AN IMPROVED AXLE AND AXLE BOX FOR CARRIAGE WHEELS, SHAFTS, AXLES, OR GENERAL BEARINGS OF MACHINERY
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Anguish Honour Augustus Durant, Esquire, of Tong
Castle, Salop, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED AXLE AND AXLE BOX
FOR CARRIAGE WHEELS, SHAFTS, AXLES, OR GENERAL BEARINGS OF MACHINERY."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Anguish Honour Augustus
Durant, at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 5th April 1855.
J, ANGUISH HONOUR AUGUSTUS DURANT, Esquire, of Tong Castle, Salop, do
hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "AN IMPROVED AXLE AND AXLE
Box FOR CARRIAGE WHEELS, SHAFTS, AXLES, OR GENERAL BEARINGS OF MACHINERY,"
to be as follows:-
The working part of my axle consists of a cylinder in which two or more
grooves are cut, so as to diminish the working or bearing surface of the said
axle. The axle box consists of a hollow cylinder fitting the axle. Instead of
making the broad grooves described in the axle, I sometimes make the same
in the axle box, and thereby diminish the friction in the said axle. At the
bottom, at the said broad grooves, I cut a fine helical or spiral groove, along
which the oil or lubricating matter is carried, and deposited at or near the
working surfaces, the said lubricating matter being supplied from a reservoir
at or near the end of the axle or axle box. Although I have described my
axle and axle box as being cylindrical, yet they may be made slightly conical.
The same method of reducing friction may also be applied to the shafts or

page_text: axles of machinery, and to the journals and bearings of the same.
The axle
box is attached to the axle by a ring bearing against a collar on the axle,
which said screwed ring engages in a thread at the end of the axle box, and
brings the latter up to the bearing against the shoulder of the axle, or the
axle box may be attached to the axle in any other convenient manner. An axle
or axle box made according to my Invention requires less oil or lubricating
matter than an ordinary axle and axle box.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Anguish Honour Augustus Durant in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 5th October 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ANGUISH
HONOUR AUGUSTUS DURANT, Esquire, of Tong Castle, Salop, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the eighteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Anguish Honour Augustus Durant, Her special licence that I, the said
Anguish Honour Augustus Durant, my exccutors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said Anguish Honour Augustus Durant, my executors,
administrators, 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 "AN IMPROVED AXLE AND AXLE BOX, TO BE CALLED
THE ANATEIROS OR ANTI-PRICTION AXLE, FOR CARRIAGE WHEELS, SHAFTS, AXLES, OR
GENERAL BEARINGS OF MACHINERY," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said Anguish Honour Augustus Durant, by an instrument in writing
under my hand and seal, 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 I, the said Anguish Honour Augustus Durant,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof (that is to say) :-

page_text: The working part of my axle consists of a cylinder in which two or more
grooves are cut, so as to diminish the working or bearing surface of the said
axle. The axle box consists of a hollow cylinder fitting the axle. Instead of
making the broad grooves described in the axle, I sometimes make the same
in the axle box, and thereby diminish the friction on the said axle. At the
bottom of the said broad grooves I cut a fine helical or spiral groove; along
which the oil or lubricating matter is carried, and deposited at or near the
working surfaces, the said lubricating matter being supplied from a reservoir
at or near the end of the axle or axle box. Although I have described my
axle and axle box as being cylindrical, yet they may be made slightly conical.
The same method of reducing friction may also be applied to the shafts or
axles of machinery, and to the journals and bearings of the same. T'he axle
box is attached to the axle by a ring bearing against a collar on the axle,
which said screwed ring engages in a thread at the end of the axle box, and
brings the latter up to the bearing against the shoulder. of the axle; or
the axle box may be attached to the axle in any other convenient manner.
An axle or axle box made according to my Invention requires less oil or
Jubricating matter than an ordinary axle and axle box.
Having thus stated the nature of my said Invention, I will proceed to
describe more fully the mode of performing the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
The Drawing shows the section of a carriage axle and box constructed
according to my Invention; a is the axle, which has grooves a', a', cut around
it, so that the contact with the box 6 is greatly reduced, such bearing parts
being the projections or rings a², a². In the arrangement shown, there are
three bearing or projecting surfaces a³ within the box; but this may be varied,
and a greater number of bearing surfaces might be used on an axle. The
spaces c, c, are filled with oil or lubricating fluid; and in order to ensure the
passage of the lubricating fluid between the bearing surfaces and the interior
of the box, there is a spiral groove d, formed as shown, round axle or in the
box, or more spiral grooves may be employed. It will be evident that in
place of the bearing surfaces being on or forming part of the axle, they may
be with or without the spiral grooves on the interior of the box.
e is a cap
screwed on the outer end of the box. This box is retained from movement by
screws f. The axle is retained in the box by the screw 9, and washer h, such
screw g being prevented turning by a screw i, or the axle may be retained in
the box, and covered at its outer end by a right and left threaded screw, or by

page_text: other arrangements of parts, as before practised. In like manner I construct
the bearing parts of the shafts or axles of machinery.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood that what I claim is, the
combination of parts herein described, and the peculiar nature of the bearings,
and their supply of oil.
In witness whereof, I, the said Anguish Honour Augustus Durant, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of September,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.
Witness,
J. G. JONES.
A. H. AUGUSTUS DURANT. (L.S.)