AN IMPROVED AXLE AND AXLE BOX FOR RAILWAY CARRIAGES AND WAGGONS
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Samuel Smith, of Derby, in the County of
Derby, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED AXLE AND AXLE BOX FOR
RAILWAY CARRIAGES AND WAGGONS."-A communication from abroad
by George Smith, residing at Vitbsk, in the Empire of Russia.
Sealed the 2nd October 1869, and dated the 23rd April 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Samuel Smith at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 23rd April 1869.
I, SAMUEL SMITH, of Derby, in the County of Derby, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED AXLE AND
AXLE BOX FOR RAILWAY CARRIAGES AND WAGGONS," being a communication
to me from abroad by George Smith, residing at Vitbsk, in the Empire
of Russia, to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to certain improvements in the construction of
axles and axle boxes whereby, amongst other advantages, the axle is
enabled to make its revolutions in a very small quantity of oil, tallow,

page_text: or other suitable lubricating material, whilst the necessity for sponges,
sea grass, rollers, and other materials, and contrivances frequently
employed is altogether obviated. In the event of the oil or other
lubricant in the lower portion of the axle box becoming frozen from the
lowness of the temperature, thus causing the axle to heat in revolving,
there is a provision made by means of which the lubricant in the top
chamber of the axle box will pass through syphons and feed the axle.
In the side of the axle box nearest to the wheel the upper part is
hevilled upwards towards the wheel, and the lower part bevilled towards
the interior of the box, so that should the lubricant in the upper part be
thrown upwards by the revolution of the axle it would fall on the lower
bevilled part, thus returning into the axle box and saving all waste.
In order further to insure the prevention of any escape or waste of
the lubricant a washer of sheet india-rubber, protected at the bottom
by an iron plate and at the top by a plate of zinc or other soft metal, is
placed on and secured to the outer side of the axle box. The lower
plate is provided with oblong slotted holes for the stud bolts by which
it is secured, so that it shall be allowed to rise or fall according to the
wear of the brass or other metal bearing. By this arrangement the
bearing is completely protected against the admission of dust and dirt,
whilst at the same time the waste or loss of the lubricant employed is
prevented.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Samuel Smith in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 20th October 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, SAMUEL
SMITH, of Derby, in the County of Derby, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of April, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the
thirty-second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Samuel Smith, Her special licence
that I, the said Samuel Smith, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Samuel Smith, my executors,

page_text: administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter 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 Invention for "AN IMPROVED.
AXLE AND AXLE Box FOR RAILWAY CARRIAGES AND WAGGONS," being a com-
munication to me from abroad by George Smith, residing at Vitbsk,
in the Empire of Russia, upon the condition (amongst others) that
I, the said Samuel Smith, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and
seals, 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 Scal Patent Office within six
calendar months, next and immediately after the date of the said Letters.
Patent..
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Samuel Smith, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto
annexed,, and to the figures and letters marked thereon, that is.
to say :-
This Invention relates to certain improvements in the construction of
axles and axle boxes whereby, amongst other advantages, the axle is
enabled to make its revolutions in a very small quantity of oil, tallow,
or other suitable lubricating material, whilst the necessity for sponges, sea
grass, rollers, and other materials and contrivances frequently employed
is altogether obviated. In the event of the oil or other lubricant
in the lower portion of the axle box becoming frozen from the lowness
of the temperature there is a provision made by means of which the
lubricant in the top chamber of the axle box will pass through syphons.
and feed the axle. In the side of the axle box nearest to the wheel the.
upper part is bevilled upwards towards the wheel and the lower part
bevelled towards the interior of the box, so that should the lubricant
in the upper part be thrown upwards by the revolution of the axle it
would fall on the lower bevelled part, thus returning into the axle box
and saving all waste. In order further to insure the prevention of any
escape or waste of the lubricant a washer of sheet india-rubber, protected

page_text: at the bottom by an iron plate and at the top or upper part by a plate
of zinc or other soft metal, is placed on and secured to. the outer side
of the axle box. The plates are provided with oblong slotted holes for
the stud bolts by which they are secured, so that they shall rise or fall
according to the wear of the brass. or other metal bearing. The upper
and lower plates are screwed up tight to the axle box, and the bearing.
is thus completely protected against the admission of dust and dirt,.
whilst at the same time the waste or loss of the lubricant is.
navented
according to the wear of the brass or other metal bearing. The upper
and lower plates are screwed up tight to the axle box, and the bearing.
is thus completely protected against the admission of dust and dirt,.
whilst at the same time the waste or loss of the lubricant is.
prevented
Having thus described tlie general nature of the said Invention I will
now proceed to refer to the annexed Drawings, from which it will be.
more clearly understood..
In Sheet I Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of the axle and axle
box; Figure 2 is a side view.
In Sheet 2 Figure 3' is partly a cross section and partly an end view,
and Figure 4 is a plan of the axle and axle box. The same letters of
reference indicate similar parts..
A is the axle; B. is the brass bearing; C is the lubricant chamber;
D, D, are the syphons by which the axle is fed from the chamber C; E.
is the lubricating material in which the axle revolves; F is the part of
the box bevelled towards the wheel, and G the part bevelled toward's.
the interior of the box. As before mentioned should any of the
lubricating material be thrown upon F by the revolution of the axle it
would fall on the inner side of the part G, thus returning into the axle
box and avoiding all waste. His the india-rubber washer; I is the
iron plate; and K, the zinc or other soft metal plate before referred to..
Provision is made in the top of the axle box, as shewn at L, for fixing
the spring to the axle box by a bolt, whilst at the same time a sufficient
space is left for the free communication with the back and front syphons
for the regular flow of the lubricant..
Having thus declared and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I would
observe in conclusion that what I consider novel and original, and
therefore claim as constituting the Invention secured to me by the said
hercin-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the combination and

page_text: arrangement of parts and mechanism as and for the purposes herein-
before described and set forth, or any mere modifications thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said Samuel Smith, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Ninth day of October, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.
SAMUEL SMITH. (L.S.)