Wheels Automatically, Except as to Fastenings.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Sept., 1887
Complete Left, 18th Apr., 1888
Complete Accepted, 29th June, 1888
Wheels Automatically, Except as to Fastenings.
I SAMUEL RUPERT WILSON of the City of Adelaide Mining Manager and Engineer
do hereby declare the nature of the said invention for "AN IMPROVED DEVICE FOR
OHANGING THE GAUGE OF RAILWAY OR TRAMWAY WHEELS AUTOMATICALLY EXCEPT AS
TO FASTENINGS" to be as follows:-
The object of my invention is the economical transfer of a train of waggons
from one gauge to another gauge of different width without the necessity of
uncoupling and without removing the waggons from the rails.
My method is to screw the wheels from one gauge to another by means of a square
or equal sided block clamped, forged or formed on the centre of the axle and acted
upon by a ridge, or flat or other rail in the centre of the road at the place where the
change of gauge occurs.
The axle can be made of usual size having a right hand screw chased on one end
and left hand screw chased on the other end or such axle may be made of increased
diameter at each end sufficient to allow for the depth of the thread. On either side
of wheel bosses are fixed collars and arranged to screw on to the axle to required
positions. On such axle grooves are cut. Through these collars bolts are passed
which bolts also pass through the grooves on the axle and secure the collars in
required position. Between the collars is the wheel boss such boss having an internal
thread to fit the screwed portion of axle and being held to any required gauge by
such collars. Attached by screws to and travelling with the collar is a cylinder of
sheet iron or steel so formed as to encircle a portion of the length of the axle and so
protect the axle thread from dust. In centre of axle is the block already described
of sufficient size to effectually lock the axle when flat side of square comes in contact
with an elevated rail thus causing the wheels to revolve on axle and screwing in or
out on screws as case may be to suit required gauge. The bosses of wheels being
screwed inside to suit and fit ends of axle. In wheels about centre of hub a powerful
set screw is placed either to nip right into axle or to press on a toe piece neatly
fitted inside wheels and on which the thread of screw inside boss of wheel is chased.
By the pinching in of set screw this toe piece binds on axle making wheel perfectly

page_text: secure until change of gauge is required when screw must be eased slightly. This
method does away entirely with any chance of damaging thread on axle.
As an
extra precaution when deemed necessary I also provide running collars up to either
side of wheel according to gauge in use, these collars having set screws which enable
them to effectually lock the wheels in position by acting like a jamb nut and when
set screws are tightened the whole becomes secure. These collars can be placed either
inside or outside of wheel according to gauge in use.
The method of operating my invention is as follows. The waggons being on either
line narrow or broad gauge as the case may be at the changing place diverging and
converging rails of ordinary kind are laid of width to suit the gauges worked upon
and in length to suit the pitch of screw on axle. In the centre of road an elevated ridge
or rail is provided and securely fixed. The rails on road and elevated centre rail being
perfectly true with each other. The usual engine gets behind the waggons and pushes
them along the collars having been first loosened and placed to wide or narrow gauge
respectively. The square block on axle immediately it comes in contact with elevated
rail effectually locks axle thus causing wheels to revolve and close or open out on
screws as the case may be according to whether waggons are being pushed from
broad to narrow or from narrow to broad gauge.
The train being pushed from behind by an engine over changing road the square
block holds the axle rigid by sliding along elevated rail till required gauge is
obtained, where elevated rail terminates and immediately releases axle by which time
the bosses of wheels are either against the inside or outside collars on axle as the
case may be. Any of the various methods I have shown may then be used to secure
wheels in position till such time as a change may again be required.
Immediately on train having been pushed to end of new gauge on which it is to
run, the engine in readiness upon such line takes hold of waggons and hauls them
along till all are clear.
I claim for this invention an entirely automatic change of gauge while train is in
motion. The square block sliding on elevated rail gives a positive method of securing
axle putting it beyond possibility for waggons to leave elevated rail till wheels are
at required new gauge and requiring little labor in fixing or unfixing before or after
change. The time required to effect the complete change of a train of waggons is
comparatively trifling this being one of the greatest advantages of my method.
The ridge or rail may consist of a common iron or steel plate secured upon timber
or masonry foundation or of an ordinary steel railway rail supported in like manner.
In order to prevent any jarring at the joints, tongues may be let in if special
smoothness is desired at each joint the ends of tongue being sunk slightly below the rail.
I may also use two blocks on axle instead of one. The two blocks may be fixed
at any convenient distances from each wheel respectively in position varying
according to the width of road and the arrangement of under carriage. The ridges
or rails would necessarily be built to correspond with the two blocks or instead of
two blocks any desired portion of the axle may be made of square shape which will
answer the same purpose precisely. The block or square part of axle may be made
of any convenient size. The ridge or rail would of course require to be made of
corresponding height in accordance with size of block or square part of axle enough
space being left between the top of ridge or rail and the side of nut or axle to allow
for slight variance in height of axle caused by the turning down of tires.
When two blocks on axle are used instead of one the cylinder would have to be
dispensed with.
"
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: An Improved Device for Changing the Gauge of Railway or
Tramway Wheels Automatically, Except as to Fastenings.
I, SAMUEL RUPERT WILSON of Broken Hill in the colony of New South Wales
Mining Manager and Engineer, 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:-.
The object of my invention is the economical transfer of a train of waggons from
one gauge to another gauge of different width without the necessity of uncoupling and
without removing the waggons from the rails. In this specification I have shown the
sizes and proportions requisite for effecting the change of guage between 3 Feet
6 Inches and Feet 3 Inches lines. It will be obvious that for lines of other widths
corresponding alterations suitable thereto may be made in some of tho parts without
departing from my invention.
The appliances which when combined constitute 7 invention may be properly
described in conjunction with the attached drawings as consisting of four parts.
or
First. A solid axle with a block or equal sided nut made rigid or forged on its
centre and such axle having a right hand screw B chased near one end and left
hand screw C chased near the other end upon which the hubs of wheels are fitted
by an internally cut screw-thread. The said axle also has two solid shoulders.
collars FF in such positions that when the hub of wheel is close to collar F the
flange will be in position suitable for the narrow gauge. It also has at each outer
end a collar E which acts as a stop to the wheels at the broad gauge and conjointly
with the hinged clasps G forms a lock at the narrow gauge. The collars E E are forced
on to the axle by the hydraulic press and further screwed by a rivet passing through
the collar and the axle or may be screwed and set to the required gauge and then fixed
by screws or by other suitable means.
Second. Wheels having internally screwed hubs to fit the screwed portion of axle
with a lock bolt or set screw L and toe piece 7. The latter fits casily into the thread
of axle and the bolt being screwed down holds the wheel tight without danger of
injuring the threads.
Third. A hinged clasp G to fit on each side of and encircle said axle and which
answers the double purpose first of assisting aforesaid lock bolt in maintaining the
wheel in its proper position and second of preventing the fouling of the thread of the
screwed axle by dust or dirt. When the vehicle is travelling upon the narrow gauge
the hinged clasps are between the boss of wheel and outer collar, and when the vehicle
is upon the wide gauge the hinged clasps are between the boss of wheel and inner
collar. Thus the possibility of wheels shifting is effectually provided against. The
hinged clasps 1 prefer to construct of inch steel plate hinged with a pair of
liberating lock landles g in front and secured by a drop catch ping the same as that
used now in the coupling of narrow gauge central buffers.

page_text: Fourth. An elevated ridge rail or plate K to prevent the axles rotating while the
change of gauge is being effected as hereinafter described and further to allow of the
screwed wheel and axle combination taking effect convergent and divergent rails are
laid at the position where the change of gauge is to take place.
Fig. 1 is a cross section of pair of wheels and axle fixed to wide gauge and showing
the running rails and the elevated rail.
Fig. 2 is a similar view fixed to narrow gauge.
Fig. 3 is a cross section of axle and boss of wheel showing toe piece in the interior
of wheel and set screw L for pinching same.
Fig. 4 is a cross section showing centre block on axle in position where it would
strike rail.
Fig. 5 is a plan of converging and diverging road broken off in centre. Outer
rails m, m, converge from one gauge to another and the centre rail K is fixed along
the centre of such converging road.
The joints in rails can either be diagonally jointed as at A or can be tongued as
shown at 2.
Fig. 6 is elevation of centre portion of axle showing two blocks for locking such
axle instead of one central one.
Fig. 7 is an end section of the hinged clasp G.
The method of operating my invention is as follows. At the changing place diverg-
ing and converging rails m. m. m. m of ordinary kind to be built substantially and
true are laid of width to suit the gauges worked upon and in length to suit the pitch
of screw on axle.
In the centre of road an elevated ridge or rail K is provided and securely fixed.
The rails on road and elevated centre rail being perfectly true with each other. The
usual engine gets behind the waggons and pushes them along the hinged clasps having
been first loosened and placed to wide or narrow gauge whichever the trucks are
about to take.
The purpose of the fixed equal sided block or nut at the centre of the screwed axle
is to prevent such axle revolving when one of the flat sides of the nut contacts with
the central ridge or rail arranged between the rails at the junction where they
converge or diverge from the one gauge to the other.
Then as such axle has a right hand thread cut in it at one side of the fixed collar
and at the other side a left hand screw thread and being fitted in the wheel bosses
which are correspondingly screwed and if the lock pins are free and the wheels pass
over such divergent and convergent rails their rotation caused by the frictional
contacts with the divergent and convergent rails being travelled over causes them to
rotate and in their rotation they screw themselves outwards from one another or
inwards towards cach other on the screwed axle according to the direction in which
they are travelling over the divergent and convergent rails which connect the two
lines of rails or tracks. If necessary the waggons can be moved by a rope attached
to engine and working round a fixed pulley. The square block on axle prevents the
axle from revolving by sliding along elevated rail till required gauge is obtained when
elevated rail terminates and immediately releases axle by which time the bosses of
wheels are either against the inside or outside collars.
The wheels are then secured in position by the lock bolts or set screws and hinged
clasps till such time as a change may again be required.
The time required to effect the complete change of a train of waggons is com-
paratively trifling this being one of the greatest advantages of my method.
The ridge or rail may consist preferably of a common Hat iron or steel plate secured
upon timber or masonry foundation. I may also use two blocks on axle instead
The two blocks may be fixed at any convenient distance from each wheel
respectively in position varying according to the width of road and the arrange-
ments of under carriage.
of one.
The ridges or rails would necessarily be built to correspond with the two blocks
or instead of two blocks any desired portion of the axle may be made of square
shape which will answer the same purpose. The block or square part of axle may

page_text: be larger or smaller than shown in drawings though that one is the size I consider
preferable. The ridge or rail would of course require to be made of corresponding
height in accordance with size of block or square part of axle enough space being
left between the top of ridge or rail and the side of nut on axle to allow for slight
variance in height caused by the turning down of tires.
In case of jamming of screwed axle in wheels which might possibly occur I drill a
hole on each side of central block into which a pinch bar might be inserted for the
purposes of rotating the axle and so liberating the screw.
I use double break blocks one for each gauge and I also use a break block with
a projecting finger on each side so that when the wheel moves the break block is
moved with it but I prefer the former method.
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
First An axle having a right and left handed thread respectively cut near either
end to receive the wheel and also having a square or equal sided block rigidly fixed
on its centre to prevent its rotation and also having collars forged or fixed at the
termination of the screw threads in combination with wheels having internally screwed
hubs to fit over such screwed axle and with the lock bolts or set screws and hinged
clasps substantially as and for the purposes described.
Second-The use of a break-block in combination with the improved device for
changing the gauge of railway or tramway wheels, the said break-blocks being
provided with a projecting finger on each side so that when the wheel moves the
break block will move with it as above described.
Dated this Twenty third day of February One thousand eight hundred and
Witness to signature
RICHARD PIPER, J.P.
SAMUEL RUPERT WILSON.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.