IMPROVEMENTS IN WHEELS FOR RAILWAY CARRIAGES AND WAGONS
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine,
Lake, & Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN WHEELS FOR RAILWAY CARRIAGES
AND WAGONS." -A communication from abroad by Edward B.
Meatyard, of Geneva, Lake Wisconsin, United States of America..
Sealed the 23rd February 1875, and dated the 4th September 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 4th September 1874.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co.,
5 Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN WHEELS FOR RAILWAY
CARRIAGES AND WAGONS," a communication, to be as follows:-
―:
This Invention relates to making useful the elasticity in the body of
the wheel between the axle and the tire, and it consists in making the

page_text: body of the wheel between these parts of metallic discs extending from
the inner portion of the rim to the hub in curved cones, base to base;
the said discs being cut for a portion of their surface with radial slits, to
make the wheel more yielding.
The rim or tire may be of cast metal; this rim is made with a central
flange or rib of such section and form as will best preserve the circular
shape of its rim. To this rib the bases of the discs are firmly fastened.
These discs are preferably made of charcoal iron hammered to shape,
or of tempered steel, and may be formed from flat circular plates of
proper dimensions. After a suitable aperture is cut at the centre radial
slits are cut from near the central hole toward the circumference,
stopping short however of the entire distance to leave an ample
margin of uncut metal. The inner ends of the leaves of each disc merge
into an uncut portion of said disc, which is in a plane parallel with the
plane of the uncut portion fastened to the tire. The object in leaving
an uncut portion next the central hole of each disc is to secure accuracy
and save trouble in fastening the disc to the hub. Overlying bands,
shrunk or forced on, secure the discs to the hubs. A section of the disc
is curved; this curvature is the same around the entire wheel, whatever
point of the tire rests upon the rail. Every spoke or leaf of each disc is
effected by the load, which the wheel transmits to the track; those on
the same level and above the axle tensilely, those below compressively;
and all except such as are horizontal take.weight from the axle to the
tire or rim. The stiffness of the tire or rim transmits weight from
nearly every point of its circumference whenever the wheel is loaded.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 3rd March 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents, 3
Southampton Buildings, London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of September, in the year

page_text: of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the thirty-
eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said William Robert Lake, Her special licence
that I, the said William Robert Lake, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said William Robert Lake, my
executors, 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 "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN WHEELS FOR RAILWAY CARRIAGES AND WAGONS," a communi-
cation to me from abroad by Edward B. Meatyard, of Geneva, Lake
Wisconsin, United States of America, upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said William Robert Lake, my executors or adminis-
trators, 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 Seal Patent Office within
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE that I, the said William Robert Lake, do hereby
declare the nature of the 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 accom-
panying Drawing forming a part of this Specification :-
This Invention relates to making useful the elasticity in the body of
the wheel between the axle and the tire, and it consists in making the
body of the wheel, between the parts mentioned, of metallic discs
extending from the inner portion of the rim to the hub in curved cones,
base to base; the said discs being cut for a portion of their surface with
radial slits, to make the wheel more yielding.

page_text: with a central flange or rib a of such section and form as will best
preserve the circular shape of its rim. To this rib a the bases of the
discs B are firmly fastened. These discs B should be preferably made
of charcoal iron hammered to shape, or possibly of tempered steel, and
may be formed from the circular plates of proper dimensions. Then, 1
after a suitable aperture is cut at the centre, the radial slits 6 are cut
from near the central hole toward the circumference, stopping short
however of the entire distance to leave an ample margin of uncut metal.
The inner ends of the leaves of each disc merge into an uncut portion
of said disc, which is in a plane parallel with the plan of the uncut
portion which fastens to the tire.
The object in leaving an uncut portion next the central hole of each
dise is to secure accuracy and save trouble in fastening the disc to
the hub C. Overlying bands e, shrunk or forced on, secure the discs B
to the hub C.
I do not wish to limit myself to any detailed method for securing
these hub bands in place. It will be seen by referring to Figure 2 of
the Drawing that a section of the disc curves substantially as in the case
in a section of the well known expansion joint used in steam engineering,
from the vertical at the point of attachment to the rim rib a to the hori-
zontal at the point of attachment to the hub. This curve is the same of
course around the entire wheel. It must now be obvious that whatever point
of the tire rests upon the rail every spoke or leaf of each disc is affected
by the load, which the wheel transmits to the track; those on the same
level and above the axle tensilely, those below compressively; and all,
except such as are horizontal, take weight from the axle to the tire or
rim. The stiffness of the tire or rim transmits weight from nearly every
point of its circumference whenever the wheel is loaded.
The utility of a yielding body for railway wheels to meet lateral as
well as vertical jolts and shocks is so well known that it is not necessary
here to specify it.
Having thus fully described the said Invention, as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the
same, I wish it understood that I claim, the elastic railway wheel, con-
sisting of the rim A, the hub C, and the curved radially cut disc B

page_text: secured to the riba of the rim A and to the hub C by suitable means,
and all combined substantially as specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Third day of March, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four.
Witness,
HY. JA. NOONE,
WM. ROBT. LAKE. (L.S.)