IMPROVEMENTS IN AXLES AND AXLE Boxes
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Newton, of the Office for
Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil
Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN AXLES AND AXLE
Boxes." A communication from abroad by James Finlay, of the
-
City and State of New York United States of America
Sealed the 17th October 1868, and dated the 13th May 1868..
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward
Newton at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 13th May 1868..
I, WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66,
Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN AXLES
AND AXLE BOXES," to be as follows:- ;
The first part of this Invention embraces the formation of a lubricating
receptacle or chamber within the axle box by the employment of steel
or other hard rings fitted within the axle box at or surrounding opposite
ends of the journal in combination with similar rings or collars on the

page_text: journal and arranged to fit or freely turn in the first-named rings as
bearings.
The second part of the Invention relates to the axle box, which is
closed at its one end and is provided with a packing ring arranged
within an annular nut that fits over the journal and screws into the
inner end of the box. In combination with this there are other packing
rings surrounding the journal on opposite sides of a flange or collar
thereto and lying between the inner end of the nut and outer ends of
the adjacent rings above referred to. The axle box to accommodate
this combination of parts or devices is closed at its outer end, and by
the construction of the whole as described the wheel carried by the
axle may be securely attached to the latter with the wearing surfaces
of the journal perfectly enclosed without the use of the cap which is
ordinarily attached to the hub of the wheel to exclude dust and dirt.
A more symmetrical appearance is also given to the hub, and the
durability of the box and journal is materially increased and the
retention of the lubricating material in a chamber (provided within the
axle box) is most effectually secured.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent
filed by the said William Edward Newton in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 12th November 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in
the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of May, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the thirty-
first year of Her reign, did for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said William Edward Newton, Her special
licence that I, the said William Edward Newton, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William
Edward Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all
times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully
might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of

page_text: Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN AXLES AND AXLE BOXES," being a
communication to me from James Finlay, of the City, County, and
State of New York, in the United States of America, upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Edward Newton,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my,"
or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe
and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in
the Great Seal Patent Office, within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Edward Newton, 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, reference being had to the Drawing here-
unto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to
say):-
The first part of this Invention embraces the formation of a lubricating
receptacle or chamber within the axle box by the employment of steel
or other hard rings fitted within the axle box at or surrounding opposite
ends of the journal in combination with similar rings or collars on the
journal and arranged to fit or freely turn in the first-named rings as
bearings.
The second part of the Invention relates to the axle box, which is
closed at its one end and is provided with a packing ring arranged
within an annular nut that fits over the journal and screws into the
inner end of the box. In combination with this there are other
packing rings surrounding the journal on opposite sides of a flange or
collar thereto and lying between the inner end of the nut and outer
ends of the adjacent rings above referred to. The axle box to
accommodate this combination of parts or devices is closed at its
outer end, and by the construction of the whole as described the wheel
carried by the axle may be securely attached to the latter, thus having
the wearing surfaces of the journal perfectly enclosed, without the use
of the cap which is ordinarily attached to the hub of the wheel to
exclude dust and dirt. A more, symmetrical appearance is also given
to the hub, and the durability of the box and journal is materially

page_text: increased and the retention of the lubricating material in a chamber
(provided within the axle box) is most effectually secured.
In the accompanying Drawing Fig. 1 represents a broken longitudinal
view of an axle with axle boxes showing one of the latter and journal
working therein in section; Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the same
taken in the line x, x, in Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is an outside longitudinal
view of the axle in part as in Fig. 1 under a modified construction or
different outside form of the axle boxes, to admit of a reversed entry
of the latter into the hub of the wheel.
In the Drawing A represents the axle box made preferably of cast
iron and formed either as shown in Fig. 1 to be driven into the central
hole or slot of the hub from the outer side or end of the hub or as
indicated in Fig. 3, in which latter case it should be placed in the hub
from the inner end thereof, the box in either case being provided with
the usual holding ribs or feathers a, a. The outermost extremity 6 of
the box A is closed and the inner or open end thereof is furnished with
an internal screw thread, as shewn at c. Fitted within the axle box,
one near each end thereof, are two rings d, e, of hardened steel. The
journal B of the axle C is furnished with two hardened steel collars f, g,
which work within the rings d, e, as indicated in Fig. 1, and the entire
bearing surface being limited to the rings and collars, it follows that
the friction is reduced very materially, and from the hardness of the
surfaces of the collars and rings these parts are rendered extremely
durable. Provided upon the inner portion of the journal B is an
annular flange h, upon cither side of which is placed a packing ring i,
and at the inner side of which upon the adjacent cylindrical portion of
the axle is an annular nut C which screws into the internal screw c
(in the inner end of the axle box A) in such a manner that by holding
against the flange the nut will effectually prevent the box from
slipping or moving off the journal, the packing rings i serving to more
effectually prevent the escape of the lubricating material placed in a
receptacle formed, as shewn at k, within the box and around the central
portion of the journal, such prevention of the escape of the oil being
furthermore assisted by another packing ring provided in the interior
of the nut C, as shewn at m. It should be mentioned that the nut C
is intended to be turned when required by means of a wrench furnished
with studs or spurs which fit into holes or recesses r provided in the
outer side of the nut. Apart from the difference in outside form of

page_text: the axle boxes (shewn in Fig. 3 of the Drawing) to admit of the
boxes being entered from the inside instead of from the outside of the
hub of the wheel, the construction is the same as that shown for the
parts represented in Fig. 1.
The Invention under either modification may be applied to various
wheeled vehicles.
Having now described the Invention which has been communicated
to me as aforesaid, I claim as the Invention secured to me by Letters
Patent,―
First. The axle box or boxes constructed to form a lubricating
receptacle or chamber k by means of rings arranged within either box
in combination with the axle having its journal or journals fitted with
rings or collars, as shewn and described.
Second. In combination with an axle box closed at its one end I
claim, the annular nut C at the other end thereof arranged to fit over
the axle or its journal and provided with a packing ring m for operation
in concert with packing rings i, flange h to the journal, and rings or
collars e, g, or their equivalents.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Newton, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, the Twenty-eighth day of
October, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and sixty-eight.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
W. E. NEWTON. (L.S.)