Improvements in Dust Guards for Car Axle Boxes.
Year: 1885

page_text: Improvements in Dust Guards for Car Axle Boxes.
I, FABIAN JOHN ROBERTS, of the City of Detroit, in the County of Wayne
and State of Michigan, one of the United States of America, Gentleman, do hereby
declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN DUST GUARDS FOR
CAR AXLE BOXES," 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 certain new and useful improvements in Guards for Car
Axle Boxes, and the invention consists in the peculiar construction of a spring
designed to encircle the axle and compress the packing firmly against it, for the
purpose of excluding dust from the axle bearing, in the peculiar construction and
arrangement of parts for providing for a vertical and lateral movement of the
guard, under the various movements of the axle, and in the peculiar construction,
arrangement and combination of the parts, all as more fully hereinafter set forth.
Figure 1, is a horizontal section through a car axle box provided with my
improved guard.
Figure 2, is a perspective in detail of the various parts forming the guard.
Figure 3, is a section through a modified construction of the above.
Figure 4, is a perspective in detail of Figure 3.
In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, A,
represents the car axle, and B, the journal box, provided with the usual chamber
for the reception of the guard.
C, C, (in Figures 1 and 2,) represent the two plates of the guard, their inner
faces being recessed to receive the packing D. This packing I make of several
pieces of heavy canvas, interposing between them one or more pieces of rubber
cloth, or any other suitable material, the whole being stitched together as shown in
Figure 2, and is designed to enclose a metallic spring compression hoop E.
After the guard has been put together, I cover the two sides and bottom edges
with felt F, or other suitable material.
In Figures 3 and 4, G represents a frame work, made of any suitable material,
and provided at its top corners with the inclined corner pieces b; this frame is
designed to receive the movable parts of the guard, and is enclosed between
plates C, C, when the guard is put together, the edges being bound or covered with
felt, canvass, or other suitable material F; D represents the main body of the
packing, substantially of the form shown and somewhat smaller than the opening
in the frame G, within which it has its movements; this packing I cut from
vulcanized paper or other suitable material, through which an opening is formed
designed to fit snugly upon the journal of a car axle; at the top, I divide this
D

page_text: packing so as to form a lap, and to allow of its free expansion and contraction.
E, is a spring compression hoop, to which, upon the inside, is secured a packing
ring H; this ring H, is also divided with a lap, so that it can fully expand and
contract with the spring hoop E; I, are springs interposed between the side and
bottom edges of the packing and the corresponding walls of the frame G. If
desired, a plate or zinc J, may be secured upon the two sides of the packing.
In practice, the spring hoop compels the packing to snugly fit around the axle
to the exclusion of all grit and dust, while it also prevents the escape of the
lubricant.
This guard is first placed in its proper compartment in the box, before the latter
is put upon the journal; the opening of the packing being somewhat smaller than
the cross-section of the axle, necessitates an expanding of the hoop to receive the
axle.
In order that this may be easily done, I make the hoop open and provide it with
arms a, which project nearly to the top of the box, where they may be within easy
access.
It will be found that a guard constructed substantially as herein described will
readily accomodate itself to the vibrations of the axle, and will always remain
tight upon the same.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. As an improved dust-guard, the ring E, inclosed in an annular pocket, and
constructed to reduce the diameter of the same by its own resiliency, substantially
as and for the purpose specified.
2. A. dust-guard for axles, consisting of a textile fabric provided with a divided
annular pocket, and constructed to cause the intercepted ends of said pocket to
approach each other, substantially as and for the purposes described.
3. In a dust guard, substantially as described, the combination, with the flexible
packing D, of the ring E, adapted to compress said packing by its own resiliency,
and provided with the arms a, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
4. In a dust guard, a packing consisting of several thicknesses of textile fabric
and one or more pieces of rubber interposed between them, and the metallic ring E,
inclosed within said packing, and adapted to compress the same against the axle by
its resiliency, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
5. In a dust guard, the combination of the plates C, having their inner faces
recessed to receive the packing, the flexible packing D, inclosed within the recess in
said plates, and the spring E, inclosed within said packing, and constructed to
compress the saine, substantially as described.
6. In a dust guard, and in combination with the frame G and plates C, a
packing D, adapted to expand and contract, and provided with a packing ring H,
and spring ring E, arranged to reduce the diameter of the opening through such
packing ring by the resiliency of the spring, substantially as described.
7. In a dust-guard, in combination with a packing D, provided with a com-
pression spring, the springs I, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
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