Improvements in the Manufacture of Axle Boxes.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Nov., 1899
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PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Axle Boxes.
I, EDWARD WILLIAM MACKENZIE HUGHES, of 53, Victoria Street, West-
minster, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
Heretofore the main body of an axle box has in various ways been made
of wrought metal-either it has been made from one piece of metal which has
been first rolled into a plate and then bent and welded up into the form
required, or it has been made in separate parts which have been secured to
one another by screw bolts.
According to my invention I form the main body of an axle box including
the top with the spring seat upon it, the front and rear ends and the two sides
with the axle guard grooves extending down them all in one piece of wrought
metal without join-whereby I am enabled to manufacture axle boxes both
stronger and lighter than those heretofore made whilst at the same time they
can be made at less cost.
To accomplish the manufacture of axle boxes in the above way I proceed as
follows and as is illustrated in the drawings annexed.
Figure is a perspective view of the block of wrought metal from which
the body of an axle box is to be formed.
Figures 2 and 3 are perspective views of such block after a hollow has been
moulded on its under side, and a spring seat on the top.
Figures 4 and 5 are sections of the die through which such moulded block
is subsequently forced.
Figure 6 is a perspective view of the body of the box when finished.
Figure 7 is a perspective view of the tray for closing the bottom of the box.
Figure 8 is a perspective view of the axle box complete.
I take a block of wrought metal (preferably steel) of the required amount
to form the body of the box and I form with dies (preferably by hydraulic
pressure on two opposite sides) the first shaping of the axle guard grooves
marked a (see Figure 1). I then squeeze the block between another set of
tools preferably by a hydraulic press and form the spring seat marked b on the
top and the indentation marked c on the underside as shown in Figures 2 and 3.
The block so shaped is next brought to a proper heat and the top end marked d
in Figure 4 is chilled to enable it to retain its shape. The block is now placed
onto the end of a ram e and forced through the die marked f the arrangement
As the heated metal passes through
of which is fully seen in Figures 4 and 5.
the die it is drawn down on all four sides, the final shaping of the grooves
being aided by the rolls g. The last portion of the die gives the final forma-
tion of the body of the box as shewn in Figure 6. Afterwards an oval hole
is cut through the back for the end of the axle to pass into the box and another
hole is formed through the front to serve as an inspection hole and for intro-
ducing oil this hole is closed by a door h as shewn in Figure 8 which is a

page_text: perspective view of the finished box. The bottom of the box is closed by a
tray marked i shewn separately at Figure 7-it is preferably made of wrought
steel and carries an upwardly projecting guard plate at its back end to hold
the ordinary dust shield between itself and the inner face of the back of the
box. The tray serves to contain the oil used for lubrication and also carries
the lubricating pad by which the oil is applied to the underside of the axle in
the usual manner.
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Improvements in the Manufacture of Axle Boxes.
I, EDWARD WILLIAM MACKENZIE HUGHES, of 53, Victoria Street, West-
minster, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particu-
larly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:--
Heretofore the main body of an axle box has in various ways been made
of wrought metal-either it has been made from one piece of metal which has
been first rolled into a plate and then bent and welded up into the form
required, or it has been made in separate parts which have been secured to
one another by screw bolts.
According to my invention I form the main body of an axle box including
the top with the spring seat upon it, the front and rear ends and the two sides
with the axle guard grooves extending down them all in one piece of wrought
metal without join-whereby am enabled to manufacture axle boxes both
stronger and lighter, than those heretofore made whilst at the same time they
can be made at less cost.
To accomplish the manufacture of axle boxes in the above way I proceed as
follows and as is illustrated in the drawings annexed to my Provisional Specifi-
cation.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the block of wrought metal from which
the body of an axle box is to be formed.
Figures 2 and 3 are perspective views of such block after a hollow has been
moulded on its under side, and a spring seat on the top.
Figures 4 and 5 are sections of the die through which such moulded block
is subsequently forced.
Figure 6 is a perspective view of the body of the box when finished.
Figure 7 is a perspective view of the tray for closing the bottom of the box.
Figure 8 is a perspective view of the axle box complete.
I take a block of wrought metal (preferably steel) of the required amount
to form the body of the box and I form with dies (preferably by hydraulio
pressure on two opposite sides) the first shaping of the axle guard grooves
marked a (see Figure 1). I then squeeze the block between another set of
tools preferably by a hydraulic press and form the spring seat marked b on the
top and the indentation marked c on the underside as shown in Figures 2 and 3.
The block so shaped is next brought to a proper heat and the top end marked d
in Figure 4 is chilled to enable it to retain its shape. The block is now placed
onto the end of a ram e and forced through the die marked f the arrangement
of which is fully seen in Figures 4 and 5. As the heated metal passes through
the die it is drawn down on all four sides, the final shaping of the grooves

page_text: being aided by the rolls g. The last portion of the die gives the final forma-
tion of the body of the box as shewn in Figure 6. Afterwards an oval hole
is cut through the back for the end of the axle to pass into the box and another
hole is formed through the front to serve as an inspection hole and for intro-
ducing oil-this hole is closed by a door has shewn in Figure 8 which is a
perspective view of the finished box. The bottom of the box is closed by a
tray marked i shewn separately at Figure 7-it is preferably made of wrought
steel and carries an upwardly projecting guard plate at its back end to hold
the ordinary dust shield between itself and the inner face of the back of the
box. The tray serves to contain the oil used for lubrication and also carries
the lubricating pad by which the oil is applied to the underside of the axle in
the usual manner.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. An axle box for vehicles the main body of which comprising the top with
the spring seat upon it, the front and rear ends and the two sides with the
axle guard grooves extending down them is formed in one piece of wrought
metal without join substantially as described.
2. The herein before described process of forming such an axle box body con-
sisting in first moulding projections for the axle guard grooves on two opposite
sides of a rectangular block of wrought metal-next squeezing such block when
heated between dies to form a hollow in the bottom of the block and a spring
seat on the top-then heating such block and chilling the spring seat after it
has been heated and finally forcing the block through a die by which it is drawn
down on all four sides and brought to the required shape.
3. The construction of axle boxes substantially as herein before described.
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