IMPROVEMENTS IN AXLE BOXES FOR LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES, RAILWAY AND OTHER CARRIAGES, APPLICABLE TO THE BEARINGS OF MACHINERY
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Solomon Solomon, of Aldgate, and Samuel
Mills, of St. George's in the East, both in the County of Middle-
sex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN AXLE BOXES FOR
LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES, RAILWAY AND OTHER CARRIAGES, APPLICABLE TO
THE BEARINGS OF MACHINERY."
OT
sex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN AXLE BOXES FOR
LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES, RAILWAY AND OTHER CARRIAGES, APPLICABLE TO
THE BEARINGS OF MACHINERY."
Sealed the 3rd November 1853, and dated the 16th June 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Solomon Solomon
and Samuel Mills at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 16th June 1853.
We, SOLOMON SOLOMON, of Aldgate, and SAMUEL MILLS, of St.
George's in the East, both in the County of Middlesex, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN AXLE
BOXES FOR LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES, RAILWAY AND OTHER CARRIAGES, APPLICABLE
TO THE BEARINGS OF MACHINERY," to be as follows:-
Figs. 1, and 2, on the accompanying Drawing, represent a longitu-
dinal view and plan of our improved axle box for locomotive engines

page_text: & railway and other carriages. Figs. 3, and 4, are sections of the
same; A, A, is the axle box, which is let into the nave of the wheel;
B, B, are flanges cast on the interior of the axle box; D, is the axle of
the carriage. In a recess formed at each end of the axle box by the
flanges B, B, are placed a sufficient number of small rollers E, E, to
fill up the space around the axle, which presses upon and is wholly
supported by these friction rollers. When motion is communicated to
the axle the rollers E, E, turn on their axes, and travel round the space
in which they are enclosed, thereby reducing friction. These rollers
may be made either of gun metal, case-hardened iron, hard wood, or
any suitable material, and are not connected together, being retained in
the grooves by equiformity of pressure. The space F, between the
flanges B, B, is intended to be used as a reservoir for oil, which flows
through holes made in the flanges B, B, thus keeping the rollers E, E,
continually lubricated. The various parts of the axle box should be
accurately fitted to each other to prevent, as far as possible, the admis-
sion of air and dust. This improvement of travelling friction rollers
may be applied to the bushes and bearings of machinery of various
kinds, with some necessary modifications; the principle being, that the
shaft or other working part of a machine or engine should revolve in a
bush or bearing, having therein these travelling or rotating friction
rollers. We do not confine ourselves to the precise details hereof, but
the above is a description of the principle of our improvements.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Solomon Solomon and Samuel Mills in the Great
Seal Patent Office, on the 16th December 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we,
SOLOMON SOLOMON, of Aldgate, and SAMUEL MILLS, of St. George's in
the East, Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of June, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the six-

page_text: teenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto us, the said Solomon Solomon and Samuel Mills,
Her special licence that we, the said Solomon Solomon and Samuel
Mills, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we,
the said Solomon Solomon and Samuel Mills, our exccutors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from
time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein ex-
pressed, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN AXLE
BOXES FOR LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES, RAILWAY AND OTHER CARRIAGES, APPLI
CABLE TO THE BEARINGS OF MACHINERY," upon the condition (amongst
others) that we, the said Solomon Solomon and Samuel Mills, by an
instrument in writing under our 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 we, the said Solomon Solomon and Samuel
Mills, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:
Our Invention consists of certain arrangements of friction rollers,
placed around axles of carriages and shafts of machinery in such
manner as to reduce the friction of the moving parts. The rollers are
arranged to rotate upon their own axes, and at the same time travel
round the axle or shaft; by these means the rollers always present an
uniform bearing to the axle or shaft, as the surfaces cannot wear more
in one direction than another. But in order that our Invention may be
fully understood we will proceed to describe the several Figures shewn
upon the Drawings hereunto annexed, reference being had to the
letters and figures marked thereon. Fig. 1, is a longitudinal section
of an axle box, with our improvements applied thereto; Fig. 2, is a
transverse section of the same through the line E, F, Fig. 1. A, A, is
the axle box, made either of cast iron or other suitable material; upon

page_text: the inner side of the box are cast the flanges B, B'; these form one
side of a recess or groove in which are placed a number of cylindrical
rollers C, C; these rollers are made of case-hardened iron, steel, gun
metal, or other suitable metal. A sufficient number of these rollers
are placed within the grooves at each end of the box to form a ring
surrounding the axle, as shewn by the cross section, Figure 2. A, A, is
the axle box; C, C, the friction rollers. To retain these friction rollers
in the grooves a ring of metal having an external screw cut upon its
periphery D, D', is screwed into each end of the box, which thus forms
the opposite side of the groove in which the rollers C, C, travel. The
shoulder of the axle fits into and fills up the space outside the ring D;
at the other or outer end of the axle box a nut screws into the space
left beyond the ring D', making the box secure, and preventing the
admission of dust or other injurious substances. Between the flanges B,
and B', the sides of the axle box form a chamber to receive a quantity
of oil or other lubricating matter; and in order that the friction
rollers C, C, as well as the axle or shaft may at all times be properly
lubricated, holes are made in the flanges B, B, through which the
lubricating matter flows between the rollers. Fig. 3, represents an
axle box of a similar construction to the foregoing, but adapted to an
axle having a conical journal. The friction rollers in this case are set
at an angle agreeing with the taper of the axle; the other parts are
similar to Figures 1, and 2. Fig 4, 5, 6, represent a modification of
our improvements in axle boxes. Fig. 4, is a longitudinal section of
an axle box for an axle having a cylindrical journal. Fig. 5, a trans-
verse section of Figs 4, and 6, through the line E, F; and Fig. 6, a
longitudinal section of a box for an axle with a conical journal. In
this arrangement the friction rollers C, C, are made with a gudgeon
projecting from each end, a groove or recess g, g, to receive the same
being cast in the flanges B, B', and a similar groove h, h, in the rings D,
D; the friction rollers travel round the axle or shaft in the same manner
as those shewn by C, C, Figs 1, 2, 3.
Another modification of our improvements is shewn by Fig 7, 8, 9,
Fig 7, and 9, being longitudinal sections, and Fig. 8, a transverse
section similar to the foregoing Figures. The friction rollers C, C

page_text: have gudgeons like those described in Figs 4, 5, 6, over which are
placed loose metal rings i, i, which rotate on the gudgeons as the rollers
travel round the axle.
Fig. 10, shews our improvements applied to a railway carriage;
K, K, is the axle box cast in two parts K, K', and fastened together
by bolts; annular grooves are formed in the axle box, as described in
the foregoing Figures, in which are placed one, two, or more sets of
friction rollers L, L, travelling round the grooves as before described.
In the case of railway carriages the upper rollers only will receive the
pressure of the axle, but as each roller continually turns upon its axis,
and alters its position with reference to the axle, the whole series will
wear alike, and always retain their cylindrical form. M, M, are
tubular passages bored through the upper and lower portions of the
axle box, and communicating with the chambers N, N. Oil or other
lubricating fluid is poured through the openings M, M, so as nearly to
fill the chambers N, N; holes 0, 0, are made in the lower part of
the chambers communicating with the grooves in which the friction
rollers travel; the oil flows through the holes into the grooves, and as
the rollers traverse round the axle the oil is carried up by them, and
distributed over the bearing parts of the axle journal. The tubular
passages M, M, are fitted with nuts which screw in and prevent dust,
&c. falling into the chambers N, N.
In the modifications of our improvements herein described and
shewn by the Figures 5, to 9, the friction rollers are made with
gudgeons, which revolve in recesses made in the flanges B, B, and
rings D, D, and in the second modification loose collars are placed
over the gudgeons. We, however, wish it to be understoood that we
prefer the arrangement or method first herein described, and shown by
Figures 1, 2, 3.
Fig. 11, shows the application of our improvements as a bearing for
the beam of a steam engine, in place of the gun metal bearing usually
employed; the beam rests upon cylindrical friction rollers as shewn
at O, O. These rollers travel in annular grooves or channels in like
manner to the arrangement shewn by Fig 1, and 2. It will be
obvious from the foregoing that our improvements in the application of

page_text: friction rollers for the purpose of reducing the friction between
the bearings and moving parts of engines are applicable also to all
kinds of machinery where shafts, axles, and other similar parts are
employed.
Having described the nature of our Invention, and the manner in
which the same may be carried into effect, we wish it to be understood
that we do not confine ourselves to the use of one, two, or any number
of sets or series of friction rollers, and that we make no claim for the
use of friction rollers, except when arranged and used in the peculiar
manner herein described. But what we claim as our Invention, and
desire to secure by these Letters Patent. is,-
The constructing of axle boxes for locomotive engines, railway and
other carriages, and bearings for machinery, with grooves or recesses, so
that one or more series of friction rollers placed therein shall travel
round an axle or shaft in order to reduce the friction, and at the same
time forming the bearing of the shaft or axle journal, substantially in
the manner herein described and shewn by the Drawings annexed.
In witness whereof, we, the said Solomon Solomon and Samuel
Mills, have hereunto set our hands and scals, this Sixteenth
day of December, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-three.
SOLOMON SOLOMON. (L.S.)
SAMUEL MILLS.
(L.S.)
SOLOMON SOLOMON. (L.S.)
SAMUEL MILLS.
(L.S.)