IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO AXLES FOR RAILWAY OR OTHER LETTERS OTHER ROLLING STOCK AND IN APPARATUS FOR ADJUSTING THE WHEELS UPON THE SAME
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake &
Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO AXLES FOR RAILWAY OR OTHER
LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake &
Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO AXLES FOR RAILWAY OR OTHER
ROLLING STOCK AND IN APPARATUS FOR ADJUSTING THE WHEELS UPON THE
SAME" Communicated to him from abroad by David Anderson, of Fairview,
Stawell in the Colony of Victoria Australia Gentleman
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 4th August 1882.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake and Co, Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London, "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO AXLES
FOR RAILWAY OR OTHER ROLLING STOCK AND IN APPARATUS FOR ADJUSTING THE
WHEELS UPON THE SAME A communication to him from abroad by David
Anderson, of Fairview, Stawell, in the Colony of Victoria, Australia, Gentleman.
This Invention relates chiefly to certain improvements in railway and other
rolling stock whereby the gauge of the wheels may be adjusted; it also relates to
apparatus or devices whereby such alteration or adjustment of the gauge is
effected.
I bolt both
One part of the said Invention consists essentially in a peculiar construction of
the axles of rolling stock for rail and other permanent ways in which each wheel
is keyed to a sleeve the inner end of which terminates in a flange. This sleeve
slides over and upon the axle and the feathers or keys thereon. The axle I make
with a solid collar in the centre, and on either side of such collar I place a clamp or
hinged collar having two or more recesses or hollows to fit over the flange of the
aleeve and a strong hinged bolt to tighten the said clamp thereon.
clamps or hinged collars together through the solid collar of the axle.
Another part of the said Invention consists essentially in a certain combination
and arrangement of apparatus or devices in which a sole-plate carries bearings for
two sets of rollers. Each set consists of two rollers upon which travels a platform,
the upper side of which is recessed to the shape of the tyre of a wheel, or carries a
rail The underside is provided with a nut (right or left handed as the case may

page_text: be) in which one end of a right and left handed screw works. This screw has a
thrust bearing in the centre of the sole-plate, and is provided with a collar having
sockets for a crow-bar or other means for turning it.
In carrying the said Invention into practice the wheels may be of any description
so long as their bosses are large enough. The axle is provided with a solid collar
in the centre, and steel feathers or keys are properly secured to the said axle. I
provide two sleeves terminating at one end in flanges, and also clamps or hinged
collars having two recesses in each and secured by hinged bolts each having a
plate-washer; through the clamps and the solid collar of the axle are passed bolts
having connecting plates at either end. The sole-plate of the said improved
apparatus is firmly bolted to a solid foundation and carries two sets of rollers on
which are placed platforms carrying recesses to receive the tyres of the wheels and
nuts in which fits a right and left handed screw with a turning collar and thrust
bearing.
When it is desired to use the rolling stock of a rail or other permanent way upon
another way of different gauge the said improved apparatus is placed where the
break of gauge occurs. To transfer the rolling stock, the rails or recesses on the
platforms of such apparatus are set by means of the said screw to the gauge of
the line on which the stock is. A vehicle provided with the said improved axles
is then pushed upon such platforms and the clamp bolts of such axles are unscrewed
so as to admit of the clamps being opened on their hinges thus freeing the flanges
from the sleeves to which the wheels are keyed. The rails or recesses on the
platforms are next adjusted by means of the right and left handed screw to the
gauge of the line upon which it is desired to run the vehicle. The flanges of the
'sleeves on the axles should now fit in another recess in the clamps which are closed
and tightened up and the vehicle is then moved on to the second line.
The number of the recesses in the clamps may be increased if desired and the
length of the sleeve altered, so as to admit of its adjustment to as many gauges as
may be required.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters. Patent filed
by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
3rd February 1883.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake, and Co, Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings London 'IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO AXLES
"
«
FOR RAILWAY OR OTHER ROLLING STOCK, AND IN APPARATUS FOR ADJUSTING THE
WHEELS UPON THE SAME A communication to me from abroad by David
Anderson, of Fairview, Stawell, in the Colony of Victoria, Australia, Gentleman
This invention relates chiefly to certain improvements in railway and other
rolling stock whereby the gauge of the wheels may be adjusted; it also relates to
apparatus or devices whereby such alteration or adjustment of the gauge is
effected.
One part of the said invention consists essentially in a peculiar construction of
the axles of rolling stock for rail and other permanent ways, each wheel being
keyed to a sleeve the inner end of which terminates in a flange. This sleeve slides
over, and upon, the axle and feathers or keys thereon. The axle is formed with a
solid collar in the centre, and on each side of such collar is placed a clamp or hinged
collar, having two or more recesses or hollows to fit over the flange of the sleeve,
and a strong hinged bolt to tighten the said clamp thereon; both of the said clamps
or hinged collars are bolted together through the solid collar of the axle.
Another part of the said invention consists essentially in a certain combination
and arrangement of apparatus or devices, in which a sole-plate carries bearings for
two sets of rollers. Each of the said sets consists of two rollers upon which travels
a platform, the upper side of which is recessed to the shape of the tire of a wheel, or
carries a rail. The underside of the said platform is provided with a nut (right or
left handed as the case may be) in which one end of a right and left handed
screw works. This screw has a thrust bearing in the centre of the sole-plate,
and is provided with a collar having sockets for a crowbar or other means for
turning it.
In the accompanying drawing
Figure 1 is a front elevation partly in section of a pair of wheels provided with
axles constructed according to this invention, and resting in the recesses upon the
platforms of the improved apparatus,
Figure 2 is an end elevation of the same
Figure 3 is a plan of the apparatus the wheels and axle being removed, and
Figures 4 and 5 detail views of the hinged clamps
A A are the wheels which may be of any description, so long as their bosses A'
are large enough. B is the axle provided with a solid collar B' in the centre,
B B are steel feathers or keys properly secured to the said axle, CC are the
sleeves terminating in flanges C¹. D D are the clamps or hinged collars each of
which is provided with two recesses D1 D2 D3 D³ are the hinged bolts each of
which has a plate-washer D, D D are the bolts through the clamps and the solid
collar of the axle and having connecting plates De at either end. E is the sole-plate
of the said improved apparatus firmly bolted to a solid foundation, and E¹ and E*
are the two sets of rollers thereon. F F are the platforms having recesses F" and
nuts F. G is a right and left handed screw with a turning collar G¹ and thrust-
bearing G³.
When it is desired to use the rolling stock of a rail or other permanent way
upon another way of different gauge the said improved apparatus is placed where
the break of gauge occurs. To transfer the rolling stock, the rails or recesses F¹

page_text: on the platforms F of such apparatus are set, by means of the screw G, to the gauge
of the line on which the stock is; a vehicle provided with the said improved axles
is then pushed upon such platforms, the clamp bolts Ds of the axles are unscrewed
so as to admit of the clamps being opened on their hinges D³ thus freeing the
flanges C¹ on the sleeves C, to which the wheels A are keyed. The rails or recesses
on the platforms are next adjusted by means of the right and left handed screw G,
to the gauge of the line upon which it is desired to run the vehicle. The flanges C¹
of the sleeves C on the axles should then fit into the other recesses D² in the
clamps which are now closed and tightened up as shown in Figure 4, and the
vehicle is then moved on to the second line
In the drawings illustrating this invention, the wheels are shewn at their widest
gauge and with only one vacant recess in each of the clamps on the centre of the
axle, thus permitting its alteration to one other gauge only, but the number of
recesses in the clamps may be increased and the length of the sleeve altered so
as to permit the adjustment of the wheels to as many gauges as may be required
Having thus fully described the said invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim :—
First. The construction of axles for railway rolling stock with an extensible sleeve
or sleeves to permit the alteration of the gauge of their wheels.
Second. The construction of such axles with a solid collar in the centre, and
with a hinged clamp on each side thereof having recesses for receiving and
holding the flanges on the inner ends of the axle-sleeves, substantially as herein
described.
Third. The combination of the sole-plate E, the rollers E¹, E², the platforms F, F
having the recesses F', F' (or their equivalent in the shape of rails), with a right
and left handed screw G, turning collar G³, and thrust bearing G³, in the manner,
and for the purpose, herein described.
In witness whereof I the said William Robert Lake have hereunto set my
hand and seal this Third day of February in the year of our Lord one
thousand eight hundred and eighty three