IMPROVEMENTS IN THE AXLES OF ROAD WHEELS AND THEIR BEARINGS
Year: 1884

page_text: I, CHARLES DENTON ABEL of N° 28 Southapmten Buildings, Chancery Lane in
the county of Middlesex Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent, do hereby declare
the nature of my said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE AXLES OF ROAD
WHEELS AND THEIR BEARINGS" and in what manner the same is to be performed
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following.statement:-
These improvements relate more particularly to the axles of velocipedes and
other light vebicles and have for their object to reduce the friction to a minimum
so as to afford a very easy motion to such vehicles.
The improved mode of construction will bo understood on reference to the
accompanying drawings. Fig. 1 shows a section of an arrangement in which the
bearing is formed of two semi-circular straps & having internal semicircular knife
edges which embrace a V-shaped groove g on the axis O. Fig. 2 shows an end
view. The axis C here shown is such as is used for bicycles; the angle of its
V-grooves is larger than that of the knife edges f, so that the contact between the
two is limited to that of the apex of the knife edge with that of the groove, thus
reduging the rubbing surfaces and consequently the friction to a minimum.
Figs. 8 and 4 shew respectively a section and an end view of a modification of this
arrangement, in which the circular V-grooves are formed in the bearings while
the axis C has V-shaped collars & fitting in the grooves. The collars may either
be made with knife edges or with a flat periphery m as shewn, fitting against a
corresponding flat bottom to the V-grooves. This arrangement admits of easy
lubrication of the parts. In the modification shewn in elevation and section at
figs. 5 and 6, the axis C is formed with rounded grooves g³ and the knife-edges ƒ³
of the bearing have blunted or rounded apexes T.
Figa. 7, 8 and 9 shew respectively a section, a plan and an end view of a
modification, in which the axis has V-shaped collars a as in figs. 3 and 4, which
run in V-grooves formed in antifriction rollers 16 that constitute the bearings and
are carried in ring shaped supports t t¹. The apexes of the collars and grooves may
either be sharp as shown or they may be blunt. As in the previous arrangements,
the angle of the grooves is greater than that of the collars, so as to limit the contact
to the apex.

page_text: The top roller u whose axis x is situated vertically above the axis d, alune takes
the pressure of the latter, the two lower rollers merely serving to keep the axis in
position. The connection of the bearings of the several above described arrange-
ments to the velocipede or other vehicle may be effected in any known manner,
and is for this reason not shewn on the drawing; care must, however, be taken in
the last described arrangement that the frames be fixed so that the upper
roller u is vertically above ď.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1, Constructing axles with V-shaped circular grooves g into which take circular
knife-edges f, formed on the bearings, the angles of the grooves being made larger
than those of the knife-edges, so that the contact between the two only takes place
at the apex, substantially as herein described with reference to figs. 1 and 2 of the
drawings.
2, Constructing axles with V-shaped collars i, which take into V-shaped grooves
in the bearings, substantially, as herein described with reference to figs. 3 and 4 of
the drawings.
3, Constructing axles with rounded circular grooves g³ into which take circular
knife-edges formed on the bearings, substantially as herein described with
reference to fign. 5 and 6 of the drawings.
A, Constructing axles with V-shaped collars a that take into the V-grooves of
antifriction rollers of which one is situated vertically above the axle to take the
thrust thereof while two or more others situated laterally serve to keep the axle
in position, substantially as herein described with reference to figs. 7 to 9 of the
drawings,