IMPROVEMENTS IN MOUNTING & FITTING WHEELS & AXLES TO CARRIAGES, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO PULLIES & OTHER PARTS MOVING ON AXES
Year: 1858

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Thomas Booth at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 25th June 1858.
I, THOMAS BOOTH, of Rahere Street, Goswell Road, in the County of
Middlesex, Carpenter, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention.
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MOUNTING & FITTING WHEELS & AXLES TO CARRIAGES,
WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO PULLIES & OTHER PARTS MOVING
ON AXES," to be as follows:-
My Invention of improvements in mounting & fitting wheels and axles to
carriages consists first in so fitting the axle to its bearings that the friction
consequent on its rotary motion is subdivided and distributed on many bearing
surfaces, besides which these bearing surfaces are so disposed that the weight
of a carriage, when tractive force is applied thereto, produces a tendency to
onward motion. For this purpose I fit the axle loose in its bearings, these
bearings consisting of a number of rings placed one within the other. The
smaller ring or bearing surface with which the axle is in immediate contact
is fitted somewhat closely to the axle; the next ring is somewhat larger than
the small one, so that it has considerable play within it; the third ring is
similarly adapted to the outer diameter of the second ring, & so on are the
several rings disposed and fitted within each other; the outer ring constitutes
a fixed bearing surface fixed to the carriage frame. The fixed bearing has
annular plates fixed to it which partially enclose the sides of the several rings
& keep them in position; two other annular plates are secured to the axle

page_text: which enclose the sides of the smaller rings & embrace or overlap the larger
annular plates, thereby keeping the whole of the bearing rings in position;
suitable stop collars or other parts are affixed to the axle for securing the
several parts in position. The weight of the carriage resting on its bearings
presses all the rings in contact with each other in a vertical line upward from
the axle, & in a position eccentric to each other. When tractive force is
applied to the carriage it throws this line of contact out of the vertical position,
& the weight resting on the several rings in this line of contact now out of the
upright, gives the carriage a tendency to onward motion, & at the same time
any rotary motion of the axle is distributed throughout the number of bearing
rings, & does not take effect on any one bearing surface in particular.
My improvements in mounting & fitting wheels to axles consist of a similar
arrangement of rings placed one within the other, the axle being free to rotate
within the smaller ring or bearing surface which is of considerable thickness;
a series of rings surround this bearing surface, which are all received & enclosed
within annular plates fixed to each side of the wheel; between the annular
plates and these rings I dispose annular surfaces of india-rubber as cushions
to receive any side shocks; a plate of metal is interposed between the india-
rubber & the rings as a friction surface; other annular plates are secured to
the axle which embrace the annular plates fixed to the wheel, which is thereby
kept in position laterally with regard to the axle; suitable collars, caps, & stops
are fitted to the axle to secure the several parts in proper position.
The remarks before made with reference to the tractive force transmitted
through the axle & taking effect on the wheel, apply, with regard to the
tendency to onward motion, also to the distribution of the friction on the several
rings or bearing surfaces resulting from the rotary motion.
The same arrangement of parts is also applicable to pullies and other
parts having motion on axes.