IMPROVEMENTS IN AXLE BOXES FOR RAILWAY VEHICLES
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Greene Raoul, of the City of Macou, in the
County of Bibb and State of Georgia, one of the United States of America,
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Greene Raoul at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 21st May 1881.
WILLIAM GREENE RAOUL, of the City of Macon, in the County of Bibb, and
State of Georgia, one of the United States of America. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AXLE
BOXES FOR RAILWAY VEHICLES."
The object of this Invention is to provide an axle box for car or railway vehicle
journals, of such design and arrangement as to dispense with the use of the wedge
or key heretofore used over the journal brass, and to dispense with the button or
collar heretofore used on the ends of the axle to receive the end thrust, also to
provide the axle box with a close fitting lid or cover that can be opened and closed
easily and quickly. The Invention, as preferably constructed, comprises a lid or
cover hung to the lower edge of the outer end of the axle box, having on its inner
face a boss that, when said lid or cover is closed, serves to receive the end thrust
or end bearing of the axle; and it comprises further a stirrup or shackle, pivoted
on the sides of the axle box, and designed to be turned down over the closed cover
or lid, to hold it firmly in a closed position, and keep the said boss against the
thrust of the axle.
Figure 1 is a plan or top view of the axle box; Figure 2 is a longitudinal
sectional elevation of the same, with an axle in position, on the line y, y, Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a vertical transverse section on line x, x, Figure 2.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.
In the accompanying Drawing A¹ represents the axle journal and B the axle
box, the top of which on the inside is shaped to correspond with the back of the
journal brass C, and has downward projecting lips or shoulders a, a, that serve as
stops to said brass C, thus dispensing with the usual wedge or stop key.
D is the cover or lid, hung by a pivot b to the lugs c that are formed at the
lower side of the front of said box B, so that said cover D opens downward instead
137

page_text: of upward as usual. On the inside of the cover D, and about in the centre
thereof, is a projecting boss D' of suitable size and form to take against the end
of the axle A, and constitute the end-thrust bearing thereof. This boss D¹ may
be an integral part of the cover D, or may be attached thereto, and it may be faced
with antifriction metal if desired.
It will be seen that by having a boss D¹ for each end of the axle A to bear
against, the usual button or collar on the end of the axle may be dispensed with.
When the cover D is opened the boss or bearing D¹ moves with it, and thus
ample space is given for the insertion of oil and packing within the box B.
On the outer face of the cover D along its sides are formed the sloping ribs d, d,
whose purpose is hereinafter explained.
On the sides of the box B are projecting lugs f, f, on which is pivoted the stirrup
or shackle E that is swung down in a horizontal or nearly horizontal position over
the cover D to hold the latter tightly closed, the said stirrup E taking on the
sloping ribs d, so as to draw and hold the cover firmly, and the cover D is released
by raising the stirrup E. The lugs f, f, are set in or nearly in the plane of the
longitudinal axis of the axle A, and the stirrup E when pressed down is on or
approximately on the same plane, so that the cover D and boss D' are beld securely
against the end thrust of the axle A, the stirrup E receiving the strain or thrust
directly.
F represents the dust guard, and at G is the seat for the equalizing bar.
It will be seen that the end-thrust bearing of the axle in this device is much
stronger and more unyielding than the ordinary stop key and plate, and that by
binging the cover at the lower instead of at the upper edge of the box opening, the
interior of the box is more easily and conveniently accessible.
Having thus described and ascertained the nature of my said Invention, what
I claim is,
First. In a car-axle box, a lid hinged at the end of the box, and forming a
bearing to receive the end-thrust of the axle, combined with a stirrup pivoted to
the box and adapted to be turned or fitted over the closed lid, substantially as and
for the purposes set forth.
Second. The combination with the axle A of the bottom pivoted cover D provided
with the projecting boss D¹, arranged to abut against the end of the journal of said
axle, substantially as and for the purpose described.
Third. The combination with the bottom hinged cover D, having sloping ribs d
on the outside of the stirrup E pivoted on the sides of box B to lugs f nearly in
a horizontal plane, passing through the axis of the journal, substantially as
described.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name and affixed my
In presence of
W. W. ROGERS.
R. W. ADAMS,
Not. Pub.
WILLIAM GREENE RAOUL. (L.S.)