IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OF PREVENTING THE HEATING OF RAILWAY CARRIAGE AXLE-BOXES AND IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SUCH AXLE BOXES.
Year: 1882

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Alexander Melville Clark at the
A com-
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 10th January 1882.
munication from abroad by Henry Bouchard, of Saint Elmo, Mobile County,
State of Alabama, United States of America, Farmer.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK of 53 Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OF PREVENTING THE HEATING OF
RAILWAY CARRIAGE AXLE-BOXES AND IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SUCH AXLE
BOXES. [A communication from abroad by Henry Bouchard, of Saint Elmo,
Mobile County, State of Alabama, United States of America, Farmer.]
This Invention relates to improvements in means for preventing railway-carriage
axle boxes from getting hot and it consists first in forcing a current of cold air
into each axle box by means of a rotary fan, driven by the wheel axle and con-
nected with a main air pipe passing around the under side of the carriage and
connected by branch pipes with each axle box whereby when the carriage is in
motion a current of cold air is injected into each axle box to prevent it from
becoming heated,
The Invention further consists in connecting to the main air pipe one or more
branch pipes leading into the carriage whereby the latter will be ventilated and
at the same time the axle boxes kept cool. The Invention also consists of a small
axle box, adapted to fit the axle, inserted in an ordinary axle box and pressed up
against the axle by an adjustable spring or springs, the smaller axle box being
provided with a lubricant kept pressed up against the axle by the springs whereby
the box is prevented from becoming hot and the employment of a conveyor of the
lubricant to the axle is dispensed with.
The rotary fan blower is of ordinary construction and is fixed beneath the
carriage with its axis parallel to one of the axles from which it is driven by a belt.
The nozzle of the fan is connected preferably by a flexible pipe to the main air
pipe preferably of metal running around the sides and ends of the underframing of
the carriage body and which pipe may be coiled beneath the middle of the carriage
if desired. Branch pipes are hinged to the main air pipe near the axle boxes and
respectively connected by flexible tubing with the several axle boxes into which
they lead at one side. Other branch pipes lead from the main air pipe through

page_text: the floor of the carriage into the interior whereby it may be ventilated. In the
case of a refrigerating carriage for the conveyance of perishable articles two or
more rotary fan blowers may be used with branches from the main air pipe
leading into the carriage at two or more places whereby perfect ventilation of the
carriage when in motion is secured and a current of cold air is at same time
injected into each of the axle boxes to prevent it becoming heated.
An inner axle box or tray is adapted to fit in any ordinary axle box. It has at
its inner end a bearing for the passage of the axle journal and a spring or springs
secured to its under side and bearing on set screws passing through the bottom of
the outer axle box whereby the tension of the springs may be adjusted. The
springs keep the soft soap or other lubricant in the said axle box or tray always
up to the axle and thus dispense with cotton waste or other vehicle for the
lubricant. Flat springs are secured to the underside of the said axle box or tray
and are curved outwardly so as to bear against the front end of the outer axle box
and press the tray inwards. Arms rise from the sides of the inner box or tray
and abut against the top of the outer axle box to form stops to prevent the inner
box or tray being raised too high
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