IMPROVEMENTS IN AXLES AND AXLE BOXES FOR WHEELED VEHICLES
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Saunders Prouse, of Liverpool, in the
County of Lancaster, Shipowner, and Henry Duke, of the same
Place, Ship Smith, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN AXLES AND
AXLE BOXES FOR WHEELED VEHICLES.”
Scaled the 29th July 1873, and dated the 30th January 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Saunders Prouse
and Henry Duke at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 30th January 1873.
WC, ROBERT SAUNDERS PROUSE, of Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, Shipowner, and HENRY DUKE, of the same Place, Ship
Smith, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN AXLES AND AXLE BOXES FOR WHEELED VEHICLES," to be as follows:-
Our Invention consists essentially in making axles each in two
lengths, and in employing therewith an axle box of the length or
thereby of the axle from hub to hub of the wheels.
The advantages of the said constructions and adaptations aro

page_text: (1) facility in turning vehicles, (2) durability of parts, and (3) thorough
lubrication of the bearings without frequent renewal of the lubricant.
Each length of axlo has a collar or bolts formed thercon between the
part enclosed by the hub and the inner end, but preferably at the
extreme inner end, and there are recesses in the axle boxes to receive
these collars or bosses and thereby provent lateral movement. The axle
box in its best form is made in two halves and jointed by tongues and
grooves or grooves in each half and packing, and there are chambers for
oil or other lubricant, as well as the recesses for the collars or bosses
above mentioned.
The bearings for the axle may be the metal of the box itself bored
out or surfaced, or loose bearings may be applied. For durability I
prefer the latter.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Robert Saunders Prouse and Henry Duke in the
Great Scal Patent Office on the 30th July 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, wc, ROBERT
SAUNDERS PROWSE, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Ship-
owner, and HENRY DUKE, of the same Place, Ship Smith, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of January, in the
year of our Lord Oue thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the 2
thirty-sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto us, the said Robert Saunders Prowse and Henry
Duke, Her special licence, that we, the said Robert Saunders Prowso
and Henry Duke, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as wc, the said Robert Saunders Prowse and Henry Duke, our
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
Iroland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for

page_text: "IMPROVEMENTS IN AXLES AND Axle Boxes for WhEELED VEHICLES," upon the
condition (amongst others) that we, the said Robert Saunders Prowse
and Henry Duke, our executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under our, or their, or one of their hands and scals, 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 Scal Patent Office within six calendar montlis
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Robert Saunders Prowse and
Henry Duke, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement (that is to say)
Our Invention consists essentially in making axles each in two
lengths, and in employing therewith an axle box of the length or
thereby of the axle from hub to hub of the wheels.
The advantages of the said constructions and adaptations are (1)
facility in turning vehicles, (2) durability of parts, (3) thorough lubrica-
tion of the bearings without frequent removal of the lubricant.
Each length of axlc has a collar or boss formed thereon between the
part enclosed by the hub and the inner end, but preferably at the
extreme inner end, and there are recesses in the axle box to receive
these collars or bosses, and thereby prevent lateral movement. The
axle box in its best form is made in two halves and jointed by tongues
and grooves, or grooves in each half and packing, and there are chambers
for oil or other lubricant, as well as the recesses for the collars or bosses
above mentioned.
The bearings for the axle may be the metal of the box itself bored out
or surfaced, or loose bearings may be applied. For durability we prefer
the latter.
To prevent dust or mud from reaching the axle at the inner ends of
the hubs we fit protector pieces to the axle box; these project over the
lubs.
The Drawings herewith contain views of modifications of axles and
axle boxes constructed in accordance with our Invention.
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section, and Fig. 2, a transverse section, all of
an arrangement of parts adapted for rail or tramway waggons. Like
letters denote the same parts in these views.

page_text: a, a', axle length, cach with collars b, b', thercou; c, axle boxes made
in two halves and jointed by tongues and grooves, as shown ;
d, movable bushics or bearings; if preferred the boxes may be made
solid; e, space for oil or lubricant; S, protector pieces to prevent dust or
mud from reaching the axle.
The outer ends of the axles may be connected to the vehicle by
springs. The grease boxes are fitted in the ordinary manner, or with
friction rollers. For heavy vehicles we prefer to use two springs at the
outer ends of the axles, one on each side of the wheel.
Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section, and Fig. 1, a longitudinal view with
the top half of the axle box removed, of a modification suitable for hand
trucks and light vehicles. Here a, a¹, are the axle lengths with
collars b, b'; c, axle boxes made with grooves and fitted with packing d.
The axle boxes have solid bearings for the axle lengths; c, space for oil
or lubricant; f, protector pieces; g, lugs for securing the axle boxes
and the frame of the vehicle.
Having now described the nature of our said Invention, and par-
Licularized the same, we claim, constructing axles and axle boxes for
wheeled vehicles, substantially as herein described.
In witness whereof, we, the said Robert Saunders Prowse and
Henry Duke, have hereunto set our hand and seal, the Twenty-
ninth day of July, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and seventy-three.
ROBERT SAUNDERS PROWSE. (L.S.)
HENRY DUKE.
(L.S.)
In the presence of,
JOHN LING,
Clerk to J. T. KING,
Patent Agent,
Liverpool.