IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF AXLES FOR RAILWAY CARS AND OTHER VEHICLES
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Newton, of the Office for Patents, 66,
Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF AXLES FOR RAILWAY CARS
AND OTHER VEHICLES." A communication from abroad by Benjamin Talbot
Babbitt, of the City and State of New York, United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Newton at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 31st July 1877.
WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF
AXLES FOR RAILWAY CARS AND OTHER VEHICLES." [A communication from
abroad by Benjamin Talbot Babbitt, of the City and State of New York, United
States of America.]
The object of this Invention is to facilitate (by a simple, durable, efficient, and self-
lubricating means applied to a transversely divided compound axle of a railway car
or other vehicle), the passing of curves in the track by wheels rigidly attached to
their respective axle sections, which latter with their attached wheels independently
rotate relatively to each other.
It is well known that when two opposite side railway car wheels are rigidly
attached to an axle consisting of a single bar, one or other of the wheels must slip
or slide upon the track whenever the wheels pass or travel over a curve in the track,
unless special provision is made to prevent such slipping by raising the level of one side
of the track, and constructing the wheels with a conical tread so that the wheels will
run on treads of different diameters while passing such curve. This raising of the level
of one side of the track or outside rail of the curve, and the conical tread of the wheels
can only prevent slipping or sliding when the curves on a road or track are all alike,
and the tread of the wheels have a conical tread to correspond with the curves
Daill

page_text: and with the speed of the wheels when passing such curves.
These are
conditions which it is very difficult to observe in practice, hence, although the
difficulty of slipping or sliding in passing around curves may be reduced by the
special provision above or herein-before referred to, there still remains more or less of
the difficulty, which in the case of wheels fast to their axles can only be surmounted
by dividing the axle of each opposite pair of wheels in two parts transversely; or in
other words, making the axle a compound one, composed of independently rotating
longitudinal sections having the wheels attached to them. In such sectional com-
pound axles, difficulties have heretofore been experienced in providing for the
independent support, free run, and proper lubrication of the inner ends or portions of
the compound axle sections.
The present Invention, which removes these difficulties, consists in a box secured
on the inner end of one of the independently rotating axle sections and provided
with an internally circular lubricating groove.
A circular head or block secured to
the opposite or adjacent inner end of the other of the axle sections, and arranged to
rotate within the box, and a cap with attached stuffing box bolted to the inner end
or face of the box and enclosing the head or block which is secured to the opposite
axle section to that which carries the box.
In some cases the circular lubricating groove within the box may be omitted, or
it may be formed in the head or block which is enclosed by the box.
This construction and combination of parts constitutes a simple, durable, efficient,
and automatically lubricating connection of the compound or divided axle.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Edward Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
31st January 1878.
WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF
AXLES FOR RAILWAY CARS AND OTHER VEHICLES." A communication from abroad
by Benjamin Talbot Babbitt, of the City and State of New York, United States
of America.
The object of this Invention is to facilitate by means of a simple, durable, and
self-lubricating device applied to a transversely divided compound axle of a railway
car or other vehicle, the passing of curves in the track by wheels which are rigidly
attached to their respective axle sections, which latter with their attached wheels,
independently rotate relatively to each other.
It is well known that when two opposite side railway car wheels are rigidly
attached to an axle consisting of a single bar, one or other of the wheels must slip or
slide upon the track whenever the wheels pass or travel over a curve in the track,
unless special provision is made to prevent such slipping by raising the level of one
side of the track, and constructing the wheels with a conical tread, so that the
wheels will run on treads of different diameters while passing such curve. This
raising of the level of one side of the track or the outside rail of the curve and the
conical tread of the wheels can only prevent slipping or sliding when the curves on
a road or track are all alike, and the tread of the wheels have a conical form to
correspond with the curves and with the speed of the wheels when passing such
curves. These are conditions which it is very difficult to observe in practice, hence,
although the difficulty of slipping or sliding in passing around curves may be reduced
by the special provision above or herein-before referred to, there still remains more
or less of the difficulty, which in the case wheels made fast to their axles can only
be surmounted by dividing the axle of each opposite pair of wheels in two parts
transversely; or in other words, making the axle a compound one, composed of
independently rotating longitudinal sections having the wheels attached to them.
In such sectional compound axles difficulties have heretofore been experienced in
providing for the independent support, free run, and proper lubrication of the inner
ends or portions of the compound axle sections.
The present Invention, which removes these difficulties, consists in a box secured
on the inner end of one of the independently rotating axle sections and provided
with an internally circular lubricating groove, a circular head or block secured to
the opposite or adjacent inner end of the other of the axle sections, and arranged to
rotate within the box, and a cap with attached stuffing box bolted to the inner end
or face of the box, and enclosing the head or block, which is secured to the opposite
axle section to that which carries the box.
In some cases the circular lubricating groove within the box may be omitted, or
it may be formed in the head or block which is enclosed by the box.
This construction and combination of parts constitutes a simple, durable, efficient,
and automatically lubricating connection of the compound or divided axle.
In the accompanying Drawing, Fig. 1 represents a front elevation of a
compound railway car axle, shewing the Invention applied thereto and with the
wheels attached.
Fig. 2 is another front view of part of the axle, the means for uniting, supporting,
and lubricating the inner ends of the axle being shewn in section.
Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section on the line x, x, in Fig. 1.
A, A', are the longitudinal sections of the transversely divided or compound axle
to which the running wheels B, B, are attached. On the inner end of the axle
section A is secured by a key b, or otherwise, a cylindrical box C, constructed to
overhang the inner end or portion of the opposite or contiguous axle section A¹. Ou

page_text: the inner end of this last-named axle section is secured by a key b', or otherwise, a
circular head or block D, which is fitted to freely turn within the box C and is
held to its proper position within the box and the two axle sections retained in proper
proximity by means of a cap E, which is secured by screws or bolts c to the inner
end or face of the box C, and is made to enclose the head or block D. This cap E
is constructed or provided with a stuffing box G arranged around the axle section A',
and serving to retain any lubricating material which may be introduced within the
box C to ense the run or rotation of the two axle sections at their inner ends, where
they are supported upon each other by the box C and head or block D. To facilitate
the lubrication of these parts, and to provide a copious supply of lubricating material
thereto in order that the axle sections may be self lubricating for a prolonged
period at their junction or support one upon the other, the box C is constructed
with an internal circular groove s arranged to surround the head or block D,
and communicating with a feed hole e which may be closed by a screw plug f
as shewn in Fig. 2.
Having now described the Invention which has been communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, and having explained the manner of carrying the same into
effect, I claim as the Invention secured to me by Letters Patent as aforesaid, the
combination with the independently rotating axle sections A, A', of the box C
secured to the inner end of one of the axle sections, the head or block D (secured
to the inner end of the opposite axle section for rotation within the box), and
the cap E with its attached stuffing box, as and for the purposes herein set
forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Newton, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Thirtieth day of January, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.