IMPROVEMENTS IN ROLLER BEARINGS
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Josephus John George Shawyer, of Buckland, in the
County of Hants, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROLLER BEARINGS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Josephus John George
Shawyer at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 15th August
1878.
JOSEPHUS JOHN GEORGE SHAWYER, of Buckland, in the County of Hants.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN ROLLER BEARINGS."
This Invention relates to certain improvements in so-called roller bearings, the
object being to diminish friction and the frictional surface in the bearings. or
bearing blocks of axles, shafts, spindles, turntables, block sheaves, and other
revolving or oscillating pieces or parts of locomotive, running, or going parts of
machinery.
For this purpose the hole through the bearing or plummer block, within which
the axle or shaft passes, is made sufficiently large to allow of the reception of the
shaft or axle with any convenient or required number of rollers, which rollers I
make of an elliptical or egg shape to be contained therein, and the hole of the
bearing is flanged or fitted with a collar plate to retain the rollers and their guide
frame, as herein-after described.
These elliptical or egg-shaped rollers are made of single or of a double elliptical
form, but when singly, a hole is drilled out centrally and longitudinally to receive a
spindle. The hole is in some cases of larger dimensions than the diameter of the
spindle. On each spindle I place one or more of the single elliptical rollers, but
when more than one, a washer is placed on the spindle, between the ends of the
elliptical rollers, to prevent or reduce friction of the adjacent edges thereof. When
the rollers are made of a double elliptical form, they are not mounted on a spindle,
nor drilled through to receive such, but the ends are turned down to act as a
spindle.

page_text: For carrying the spindles of the rollers I employ a guide frame composed of two
circular guide plates, one at each of the outside ends of the spindles, and provided
with a central hole for the passing therethrough of the main shaft or axle, and
fastened together by cross or tie bars, the said end plates being of slightly less diameter
than the hole through the plummer or bearing block, which guide frame will be free
to revolve on the shaft or axle, and within the hole of the bearing or bearing block.
The guide or end plates or the guide frame have provided on their outer circum-
ference a series of notches or radial recesses to hold or receive the ends of the spindles
of the rollers.
The rollers are arranged in any number, inclusive of three and upwards, around
the guide plates and the journal or bearing parts of the shaft or axle, but so as that
the roller surfaces shall not touch against one another. The whole set of rollers
and guide frame is free to turn in the hole of the bearing, which may be provided
with a hard metal lining, which lining can be replaced as often as may be
required.
The rollers or rollers and guide frame are kept in place endwise by a collar plate
on the plummer block or bearing concentrically with the bearing hole thereof, or by
collar on the shaft or axle working therein, and the guide plates of the guide frame
have a rim or ring, or continuous bead of metal raised, turned up, or braised on the
outer side thereof, just around their central hole, to keep them from working flush
up against the end flanges or collar plates of the bearing hole.
By the arrangement herein described the friction is reduced to a minimum. The
Bwell of the elliptical rollers bears on the axle and interior of the plummer or
bearing block, and when the rollers are mounted separately, the holes through the
said rollers themselves being larger than the spindle, which passes through them;
when so mounted, the friction on the spindle is practically nothing, but any such
friction is further reduced by the freedom of the roller spindles to revolve, the spindle
in conjunction with the guide frame being employed to keep the rollers apart, and
in a longitudinal position with relation to the shaft or journal working in the
bearing.
The peculiar shape of the rollers themselves renders it impossible that they should
set fast, by any dust getting in, as dust would be thrown off towards the up-curving
or reduced portion, that is, the elliptical ends of the roller, and the employment of
two rollers of such a shape as before named, on each spindle, prevents any binding
in the event of any sinuous motion of the shaft or axle, and, in the case of axles of
tramway cars or railway carriages, favours the turning of sharp curves.
Although I have described the roller guide frame as being free to revolve within
the bearing hole, I may in some cases secure the end pieces of the guide frame
within the bearing or plummer block.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Josephus John George Shawyer in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
15th February 1879.
JOSEPHUS JOHN GEORGE SHAWYER, of Buckland, in the County of Hants.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN ROLLER BEARINGS."
This Invention relates to certain improvements in so-called roller bearings, the
object being to diminish friction and the frictional surface in the bearings or
bearing blocks of axles, shafts, spindles, turntables, block sheaves, and other
revolving or oscillating pieces or parts of locomotive, running, or going parts of
machinery.
For this purpose the hole through the bearing or plummer block, within which
the axle or shaft passes, is made sufficiently large to allow of the reception of the
shaft or axle with any convenient or required number of rollers, which rollers I
make of an elliptical or egg shape to be contained therein, and the hole of the
bearing is flanged or fitted with a collar plate, to retain the rollers and their guide
frame, as herein-after described.
These elliptical or egg-shaped rollers are made of single or of a double elliptical
form, but when singly, a hole is drilled out centrally and longitudinally to receive a
spindle. The hole is in some cases of larger dimensions than the diameter of the
spindle. On each spindle place one or more of the single elliptical rollers, but
when more than one a washer is placed on the spindle, between the ends of the
elliptical rollers, to prevent or reduce friction of the adjacent edges thereof. When
the rollers are made of a double elliptical form, they are not mounted on a spindle,
nor drilled through to receive such, but the ends are turned down to act as a
spindle.
For carrying the spindle of the rollers I employ a guide frame composed of two
circular guide plates, one at each of the outside ends of the spindles, and provided
with a central hole for the passing therethrough of the main shaft or axle, and
fastened together by cross or tie bars, the said end plates being of slightly less
diameter than the hole through the plummer or bearing block, which guide frame
will be free to revolve on the shaft or axle, and within the hole of the bearing or
bearing block or hub, as the case may be. The guide or end plates of the guide
frame have provided on their outer circumference a series of notches or radial
recesses, to hold or receive the ends of the spindles of the rollers.
The rollers are arranged in any required number, inclusive of three and upwards,
around the guide plates, and the journal or bearing part or parts of the shaft or axle,
but so as that the roller surfaces shall not touch against one another. The whole
set of rollers and guide frame is free to turn in the hole of the bearing, which may
be provided with a hard metal lining, which lining can be replaced as often as may
be required..
The rollers or rollers and guide frame are kept in place end wise by a collar plate
on the plummer block or bearing concentrically with the bearing hole thereof, or by
collar on the shaft or axle working therein, and the guide plates of the guide frame
have a rim or ring or continuous bead of metal raised, turned up, or brazed on the
outer side thereof, just around their central hole, to keep them from working flush
up against the end flanges or collar plates of the bearing hole.
By the arrangement herein described the friction is reduced to a minimum. The
swell of the elliptical rollers bears on the axle and interior of the plummer or bearing
block, and when the rollers are mounted separately, the holes through the said
rollers themselves being larger than the spindle, which passes through them; when
so mounted, the friction on the spindle is practically nothing, but any such friction
is further reduced by the freedom of the roller spindles to revolve, the spindle in
conjunction with the guide frame being employed to keep the rollers apart, and
in a longitudinal position in relation to the shaft or journal working in the
bearing.

page_text: The peculiar shape of the rollers themselves renders it possible that they should
set fast by any dust getting in, as dust would be thrown off towards the upcurving
or reduced portion, that is, the elliptical ends of the roller, and the employment of
two rollers of such a shape as before named, on each spindle, prevents any binding
in the event of any sinuous motion of the shaft or axle, and in the case of axles of
tramway cars or railway carriages favours the turning of sharp curves.
Although I have described the roller guide frame as being free to revolve within
the bearing hole, I may in some cases secure the end pieces of the guide frame
within the bearing or plummer block.
In the accompanying Drawings Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of an ordinary
block or sheave, fitted according to the Invention, and Fig. 2 a side view of same,
partly broken away for convenience of illustration, and with the side roller, enclosing
cap or collar plate removed.
A is the hub of the sheave; B, the shaft upon which it is working; C is a hard
metal lining of the hole in the hub B, for containing the guide frame a of the
elliptical rollers b, mounted in couples, with separating washer upon their spindle,
as described and shown; c is the continuous bead rim or ring of metal on the
plates a of the guide frame, to keep said frame from working flush up against the
end flanges & and enclosing cap of the bearing hole.
Figs. 3 and 4 show in side and end view the guide frame for carrying the rollers,
e are the tie bars or rods of the frame, and fare notches or rectangular holes in the
side plates of the guide frame a, serving to keep the spindles of the rollers in
place.
Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation of bearing at the ends of the "fork" of a bicycle,
and Fig. 6 an end view, Fig. 5 clearly showing in full the nest of rollers b and their
spindles, the guide frame plates a, the continuous bead or rim c, and end flange d,
and cap d.
Fig. 7 is a longitudinal section, and Fig. 8 a transverse section of the journal box
of a tramway car or railway axle, the rollers being shewn in section in half of both
Figures, and an approximately full size view of the roller is given in Fig. 11. The
continuous ring or bead of metal c, to reduce endwise friction against the flange d
of the box or cap plate d¹, is brazed on or turned in the plate of the frame a, as
shown. The rectangular holes or notches fare slightly larger than the steel spindles
which serve to hold the rollers in place, as also is the hole in the boxing itself larger
than the frame a.
Figs. 9 and 10 are respectively a section and end view of a conical roller of a
turntable fitted with the improved elliptical roller device in the manner before
described, and similar parts are marked with same letters of reference.
Having thus described the nature and particulars of the said Invention, and shown
by the Drawings how the same may be carried into practical effect, I claim, the
improvements in roller bearings, consisting of the elliptically curved rollers b,
mounted upon their spindles working in the guide frame a, with the antifriction
bead c in the flanged hub or boxing d, and enclosing cap d¹, constructed and operating
substantially as herein set forth and shown in Figs. 1 to 10 of the Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Josephus John George Shawyer, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-nine.
JOSEPHUS J. G. SHAWYER. (L.S.)