Improvements in Adjustable Nuts for Carriage Axles.
Year: 1890

page_text: United States of America),
Date of Application (in United Kingdom), 11th June, 1890
Complete Specification Left, 11th June, 1890-Accepted, 6th Sept., 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Adjustable Nuts for Carriage Axles.
I, FRANCIS DELOSS BLISS, of Bridgeport in the county of Fairfield and State of
Connecticut, United States of America, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of
my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN ADJUSTABLE NUTS FOR CARRIAGE AXLES, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention has for its object to simplify and improve the construction and
operation of this class of devices. With these ends in view I have devised the novel
axle-nut of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying
drawings, is a specification, numbers and letters being used to denote the several
parts.
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of an axle-box and my novel axle-nut, showing the
spindle of the axle in elevation, the outer end thereof being broken away to show the
construction of the nut ;
Fig. 2, is a longitudinal section of the end of the axle-box, the spindle, and the axle-
nut, the plane on which the section is taken being at right angles to that in Fig. L.
Figs. 3 and 4 are plan views of the inner and outer parts of the nut detached ;
Fig. 5, a perspective of the lecking piece for the outer part of the nut detached ;
and
Fig. 6 is a view corresponding with Fig. 2, illustrating a slightly different way in
which I have carried my invention into effect.
1 denotes the axle proper, 2 the spindle, and 3 the axle-box. The box may be of
any ordinary or preferred construction; but the spindle differs from ordinary spindles
in that, instead of having a reduced threaded portion at its outer end for engagement
by the axle-nut, the reduced portion is entirely dispensed with, and in lieu thereof
I provide an internally threaded recess 1 at the outer end of the spindle.
The axle-nut is a compound nut, consisting of two essential parts, the inner of
which I designate as A and the outer as B-a locking-piece and a set screw. Part A
is provided with a recess 5 at its inner end, which receives a hardened steel-washer 6,
against which the end of the axle-box lies in use, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2,
both the spindle and the axle-box extending a short distance into part A. The
exterior of part B or a portion of it, as shown in the drawings, is made polygonal,
see 11, preferably hexagonal, as shown, to adapt it to receive an ordinary carriage-
wrench when it is required to remove the nut from the spindle. This part is also
provided with a reverse female screw-thread, which is engaged by a male thread 7 on
art B. The inner end of part B is reduced in diameter and is provided with a male
tbread 8, which engages the thread in recess 4 at the outer end of the spindle.
For convenience in description I will designate the portion of part B having
thread 7 as 9 and the portion having thread 8 as 10. At the outer end of part B is
a polygonal portion 12, preferably made hexagonal, as shown, for engagement by a
suitable wrench in adjusting, as will be presently explained.
13 denotes a transverse recess through portion 9 of part B, and 14 a locking-piece
lying in said recess. The ends of the locking piece are threaded to correspond with
thread 7.
15 denotes a set-screw in the outer end of part B, the inner end of which bears

page_text: against the locking piece and acts, when tightened up, to press the threads at the
ends of said locking-piece against the female thread of part A, thereby locking
parts A and B securely together, so that in use part B can be removed from the
spindle and turned back to place without the slightest danger of changing the
adjustment of part A. In Fig. 6 I have shown the locking-piece as made in two
parts, which I have designated as 14". The inner ends of these parts are inclined
outward, as clearly shown, and are engaged by the inner end of set screw 15, which
in this form is made cone-shaped, as at 15, the action in locking parts A and
together being precisely the same as in the other form.
The operation is as follows: In adjusting the nut set-screw 15 is loosened to
release the locking-piece and part A is turned to move it outward on part B-that is
toward the right. Part B is then turned by applying a wrench to polygonal
portion 11 until part 10 thereof is firmly seated in the threaded recess in the end of
the spindle. Part A is then turned toward the left until the end of the box bears
against washer 6-that is to say, until the washer and end of the box are closely in
contact, so as to prevent lost motion, but at the same time permitting the axle-box to
turn freely on the spindle. Set screw 15 is then tightened up, causing the threads
of the locking piece to engage the female thread of part A, thereby locking parts A
and B firmly together. Parts A and B do not require to be adjusted relatively to
each other, nor does the set-screw require to be disturbed until there has been
sufficient wear upon the end of the axle-box to require tightening up to take up lost
motion.
In ordinary use the compound nut is removed by applying an ordinary carriage-
wrench to polygonal portion 11 and turning it on and off in the usual manner. The
operation of the form illustrated in Fig. 6 is precisely the same.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what
I claim is:
1st. An axle-nut consisting of a part A, having a female thread, and a part B
having a male thread to engage part A, said part B being provided with a transverse
recess and having therein a locking-piece whose ends are threaded to correspond with
the thread of part B, and a set-screw, the inner end of which engages, the locking-
piece and acts to force the threads at the ends thereof against the thread of part A,
so that when parts A and B have been adjusted relatively to each other they may be
locked firmly in position by tightening up the set screw, substantially as described.
2nd. An axle nut consisting of a part A, having a female thread, and a part B
having a male thread to engage part A and a thread to engage the spindle, said
part B being provided with a transverse recess and having therein a locking-piece
whose ends are threaded to correspond with the thread of part B, and a set-screw, the
inner end of which engages the locking piece and acts to force the threads at the
inner ends,thereof against the thread in part A, substantially as described.
3rd. The combination with a carriage spindle having at its outer end an internally
threaded recess, of a nut having a portion provided with a thread to engage said
recess, an internally-threaded adjustable portion adapted to engage the outer end of
the spindle, a locking-piece having threads engaging the adjustable portion, and
a set screw engaging the locking piece, whereby the parts may be locked in position
after adjustment, substantially as described.
4th. In an axle-nut, part A, having a female thread, in combination with a part B,
having a male thread to engage therewith and a male thread to engage the spindle,
said part B having a transverse recess and a locking-piece threaded at its ends to
correspond with the thread of such part, and a set-screw engaging the locking-piece
to force the threads thereof into engagement with part A, substantially as described.
Dated this 25th day of June 1890.