IMPROVEMENTS IN JOURNALS AND BEARINGS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Benjamin Joseph Barnard Mills, of the Firm of Harris
and Mills, of 23, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, Patent
Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN JOURNALS AND BEARINGS."
A communication from abroad by James Henry McLean, Doctor of Medicine,
of the City and County of St. Louis, United States of America.
Sealed the 14th May 1880, and dated the 2nd December 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Benjamin Joseph Barnard
Mills at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 2nd December
1879.
BENJAMIN JOSEPH BARNARD MILLS, of the Firm of Harris and Mills, of 23,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN JOURNALS AND BEARINGS." A communication from abroad by James
Henry MoLean, Doctor of Medicine, of the City and County of St. Louis, United
States of America.
The object of the Invention is to furnish a simple and reliable mode of lubricating
the journals of railway and other carriages, and other axles, whether stationary or
rotary, to prevent the heating of the same, and reduce the wear thereof.
To this end the bearings are constructed with vertical slots connected by longi-
tudinal grooves, and the journals with perforations or slots extending completely
through, either diametrically or otherwise, and connected by longitudinal grooves.
The effect of the grooves is to scrape any redundancy of oil from the bearing
surfaces when there is a full supply, and the slots or openings, together with the
grooves, serve as reservoirs in which the said oil is retained, and from which it is
automatically supplied to lubricate the surface when the supply between the bearing.
surfaces becomes reduced.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Benjamin Joseph Barnard Mills in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 1st June 1880.
BENJAMIN JOSEPH BARNARD MILLS, of the Firm of Harris and Mills, of 23,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN JOURNALS AND BEARINGS.' A communication from abroad by James
Henry McLean, Doctor of Medicine, of the City and County of St. Louis, United
States of America.
The object of the Invention is to furnish a simple and reliable mode of lubricating
the journals of railway and other carriages, and other axles, whether stationary or
rotary, to prevent the heating of the same, and reduce the wear thereof. To this
end the bearings are constructed with vertical slots connected by longitudinal
grooves, and the journals, with perforations or slots extending completely through,
either diametrically or otherwise, and connected by longitudinal grooves. The
effect of the grooves is to scrape any redundancy of oil from the bearing surfaces
when there is a full supply, and the slots or openings, together with the grooves,
serve as reservoirs in which the said oil is retained, and from which it is automati-
cally supplied to lubricate the surface when the supply between the bearing surfaces
becoines reduced.
And in order that the said Invention may be more clearly understood and readily
carried into effect, I will proceed, aided by the accompanying Drawings, more fully
The Drawings illustrate the Invention under various modifications.
Figure 1 is a plan of the improved journal as adapted for common carriages;
Figure 2 is a perspective view of a journal and bearing as adapted for railway
cars; Figure 3 is a longitudinal section of the same; Figure 4 is a transverse
section on the line 4-4, Figure 3; Figure 5 is a transverse section on the line
5-5, Figure 3, but showing angular instead of straight perforations; Figure 6 is a
plan of the journal illustrating a slight modification; Figure 7 is an under side
view of the bearing.
A represents the bearing, which may be of ordinary size and external shape, and
is preferably made of annealed glass or slag. D represents the journal adapted to fit
in said bearing. The inner face a of the bearing is formed with solid bearing portions
c, c, c, at the ends, sides, and centre, between which are any desirable number of
vertical slots b, which it is preferred to make four in number, two at each end of
the bearing, as illustrated in Figure 2, separated at top sufficiently to accomodate
the bolster or spring supports, or other connections, as the nature of the case may
require, and converging downward in inclined faces c³, bringing the said slots nearer
together on the bearing face a, where the paired slots on each side of the bearing
are connected by longitudinal grooves b¹. The improved journal D is constructed
with two or more holes or slots 6, e, extending completely through it, preferably in
the diametrical position shown, and with longitudinal grooves f connecting the
aforesaid slots. Instead of passing diametrically through the journal, as shown,
the holes or slots e, e, may, if preferred, take a curved shape, or the angular shape
illustrated in Figure 5, the said slots in either case passing from one face or portion
of the surface of the journal to another portion which may or may not be diametri-
cally opposite. The solid central portions of the journal and of the bearing
maintain the necessary strength and rigidity therein, while the slots b and e serve
as efficient reservoirs for the lubricant catching the oil from the journal and bearing
surfaces, or if desired the slots 6 can be filled from above, or connected with any

page_text: source of supply. In order to render the lubrication as uniform as possible
throughout the entire length of the journal, the faces c³ of the slots b have a
convergent inclination, as shown in Figure 2, and are connected by grooves, so that
the collection of redundant oil, and the subsequent redistribution of the oil to
the bearing surfaces, are effected uniformly throughout the length of the journal.
The same result occurs by the mode of connecting the radial slots e of the journal
by longitudinal grooves f. The slots b and e have a further beneficial effect in
causing a circulation of air to prevent heating.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and the mode in
which the same is carried into effect, I would have it understood that what I
claim is,-
First. In a journal bearing lubricating slots b, b, connected in pairs by the
grooves b¹, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
Second. A journal for vehicles or for other purposes, constructed with two or
more holes or slots e, e, connected by longitudinal grooves f, as and for the purposes
set forth.
Third. The combination of the journal D constructed with holes or slots e and
grooves f, and the bearing A, constructed with slots b, b, and connecting grooves b',
as and for the purposes set forth.
Fourth. A journal bearing A, constructed with lubricating slots b, b, having
inclined faces c³, c³, and connected by grooves b', substantially as herein shown and
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Benjamin Joseph Barnard Mills, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this First day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand night hundred and eighty