A NEW OR IMPROVED HOLLOW BOSSED SELF-LUBRICATING WHEEL FOR COLLIERY CORVES, RAILWAY TRUCKS, AND OTHER SIMILAR VEHICLES"
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to- Robert Hadfield, of Southampton Buildings, Holborn, for
the Invention of "A NEW OR IMPROVED HOLLOW BOSSED SELF-LUBRICATING
WHEEL FOR COLLIERY CORVES, RAILWAY TRUCKS, AND OTHER SIMILAR
VEHICLES"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Hadfield at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th November 1876.
"
ROBERT HADFIELD, of Southampton Buildings, Holborn. A NEW OR IMPROVED
HOLLOW BOSSED SELF-LUBRICATING WHEEL FOR COLLIERY CORVES, RAILWAY
TRUCKS, AND OTHER SIMILAR VEHICLES."
This Invention has for its object to dispense with the labour, expence, and delay,
of the present systein of lubricating wheels and axles, as also to entirely obviate all
risk of accident or injury arising from the negligent or inefficient performance of
this important duty. For this purpose I cast a wheel of any suitable size and
inaterial with a hollow boss or nave instead of a solid one, as has hitherto been
done. Such hollow boss or nave is provided with a suitable hole or orifice therein,
so as to permit of the hollow chamber formed therein being filled with oil or any
other suitable lubricant; and I close such hole or orifice by means of a screw plug
or other suitable device. The hollow chamber when so filled with lubricating
material becomes a reservoir, and by this means as the axle or shaft revolves in the
axle hole it is kept constantly and perfectly lubricated by means of the oil or other
suitable lubricant contained in such hollow chamber or reservoir.
To prevent all risk of leakage and unnecessary waste of oil I prefer that the
lubricant should not be too highly liquified, while on the other hand care must be
taken that it be not made too thick in consistency, so as to avoid all chance of its
setting, and so becoming useless.
To ensure the axle or shaft being securely kept in position I take care when
casting such hollow boss to form a broad bearing on the interior of each of thọ

page_text: centre holes formed in either side for the reception of such axle or shaft. Such
bearings however are not united together, but a suitable and convenient distance is
left between them to allow of the lubricating material coming in contact with the
axle or shaft as it revolves.
By the use of my improved hollow bossed self-lubricating wheel as above
described a very large degree of security, convenience, and economy is obtained, as
it is thus rendered impossible that any accident can happen from insufficient
lubrication, while the hollow chamber or reservoirs when once properly filled will
last from three to four months, or even for a much longer period, such period being
materially regulated by the amount and quality of the traffic which the vehicle has
to perform.
In order to refill the hollow chamber or reservoir when the lubricating material
therein is becoming exhausted it is only necessary to remove the screw nut from
the before-mentioned hole or orifice formed, as already described, for this purpose
in such hollow boss, thereby avoiding all necessity of unfastening or otherwise
disturbing the axles and wheels.
My improved wheel is particularly applicable for use as a loose wheel where fast
wheels cannot conveniently be employed.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed by
the said Robert Hadfield in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 22nd May
1877.
ROBERT HADFIELD, of Southampton Buildings, Holborn. "A NEW OR IMPROVED
HOLLOW BOSSED SELF-LUBRICATING WHEEL FOR COLLIERY CORVES, RAILWAY
TRUCKS, AND OTHER SIMILAR VEHICLES."
This Invention has for its object to dispense with the labour, expense, and delay,
of the present system of lubricating wheels and axles, as also to entirely obviate all
risk of accident or injury arising from the negligent or inefficient performance of
this important duty.
And in order that my said Invention may be better understood, and more readily
carried into effect, I will now proceed with the aid of the accompanying Drawings,
whereon similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts, to more particularly
describe the same; Figure 1 of such Drawings shews a front elevation of my
improved hollow bossed wheel; and Figure 2 shews a vertical section of the same
taken through the line a, b, Figure 1.
To carry out my Invention I proceed as follows:-I cast a wheel of any suitable
size and metal or material, but preferably of steel of any suitable quality, having a
hollow boss or nave A formed therein instead of a solid one, as has hitherto been
generally practised; such hollow boss or nave is provided with a suitable hole or
orifice therein, B, conveniently placed so as to permit of the hollow chamber formed
therein being filled with oil or any other suitable lubricant, and I close such hole or
orifice by means of a screw plug C, which screw plug not only confines the
lubricating material within such hollow chamber, but also effectually excludes
therefrom all dust and dirt, which if admitted would clog the lubricating material,
and thus not only impede but soon destroy both the wheel and axle. The hollow
chamber when so charged with lubricating material becomes a reservoir wherein it
is stored, and by this means as the axle or shaft revolves in the axle hole it is kept
constantly and perfectly lubricated by means of the oil or other suitable lubricant
contained in such hollow chamber or reservoir.
To prevent all leakage and unnecessary waste of oil I prefer that the lubricating
material be not too highly liquified, at the same time care must be taken that it be

page_text: not made too thick, so as to avoid all risk of its setting, and so becoming useless.
Preferably I use liquid grease of any suitable consistency for this purpose.
Although the containing capacity of the hollow chamber formed within the boss
of my improved wheel is very considerable I prefer to charge it with the
lubricating material to only about one-third of such capacity, which will for all
practical purposes be found aimply sufficient, as owing to the fact that the lubricating
material cannot escape otherwise than by consumption; this supply enables the
wheels to run for a very considerable time, in many cases as long as six, or even
eight months without requiring re-charging, thus saving the time, labour, and
attention requisite for frequent charging.
One particular advantage of my Invention is as will be seen by reference to
Figure 2 of the accompanying Drawings that when my improved hollow bossed
wheel is so charged the lubricating material cannot escape or be otherwise easily
removed, except by removing the screw plug C before referred to, no matter in
what particular angle or position the wheel may be placed, not even if the axle be
removed, owing to the lubricating material naturally by its own gravity finding its
lowest level, which thus precludes all possibility of its being wasted.
To ensure the axle or shaft being securely kept in position I take care when
casting such hollow bossed wheel, as before described, to form broad bearings D on
the interior of the central aperture formed therein for the reception of such axle or
shaft such bearings however are not united together, but a suitable and convenient
passage or channel E is left between them to allow of the lubricating material
coming in contact with the axle or shaft as it revolves. One advantage of these
broad bearings is that they afford a large wearing surface to the axle or shaft.
By the use of my improved hollow bossed self-lubricating wheel, as above
described, a very great degree of security, convenience, and economy is obtained, as
it is thus rendered impossible that any accident can happen from insufficient
lubrication, while the lubricating material contained in the hollow chamber or
reservior when once properly charged will last for a considerable period; such
period being materially regulated by the amount and quality of the traffic which
the vehicle has to perform.
In order to re-charge the chamber or reservoir A when the lubricating material
therein becomes exhausted it is only necessary to remove the screw plug C from the
before-mentioned orifice B formed in such hollow boss, thereby avoiding all
necessity of unfastening or otherwise disturbing the axles and wheels of the vehicle,
which is in itself a material advantage.
The flange of my improved hollow bossed wheel may be made either single or
double.
My improved hollow bossed wheel is not only automatic in its action, thereby
insuring a constant and effective lubrication, and so reducing the wear thereof to a
minimum, but it effects a very great economy. in the lubricating material from the
fact that whatever lubricating material is charged into the chamber or reservoir A
formed in the wheel can only escape by way of consumption.
It is also particularly applicable for use as a loose wheel where fast wheels
cannot conveniently be employed.
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner of carrying the same into operation, I would here
remark that I am aware that hollow bossed wheels have been before manufactured,
but on different principles and without obtaining the united advantages of a
considerable wearing surface, ample storage for the lubricating material, thorough
exclusion of all dust and dirt therefrom, total prevention of all escape or waste of
the lubricating material, and adaptation for use as a loose wheel, I would therefore
have it understood that what I claim, and desire to secure by the herein-before in
part recited Letters Patent is, the casting in steel of any suitable quality or in any
other suitable metal or material an improved hollow bossed self-lubricating loose
wheel suitable for use on railways, tram cars, colliery corves, carts, drays, and other

page_text: similar vehicles, and specially adapted when cast in steel for wheels for gun
carriages, in consequence of its great strength and lightness, substantially in the
manner and by the means herein-before set forth and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Hadfield, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Eighth day of May, in the year of our Lord Oue thousand eight
hundred and seventy-seven.
ROBERT HADFIELD.
(L.S.)