Improvements in the Construction of Axle-box Guards and Axle Boxes for Rolling Stock and in the Application of Springs thereto.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 31st Oct., 1888
Specification. Accepted, 31st Dec., 1888
Improvements in the Construction of Axle-box Guards and Axle Boxes
for Rolling Stock and in the Application of Springs thereto.
I, ROBERT HUDSON of Gildersome, near Leeds, in the County of York, Engineer
and Ironfounder, 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 :-
This invention relates to an improved construction of axle box guards or slides for
use on railway carriages and wagons.and other rolling stock, and to an improved form
of axle box for use with the improved guards and in the method of applying springs
thereto.
Axle-box guards according to this invention are manufactured without the costly
smithwork heretofore employed in making axle-box guards in the ordinary way from
flat bars or plates.
Their strength is increased since they have no bolt holes for attaching them to the
sills or underframing, and they are so constructed that either spiral springs or India-
rubber washers to form springs may be used thereon instead of laminated springs as
heretofore usual.
By the construction of spring the risk of breakage is reduced, as it is obvious that
springs of the spiral kind cannot in the case of overloading be compressed beyond the
point where their convolutions are brought close together, when the spring becomes
solid or rigid.
But while my improved guards are more especially constructed with a view to
using spiral springs, or India rubber washers as springs, they are nevertheless equally
adapted for laminated springs, and from the nature of their construction have more
lateral rigidity than axle box guards of the ordinary kind constructed entirely of
flat bars or plates.
I make the vertical or slide bars that receive the spiral, or rubber springs and the
axle boxes, preferably of round bar iron or steel which may be either in U, or staple
form, or in separate parts. These bars are secured to the sill or underframe of a
carriage or wagon and may either. pass through or be recessed therein or otherwise

page_text: and are secured thereto by bolts of staple or other suitable form or by a metal cap or
caps and ordinary bolts passing through the sill whether the latter be of wood or
metal.
When the sills are of wood, a metallic angle plate is fitted thereto having
perforations at that part which is on the underside thereof, through which the vertical
slide bars above referred to pass, whether the same be in the single or staple form.
When the said slide bars are in place the spiral springs or India rubber washers are
then put or, followed by the axle box, after which a flat or other form of guard or
tie bar is placed on the bottom ends of the aforesaid slide bars. These ends may
be shouldered for the purpose of receiving the guard bar, if desired and may be
furnished with nuts or cotters for securing the said guard or tie bar. The tie bar
passes upwards diagonally in each direction and the ends thereof are secured to the
sill, thus forming a rigid tie both fore and aft.
By reason of this tie (if flat) being presented edgewise to the lateral strain to
which axle-box guards are liable, the improved axle-box guard when thus completed
is more rigid laterally than guards as ordinarily constructed entirely of flat bars or
plates, a method of manufacture which necessitates costly welding and other work
which I almost entirely dispense with.
My improved axle box for use in combination with the herein before described axlo
box guard is more simply and cheaply formed than are those at present in use. The
axle box slides upon and is so formed as to embrace the two guards or slide bars,
and thus each slide bar, by such embracement, at all times receives its share of the
strains to which axle box guards generally are subjected.
In the annexed sheet of drawings, similar letters refer to similar parts throughout
the several views.
Fig. 1. is a side elevation in part of a carriage or wagon with an improved axle
box guard and axle box according to this invention, attached thereto shewing the
slide rods formed in one piece or in staple form.
Fig. 2. is an end view of the same partly in section.
Figs. 3. and 4. aro similar views to Fig. 1. and 2. shewing the slide bars c. c.
in two parts.
Figs. 5. and 6. shew the improved guard with a laminated spring therein, a,
the sill or underframing of a carriage or wagon,- b. the metallic angle plate perforated
at 61. b 1. for the reception of the slide bars c. c.-d. d. are staple bolts for securing
the slide bars c. c. to the sill. e. e. the spiral springs. f. the axle box.-g. the guard
or tie bar taking on to the ends of the slide bars c. c. and secured thereto by the
nuts c 1. c 1, the ends of the said tie bar g. being secured to the sill at h. h. i Figs. 5.
Fig. 7. is an inside view of my improved axle box f, with the journal bearing j.
therein.
and 6. a laminated spring.
Fig. 8. is a top view of the same showing the parts k. k. for embracing the slide
bars c. c., but a cap or caps, may be used for this purpose as shown in Fig. 9. m. is a
recess for containing the lubricant and is provided with a cover n. hinged to
the lugs o. o.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
"
1. In an axle box guard for railway and other rolling stock, guide bars c. c. in one or
two parts, upon and between which an axle box such as f slides in suchwise that the
said guide bars c. c. whether in one or, two parts receive an equal share of the
strain to which the axle box is subject, substantially as hereinabove described.
2. In connexion with axle box guards of the kind referred to in the preceding
claim, the method substantially as described, of fixing the guide bars c. c. whether in
one or two parts to either a wooden or metallic sill or underframe without making
bolt holes in the said guide bars, thereby maintaining the full strength of the said
guide bars.

page_text: 3. In combination with guide bars of the kind referred to in claim 1. the improved
axle box for railway and other rolling stock, constructed so that it can be moulded
without separate cores, and arranged with parts for embracing the guide bars c. c.
upon which it slides, substantially as described and shown.
4. In combination with guide bars of the kind referred to in claim 1. spiral
springs or India rubber washers arranged to surround the said guide bars c. c
substantially as hereinabove described and illustrated.
5. In combination with guide bars of the kind referred to in claim 1. a laminated
spring with or without an axle box of the kind shewn in Figs. 7. 8. and 9. all
substantially as shewn.
6. The combination of parts comprising my improved axle box guards and axle
boxes with either spiral, India rubber or laminated springs, the whole constructed
arranged and operating substantially as hereinabove described and illustrated.
Dated this 21st day of Ontohar 1888.
ROBERT HUDSON.