IMPROVEMENTS IN AXLE BOXES, GUIDES, AND BEARINGS OF LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES AND CARRIAGES, PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO THE BUSHES AND BEARINGS OF MACHINERY
Year: 1853

page_text: Sealed the 14th December 1853, and dated the 14th June 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William G. Craig
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 14th June 1853.
honil
I, WILLIAM G. CRAIG, of Newport, Monmouth, Engineer, do hereby
5 declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN AXLE
BOXES, GUIDES, AND BEARINGS OF LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES AND CARRIAGES,
PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO THE BUSHES AND BEARINGS
OF MACHINERY," to be as follows:-
My improvements consist, first, in casting the axle box with an
O upper flange or piston to enable it to be used with Coleman's Patent
Springs, as marked E, in the accompanying Drawings.
10

page_text: Secondly, in continuing the circular configuration of the said flange
or piston to the bottom of the axle box, whereby the external covering
of the spring comes into use as an axle guide instead of the ordi-
nary horn plates.
Thirdly, in making the external covering of the spring or guide of
two plates of wrought iron bent into a cylindrical shape, and separated
the necessary distance (when required) by an intermediate piece of hard
wood, cast iron, or other suitable material, and fastening the same to
the under frame or sole bar of the carriage, waggon, or engine by two
or more bars of wrought iron rivetted or bolted to the aforesaid
cylindrical plates as shown at F. I also introduce an elastic packing
between the said flange or spring piston and the external cylindrical
case or covering, consisting of an india-rubber ring protected by a
wrought iron band working in a groove cast in the said flange or piston
for the purpose of keeping out dirt, &c., and for lessening the liability
of fracture; this packing is shown at G.
My fourth improvement consists in the introduction of an elastic
substance either between the end of the axle and the axle box, or
between the nave of the wheel and the axle box, or between some other
place on the axle and the framing of the engine, carriage, or waggon,
for the purpose of preventing the lateral play of the axles and conse-
quent wear on the end of the bearings. I prefer using the first-named
arrangement, viz., the elastic material between the end of the axle and
the axle box, as shown at H, in the Drawings.
My fifth improvement in bearings (which is also applicable to other
descriptions of machinery) consists in the use of hard wood in place of
brass or gun metal, the said wood being lined with an alloy of metal
commonly known as "white metal," the exact ingredients and propor-
tions being determined by the circumstances of the case requiring it. I
reserve the right to vary the details of my Invention, but the foregoing
is substantially a description of the same.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William G. Craig in the Great Seal Patent
Office, on the 14th December 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
WILLIAM GRINDLEY CRAIG, of Newport, Monmouth, Engineer, send
greeting.
year
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of June, in the
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the six-
teenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said William Grindley Craig, Her special
licence that I, the said William Grindley Craig, my executors, admi-
nistrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Grindley
Craig, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN AXLE BOXES, GUIDES, AND BEARINGS OF Loco-
MOTIVE ENGINES AND CARRIAGES, PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE
APPLICABLE TO THE BUSHES AND BEARINGS OF MACHINERY," upon the con-
dition (amongst others) that I, the said William Grindley Craig, by an
instrument 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 Grindley Craig, do
hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:-
My Invention consists, firstly, of improvements in the construction
of axle boxes for locomotive engines and railway carriages generally.
Fig. 1, on Sheet A, of the annexed Drawings, represents an im-

page_text: '
proved axle box, one half of the Figure being an elevation, and the
other half a vertical section. A side elevation of the same is shown
by Figure 2. A, is the axle box, the upper part of which is cast with
a flange B, having upon its upper side an annular recess or groove C;
this is to receive the lower part of an elastic spring D. The axle box
is made sufficiently deep, so that the external covering of the spring
serves as an axle guide, thus dispensing altogether with the ordinary
horn plates; this arrangement is more clearly shown by Figure 6,
Sheet B. The outer case E, of the spring D, is formed of two plates
of wrought iron bent into a curved form; these are separated the
necessary distance (when required) by a piece of hard wood F, Figures
2, and 10, cast iron or other suitable material. The case of the axle
box is fastened to the framing or sole bar of the carriage by two or
more wrought iron bars G, G; these are rivetted or bolted to the
spring case E, as shown in the transverse section Figure 9, Sheet B.
Between the flange B, of the axle box and the spring case E, is placed
an elastic spring H; this consists of a ring of india-rubber or other
suitable material fitted into a groove cast in the axle box for the purpose;
the surface of the india-rubber is protected by a band of iron. The
object of this addition is to prevent the admission of dust or other
abrasive matters, and to lessen the liability of fracture in cases of
severe concussion.
My next improvement consists in introducing an elastic substance
either between the end of the axle and the axle box, or between
the nave of the wheel and the axle box, or between some other
place on the axle and the framing of the carriage, for the purpose
of preventing the injurious lateral play of the axles, and consequent
wear of the bearings. I prefer using the first-named arrangement,
that is, placing the elastic material between the end of the axle
and the axle box. This improvement is shown by the Figures on S
Sheet B. Figure 6, is a vertical section; Figure 7, is a front ele-
vation; Figure 8, a side elevation; Figure 9, a transverse section
through the line A, B; Figure 6, and Figure 10, a transverse section
through the line C, D, Figure 6. A, is the axle box supporting the
elastic spring D; E, is the spring case bolted to the metal bars G; I, S

page_text: may,
is the bearing; K, the journal of the axle; L, is a metal box secured to
the front of the axle box opposite the end of the axle; M, is the elastic
spring, and N, a metal T piece which presses against the end of the
axle journal. The box L, has upon its inner side a groove l', in which
5 the cylindrical spring M, Figure 10, is recessed; the other side of the
spring is received in an annular groove formed in the T piece N, which
if necessary, be faced with steel. The pressure of the T piece
upon the end of the axle will prevent the lateral motion of the axle,
while the elasticity of the spring will allow the T piece to recede when
extra pressure takes place, and thus avoid injury to the different
10 any
parts. A modification of this improvement for preventing the lateral
play of the axle is shown by the Drawings on Sheet C. Figure 11, is a
section of the improvement; and Figures 12, and 13, enlarged views of
the same. It consists of an elastic spring enclosed in a metallic case,
5 and placed between the framing of the carriage and the tyre of the
wheel, so as to maintain a constant and uniform pressure upon the
tyre. R, is the wheel; S, a portion of the carriage frame, to which is
bolted the metal box T, within which is placed the elastic spring U; to
the bolt V, is attached a plunger W, which carries the friction roller X;
this preserves the surface of the plunger and the spring U, from injury.
If necessary, several of these springs may be applied to the tyres of
wheels. In the Figures the improvement is shown as applied to a
carriage with an outside frame, but it may be adapted to inside frames
with a slight modification.
My next improvement is in the bearings for axles, &c., which im-
provement is also applicable to the bushes and bearings of machinery
in general. Fig. 3, Sheet A, is a plan of the under side of the bearing.
Figure 4. a longitudinal section, and Figure 5, a transverse section
of the same; it is also shown in section in Figures 1, 6, and 10. The
bearing O, is made of hard wood instead of brass or gun metal, as
hitherto used; the wood is lined with an alloy of metal P, commonly
known as "white metal," which bears upon the journal of the axle;
Q, Q, are portions of the axle box. This combination of wood and
metal
may be used as a bearing for all kinds of machinery, the proper-
tions of the metals forming the alloy being determined by the nature of

page_text: the work for which the bearing is required. In the foregoing I have not
entered into any description of the elastic springs marked D, M, and U,
as they form no part of my Invention, but are protected by Letters
Patent of a prior date granted to J. E. Coleman.
Having described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in
which the same may be carried into effect, I wish to be understood that
I do not confine myself to the precise arrangement of details herein
described and shown, as the same may be varied to suit particular
cases without departing from the principles of my Invention. But what
I claim and desire to secure by these Letters Patent is,―
First, the improvement in axle boxes of casting the lower portion or
piston of the spring in one piece with the rest of the axle box.
Secondly, the use of the spring coverings as a substitute for and in
place of the ordinary horn plates, and causing the same to act as guides
to the axle boxes.
Thirdly, the elastic packing between the spring piston and the
case.
Fourthly, the arrangements herein described and shown for prevent-
ing the lateral motion of axles by the use of elastic materials, whether
applied to the axle or to the wheels, or any mere modification thereof.
Fifthly, the combination of wood and metal in the construction and
manufacture of bearings for axles and machinery.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Grindley Craig, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twelfth day of December,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-
three.
WILLIAM GRINDLEY CRAIG. (L.S.)
Engineer,
Newport, Mon.