Improvements in Journal Boxes or Bearings.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Aug., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 23rd Mar., 1897-Accepted, 19th June, 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Journal Boxes or Bearings.
1, ERWIN HARRISON SPENCER, a citizen of the United States, residing at
507 South Union Street, in West Bay City, County of Bay, and State of Michigan,
United States of America, Railway Employee, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to journal boxes or bearings for the axles of cars and
other vehicles, and for revoluble shafts, spindles, and similar devices, and the
object thereof, is to provide an improved journal box or bearing which is not liable
to heat, or over-heat, and which may be operated if desired, without the use of oil
or other lubricants.
The invention is fully disclosed in the following specification.
In the practice of my invention I provide a journal box or casing, which may
be of any desired shape and which is provided with central circular chamber
which is open at one end and closed at the other by a plate, and said box or casing
may be composed of one piece, or it may be divided centrally and horizontally or
vertically, and the parts thereof, be securely bolted together.
The closed end plate, is provided with a central circular opening through which
the shaft or axle is passed, and the opposite end is provided with a cap or cover
which is hinged thereto, and which is adapted to close one end of the central
circular chamber.
The inner walls of the central circular chamber are provided with two annular
inwardly directed flanges or ribs, by means of which said inner walls are divided
into three equal spaces, and the central annular space, or the walls thereof, are
smooth, while the walls of the outer annular spaces, are each provided with
inwardly directed cogs or gear teeth.
The axle or shaft passes centrally through the circular chamber and is provided
with two annular flanges or collars, which are in transverse line, with the inwardly
directed ribs or flanges formed in the walls of the annular chamber and the central
portion of said shaft between said annular flanges or collars, is smooth, while at
each side thereof, are formed cogs or gear teeth.
I also provide a plurality of rollers, any desired number of which may be
employed, and these rollers are provided with two annular grooves into which the
ribs or flanges, in the walls of the central chamber, and the collars or flanges, on
the shaft or axle are adapted to enter, and the central portion of said rollers, is
smooth and similar in form to the central portion of the shaft or axle while the
ends thereof, are provided with cogs or gear teeth.
The rollers are placed in the annular space between the shaft or axle, and the
side walls of the circular chamber, and the cogs or gears, on the ends thereof,
engage with the corresponding cogs or gears on the shaft or axle and the central
smooth portion thereof, engage with the corresponding smooth portion of the shaft
or axle, and the flanges or ribs, in the walls of the circular chambers, and the
flanges or collars on the shaft or axle, operating in connection with the annular
grooves in the rollers, securely hold said rollers in place and prevent their lateral.
dis-placement, and said rollers will always be held in the same relative position, in
which they are placed, regardless of the matter thereof employed.
The chief bearing of the shaft or axle, is formed by the central smooth portion
thereof, which operates in connection with the central smooth portion of the rollers

page_text: and the cogs or gear teeth on said rollers, and on the shaft or axle operate to
revolve and hold said rollers in the same relative position at all times.
This bearing is similar in operation to an ordinary ball bearing, and will operate
substantially in the same manner, and the use of oil and other lubricants in
connection therewith is not necessary.
In order to properly place the rollers in position I provide in one side of the
journal box or casing a transverse chamber which opens inwardly, and in this
chamber I insert after the rollers have been placed in position, a plate the inner
surface of which is formed to correspond with the inner walls of the circular
chamber, the ends thereof, being provided with cogs or gear teeth, and the central
portion being smooth in cross section, and said plate is also provided with inwardly
directed flanges or ribs, and this plate is provided at one or both ends with oblong
slots which open inwardly and the outer walls of which rest upon inwardly directed
shoulders or projections formed at the end or ends of the chamber, and the shape
and form of the plate is such as to exactly fill the lower portion of the chamber
and complete the inner walls of the circular chamber, and over the plate is inserted
a wedge plate, by which said plate, is securely held in position, and by means of
this arrangement, the inner walls of the circular chamber are practically continuous,
the continuity thereof, being unbroken, after the plate has been placed in
position.
The ends of the plate and the wedge plate, project at one side of the box or
casing, and formed therein is a central vertical opening or passage, which is
adapted to register with a similar opening, formed in a shoulder or projection, on
the side of the door opposite the hinge thereof, and through these openings is
placed a bolt or pin, by which means the door is locked in the closed position.)
Any suitable device may be employed however, for locking the door, and my
invention is not limited to the number of the rollers employed nor to the shape of
the box or casing, and it is evident that many changes in, and modifications of the
construction herein described, may be made without departing from the spirit of my
invention or sacrifice its advantages.
It will be seen that the central annular smooth portion of the inner walls of the
circular chamber constitutes a track or way which corresponds with the central
portion of the rollers, and that said central portions of the rollers, correspond with
that portion of the shaft or axle between the collars or ribs, and this constitutes a
smooth track or bearing for the shaft or axle.
I prefer to place the rollers in position, so that they cannot touch each other,
and with this object in view, any desired number of said rollers may be employed,
and it will also be apparent that these rollers may be of any preferred size in cross
section, and the slots in the end of the plate also as will be understood serve to
assist in holding said plate in proper position.
Dated this 7AL CA
مخفر
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE;
40 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.
Dearings.
I, EDWIN HARRISON SPENCER, residing at West Bay City, in the County of
Bay and State of Michigan, United States of America, Inventor, 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 -
This invention relates to journal boxes or bearings for the axles of cars and

page_text: other vehicles and for revoluble shafts, spindles, and similar devices and the object
thereof is to provide an improved journal box or bearing which is not liable to
heat or overheat, and which may be operated, if desired, without the use of oil or
other lubricants.
The invention is fully disclosed in the following specification, of which the
accompanying drawings form a part, in which-
Fig. 1, is an end view of my improved journal box or bearing ;
Fig. 2, a side view thereof, and,
Fig. 3 a central vertical section.
In the practice of my invention, I provide a journal-box or
casing 5, which is
preferably of the form shown in the drawings, but which may be of any desired
shape; and which is provided with a central circular chamber 6, which is open at
one end and closed at the other by a plate 7, and said box or casing may be..
composed of one-piece, or it may be divided centrally and horizontally or vertically
and the parts thereof be securely bolted together.
The closed end plate 7 is provided with a central circular opening 8, through
which the shaft or axle 9 is passed, and the opposite end is provided with a door or
cover 10, which is hinged thereto at 11, and which is adapted to close at one end
of the central circular chamber 6.
The inner walls of the central circular chamber 6 are provided with two annular
inwardly-directed flanges or ribs 12, by means of which said inner walls are divided
into three equal annular spaces 13, and the central annular space 13 or the walls
thereof are smooth, while the walls of the outer annular spaces 13 are each provided
with inwardly-directed cogs or gear-teeth 14.
The axle or shaft 9 passes centrally through the circular chamber 6, and is
provided with two annular flanges or collars 16, which are in transverse line with
the inwardly-directed ribs or flanges 12, formed in the walls of the circular
chamber 6, and the central portion of said shaft, between said annular flanges
or collars, is smooth while at each side thereof are formed cogs or gear-teeth 17..
I also provide a plurality of rollers 18, any desired number of which may be
employed, and four of which are shown in Fig. 1, and these rollers are provided
with two annular grooves 19, into which the ribs or flanges 12 in the walls of the
central chamber 6 and the collars or flanges 16 on the shaft or axle are adapted to
enter and the central portion of said rollers 18 is smooth and similar in form to the
central portion of the shaft or axle 9, while the ends thereof are provided with
cogs or gear-teeth 20.
The rollers 18 are placed in the annular space between the shaft or axle 9 and
the side walls of the circular chamber 6, as clearly shown in Figs 1 and 3, and the
cogs or gears 20 on the ends thereof engage with the corresponding cogs or
gears 17 on the shaft or axle 9, and the central smooth portions thereof engage
with the corresponding central smooth portions of the shaft or axle and the
flanges or ribs 12 in the walls of the circular chamber 6 and the flanges or
collars 16 on the shaft or axle, operating in connection with the annular
grooves 19 in the rollers 18, securely hold said rollers in place and prevent
their lateral displacement, and said rollers will always be held in the same
relative position in which they are placed regardless of the number thereof
employed.
The chief bearing of the shaft or axle is formed by the central smooth portion
thereof, which operates in connection with the central smooth portion of the
rollers 18, and the cogs or gear-teeth on said rollers and on the shaft or axle
operate to revolve and hold said rollers in the same relative position at all times.
This bearing is similar in operation to an ordinary ball-bearing and will operate
substantially in the same mauner, and the use of oil or other lubricants in connection
therewith is not necessary.
In order to properly place the rollers in position, I provide in one side of the
journal box or casing a longitudinal chamber 21, which opens inwardly, and in

page_text: this chamber insert, after the rollers have been placed in position, a plate 22, the
inner surface of which is formed to correspond with the inner walls of the circular
chamber 6, the ends thereof being provided with cogs or gear-teeth and the central
portion being smooth in cross-section, and said plate 22 is also provided with
inwardly directed flanges or ribs 12. This plate 22 has formed on its side or sides.
longitudinally-extending angular ledge or ledges 23, which are adapted to rest on
shoulders 24, formed in the sides of the longitudinal chamber 21, as may be seen
in Fig. 1. The form of the plate 22 is such as to exactly fill the lower portion of
the chamber 21 and complete the inner walls of the circular chamber 6, and over
the plate 22 is inserted a plate 24', by which said plate 22 is securely held in
position, and by means of this arrangement the inner walls of the circular chamber 6
are practically continuous, the continuity thereof being unbroken after the plate 22
has been placed in position.
The ends of the plate 22 and the plate 24' project at one side of the box or
casing, as shown at 25, and formed therein is a central vertical opening or passage 26,
which is adapted to register with a similar opening 27, formed in a shoulder or
projection 28 on the side of the door 10 opposite the hinge 11 thereof, and through
these openings is passed a bolt or pin 29, by which means the door is locked in the
closed position..
Any suitable device may be employed, however, for locking the door, and my
invention is not limited to the number of the rollers 18 employed nor to the shape
of the box or casing 5, and it is evident that many changes in and modifications of
the construction herein described may be made without departing from the spirit of
my invention or sacrificing its advantages.
It will be seen that the central annular smooth portion of the inner walls
of the circular chamber 6 constitutes a track or way which corresponds with
the central portion of the rollers 18, and that said central portions of the
rollers 18 correspond with that portion of the shaft or axle between the collars
or ribs 16, and this constitutes a smooth track or bearing for the shaft or axle.
I prefer to place the rollers 18 in position so that they cannot touch each
other, and with this object in view any desired number of said rollers may be
employed, and it will also be apparent that these rollers may be of any preferred
size in cross-section, and the ledges 23 in the end of the plate 22 also, as will be
understood, serve to assist in holding said plate in proper position.
My improved bearing is simple in construction and operation, and is not liable
to get out of order and need repair, and,
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 :-
1. A journal box or bearing for axles having a casing provided with a circular
central chamber therein, an end plate having a central opening therein secured at
one end of said casing, an axle adapted to pass therethrough, a door hinged to said
casing and covering the outer end thereof, annular inwardly-directed ribs formed
on the wall of said chamber and dividing said wall into three equal annular spaces,
inwardly-directed cogs in the walls of said outer annular spaces, annular flanges
within said casing on said axle and being in line respectively with said ribs, gear-
teeth formed on said axle within said casing and on the other sides of said flanges,
a plurality of rollers in said casing having two annular grooves therein adapted to
receive said ribs and flanges, cogs secured to said rollers outside of said grooves
and engaging said cog and gear-teeth, said casing being provided in the upper
portion thereof and in communication with. said chamber with a longitudinal slot,
shoulders in the side thereof, a plate adapted to snugly fill the lower part of said
slot, ribs on said plate registering with the aforesaid ribs, teeth on the under side
of said plate outside of said ribs, a shoulder on the outer side of said door, a plate
passing through the upper part of said slot and securing the aforesaid plate, said
plate and shoulder being provided with a registering vertical slot therein, and a

page_text: bolt adapted to pass therethrough, all of said parts being combined substantially as
described.
2. In a journal-box for axles, a casing having a circular chainber therein, a plate
with an opening therein secured at one end, an axle passing therethrough, annular
ribs on the walls of said chamber, cogs secured to said walls outside of said ribs,
rollers having grooves therein adapted to receive said ribs, teeth on the said rollers
outside of the said grooves, annular flanges on said axle adapted to enter said
grooves, cogs also on said axle outside of said flanges, said casing having a longi-
tudinal slot therein, shoulders in the sides thereof, a plate having ledges on the
sides thereof adapted to engage said shoulders, cogs on the under side of said plate
corresponding to said teeth on the rollers, ribs also secured to the under side of said
plate, plate 241, and means for securing said latter plate in place, all of said parts
being combined substantially as described.
Dated this 23rd day of March 1897.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40 Chancery Lane, W.C., Agents.