IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF RAILWAY VEHICLES, CHIEFLY DESIGNED FOR FACILITATING THE MOVEMENT OF THE SAME
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
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& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for an Invention of
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF RAILWAY VEHICLES, CHIEFLY
DESIGNED FOR FACILITATING THE MOVEMENT OF THE SAME." A cominunication
from abroad by Ernest Richard Esmond and Henry Clay van Vechten, both
of the City and State of New York, United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th November 1880.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co.. Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF
RAILWAY VEHICLES, CHIEFLY DESIGNED FOR FACILITATING THE MOVEMENT OF
THE SAME." [A communication from abroad by Ernest Richard Esmond and
Henry Clay van Vechten, both of the City and State of New York, United States
of America.]
This Invention relates to that class of railway rolling stock or vehicles having
the axle-boxes of each independent pair of wheels embraced by fixed pedestals or
frames secured to the longitudinal side timbers of the vehicle-body to prevent fore
and aft movement of the wheels in relation to the body.
It has for its object to facilitate the movement of said vehicles or rolling stock,
and at the same time reduce to a minimumn the draught power necessary to move
trains when passing around curves, and also to soften or moderate all lateral shocks
due to irregularities in the rails or the like before they are imparted to the vehicle
body.
1 carry the said Invention into practice by constructing the devices which
connect the axles to the vehicle body in such a manner as to allow the axle-boxes
to move in the pedestals or frames secured to the longitudinal timbers in a vertical
and a lateral direction in relation to the vehicle body, but the axles always remain
parallel one to the other, as the sides of the axle-boxes fit against the openings in
the pedestals or fixed frame on the body.
The axle-boxes have each a saddle piece which rests in rounded bearings on the
top of the box and extend down its sides; the lower parts of the hanging sides of

page_text: the saddle piece are formed at right, angles thereto so as to support spiral or
india-rubber springs, on the upper ends of which rest the top of the pedestal, or
the longitudinal timber of the vehicle body when the pedestals or frames are made
of wrought iron.
The springs with the hanging sides of the saddle piece are located in the horns
or sides of the pedestal, and the lower ends of the saddle are fitted therein or fit on
the guide-bolts which pass through the springs, so as to have no lateral play, but
are free to move up and down as the springs compress and expand, and the upper
parts of the hanging sides of the saddle piece have freedom enough in the horns of
the pedestal to allow them and the axle boxes with them to move laterally in
relation to the vehicle-body to such an extent as will permit of the wheels of each
independently moving axle to assume such positions as to allow the vehicle to
move with the least possible draught around the sharpest curve. When the wheels
and axle boxes move transversely to the vehicle-body the saddle pieces assume
angular positions, the upper part thereof rocking on the tops of the boxes and
their lower parts under the spring-seats, which are rounded for this purpose.
I may in some cases provide two, four, or more spiral or india rubber springs,
which are applied to cach axle box, or laminated springs may be arranged between
the boxes and the longitudinal timbers of the vehicle body, either alone or in
combination with the spiral springs at the sides of the boxes.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 14th
March 1881.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF
RAILWAY VEHICLES, CHIEFLY DESIGNED FOR FACILITATING THE MOVEMENT OF
THE SAME." A communication from abroad by Ernest Richard Esmond and
Henry Clay van Vechten, both of the City and State of New York, United States
of America.
This Invention relates to railway rolling stock or vehicles having the axle-boxes
of each independent pair of wheels embraced by fixed pedestals or frames secured
to the longitudinal side timbers of the vehicle-body to prevent fore and aft
movement of the wheels in relation to the body.
It has for its object to facilitate the movement of the said vehicles or rolling
stock, and at the same time reduce to a minimum the draught-power necessary to
move trains when passing around curves, and also to soften or moderate all lateral
shocks caused by irregularities in the rails or otherwise before they are imparted to
the vehicle body.
The said Invention consists in connecting the axle boxes to the under framework
of the vehicle body through the medium of saddle pieces (one to each box), which
are so constructed as to rock in bearings on the tops of the axle boxes, and are
provided at the lower parts of their sides, which hang down over the sides of the
axle boxes, with bearing brackets formed at right angles thereto, on which rest the.
seats of the springs for supporting the body of the vehicle. The lower ends of the
saddle pieces (by means of the right angled supporting brackets) are prevented by
the spring guide bolts, or by the insides of the horns of the pedestals or axle box
frames, from moving laterally in relation to the body, but are free to allow vertical
movements of the vehicle body through the springs. The upper ends of the saddle
picc-s have sufficient freedom in the pedestals or axle box frames to allow the axle
boxes, with the axles and wheels, to move transversely in relation to the vehicle
body, but are rigidly held as regards any movement in a direction longitudinally
relative to the vehicle body by the sides of the axle boxes fitting against the sides
of the horns which form the jaws of the pedestals or axle box frames.
My Invention is illustrated in the accompanying Drawing in which,-
Figure 1 is a side view of two axles connected with the side timber of a railway
vehicle, shewing one of the cast iron pedestals in section.
Figure 2 is an end view of the same, shewing one of the pedestals in section
through the centre line of one of the springs.
Figure 3 is a view shewing the pedestal wheel and axle box in section through
the centre thereof.
Figure shews a modification in which the wrought iron saddle piece is replaced
by a cast iron one, the front of the pedestal being cut away.
Figure 5 is a view partly in section, in which two springs are applied to each
side of the axle box and a wrought iron frame substituted for the cast iron pedestal
shewn in the preceding Figures.
Figure 6 is a sectional side elevation of the same.
Figure 7 shews the manner of applying laminated springs to my improved axle
box connection, and
Figure S is a side elevation shewing the application of the laminated spring in
connection with the spiral springs to axle boxes embodying my Invention.
In all the views shewn in the Drawing, a represents the wheel piece or longi- .
tudinal timber of the vehicle body; b, the axle boxes; c, the wheels; and d, the.

page_text: axles. Any well known or convenient form of axle boxes, in which the axle bearings
are so fitted as to have no end play, may be employed by providing them with
bearing projections b¹, b', on their tops for holding the upper parts of the saddle
pieces c, e, which are represented in Figures 1, 2, and 3, as made of wrought iron.
The sides of the saddle piece e hang down the sides of the axle box b, and its lower
ends e, c', are formed at right angles thereto, and are located in the horns f', f', of
the pedestal which is secured to the wheel piece a. The construction of this
pedestal is clearly shewn in Figures 1, 2, and 3.
The axle box is fitted in the jaw or between the two horns of the pedestal, so
as to be free to move therein vertically and laterally in relation to the vehicle
body. The supporting springs g. g, rest on spring seats g', g', whose lower ends
are rounded to fit over the rounded ends e¹, c', of the saddle piece e, through which
and the spring seats g', g', and springs g, g, pass the spring guide bolts h, h, held
centrally in horns of the pedestal by their lower ends passing through the pedestal
tic bar i, which is formed, as shown in Figure 1, to project a short distance up in
the jaw of the pedestal; the object of which is to prevent the saddle e getting
displaced from the top of the axle box b from any cause, which would relieve the
saddle of the weight of the vehicle, as the bottom of the box would come in contact
with the bent up portion of the tie bar i before the springs g, g, have expanded to
their fullest extent.
In the sectional view, Figure 3, the axle box b, wheel c, and axle d are shewn as
having moved laterally in relation to the vehicle body, the axle box carrying the
upper part of the saddle e with it, thus moving the saddle piece into an inclined
position, the latter rocking on its lower ends which are held by the spring guide
bolts h, h, the holes through which the guide bolts pass being enlarged to admit of
such rocking motion.
It will be seen that this inclination given to the saddle pieces e, e, by the wheels
and axles being moved laterally by irregularities in the rails, or when the vehicle
is moving around a curve, raises slightly the vehicle body through the springs g, g,
the weight of the body all the time opposing such lateral movement of the wheels
and other parts, from which it follows that lateral shocks which would otherwise
be imparted directly to the body are expended in raising and are counteracted by
its weight; and this lateral freedom of the wheels and parts connected therewith
allows the vehicle to be moved by a much less expenditure of power when passing
around curves than if they were rigid; and this Invention has for one of its objects
a cheap and practical application of this suspension link principle to railway
rolling stock, as shown by the Figures of the Drawing just explained, and those
showing modifications now to be described.
Figure 4, in which the front of the pedestal is shown cut away, is similar to
Figures 1, 2, and 3, with the exception of the substitution of the cast metal saddle
piece for the wrought iron saddle piece e, and in elongating the ends of the
pedestal tie bar i to enable them to be bolted to the wheel piece a to act as braces
to the pedestals.
In Figures 5 and 6 the pedestal or axle box frame is formed of two wrought iron
bars,, bent as shown, between which the axle box bis held in its position; the
bars, l, are strengthened longitudinally by the tic bar m bolted to their lower
ends and to the wheel piece a. The cast metal saddle piece is also strengthened
by the tie-bar or rod n passing through the supporting projections ¹, kl, and over
the top of the said piece ; or the tic bar may be shrunk on as a continuous bar
entirely surrounding the saddle piece. Two springs are placed at each side of the a
axle box, the tie bar n being located between each pair of springs, which are
supported by the double spring seats o, o, provided with central rounded
projections resting in recesses on the top of the supporting projections k¹, k', of the
saddle. The upper ends of the springs aro held in the cast metal cap o¹ secured
to the wheel picco a, and a guide bolt h passes through each spring, the scats o, o,
and the cap o¹, and are held at their lower ends by the wrought iron bars 1, 1. The
supporting projections ³, ¹, of the saddle fit between the guide bolts of each pair

page_text: of springs, having their contact surfaces sufficiently rounded to allow the saddle to
rock on the lower parts of the spring seats o, o.
In Figure 7 a laminated spring p is shown substituted for the spiral or india
rubber springs. This laminated spring p is located above the axle box band is
secured at its central part to the auxiliary saddle r, which is fitted to slido up and
down in the wrought iron axle box frames 8, 8, formed as shown, and bolted one to
each side of the wheel piece a, their lower ends being connected by the plate t.
The sides of the auxiliary saddle extend down the sides of the saddle k, and their
lower ends are rounded to fit into recesses formed in the supporting projections A
which fit between the frames 8, 8, so as to be free to rock and yet have no lateral
movement in relation to the vehicle body. For further ensuring that the parts
will maintain their positions in relation to one another sumall bolts are passed
through enlarged holes in the supporting projections k', k', and screwed into the
ends of the auxiliary saddles ?'.
The modification shewn in Figure 8 represents an end view of the combination
of a laminated spring parranged as just described with a spiral spring g at each
side of the axle box, these spiral springs taking the place of the sides of the
auxiliary saddle and resting on spring seats supported by the projections of the
saddle. The wrought iron frame in this view is substantially the same in
construction as that shewn in Figures 5, 6, and 7. The spring guide bolts u pass
down through the wheel piece a, the laminated spring p (or between the laminated
springs if two are used side by side), the spiral springs g, the spring seats, the
supporting projections of the saddle, and the lower ends of the wrought iron
frames 1, thus assisting to hold the frames to the vehicle body and at the same
time act as guides for the springs.
Instead of the saddle pieces fitting directly in the bearings on the tops of the
axle boxes, they may be provided with independent bearing shoes, which can be
readily and cheaply replaced should they become worn.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondents, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it under-
stood that these improvements in railway rolling stock may be combined in other
than the particular ways set forth. I therefore do not wish to confine myself to
any one of the methods or particular combinations of the various parts herein
described. I am also aware that railway vehicles have been connected with their
axles by means of suspension links, and I do not therefore broadly claim connecting
suspension links, but I claim,-
In a railway vehicle a laterally swinging saddle piece suspended from the top
of the axle box, which is made rigid by a suitable frame as regards fore and aft
movement in relation to the body of the vehicle, the lower ends of the sides of the
saddle piece being provided with projections on which rest the supporting springs
of the said body, all substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twelfth day of March, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
W. ROBT. LAKE. (L.S.)