Year: 1888

page_text: I, JOHN ALEXANDER WILSON, of 12 Fleuchar Street, Dundee, in the County of
Forfar, Aerated Water Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows :-
--
The object of my invention, is to construct an oil cup having a transparent cover;
which shall permit of the axle being inspected at any time, without having to
unscrew said cover, and thus allow the oil to run out.
I will briefly describe one kind of axle to which my cover may be applied; so that
my invention may be more clearly understood.
The axle has formed upon it, some distance from its extremity a ruff or collar,
for the purprse of keeping a loose washer of leather, and another of metal in
position.
The axle bush, into which is screwed the transparent cover, is secured to the hub
by means of wedges, and through said hub and loose collars are bolts for the purpose
of keeping wheel upon axle.
The
Leather washers at each end of the busb, keep the oil from running out.
cover has the transparent material secured in a suitable fashion, so that it may be oil
tight.
GEO. C. DOUGLAS & Co.,
41, Reform Street, Dundee,
Applicant's Agents.

page_text: Improvements in Carriage Axle Oil Cups.
I, JOHN ALEXANDER WILSON, of 12 Fleuchar Street, Dundee, in the County of
Forfar, Scotland, Aërated Water Manufacturer, 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 following statement :-
My invention relates to the axle boxes or bearings of carriages and other vehicles,
and its main object is to provide for enabling the amount of oil or other lubricant
contained in the box or bearing, to be readily ascertained without the necessity for
removing the axle-cap or other part. I thus avoid loss or waste of the oil or other
lubricant, such as is frequently occasioned, with axle-bearings as heretofore con-
structed, by the removal of the axle-cap before the supply of lubricant contained in
the box or bearing is exhausted.
I accomplish the desired result by the use of a cup, cap, or cover, formed wholly
or partly of glass, or other suitable transparent substance.
In the accompanying drawing I have shown how my said invention may be
conveniently and advantageously carried into practice.
Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal central section through the nave of a wheel,
showing one form of axle box, or bearing, with my improvements applied thereto.
Figure 2 is a front elevation, and
Figure 3 a transverse section on the line a, a, Figure 2, both drawn to an enlarged
scale, showing one form of my improved cup, cap, or cover detached.
Figure 4 is a vertical longitudinal central section, and
Figure 5 a horizontal longitudinal central section on the line y, y, Figure 4, also
drawn to an enlarged scale, showing a device hereinafter described for keeping the
glass clean.
Like letters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawing.
A is the axle, B is the nave of the wheel, C is the box, bush or bearing.
In axle boxes or bearings such as that illustrated by way of example in the accom-
panying drawing, the axle A has a collar a formed thereon, or firmly attached thereto,
and a loose collar & fitted to turn freely thereon, and secured to the nave B by means of
bolts c which pass through holes in the said collar b, and also through suitable holes
provided in the said nave, and in a second loose collar d. The bush or box C is
secured in the nave B by wedges or other suitable means.
e is my improved cup, cap, or cover, which has a screw-threaded portion e¹ fitting
into a correspondingly screw-threaded recess in the bush or box C. The front of the
cup, cap or cover e is fitted with a disc or other suitably shaped piece f, of. glass or
other transparent material, forming a window through which the oil or other lubricant
in the axle box or bearing, can be seen, so that the amount of lubricant in the said
box or bearing can at any time be conveniently and expeditiously ascertained, without
aving to remove the said cup, cap, or cover.
To ensure tightness of the joint between the transparent piece f and the cup or cape,
I employ cement or other suitable jointing material, or packing. The glass discf, in
the apparatus shown, is secured in place by turning over it the metal of the cup, cap or
cover e as at 9,9 are leather or other washers for preventing the escape of the oil
or other lubricant between the, body of the axle box or bearing and the cup, cap, or
cover e.

page_text: To avoid liability to breakage of, or other injury to the transparent piece f, I
provide a guard or shield h pivoted at to the cup, cap or cover e, in such a manner
that, when it is desired to inspect the axle box or bearing, the said guard or shield h
can be moved aside for that purpose.
In some instances I combine, with my improved cup, cap, or cover, means for
automatically cleaning the glass or other window, and thus preventing its being
rendered opaque by the deposit or accumulation of dirt or other substance, so that the
lubricant cannot be readily seen.
For this purpose I prefer to provide a wiper i, Figures 4 and 5, made of leather,
felt, or other suitable material. This wiper i is fixed in a spindle j having a square
part fitting in a corresponding hole in the end of the axle A. A spiral spring lis
provided to ensure the wiper being kept in contact with the glass or other disc f.
The above described wiper being stationary, and caused to bear against the revolving
disc or window f, will ensure the latter being kept clean, and free froin any deposit
that might otherwise obstruct the view.
It is obvious that I can somewhat modify the construction of my cup, cap, or cover
without departing from the nature of my said invention. For example, I can dispense
with the guard or shield, or, instead of securing or pivoting the said guard or
shield in the manner hereinbefore described, I can provide the said guard or shield
with a suitable hinge or other joint, so that it can be opened and closed. I some-
times provide the cup, cap, or cover with a recess adapted to contain the piece
of glass or other transparent material, and I provide a screw-threaded gland fitting
into a screw-threaded portion of the said recess and adapted to bear against the
said piece of glass or other material, with or without the interposition of suitable
washers or I provide other convenient means whereby the said piece of glass or
other transparent material can be easily and expeditiously removed and replaced
when desired. Or where practicable I might make the cup, cap, or cover entirely of
glass.
Although I have described my said invention more particularly as applied to an
axle box or bearing wherein the wheel is retained upon the axle by means of a fixed
collar on the said axle, and a loose collar, or collars, bolted to the nave of the wheel, it is
evident that my improved cup, cap, or cover is advantageously applicable to other
axle boxes or bearings. For instance, by obvious modifications it can be applied to
the axle boxes or bearings of railway carriages or wagons, tramcars, and the like.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is: :-
First. A cup, cap or cover for the axle box or bearing of a carriage or other vehicle,
which cup, cap or cover is formed wholly or partially of glass or other suitable
transparent substance, for the purpose above specified.
Second. The combination, with an axle box or bearing, of the cup, cap, or cover
formed wholly or partially of glass or other suitable transparent material and
provided with a guard or shield, substantially as, and for the purposes, set forth.
Third. The combination, with the cup cap or cover formed wholly or partially of
glass or other suitable transparent material, of means for automatically cleaning the
said glass, or other material, substantially as, and for the purpose, set forth.
Dated this 11th day of December 1888
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London,
Agents for the Applicant.