IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILROAD CARRIAGE AXLE BOXES
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILROAD CARRIAGE AXLE BOXES."-A communication
from abroad by Charles Albert Hussey, of the City, County, and
Ti Staton
Sealed the 11th December 1874, and dated the 24th October 1874.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Alexander Melville Clark
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and
Declaration, on the 24th October 1874, pursuant to the 9th Section
of the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALEXANDER
MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN RAILROAD CARRIAGE AXLE BOXES," and have petitioned Her Majesty to
grant unto me, my executors, administrators, and assigns, Her Royal
Letters Patent for the same, and have made solemn Declaration that it

page_text: has been communicated to me from abroad by ATICS
of the City, County, and State of New York, United States of
America.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, do hereby
declare that the following Complete Specification, under my hand and
scal, fully describes and ascertains the nature of the said Invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and
to the figures and letters marked thereon, that is to say :-
"
The danger and trouble caused by the entrance of dust and grit into
the boxes of railroad axles is very great, as it causes the journal to heat
and wear out; and by heating and wearing the journal, or heating and
wearing the " "brass over the journal the axle is thrown from its true
position, and is much more likely to be broken than it is when it rests
fairly in its box. It has heretofore been considered impossible to make
the box perfectly tight so that dust and dirt would be excluded. The
whole dust plate, which works with the axle, does not exclude the dust,
as it is subject to the lateral motion of the axlc, and is constantly.
vibrating, and any slight wearing of the parts leaves an open joint for
dust and grit to enter and reach the journal.
It is the object of the present Invention to overcome this difficulty,
and to make the box perfectly tight and dust proof, and consists in the
application of leather or other flexible material of proper form or shape,
attached by means of flanges or rings to the inner end of the box, and
with an outer ring which bears against the outer end of the wheel hub
so as to allow of the vibration of the axle caused by the irregularities of
the track, or any other cause, the contact of the outer ring or flanges
with the wheel hub being secured by spiral or other springs attached to
thic box, or operating in any other manner suitable for the purpose.
In the accompanying Drawing Figure 1 is a longitudinal view, partly
in section, to show the journal and leather packing arranged to form a
tight connection against the wheel; Figure 2 is a vertical section of
Figure 1 taken on the line X, X.

page_text: E represents the hub of the wheel.
F is the leather packing, which is stamped from a single piece so as to
form two flanges G and H, which allows it to be fastened to the back
end of the box by the ring I, and to the large ring J by the ring K.
These rings I and K are fastened by means of screws or rivets, as may
be desired, or in any suitable manner. The large ring J and the outer
surface of the wheel hub (which are placed in contact with each other)
aro nicely faced off in the lathe, so that they will run tightly together,
and keep a close joint al all times.
The leather between the flanges G, H, is made of conical form in
cross section, or is left loose and baggy, so that it will readily expand
and contract, and allow of any movement of the axle or box up or down
or laterally.
L are spiral springs attached to the corners of the box at one end, and
to arms M on the large bearing ring J at the other end, by means of
which the ring J is forced against the wheel hub with a constant but
moderate pressure to insure a close joint at all times.
purpose,
Any other suitable means may be employed for this
other suitable flexible material may be used instead of leather.
and any
The leather packing may be made in more than one piece, and the
edges may be sewed or cemented together in any suitable and substantial
manner.
In ordinary axle boxes the space N below the journal is filled with
cotton waste or other packing for the purpose of absorbing the oil or
lubricating material; this packing is in constant contact with the
journal, and supplies oil by capillary attraction; this packing soon
gathers a coating of dust and grit on its surface, and has to be frequently
renewed, which is both troublesome and expensive.
By the present arrangement the oil may be poured into the box, so
that the journal will run in oil, and not a drop can escape. The box
may (by this Invention) be made much smaller and shorter than usual,
thus saving a material item in weight, and dispensing with the dust.
plate altogether.

page_text: I would observe that I do not confine myself to the precise con-
struction and arrangement of the parts shown. The flange or ring J
may be brought in contact with a flange or rings on the hub of the
wheel, and there may be other variations without departing from the
Invention.
Having described the nature of the Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I declare that what I claim as new and desire to
secure by Letters Patent is,—
•
First. The interposition of leather or other flexible or yielding material
between the wheel hub and axle box, so arranged as to make tight joints
for excluding dust and retaining the lubricating oil, and allowing the
axle to vibrate, substantially as shown and described.
Second. The flanges G, H, rings I and K, and faced ring J arranged
in combination with the leather or other packing F, substantially as and
for the purposes described.
Third. The springs L or their equivalents in combination with the
ring J, substantially as and for the purposes described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Melville Olark, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of October,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
four.
Witness,
H'. SWALES,
53, Chancery Lane,
London.
A. M. CLARK. (L.S.)