Cooling and Keeping Cool the Axles, Shafts, and Bearings of Engines and Machines.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Dec., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 13th Sept., 1890-Accepted, 13th Dec., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Cooling and Keeping Cool the Axles, Shafts, and Bearings of
Engines and Machines.
I, WILLIAM WALTON, of Murton House, Bishopwearmouth, in the Borough and
County of Sunderland, Schoolmaster, formerly Engineer Student in Her Majesty's
Naval Service, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:
The cooling of the axles, shafts, and bearings, is due to the abstraction of the heat,
as fast as it is generated, by the ovaporation of water.
This evaporation is slow with good bearings, at slow speed, but becomes rapid in
proportion to the heat generated, by bad bearings, or by increased speed, or by long
running.
For railway rolling stock, I make the axle-boxes somewhat similar to that pattern
at present (or formerly) in use, for both axle-grease and oil; the lower compartment,
in which the axle itself revolves, containing oil, and the upper compartment containing
water, instead of grease as heretofore.
In the upper compartment various modifications are essential. The holes or
passages for conveying the melted grease to the bearings are no longer necessary.
The floor of this upper chamber is made as near as possible to the rubbing surface
of the bearing, so that the water therein may the more readily take off the heat as it
is generated.
The lid of the axle-box, by which the grease has heretofore, been inserted, has its
hinge arranged transversely with regard to the train instead of longitudinally as at
present.
The hinge, instead of being at one edge of the lid is arranged across the middle
of it, and the two halves of the lid are inclined to one another at an obtuse angle,
so that when one half of the lid is in the closed position, the other half is in the
position of being open. The closed part of each axle-box is in the direction the
train is running, the open part being towards the rear of the train, and through
this the vapour from the water rises and is left behind.
The speed of the train causes a vacuum behind the lid of each axle-box, and
this vacuum allows the vapour to come off freely from the water. When the train
commences its return journey the rear of the train becomes the front of the
train, and the closing of one half of each axle-box, suitably opens the other half.
A spring catch or other suitable device may be arranged to prevent the rear
half of the lid being closed accidentally.
The water is fed slowly to each axle box, either by a small pipe from the tender, the
said pipe having flexible connections between the carriages; or from a small tank
affixed to each carriage; or by any other suitable arrangement. The small depth of
the water required in each upper chamber may be regulated by a small cock on the
supply-pipe near the axle-box. Instead thereof, or in addition thereto a float may be
arranged within each upper chamber to check the supply of water.
In order that the evaporating water may not be jerked out of the axle boxes by the
sudden startings and stoppings of the train, a thin layer of saw-dust, or ashes, or other
suitable substance may be allowed on the floor of each upper chamber. Or, instead
thereof the top of each upper chamber, immediately beneath the lid, may be made
curved or bent, so that any water that would otherwise be jerked out will be
prevented.
For the shafts of marine and stationary engines, for shafting in mill machinery,
and the like, I arrange hollow chambers in the bearings, or in connection there-
with, to hold the water for evaporation. These hollow chambers may be in the
ower bearing only, which supports the weight of the shaft, or in both bearings,

page_text: according as may be considered preferable in each case. The hollow chambers
may be cast in the metal of the bearing itself, or may be left between the brass
of the bearing and the cast-iron of the pedestal or of the keep, or may be made
of sheet metal and closely connected to the bearing. The lower part of each
hollow chamber contains water, which is conveyed to it by a very small pipe,
having a cock to regulate the supply. Instead of the cock, or in addition thereto,
a float may be arranged within the chamber, to stop the supply of water when it
has reached the proper height. The upper part of each hollow chamber is left
for the formation of vapour, and has arranged in it one or more suitable apertures
for its escape. Near the bearing, at one end, may he fastened on the shaft, a
very light fan with vanes suitably inclined, to dissipate the vapour as it comes
off, and thus allow it to form more freely. This fan may be suitably enclosed in
a sheet-metal casing.
For bearings which revolve or work, with the parts they contain (e.g. the crank-
pin-end of the connecting-rod) their own motion will be sufficient to dissipate the.
vapour as it comes off, and thus allow it to form freely. In such parts of machines,
the supply of water for evaporation is easily arranged, in a manner similar to that at
present in use for supplying oil to such bearings.
Dated this 10th day of December 1000
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Cooling and Keeping Cool the Axles, Shafts, and Bearings of
Engines and Machines.
I, WILLIAM WALTON of Murton House, Bishopwearmouth, Sunderland, in the
County of Durham, Schoolmaster, formerly Engineer Student in Her Majesty's
Naval Service, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
My invention relates to a method or methods, whereby the bearings of an
engine or machine can be kept at a normal temperature, without, on the one
hand, allowing the brasses through heating and expanding to bind the axle or
shaft revolving in them, or the said axle or shaft to melt or tear away the soft
metal frequently let into a brass bearing, or the heat of the axle to ignite the oil
or grease of the axle-box, to the danger of adjacent parts; and on the other
band, without the necessity of cooling the bearings by the continual flow of water
upon them, while running or working, which in railway rolling-stock, and also in
many machines, is impossible, or the necessity of stopping an engine or
in order to flush the bearings with cold water, which flushing is not only
dangerous to the metal, but is objectionable on account of the mess caused, and
the rusting of the polished metal surfaces.
a train
The cooling of the axles, shafts, and bearings, according to my method or methods,
is due to the abstraction of the heat as fast as it is generated, by the melting of ice,
by the raising of the temperature of water, and especially by the evaporation of
water.
This evaporation is slow with good bearings at slow speed, but becomes rapid in
proportion to the heat generated by bad bearings, or by increased speed, or by long
running. By drawing off the vapour as fast as it is formed, the bearings of an
engine or machine may be kept at a conveniently low temperature.
The simplest application of this invention is to the axle-boxes of railway rolling
stock. I make the axle-box somewhat similar to that pattern at present, or formerly,
in use on some railways, the lower compartment in which the axle itself revolves
containing oil, and the upper containing axie-grease. According to my method, the
lower chamber is still used for oil, and in its arrangement no alteration is necessary.
But the upper chamber, which is meant to contain a little water, is somewhat
modified :-

page_text: 1° The holes or passages for the melted grease to trickle down to the bearings are
no longer needed.
2° The floor of this upper chamber is made as near as possible to the rubbing
surface of the bearing, with due regard to strength, so that the water or ice in the said
upper chamber may the more readily take off the heat, as it is generated; this can
be effected by making the floor of the upper chamber curved, or ribbed, or
corrugated.
3° The lid of the axle-box is hinged across the middle, and has the two halves
inclined to one another at an obtuse angle, so that when one half of the lid is closed,
the other half is open. The hinge is also at right angles to the train, instead of
parallel to it. The lid has a spring or a catch, or other suitable device, to keep that
half shut which is towards the direction the train is going, and by the closing of it the
half towards the rear is always opened, and through this the vapour from the water
rises and is left behind.
It is well known that water evaporates very slowly at a low temperature and in a
still atmosphere, but that as the water gets warm the evaporation becomes rapid, till at
the temperature of 212° F. or 100° C. the evaporation is so great, that the water is
said to boil; that, in an open vessel the water, and the metal in contact, cannot get
hotter than this, because the heat, as fast as it is generated, is drawn off by the vapour
or steam. It is also well known that water evaporates much more freely into a
vacuum than into the air, and that if the vapour is removed from the surface as fast as
it comes off the valve of the vacuum is maintained.
This combination of favourable circumstances is obtained by employing my
improved axle-box. The half-lid towards the front of the train being always closed,
the speed of the train causes a vacuum to be formed behind the other half,
immediately above the opening of the upper chamber.
Into this vacuum any vapour, which is formed by the warmth of the bearing, rises
freely, and is left behind; and as it thus carries away with it all warmth as fast, as it
is generated by friction, it prevents the increase and accumulation of heat, and
consequently the inconvenience and danger of hot bearings. When the train
commences its return journey the rear of the train becomes the front of the train, and
the closing of one half of each lid suitably opens the other half.
In the drawings similar letters indicate similar parts in all the figures:
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section on the line a x. and
Fig. 2 is a transverse section on the line y y of an axle-box, showing the lower
chamber to contain oil as heretofore, A representing the horse-hair cushion, B the
worsted pad with cotton tapes, C the journal of the axle, D the axle-wad, E the
"brass" or metal bearings; showing also the upper chamber to contain water (or ice)
and vapour, instead of axle-grease as formerly, F being the water space, G the
vapour space, H the bearing spring, J the lid, K the hinge of the lid, L the overflow
for the water.
The water is fed to each axle-box by a small pipe M, having a small tap N, very
near the axle-box, to regulate the supply.
As the water in the upper chamber is meant to be used by its evaporation only,
the tap may be turned nearly off, until the water just drops. A small tank
beneath each carriage, and holding only a few gallons of water, will be sufficient
to supply all the axle-boxes in that vehicle, for a run of several hours. The axle-
boxes in the engine and tender can be conveniently supplied from the water in
the latter. If at any time it can be arranged to supply all the axle-boxes in the
train, with their smail quantity of water, from the tender, or from a single tank
in the train, by using a pipe with flexible connections between the carriages, it
will be a great improvement. Till then the small tanks can be filled up, when
necessary, with water from the tender, by means of removable junction pipes, or
each small tank can be filled up individually. Instead of the small tap N, or in
addition thereto, a float or other suitable device may be arranged within each upper
chamber, to check the supply of water. See Fig. 13.
Fig. 2. shows the upper part of an old axle-box, which has been converted and

page_text: adapted to my improved method of cooling. With square sides, as shown, the water
will be liable to be jerked out at every sudden starting and stopping of the train. A
layer of cinders or of pebbles will prevent this, but better than either is a hatch made
of narrow strips of sheet metal (see Fig. 6).
Fig. 5 is probably a better shape for that part of new axle-boxes which is
immediately below the lid. The sides are rounded so that the water is thrown back
at each jerk, instead of being thrown out.
Figs. 3 and 4 are sections of a safety valve designed to give an extra supply
of water just when needed, and to shut it off when not wanted. It will be
especially valuable with newly fitted "brasses" or when the lubrication in the
lower chamber is at fault. The small pipe from the tank is in two lengths,
screwed or soldered into the valve box at M. M', the small tap N being in the
passage through the valve-box. The tap N is always slightly open when the train
is running. Water can also run through the branch pipe from the upper part M¹
to the lower part M when the ball P is pushed off its seating by the short rod Q.
This rod is a loose fit within the end of the pipe R, which is screwed or soldered
into the valve-box, the other end of this pipe, which is only a few inches long,
being connected to a small enclosed part S (or small box of sheet metal) of the
upper chamber of the axle-box. If through defective lubrication the evaporation
of the water is more rapid than the ordinary supply through the tap N, the heat
of the axle-box will gradually increase, until the vapour from the water in the
enclosed part S has sufficient tension or pressure to push the ball P from its
seating, when an extra supply of water will be carried to the axle-box, without
passing through the tap N.
Those engineers who use oil in general, but like to have the power of applying
grease in case the lubrication of the lower chamber should be at fault, can still have a
hole or holes from the upper chamber to the journal, usually closed by a screwed
rod T, removable in such extreme cases.
If at any time the lubrication in the lower chamber should be so bad that the heat
becomes sufficient to boil the water, the steam formed will be a tell-tale to the guard
of the train, or to those on duty at stations through which the train passes. The
bearings cannot get hotter than this so long as steam comes off.
The lubrication must be attended to as soon as possible, and meanwhile sufficient
water must be available for evaporation by the hot bearing.
In winter one or other of the following precautions may be found necessary.
1° The small tanks, and especially the pipe M M and the safety valve, may
be covered with telt or with some other non-conductor of heat, to prevent ice forming
therein. If ice form in the upper chamber of the axle box it will be beneficial rather
than otherwise.
2° The rapid evaporation, caused by the speed of the train, will easily form blocks
of ice of suitable size and shape, in moulds placed on the guard-van, or on the tender,
or near the axle boxes themselves. These small blocks of ice can be easily slipped
into the axle boxes when necessary, during the stoppages of the train.
3° Removable cases of warm water, like foot-warmers, may be supplied to feed the
axle-boxes.
4° Water may be supplied direct to the axle-boxes, when needed. In Nos. 2. 3.
and 4. the supply through the pipe M and the safety valve may be discontinued.
5° The water supplied from the tender may be slightly warned, by mixing it with
a small quantity of water from the boiler, or with the waste water from the engine.
6° Salt water, or other suitable mixture, may be used instead of pure water.
For the shafts of marine and stationary engines, for shafting in mill machinery, and
the like, I arrange chambers in the bearings, or in connection therewith, to hold the
water for evaporation. These chambers may be in the lower bearing only, which
supports the weight of the shaft, or in both bearings. The chambers may be cast in
the metal of the bearing itself, Figs. 7. 8. 9. 12, or may be left between the brass of
the bearing and the cast iron of the pedestal or of the keep, Figs. 10, 11, or may be
made of sheet metal, and closely connected to the bearing.

page_text: Fig. 9 is a section of Figs. 7 and 8 on the line x. x.
Fig. 12 is a section of an oblique pedestal showing the positions of the
passages X Y.
U is the upper chamber, V the lower chamber, X passages connecting the liquid in
the-chambers, Y passages connecting the vapour in the chambers, ✗ the external
openings for liquid, Y' the external openings for vapour, a the partition.
Fig. 10 is a plan of the under side of a bottom brass, not hollow, but cast with
supporting ridges a. b. to correspond with similar supporting ridges cast on the iron
pedestal.
Fig. 11 is a section of Fig. 10 on the line y. y. showing also the top brass. In these
two figures the chambers W are not inside the brass steps, but between the lower
brass and the cast-iron pedestal, and between the upper brass and the shell-cap Z.
The joints between the supporting ridges of these two metals (marked in Fig. 11
thus:
-) may be made tight by fitting, by a red-lead or
india-rubber joint, or by any other of the usual methods. The water contained in the
lower part of each chamber is conveyed to it by a small pipe, having a tap or valve to
regulate the supply. The water may conveniently drop into a small funnel connected
with the external opening X', and having a float to close the valve in the pipe, when
the chamber contains sufficient water. Apparatus for this purpose is shown in
Fig. 13 and described below. The upper part of each chamber is left for the
formation of vapour, and has arranged in it one or more suitable apertures Y' for its
escape. Near the bearing, at one end, may be fastened on the shaft, a very light fan,
with vanes suitably inclined to dissipate the vapour as it comes off, and thus allow it
to form freely. This fan may be suitably enclosed in a sheet-metal casing.
The float consists of a light hollow ball or a piece of light wood or other substance
suitable to float on the water. This is fixed at one end of a short rod, and to the
other end of this short rod is fixed a piston-valve of suitable length, working easily; in
a small cylinder which is fixed just over the water-space of the chamber, or over a
funnel or pipe connected therewith. To the cylinder is attached the lower end of the
small pipe supplying the water.
Between the top of the piston-valve and the upper end of the cylinder may
conveniently be placed a spring to keep the float down upon the surface of the
water.
When there is not sufficient water in the chamber, the spring will force the piston-
valve below the upper edge of the small pipe and more water will flow in above the
piston. This water will flow down a small passage in the piston-valve (shown in
dotted lines) and will drop into the water-space of the chamber or into a funnel or
pipe connected therewith. When sufficient water is in the chamber the float, which
has been gradually rising causes the piston-valve to shut off the supply.
For bearings which revolve or work with the parts they contain (e.g. the crank-pin
end of the connecting-rod) their own motion will be sufficient to dissipate the vapour
as it comes off, and thus allow it to form freely. In such parts of machines, the
supply of water for evaporation is easily arranged, in a manner similar to that at
present in use for supplying oil to such bearings.
I do not restrict inyself to the exact details and arrangements herein shown and
described, as the same may be varied, and the apparatus modified in various ways,
according to circumstances, without departing from my invention, but,
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° The method of cooling or keeping cool a bearing, by employing a chamber or
chambers adjacent thereto, to contain ice, water, salt-water, or any other suitable
substance, which by its liquefaction or evaporation will tend to lower the temperature
of the chamber, and its contiguous parts, as herein described.

page_text: 2° The simple method of cooling the axles and axle-boxes of railway rolling stock,
as herein described, and as illustrated by Figs. 1 to 6, substantially as set forth.
3° The upper part of the axle-box for railway rolling stock, arranged to contain ice
or water, and vapour, as herein described, and as illustrated by Figs. 1. 2. 5., substan-
tially as set forth.
4° The lid J hinged in the middle, and at right angles to the train, and having
its two halves inclined at an angle, as herein described, and as shown in Figs. 1. 2. 5.
5° The safety valve, as herein described, and as illustrated by Figs. 3. 4.
6° The enclosed part S (or box of sheet metal) for use in opening the safety valve,
as herein described, and as illustrated by Figs. 1 to 4.
7° The method of assisting the cooling due to evaporation, by employing light fans
to dissipate the vapour, as herein described.
8° The combination of the evaporating chamber or chambers with a light fan.
9° The valve c connected to the float d for regulating the quantity of water admitted
to a chamber, as herein described, and as shown in Fig. 13.
Dated this 13th day of September 1890.
WILLIAM WALTON.