substantially
as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Michael Henry, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of April, in the year One thousand
-eight hundred and sixty-five.
Witness,
S. E. A. NEWSOME,
Patent Office,
'84, Fleet Street.
M. HENRY. (L.S.)