IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY CARRIAGES FOR THE CON- VEYANCE OF TRAVELLERS AND GOODS
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Gustave Joseph Nicolas de Ridder, of No. 57, Rue
Pigale, in the City of Paris, in the Empire of France, Engineer, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY CARRIAGES FOR THE CON-
VEYANCE OF TRAVELLERS AND GOODS."
Sealed the 29th April 1862, and dated the 28th January 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Gustave Joseph Nicolas
de Ridder at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 28th January 1862.
I, GUSTAVE JOSEPH NICOLAS DE RIDDER, of No. 57, Rue Pigale, in the
City of Paris, in the Empire of France, Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY CARRIAGES FOR
THE CONVEYANCE OF TRAVELLERS AND GOODS," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to improvements in the construction of the frames
and bodies of railway carriages and waggons, and to a peculiar construction
and arrangement of apparatus for lubricating the axle bearings of the same,
and consists, firstly, in constructing the main framing of T or I-shaped or
other suitable girder sectioned wrought-iron beams in lieu of the timber
beams heretofore employed for that purpose. The longitudinal beams or
framing may be either straight or curved edgewise over the axle bearings, the

page_text: chief object of the latter form being to enable much larger running wheels
to be used in vehicles of this description than has hitherto been found prac-
ticable, say, from 4 to 6 feet diameter, whereby the draught is greatly
facilitated. The floor of the carriage when supported on these large wheels
is raised at the parts immediately above the axles, and is sunk at the centre
or intermediate portion between the axles; and the upper half of each wheel
is enclosed on a suitable box or casing formed in the interior of the carriage
or waggon.
The second part of this Invention consists in the application of an oil
reservoir to the journal of the axle in such a manner that the journal shall
always be entirely immersed in oil. This reservoir is supported at the back of
the journal by a ring attached thereto, and embracing a shoulder on the journal,
two metallic or other suitable packing rings interposed between the back of
the oil reservoir and the shoulder serving to maintain the oil box tight at that
part. The fore part of the oil box or reservoir is supported by small adjustable
bearings, which. embrace a small or supplementary journal formed on the end
of the main journal, and by suitably adjusting the lower one of these small
bearings either vertically or horizontally (in' the direction of the axes of the
main journal) by suitable adjusting screws, the reservoir may be either raised
or lowered at the front end, or pressed more or less against the packing
rings, so as to maintain a perfectly tight box. A safety grease box is also
fitted above the main brasses in the oil reservoir for the purpose of receiving
solid grease, which will melt on the least heating of the journal, and so
lubricate it if by any chance the oil should fail. A receiver is fitted in to the
bottom of the oil reservoir to receive the old and defiled oil which is mixed
with small metallic particles, such refuse oil being collected in the receiver,
and removed through an opening at the bottom provided with a screwed
stopper or plug. A glass, plate is inserted into the front of the oil box or
reservoir, in order that the quantity of oil therein may be readily seen. In
all cases it is desirable that the level of the oil be above the top of the main
journal.