Improvements in Axle-boxes for Railway and other Vehicles.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Apr., 1891—Accepted, 13th June, 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by GEORGE FRANKS GODLEY, of Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania, United States of America. Mechanic.]
Improvements in Axle-boxes for Railway and other Vehicles.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent
Agents, 45 Southampton Buildings in the County of Middlesex do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:--
My invention relates to car-axle boxes, and particularly to the oiling devices, the
stop bar and dust shield for the axle journals and also to the lid fastenings; and it
has for its object; 1st to provide a simple and effective form of oiling device having
an oil passage, channel, or pipe connected with the axle journal brass or bearing
and operated by the end thrust or lateral movement of the axle to convey oil from
the box to the journal; 2nd to provide a simple and durable dust shield composed
of a sheet metal plate snugly fitting the axle and between which and the rear wall
of the box is a packing plate or cushion pad of a different material; and 3rd, to
provide a simple fastening device for the axle-box lid so that it will make a
tight joint with the box automatically and so that it will be easily removable
therefrom.
My said invention accordingly consists of the combination, construction and
arrangement of the various parts as hereinafter described.
In the accompanying drawings
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of an axle-box with the axle-journal in elevatior
showing an oiling device and dust-shield embodying my improvements į
Figure 2 is a similar view of part of the box, brass and axle-journal with.
a construction of oiling device for a modified or different form of brass or
bearing;
Figure 3 is a sectional elevation showing modified form and location of the oiling
device;
Figure 4 is an elevation, partly broken away, showing a modification of the form
illustrated in Figure 3;
Figure 5, is a section through the plunger part of the oiling device;
Figure 6 is an elevation showing sectional packing plate with two forms of spring
bands for part of the dust shield;
Figure 7 is an elevation of an axle-box and lid, partly broken away showing
means for fastening the lid to the box; and
Figure 8 is a partial section on line 1, 1 Figure 7.
A represents an axle-box of any suitable form, having an integral or separate
oil-well or reservoir a located preferably at the bottom of the axle box, or such
well may be located at the top of the box outside of the same, or the latter may be
a secondary oil-well from which the oil flows to the axle journal brass or bearing
and when used it is supplied with oil by my improved devices as hereinafter
explained.
B represents the brass or bearing for the axle-journal C, which brass may be of
any suitable form and material having a longitudinal channel or channels 6 from
which lead openings 6' to the bottom of the brass and through which oil is conveyed
to the journal C. If desired the lower ends of the openings 6' may lead to a recess b³
on the lower side of the brass which recess is common to all the said openings 6¹ as
shown in Figure 1.
As illustrated in said last named figure, the brass B is formed with a projecting
front end 6ª which depends in front of the axle and is preferably formed with a

page_text: horizontally located chamber D, see more plainly Figure 5, in which is located a
pump plunger E of any suitable form or kind, preferably tubular or hollow having
one closed end e which projects through the chamber D and impinges against the
end of the axle so as to be always subject to its end thrust or lateral movement.
This plunger E is preferably provided with a reacting spring e'.
From the chamber D leads a channel to preferably a vertically located
chamber F between upper and lower valves fƒ³ respectively, which may be ball
valves as shown, or stem or other form of valves may be used as desired, and
preferably the upper valve and its seat are larger than the lower valve and seat, as
illustrated. From the upper part of chamber F leads a conduit channel, passage
or pipe connection to the longitudinal channel or channels b in the brass or
bearing B. From the lower part of the chamber F depends a pipe which leads
to near the bottom of the oil reservoir or well a the bottom a' of which, in line with
the pipe is preferably recessed or provided with a pocket a² to admit of lowering
the pipe thereinto in screwing or attaching it to the chamber F so that when
secured in position its lower end will be at or near the bottom of the well a and not
at a distance above the same. If desired the lower end of pipe may be provided
with a rainer or screen.
The end thrust or lateral movement of the axle and the reaction of spring e' actuates
plunger E to raise oil from well a through pipe to chamber F and from the latter
through the channel, passage or pipe connection 2 to the brass or bearing channel b,
from whence it is distributed to the axle-journal through the openings b', the
valves f, f, in chamber F alternately opening and closing during each complete
movement of the plunger E.
The depressed end of the brass in Figure 1 also serves as a stop-bar for limiting
the end-thrust or lateral movement of the axle, and in turn the extent or volume of
the oil pumped, to the brass or bearing, hence the latter when so constructed carries
or is provided with said stop-bar and with an oiling device or pump which is actuated
by the end-thrust or lateral movement of the axle.
If desired, and which is preferable, the end of the chamber D next to the axle
may be provided with or consist of a steel-plate d secured thereto in
any suitable
manner to avoid undue wear of said end by the impingement of the axle, see more
plainly Figure 5, and also to prevent the plunger from coming out of the pump.
To oil the front end of the axle and said steel plate da small opening ' is made in
the brass B leading from the channel which opening is located adjacent to and
is uncovered by the end of the axle when normal; the latter closing said opening
when operating the plunger E. To oil the rear shoulder c of the journal C and the
rear end of the brass a corresponding opening from channel 6 is provided, see
Figure 1.
When the brass or bearing is not provided with the depending lip or stop-bar 6³
as shown in Figure 2, the oiling device may be secured to the usual or other form
of separate stop-bar G, or to the top of the box as indicated by dotted lines,
or to the front or other part of the box as shown by dotted lines y, y, and a pipe
connection is provided between chamber F and the brass B.
If desired the plunger, may be inserted in the brass B and the front end of the
plunger may straddle the collar c' on the front end of the axle as shown at H
Figure 3, or a groove c² may be formed in the axle to receive the front end of the
plunger as indicated at K Figure 4, in both cases, the reaction spring c¹ is dispensed
with and said plunger is actuated in both directions by the axle, and the oil-lifting
pipe with its valves is connected directly to the brass as shown in Figure 3. As
the axle actuates the oiling devices, the oil is pumped to the brass under
pressure so that it is positively forced through its channels and openings to the
journal C.
The lid m is preferably provided with side lugs m², see Figures 1, 7 and 8
extending over ribs m³ on the sides of the axle-boxes and having inwardly pro-
jecting ends m³ for engagement with said ribs to fasten the lid to the box, said ribs
being inclined or wedge-shaped from top to bottom to cause the lid to automatically

page_text: fasten itself on and form a tight-joint with the box. The lid is preferably made to
slide over the lower edge of the box lid opening and projects above the top of the
box as shown in Figure 2, so as to automatically take up wear of the lugs m'. If
desired however the lower end of the lid and the meeting edge of the box may have
an upward inclination as indicated at m*, Figures 1 and 7.
The dust shield in the rear wall of the chamber a³ of the axle-box, consists
essentially of a sheet metal plate a preferably made of steel, having a central open-
ing snugly fitting the axle, said central opening having preferably an outwardly
directed flanged or upset edge a³ to provide a suitable bearing surface for the plate n
on the axle to avoid cutting or wear of the latter by said plate. The latter is
located contiguous to the rear side of the front wall of chamber as so that the
flanged edge of the opening ' in said plate projects through the axle opening in
said wall. Between the plate and the rear wall of chamber a³ is a packing or
plate of any suitable material such as for instance a plate of wood, a layer of red-
fibre, papier-mache, wool-fibre, felt or other analogous yielding or elastic material
having a central opening to fit the axle. I prefer however to make the packing or
plate in sections, see Figure 6, divided at the transverse centre line of the same
with overlapping edges. These sections or the plate may be of a circular, oval or
other suitable form and have grooved or recessed edges for the reception of a plain
wire or other suitably configured spring having free ends which abut against
the sides of chamber as to prevent said plate or packing rotating with the axle, if
desired however, said spring wire may be dispensed with or it may be wholly or
partially composed of spirally coiled wire as indicated by dotted lines zin
Figure 6. The plate or packing maintains the plate » in position to seal it against
the rear face of the front wall of said chamber to effectually exclude dust and
prevent the escape of oil from box A.
The chamber as has an open top to admit of inserting the plate n and packing
therein. Where oil reservoirs located at the top of the axle box; either inside or
outside are used, the oiling or pumping device may be used to convey oil from well a
to such secondary reservoirs.
When the axle-box brasses or bearings are provided with removable or separate
locking keys, the oiling devices may be secured thereto. The amount of oil pumped
to the brass or bearing is regulated by the extent of projection of the end e of the
plunger E beyond the end of chamber D.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
First. In a car axle box, the combination of an axle journal, a brass or bearing
for said journal, an oil pumping or lifting device, mechanism between said pump
and the axle and operated by the end thrust or lateral movement of the axle inde-
pendently of its rotary motion to convey or conduct oil to said journal or bearing,
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Second. In a car-axle-box, the combination of an axle-journal, a brass or bearing
for said journal, an oil pumping or lifting device, mechanism between said pump
and the axle, and operated solely by the end thrust or lateral movement of the axle
independently of its rotary motion to convey or conduct oil to said journal or
bearing, substantially as set forth.
Third. In a car-axle box the combination of a brass or bearing, an oil pumping
or lifting device having a plunger chamber, a valve-chamber, oil passages between
said valve chamber and the plunger chamber, and between the valve chamber and
the brass or bearing, and the box oil well, and said plunger actuated by the end
thrust of the axle, substantially as set forth.
Fourth. An axle box brass or bearing having a projecting and depending front
end forming a stop-bar for the end of a car-axle, a plunger in said front
end of the brass and actuated by the end thrust of the axle, substantially as
set forth.

page_text: Fifth. An axle-box brass or bearing having a projecting and depending front
end forming a stop-bar for the end of a car-axle, oil pumping devices attached
to said brass end and actuated by the end thrust of the axle, substantially as set
forth.
Sixth. An axle-box brass or bearing having projecting front end, ³, a-chamber D
in said end, a plunger with reacting devices in said chamber, a pipe with valves
depending from said chamber, recess or recesses on the under side of said brass and
duct connecting said recess with pipe f", substantially as set forth.
Seventh. In a car-axle box having a rear wall chamber, a³, provided with an
open top, a metal dust shield plate, n, having central opening and adjoining the
front wall of said chamber and a packing plate, 1, separate from plate, n, between
the latter and the rear wall of chamber, a, substantially as set forth.
Eighth. In a car-axle box having a rear wall chamber, a³, provided with an open
top, a dust shield plate, n, of sheet metal having an upset or flanged edge central
opening fitting the axle, and said edge flange being directed towards the opening
in the front wall of chamber, a³, and a packing plate, separate from the
platen, between the latter and the rear wall of chamber, a³, substantially as
set forth.
Ninth. In a car-axle box having a rear wall, chamber, a³, with open top, a sheet
metal dust shield plate, n, having a flanged bore or central opening and a flangeless
periphery adjoining the front wall of chamber, a³, and a packing plate 1, of a
different material and separate from plate n, between the latter and the rear wall of
chamber, substantially as set forth.
Tenth. In combination with the axle-box lid opening having side wedge-shaped
ribs, m³, the lid, m, having lugs m³, adapted to engage said ribs, m², to automatically
fasten the lid to the box and correspondingly take up the wear of the lugs and ribs,
substantially as set forth.
Eleventh. In combination with a car-axle box axle and its brass or bearing, of an
oiling device, composed of a plunger, a chamber for said plunger having a steel
plate through which one end of said plunger passes and impinges against the end
of the axle, said plate keeping the plunger in position within said chamber and
serving as a shunting plate to avoid wear, a valve chamber in communication with
said plunger chamber, and a channel or conduit between the valve chamber and the
brass or bearing substantially as set forth.
Dated this 20th day of Anril 1801
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.