IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO WHEELS AND AXLES FOR RAILWAY VEHICLES
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake of the firm of Haseltine Lake
& Co, Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings London, for an invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO WHEELS AND AXLES FOR RAILWAY
VEHICLES A communication to him from abroad by Edward B. Orne, of
"
Philadelphia Pennsylvania United States of America.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 12th September 1882.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE of the Firm of Haseltine Lake & Co Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings London "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO WHEELS
AND AXLES FOR RAILWAY VEHICLES" A communication to me from abroad by
Edward B. Orne of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
This invention relates to improvements in wheels and axles for railway carriages
or vehicles, and consists partly in providing a hollow axle with rigid collars upon
each end, the said collars being adapted to retain in position a split bearing or core
which supports and carries, rigidly secured to it, the main journal or bearing which
works in the usual axle-box, the said split bearing or core being clamped by the
wheel hub; it further consists in minor details of construction, all of which are
fully hereinafter set forth.
The object of the said Invention is to facilitate the passage of wheels of railway
carriages, or vehicles around curves, and to overcome the resistance occasioned by
the circumferential slipping of the wheels on the rails as is the case with the rigid
wheels and axles now in general use
In the accompanying drawing
Figure 1 is a longitudinal central section illustrating part of the said invention
Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same looking in a line with the centre of the
axle.
Figure 3 is an elevation of the central part or section of the axle.
Figure 4 is a perspective view of one half of the core or split bearing.
Figure 5 is a transverse section of the axle, and
Figure 6 is an end view of the core or split bearing

page_text: In carrying the said invention into practice, the wheels L may be of any desired
pattern, but are made larger than usual at the hub K, this extra size of hub being
necessary to receive the core or split bearing E, which is a cylindrical iron or steel
bush made in two longitudinal halves with edges planed or grooved as at e¹ to fit
each other, and which, when placed together, form a round core adapted to be
pressed by hydraulic or other power into the hub K, the flange or rim E¹ arresting
the hub at the proper place to ensure the requisite gauge. The internal formation
of this core E is such as to fit the collars C, J, and the body of hollow axle A
and also the end sections I, the said core being provided with annular grooves G, F,
and an aperture H. The collars B and C are heated and shrunk on the ends of
the hollow axle or central part A which may be turned to receive them. The
"axle "broadly is divided into three sections or lengths comprising one central
part A and two end sections I. The bollow central part A is made of wrought
iron or steel and rests with one end in each of the cores E in the wheels L. This
central part with the steel or wrought collars C, B, which are shrunk on it, keeps
the wheels L to gauge and in proper position. The two iron or steel collars on
each end of the axle A are arranged one outside and one inside of the core E, as
shown in figure 1. There are four small screw-plugs M in different parts of the
axle A; the said plugs are arranged equidistant about the circumference of the said
axle and one of them is withdrawn when it is desired to fill the said axle with oil ;
by their arrangement one or other of the plugs will always be in a suitable position.
The ends of the hollow axle A are partly closed by perforated plugs D, whose
perforations are in the centre, and are all so provided with apertures & through
which oil flows to lubricate the cores E. The end sections I of the axle proper are
made of steel or wrought iron and rest in the cores E by which they are firmly
clamped, the ends projecting and forming the journals or bearings i for the brasses
of the axle boxes, which may be the same as are now in general use. These end
sections I of the axle are firmly secured to the cores E and prevented from turning
therein by pins of sufficient length and size, which pass through the outside of
the core E into the end sections I. These pins are put in place before the cores are
pressed into the wheel-hub, and therefore, when the said cores are in position, they
cannot work out.
The journal or bearing i is lubricated in the same manner as are the journals or
bearings in the rigid axles now in general use, and in addition thereto a channel I'
is bored through the centre of each end section I of the axle, by which channel, oil
or other lubricant may pass to the hollow axle and also lubricate the independent
axle bearing inside the core E. The inner ends of these end sections I are provided
with solid collars or flanges J, which fit into the annular grooves F in the cores E,
and by which they are prevented from working out. Between the ends of the
central section A and the end sections I of the axle are steel discs N, which are
used to prevent any undue wear of these parts. The collars B and the ends of the
cores E are provided with rims b, e, which prevent any escaping oil from spreading
upon the axle, collars, hubs or cores. If desired, one end of the axle A may be
rigidly attached to one wheel and have a journal or bearing formed on its end.
I do not limit myself to the exact construction of the parts shown, as they may
be modified in various ways without departing from the said invention, for
instance, the inner end of the part or section I may extend loosely into the hollow
axle and be provided with horizontal grooves to feed the oil slowly to the holes d.
Having thus fully described the said invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim
First. The wheels having journals or bearings on their outer sides for the axle
boxes of a vehicle, in combination with a central part or axle loosely journalled to
each of the said wheels, substantially as, and for the purpose, set forth.
Second. The wheels having journals or bearings upon their outer sides for the
axle-boxes of a vehicle, in combination with a central part or axle made hollow
and loosely journailed in each of the said wheels, the said hollow axle being

page_text: provided with means to admit a lubricant, and holes to allow the said lubricant to
flow from the said axle to its journals in the wheels, all substantially as, and for
the purposes, set forth.
Third. An axle made of a central and two end sections, in combination with
split cores arranged to firmly clamp the end sections and form bearings for the
central section, and wheels, the hubs of which clamp the two parts of the cores
together, substantially as set forth.
Fourth. The central part A provided with the collars upon its ends, in combi-
nation with the split cores E having the grooves G, F, the end sections I having
the journals or bearings i, and the wheels L having the hubs K, substantially as set
forth.
Fifth. The hollow central part A partially closed on its ends and provided with
the holes d or their equivalent, the collars B, C, and the plugs M, in combination
with the cores E made in two parts and having grooves F, G, the end sections I
having the flange J, bearings i, and channel I', and the wheels L having the hubs K,
substantially as set forth.
Sixth. The combination of the hollow central part A having collars B, C, closing
end plugs D, and holes d, the cores E having grooves G, F, and made in halves, the
end sections I having flanges J and bearings i, the disc N, and the wheels L having
the hubs K, substantially as set forth.
Seventh. An axle for railway carriages or vehicles, made hollow and provided
with a series of closed apertures arranged about its circumference to enable it to be
filled with a lubricant, in combination with loose wheels upon one or both of its
ends, substantially as set forth.
In witness whereof I the said William Robert Lake have hereunto set my
hand and seal this Twelfth day of September in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty two