IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF AXLES OR AXLETREES
Year: 1852

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 THE CONSTRUCTION
OF AXLES OR AXLETREES."-A communication.
Sealed the 5th March 1853, and dated the 9th November 1852.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward
Newton at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 9th November 1852.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF AXLES OR
AXLETREES " to be as follows:-
The ordinary method of constructing railroad axles, and attaching
the running wheels thereto, consists simply in making a solid wrought
iron axle, and we'ding or otherwise permanently fastening the wheels
thereon, so that the axle and both wheels must rotate together. In
running round curves where one wheel will have to pass over a longer
distance than the other, this method of fixing the wheels on the solid
axle has been found objectionable, and various plans have been devised

page_text: from time to time to obviate the difficulty by mounting the wheels on
the axle in such a manner that they may revolve independently of each
other. The present Invention is intended to effect the same object,
but in a different manner to any of the plans hitherto employed. The
improvement consists simply of a solid axle on which are mounted two
separate, hollow, or tubular axles, to which the bosses of the running
wheels are attached. The hollow axles are held in their places by
means of flanges made on the solid axle, against which the ends of the
hollow axles are held by bolts, which pass through a cap piece and
flange on the end of the hollow axle. The bearings may be placed
either inside or outside the running wheels.
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 9th May 1858.
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 Ninth day of November, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-two, in the six-
teenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said William Edward Newton, Her special
license that I, the said William Edward Newton, my executors, admi-
nistrators, 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 Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF AXLES OR AXLETREES," being a
communication from a foreigner residing abroad, upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said William Edward Newton, by an in-

page_text: strument in writing under my hand and seal, 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):
This Invention of improvements in the construction of axles or
axletrees consists in combining solid and hollow axles in such a manner
that when applied to railroad carriages, for which they are particularly
adapted, the running wheels mounted thereon may run round curves
more easily and with less friction than when fixed on solid axles. The
improvements hereafter described are applicable as well where inside
bearings as outside bearings are employed, and in the accompanying
Drawing I have shewn the Invention as applied to both these plans.
Fig. 1, is an elevation of a railroad carriage axle, with two wheels
mounted thereon with outside bearings. Fig. 2, is a similar view, in
which inside bearings are employed.
.
It will be seen that in the Drawing the right hand portion of the
several Figures is drawn in section, and the left hand portion shews the
external appearance of the improved axle. B, is a solid axle having
flanches i, i, (of which one is shewn in the sectional part of the
Drawing) at any suitable distance from the inner face of the wheels,
as in Fig I. and II., or with but one flanch on the middle of the axle,
as in Fig. III. This axle B; passes entirely through the two hollow
axles E, E, on which the wheels A, A, are keyed or otherwise fastened
in the usual manner, and upon which, as at , s, are to be placed-the
ordinary bearings of the truck or car. These hollow axles E., E, have
each a flanch k, k, at their inner extremities, which bear against and
are flush with the flanches i, i, of the solid axle, but are somewhat
larger in diameter. Around the solid axle B, are rings h, h, which are

page_text: connected with the flanches k, k, by means of bolts with nuts and
.screws. These rings are made with recesses or grooves to receive the
flanches i, i, and act so as to retain the wheels at an uniform and
adjusted distance from each other, and at the same time permit au
independent rotation of the wheels and hollow axles, and also prevent
their parting laterally. Upon these hollow axles may be placed, either
within the wheel or outside of it, the ordinary bearings and journals of
the truck or car, as shewn at E, E, in Fig. II., when the bearings are
inside the wheels, and as seen at 8, 8, in Fig" I. and III., when the
bearings are placed on the outside of the wheels.
When but one flanch is used upon the middle of the solid or con-
tinuous axle the rings are bolted together, two of them over the
flanches of the solid and hollow axles, as represented in Fig. III. A
modification of the plan of connecting the two axles may be employed
by putting the ring and the smaller flanch upon the hollow axle, and
bolting the ring to the flanch on the solid axle, which is enlarged
correspondingly.
It will be seen that this arrangement of the solid and hollow axles
admits of the bearings of the truck or car and journals being placed
upon the axle, either within or beyond the wheels, or both, while at the
same time the independent rotation of the wheels is permitted and
preserved, and the wheels and hollow axles to which they are keyed are
prevented from spreading or parting by the operation of the rings and
flanches, while the bearings of the car and loud on the hollow axle and
wheel hold the wheel firmly to the rail in the event of obstructions or
when passing switches and turnouts. A great practical and economical
advantage of this improved arrangement is, that it admits of easy
application to trucks and cars now in use or made for solid axles,
and will avoid the expense and delay of constructing new trucks or
cars.
The operation of the above-described arrangement is, that when the
cars are running upon straight lines the whole of the compound axle
and wheels turn together in the bearings and journals, but when passing
curves or turnouts one wheel may turn independently of the other
without straining the axle.

page_text: It will be seen that this improved mode of constructing axles may
be easily adapted to trucks and cars constructed for solid or continuous
axles, and thus preserve the strength and steadiness of the axle, and
the independent rotation of the wheels attached to the same axle,
without straining the axle when passing turnouts or curves.
Having thus described the improvements which have been commu-
nicated to me as aforesaid, and set forth the best means with which I
am acquainted for carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be under-
stood that I claim as the Invention secured to me by Letters Patent
the combination, arrangement, and construction of solid and hollow
axles, as above described, and the employment of rings and flanches so
as to admit of the bearings and journals being placed either within
or beyond the wheels upon the said hollow axles, or at both sides
thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Newton, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Sixth day of May, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
W. E. NEWTON. (L.S.)