IMPROVEMENTS IN REDUCING THE FRICTION OF AXLETREES AND AXLETREE BOXES, AND OTHER SUCH MOVING PARTS OF MACHINERY
Year: 1839

page_text: POOLES SP
TION.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, MOSES
POOLE, of the Patent Office, Lincoln's Inn, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Thirteenth day of May, in the Second Year of Her Reign,"
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Moses Poole, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that
I, the said Moses Poole, my exors, adiñors, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Moses Poole, my exors, admors, or assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time, and at all times during the term
of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed,
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN REDUCING THE FRICTION OF AXLETREES AND
AXLETREE BOXES, AND OTHER SUCH MOVING PARTS OF MACHINERY," communicated to
me by a certain Foreigner residing abroad; in which said Letters Patent is
contained a proviso that I; the said Moses Poole, shall cause a particular
description of the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be inrolled in Her said Majesty's High Court of'
Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of
the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference being
thereunto had, will more fully and at large apper.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Moses Poole, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and the

page_text: manner in which the same is to be performed, are fully described and ascertained
in and by the following statement thereof, reference being had to the Drawings
hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked thereon (that is
to say):
The object of this Invention is to reduce the friction which exists in the
bearings of machinery, particularly applicable to the axletree of wheels; the
fixed part of a shaft, which acts as the point of pressure, whether it be a ver-
tical or horizontal shaft, offers a resistance. which diminishes the power by
which it is acted upon, and this resistance is the friction, and it is by this con-
tinued action that the different parts of machinery so acted upon are destroyed.
The Invention consists in modes of placing around the moveable parts of
the machines (such, for instance, as the axletree of a wheel) a series of steel
or other metal balls or spheres, which turn with them, and do not offer any
resistance, care being observed that they are so placed as not to touch each
other; as that would give a different motion to that already communicated.
This system will be better understood by the description which follows. The
first mode of carrying out this Invention consists of three rows of balls placed
at equal distances around the axletree of the wheel of a carriage, which is in
contact with the surface of these balls, as shewn in the Drawing. Each row
is composed of six balls; each of these rows rests upon two small axles, the
axes of which are parallel to the axis of the carriage, in such a manner that
each ball touches upon three different points situated at equal distances the one
from the other; these small axletrees rest upon plates of metal at the two
ends of the box of the wheel, and are fixed by screw bolts. When the wheel
turns, each row of balls passes successively under the axletree of the carriage,
and receive a rotatory motion, which is communicated to the small axles; the
balls resting. upon moveable parts reduce the friction, and the. danger from
firing in the rapidity, of the revolution of the wheel is greatly reduced...
Figure 1 represents a wheel in elevation, with the plate of, metal, upon
which are shewn the axes of the small axles or rollers, with the heads of the
bolts D, with the axle A. Figure 2 shews a vertical section: A is the axle-
tree; C, the balls upon which the axletree rests; B, the rollers upon which
the balls rest; D, the bolts which fix the plates of metal together; E, the box
of the wheel. Figure 3 represents a sectional view of the interior of the
wheel: A, the axle; B, the rollers; C, the balls; D, the bolts; F, the metal
plates; E, the box of the wheel;, L is a ring or collar to, prevent the friction
of the axle against the box of the wheel.
.
. Another mode of carrying out this Invention is, by having two circular metal
recesses placed at each end of the box of the wheel, placed parallel to one

page_text: A is the
another; the axis of these recesses is the same as the axletree.. Within these
recesses are four balls of steel, upon which the axle-rests; between these balls are
four moveable rollers, which prevent the balls from coming into contact with
one another. To each of these cylinders is attached another cylinder of a larger
diameter; they both move upon their axes, which is fixed to an iron ring;
these upper rollers press upon the upper part of the recesses; these movements
are all made with very little friction and with great regularity; the balls being
of the same size, all move in the same manner, without allowing one to
approach the other, and nothing but a violent concussion would disarrange the
system, but that would be remedied by the cylinders. In order to prevent a
possibility of the axle from not properly working in these recesses.. I place two
steel rings around the axle; and to which are fixed the small rollers. In place
of balls, cylinders without axes may be used, but not so advantageously.
Figure 4 represents a wheel in elevation, with the metal plate over the front
of the wheel, showing the axis A, and the heads of the bolts D. Figure 5
shews the interior of the box. of the wheel, shewing this system:
axletree; B; the small rollers;: C, the balls; D, the bolts which fix the
recesses to the box of the wheel; E, the box of the wheel; F shews part of
the steel ring upon-which are fixed the axes of the small cylinders; H are the
steel bearings in which the balls move; I is a ring placed around the the
axletrée, which communicates the movement to the balls; G shews the recess:
Figure 6 shews a section of the interior of the wheel: A is the axle; B, the
small cylinders; C; C, the balls in the interior part of the recess; D, D, are-the
bolts; E, the box of the wheel; I, I, the rings placed around the axle; H
the small rings placed against the ends of the recesses; F, the steel ring to
which the axes of the cylinders are fixed; R, a small ring of iron to support
the arrangement before described, in the interior part of the recesses; G shows
the interior of the recess; L is a projection fixed on to the axle A, and which
presses' against the double plate K, which is divided into two parts; the object
of its being to prevent the axle from coming out of the box of the wheel. The
operation of this system is the same as that previously described.
Another part of the Invention is a mode of checking and stopping the wheels
of carriages when rapidly descending hills. This is done by raising or lowering
a lever placed before the carriage; over the square part of the axle is fixed
straps or bands; across these straps are placed two iron bars, which extend the
length of the axletree to the inner end of the box of the wheel. These iron
bars M and R are made sufficiently strong, that in the event of the axle
breaking; which it sometimes does in going down a hill, they will support the
wheel. Upon-one of these iron bands and at its two ends are fixed four semi-

page_text: circular hoops, which form the joint of the hinge which surround the outer
part of the nave of the wheel. To the other end of these rings is a double
joint. When the first is fixed to the second bar of iron, which is parallel to the
first, and the second joint opposite to the first is also fixed to an iron lever, which
is joined to the same iron bar, and by this means forms a double moveable joint
to the four half-circular joints, which upon the least movement being given to
the lever it will close, and open the circle upon the circumference of the naves
to such a degree that the least force employed' will stop the progress of the
carriage, the coachman may regulate the action of this drag by. having a
ong lever connected with the wheel. and the footboard, so that by the pressure
of his foot he can put it on or off as he may require. Figures 18 and 19
show a plan and side view of part of the wheel and axletree, with the apparatus
attached. A is the axle; M and Rare the bars of iron; C and D are the
straps which support the bars of iron; 0, 0, are the bolts which fix these straps;
P, Q, are the semicircles which press upon the nave of the wheel; R', the bolt
which holds the other end of the circles, and which permits them to be raised
or pressed upon the nave when they are acted upon by the iron bar M. This
bar has at its end an iron plate fixed to each of the two axes which cross the
iron circles: or bands, and by this means they may be raised or closed by
moving this bar M. E is the outer plate placed against the bar M; B are
the bolts which fix this plate E. Figure 12 shows the drag applied to a wheel:
P and Q are the branches or semicircles of metal; M, the iron bar, corre
sponding to the arm of the lever fixed to the branch Q by two bolts R, R.
R' shows the end of the fixed bar near the axletree, and which forms the joint
of the hinge composed of the two ends S and T of the two branches P and Q.
This drag will be found applicable to any description of.carriages.
...
Another mode of applying the first part of the Invention is the employing ot
vertical shafts moveable on their axes, which will be found very advantageous
to windmills. It consists of using three balls of an equal size, and placed at
equal distances. These balls are placed within a circular recess. The upright
shaft rests upon these balls; the lower end of it is of a spherical form. Between
the balls are three small cylinders moving upon their axes, which are fixed to
a steel collar placed around the shaft. The interior of these recesses are
Jined with steel, to prevent their wearing away too rapidly. At the other end
of the upright shaft is fixed, by means of two cross bars, a mill-stone with
a conical hole in its centre; at the upper part of this stone is also another
stone; at the lower part of the centre of this stone there is a recess, of the same
description as that described in my second plan of carrying out this Invention.
The four balls which are enclosed within serve for the points of support to the

page_text: shaft, to prevent the shaft from coming in contact with any but moveable parts.
The shaft in turning gives motion to the balls, which communicate it to the
small cylinders, and turn with them without any friction with ease and perfect
regularity. The balls are kept in their proper position by these small cylinders.
Figure 9 shews a plan of this recess: A is the shaft; B, the small cylinders;
C, the balls; H, the steel ring round the interior of the recess; G, the outer
part of the recess; R, the bolts which fix it to the machinery.. Figure 10 is
an elevation of a machine, with the apparatus applied. Figure 11, a section of the
same: G, the recess; A, the shaft; B; the small cylinders; b, the axes of these
cylinders; C, the balls; H, the ring or collar; N, the millstone fixed to the shaft:
M, the millstone supported by the three columns S; P, the bolt which-fixės
the stone N to the shaft. The part of Figure 11 shews a section of the recess
G, which is the same as those already described. These balls or spheres are
not the only means which may be used. Cylinders of a conical form may be
used, as will be afterwards described. Cylinders or rollers without axes may
also be used with small moveable rings, each crossed by a small screw, to keep
them at an equal distance. I am aware that small rollers or cylinders have
been used, but these have failed, in consequence of their having either. at their
ends or centres fixed axes, which support all the weight, and which causes all
the friction. Figure 14 represents a vertical section of a recess affixed to a
foot piece, tied by means of two bolts to a piece of wood. This recess. is so
constructed that it will retain sufficient oil for six months work without being
obliged continually to supply it. In this recess are four small cylinders of a
proportionable size to the shaft; they have running through their centres four
pins, which are fixed to two, small moveable rings which keep them in
their proper position, and at equal distances. As these cylinders are placed in
the Drawing, it will be seen that their exterior surface bears upon 'the'innėr
surface of a steel ring fixed in the interior in the recess or reservoir; this ring
is cut into two parts; and kept in its position by two small screws; the oil or
grease cannot escape, because it is kept in by the sides of the interior of the
recess which are kept close, according to the thickness of the shaft, and which
keeps the shaft or axes from moving from one side to the other. It is essential
to remark, that the interior of this presses upon the shaft through a steel'ring,
which is adjusted to the pivot of the shaft. This is to present any injury
being done either to the cylinder or to the recess containing them, as the power
presses through the medium of these intermediate rings. These rings being
made of tempered steel do not easily wear away It should be observed that
the small ring to which the pins of the cylinders are fixed are narrower than
the diameter of the cylinder, as shewn at Figure 14, in order that the sides of

page_text: such rings should not press upon the surface of the cylinder. By this arrange-
ment they will always follow the movements of the cylinders and keep them
always in their position. These screws have only to support the weight of the
two small rings. It will readily be seen that this system may be applied to
the wheels of carriages and to all' classes of rotatory' machinery where
the object is to reduce the friction..
upon
Description of Figure 14-A is the horizontal shaft; B; B, are the-cylin-
ders; Ris the steel:ring: fixed upon the pivot of the shaft
which presses
the. surface. of the cylinder; G is: the ring placed within the recess, and which
forms a circular road, and which presses upon the shaft in its revolution; F, F,
shew the holes in the cylinders: for fixing them to the main ring; D; the bolt
which fastens the inner ring; E,, the screw which keeps this ring together;
K, K, shew the bolts: which connet. the two sides of the recess together;
F, F are the bolts which connet the recess to the piece of wood.
Figures 15 and 16 represent: a recess or reservoir containing the working
parts applicable to vertical or oblique shafts capable of turning upon their axes;
to the ends of the shaft are: applied conical pieces; which are kept fixed by
means of screws, which. may be raised or lowered as required. In the recess
are three conical cylinders placed at the same inclination as the end of the
shaft, and the parts upon which they press are made of tempered steel; these
cylinders: are: so. placed that all the conical parts of the shaft will come in
regular and perfect contact with them, and which will prevent their being
disarranged in their movements. It should be observed that the conical part
of the shaft is formed of tempered steel, to prevent its being injured by. the
pressing against. the surface of the cylinders. It will be seen at Figure 15
that these: conical cylinders have a hole through their centres into which is
placed a branch or arm of wood, or other suitable material bent in the same
direction as the cylinders; one end of this branch or arm is fixed by means of
a screw to the cylinders, and the other to a flat ring which is moveable upon
the shaft, and which bears lightly upon the surface of the conical part placed
upon the end of the vertical shaft; these branclies or arms'serve to keep-the
cylinders: from being affected by any accidental shock which miglit arise, and
which: would otherwise disarrange them. These cylinders being parallel to
one another will move in the same direction. This system does not differ in
principle from that of the balls or spheres already described, the only differ-
ence. being that there is a greater surface for the pressure to act against, and
the means of producing the same result are less complicated.
Description of Figures 15 and. 16:-Figure 16 is a section of a recess or
reservoir partly shown in perspective, and Figure 16 is a plan of the same:

page_text: A represents the vertical shaft; B the conical piece; G, the branches or
arms which are attached to the cylinders; O, the bolts which join these
branches or arms to the flat ring H; E and D are the points upon which the
cylinders press; F is the recess containing the parts before described; I are
the bolts which connect the reservoir to the framing.
Figure 17 shows a mode of fixing the axletree within the nave of the
wheel; it is generally done by having at one end of the nave an iron ring in
two parts and with four holes, into which are placed the bolts of the naves
furnished with pieces of leather or washers, which are driven on through the
back of the nave and the iron ring. According to this Invention there is a
metal plate fixed at the back of the nave of the wheel by four screw bolts
which pass into the box before the nave, and the holes of the box are so
formed for screws to fit in. This metal plate is placed at the centre, in order
to form a round box of the necessary depth, to allow for the thickness of the
end of the axle; near the back of this plate are two pieces which are con-
nected with the other plate and form an angle, in order to receive two other
metal plates which slide towards the centre of the nave and so retain the end
of the axle. These slides are kept in their proper places by means of screws.
When it is required to take off the wheel it will be seen that it is only necessary
to unscrew the small screws, and the two pieces which form the slides will
open without leaving the metal plate.
Description of Figure 17:-F represents the metal plate fixed at the back
end of the nave by four bolts 0, 0, 0, O; C, the two pieces which are fixed
upon the metal plate F, and which form the two sides of the slides; B, B, are
the slides which fit into the pieces C; A is the hole for the axletree; R shews
a perspective view of the interior of the box in which is placed the end of the
axle, and by which means it is retained therein.
Having thus described the nature of the Invention, and the manner of per-
forming the same, I would have it understood that I do not claim any of the
parts separately. But what I claim is,-
First, the modes of reducing the friction of the axletrees of carriages and
of other machinery, as herein described;
Secondly, I claim the mode of retarding or checking the speed of carriages,
as described; and
Lastly, I claim the mode of fixing or removing the axletree to the wheels of
carriages, as above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Moses Poole, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Thirteenth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and thirty-nine.
MOSES (L.S.) POOLE.

page_text: :
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Thirteenth day of November;.
in the year of our Lord 1839, the aforesaid Moses Poole, came before
our said Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Specifi-
Cation aforesaid, and all and every' thing therein contained and specified,
in form above written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped
according to the tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Inrolled the Thirteenth day of November, in the year of our Lord One
.. thousand eight hundred and thirty-nine.