IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY CARRIAGE AXLE BOXES.
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Morison Burnup. of Clement's Lane, in
the City London. Merchant, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
RAILWAY CARRIAGE AXLE BOXES. --A communication from abroad by
Charles Eugene Barber, of Berlin, in the Kingdom of Prussia.
Sealed the 18th June 1875, and dated the 21st December 1874.

page_text: held in position by a cross piece secured by bolts. The axle is fitted
near the shoulder of the journal with a double flanged collar which works
in a chamber forming an inner extension of the axle box. This chamber
is cut off from the axle box proper by a partition, but being a communi-
cation is maintained through an opening at the lower end of the chamber
with the oil reservoir.
The opening which forms this communication with the reservoir is
covered by a guard plate attached to the partition. In the top or cover
of the chamber is a deflecting plate which dips into the space between
the flanges of the collar. This arrangement is for the purpose of leading
back into the reservoir the surplus oil thrown off from the journal during
its rotation..
For supplying the oil to the journal propose to fit the axle box
with an under bearing having a central pendent tube that dips into the
oil or other lubricant contained in the box. The journal overlies the
opening to this tube, and the opening is chamfered so as to permit of the
journal in its rotation sucking the lubricant up the pendant tube into
the bearing. The oil is thus supplied at a rate proportioned to the speed
of rotation of the axle, and any surplus oil will find its way to that
portion of the axle between the shoulder of the journal and the flanged
collar. This oil. will by centrifugal action be thrown up to the top of
the chamber, and be guided downwards by the deflecting plate between
the flanges of the collar, whence it will flow to the bottom of the
chamber and return to the reservoir at the bottom of the axle box.
The under bearing of the journal may be pivotted or not, as desired,
and it may be held in contact with the journal by springs or other-

page_text: serves to lead back into the reservoir the surplus oil thrown off from the
journal during its rotation.
For supplying the oil to the journal 1 propose to fit the axle box with
an under bearing having a central pendent tube that dips into the oil or
other lubricant contained in the box. The journal overlies the opening
to this tube, and the opening is chamfered so as permit of the journal
in its rotation sucking the lubricant up the pendant tube into the
bearing.
In the accompanying Drawings Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section, and
Fig. 2 a transverse section of the box and axle; Fig. 3 is an edge view,
and Fig. 4 a section of the flanged roller.
A represents an axle housing or box which is made so far as external
appearance goes similar to those now in ordinary use: B is a recess cast
in the housing A to receive a stop bar C which is secured to the
housing by means of bolts D, D; E is a wedge plate which the stop bar is
intended to hold in position; F is the journal bearing or plummer block
cut away at G for the purpose of hinging the partition I, its thickness
being nearer the outer end of the axle in order to gain a larger amount
of room in the collar housing. To explain the cause of this change of
construction it may be stated that the extreme length of the enlarged
portion of the axle K is two inches from the wheel hub H to the
shoulder in car axles now in use; therefore as the improvement is
intended to be applied to axles now in use the partition I is placed back
- toward the outer end of housing A in order to obtain the object referred
to. J is the axle journal; L is the flanged collar firmly secured to the
enlarged portion of the axle K; M is the collar housing, and n, n, n,
are the clearances between said collar and the collar housing, and
between the end plate or wall R and the
cover for the collar housing, and attached
flange P.
wheel hub If; O is the
thereto is an inclined
I will now explain the construction and the functions to be performed
by the flanged collar L, the cover O with the inclined flange attached,
the aperture q in the partition I, and their relation to each other. The
collar L is constructed in two parts having two deep flanges a, a', said
flanges being brought to an edge at their periphery, leaving a space
between said flanges at their junction with the periphery of the body of
the collar at i, i. This is done to allow the inclined flange P to enter

page_text: When the
journal bearing F wears away upward at its ends. as shewn by
the dotted lines at u. u, caused by the lateral motion of the car, it will
be seen that the clearances n. n. n. are equalized in distance from the
collar to the walls of the collar housing and the wheel hub H; and the
end plate on wall R for the purpose of keeping the said collar and
the aforesaid wheel hub from coming into contact with the walls of said
collar housings when the ends of the bearing F are endward and out-
ward, caused by the motion of the car laterally, as shewn by the dotted
lines. The surplus oil from the end of the journal bearing and shoulder
of journal at k is taken by the flange a of the collar L and ejected upon
the cover O. The inclined flange P is intended to conduct the oil thus
thrown upon said cover down between the flanges a, a'. not allowing any
oil to pass the flange a¹, whereby the waste of oil is entirely prevented.
The collar housing M is relieved of oil by the aperture in the parti-
tion and returned to the housing A. The guard plate W is attached
to the partition I by the bolt e, and is intended to keep the aperture q
free from waste
material when
used within the housing A to conduct the lubricating fluid to the
journal J. The flange S is for the purpose of forming a check upon the
oil contained within the housing A, when the said oil is agitated by
the lateral motion of the car, and thereby with the assistance of the
when
guard plate W prevents said oil from entering the housing M
waste or other fibrous material is used or when the oil is conducted to
the journal by a mechanical device. The end plate R is provided with a
circular opening for the axle K to pass through that is somewhat larger
than the axle. The lower edge of said opening is intended to be nearly
close to the under side of aforesaid axle, leaving a space between the
upper side of said axle and said opening to allow for wear upward upon
the journal bearing F: this space is closed by the plate d to prevent the
ingress of dust.
between said flanges and allow room for said inclined flange.
or
other fibrous
such material is
Now in order to remove the bearing F when worn and replace it with

page_text: springs Q¹. This bearing is fitted with a pendent tube Q which dips
into the oil contained in the axle box and serves to conduct the oil up to
the journal, a suction or partial vacuum being produced in the tube by
the rapid rotation of the journal. The oil is thus supplied at a rate pro-
portioned to the speed of rotation of the axle, and any surplus oil
will find its way to the portion of the axle between the shoulder of the
journal and the flanged collar. When arrived at this point the oil will
by centrifugal action be thrown up against the cover of the housing or
chamber M. as before mentioned, and be guided downwards by the
deflecting plate between the flanges of the collar, whence it will flow to
the bottom of the chamber and return to the reservoir at the bottom of
the axle box.
The under bearing of the journal may be pivotted if thought desirable,
and it may be held in contact with the journal by springs. as shewn in
the Drawing, or by equivalent means.
Having now set forth the nature of the Invention of " Improvements
in Railway Carriage Axle Boxes," as communicated to me by my foreign
correspondent, and explained the manner of carrying the same into effect,
I wish it to be understood that under the above in part recited Letters
Patent claim, the combination of parts herein set forth for facilitating
and maintaining the adjustment of the journals of railway carriage
axles and the lubrication of the same.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Morison Burnup, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, the Twenty-first day of June, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
five.
JAMES M. BURNUP. (L.s.)