IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY AXLE BOXES, ALSO APPLICABLE TO ALL KINDS OF ROLLING STOCK
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas North, of the Great Northern Railway
Cottages, Hitchen, in the County of Hertfordshire, for the Inven-
tion of "IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY AXLE BOXES, ALSO APPLICABLE TO ALL
KINDS OF ROLLING STOCK."-A communication from abroad by Owen
Tomlinson, of Prell, Bombay, East Indies.
Sealed the 4th April 1878, and dated the 26th November 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas North at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
26th November 1872.
--
I THOMAS NORTH, of the Great Northern Railway Cottages, Hitchen,
in the County of Hertfordshire, do hereby declare the nature of the said .
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY AXLE BOXES,, ALSO APPLICABLE TO
ALL KINDS OF ROLLING. STOCK," a communication to, me from abroad by Owen
Tomlinson, of Prell, Bombay, East Indies," to be as follows:-
1st. A glass guage or indicator inserted in the moveable front cap or
face plate, which is fitted on the axle box for the purpose of enabling
carriage examiners, oilers, and others appointed to attend to the axle

page_text: boxes to see at once the state of the interior of the boxes, and so enable
them to detect any interior derangement (perceptible to the eye), and
also to see when more oil is required.
2nd. A moveable oil pan resting on two or more springs at the bottom
of the axle box. This oil pan is fitted with friction roller or rollers in
such manner as to press slightly against the under side of the bearing of
the axle, so that when a vehicle fitted with these axle boxes is set in
motion the friction roller or rollers will revolve in the oil pan propor-
tionately to the speed of the vehicle and thereby continue to lubricate
the bearing of the axle so long as any oil remains in the pan and the
vehicle continues in motion. The object of the oil pan is to enable the
axle boxes to carry more oil with considerably less leakage than any axle
box in present use. The object of the springs on-which the oil pan rests
is that when the brass bearing becomes worn and thinner the oil pan
will still be kept sufficiently high to press the friction roller with which it
is fitted against the bearing of the axle. This oil pan can also be fitted
with cotton, woolen, or other capillary pads (by a slight alteration in the
mechanical arrangement of the oil pan) if preferred in lieu of friction
roller or rollers.
3rd. An improved iron keep fitted in the axle box in such a manner
as to perfectly secure the brass bearing in its proper place and at the
same time so arranged as to enable one man to withdraw, change, or
replace with ease any defective brass bearing of any vehicle not weighing
more than sixteen tons gross.
The mode of changing the brass bearing is as follows :-Take off the
moveable cap or face plate, then draw out the oil pan with friction roller
or rollers or capillary pads, then take a screw jack (such as are in general
used on railways), which should be capable of lifting one quarter of the
gross weight of the vehicle, place the screw jack under the axle box and
wind it up in the usual manner about three-quarters of an inch, and the
iron keep will be liberated, then with the hand raise the iron keep clear
of the collar of the axle bearing by the handle and draw it out, after
which the defective brass can be removed and a new one substituted.
When this is done put in the iron keep, lower the screw jack, replace the
oil pan with friction roller or rollers or capillary pads, and then replace
the moveable cap or face plate, and the operation is finished. This
operation, which any ordinary native lifter can be made to understand,

page_text: can be performed by one man who understands his duty in ten minutes,
thereby effecting a very great saving in time and labour, for with the
axle boxes in present use the changing of brasses cannot be accomplished
under two hours, and necessitates the attendance of at least two men
(three are invariably allowed). The improvement in the iron keep is in
the manner of perfectly securing the brass bearing, which is only two
and one quarter inches wide, being equal to a little over one-fourth of
the whole surface of the axle bearing, that being generally adopted as
the most efficient proportion of bearing surface.
"
On reference to brasses in general use it will be found that they con-
tain a great deal of metal which can never be brought into contact as
surface bearing, but is absolutely necessary for the purpose of securing
the brass bearing in its proper place. Many such brasses have holes in
the crown, thus wasting a most important part of the bearing surface
(see Spon's Dictionary of Engineering, No. 7, page 207). Thus it will
be seen the brasses for my axle boxes contain much less metal, can be
more easily made, and can be worn entirely out without refitting.
One of the most important points in the Invention however is that it
affords an effectual means of ascertaining the state of the interior of the
axle boxes thus made, and thereby reducing to a minimum the liability
to accidents, loss of life, and damage to property occasioned by the want
of lubricating matter or defective brasses outting the axle bearings, and
in some cases the eventual breaking off of the axle bearing which has
been the cause of some of the most serious railway accidents.
My Invention it will be seen consists of the glass guage or indicator
inserted in the moveable front cap or face plate, the oil pan fitted with
springs and friction roller or rollers or capillary pads, and the improved
iron keep.

page_text: proportionately to the speed of the vehicle, and thereby continue to
lubricate the bearing of the axle so long as any oil remains in the pan
and the vehicle continues in motion. The object of the oil pan is to
enable the axle boxes to carry more oil with considerably less leakagé
than any axle box in present use. The object of the springs on which
the oil pan rests is that when the brass bearing becomes worn and thinner
the oil pan will still be kept sufficiently high to press the friction roller
with which it is fitted against the bearing of the axle. This oil pan can
also be fitted with cotton, woollen, or other capillary pads (by a slight
alteration in the mechanical arrangement of the oil pan) if preferred in
lieu of friction roller or rollers.
Third. An improved iron keep fitted in the axle box in such a manner
as to perfectly secure the brass bearing in its proper place, and at the
same time so arranged as to enable one man to withdraw, change, or
replace with ease any defective brass bearing of any vehicle not weighing
more than sixteen tons gross.
The mode of changing the brass bearing is as follows:-Take off the
moveable cap or face plate, then draw out the oil pan with friction roller
or rollers or capillary pads, then take a screw jack (such as are in general
use on railways), which should be capable of lifting one quarter of the
gross weight of the vehicle, place the screw jack under the axle box and
wind it up in the usual manner about three-quarters of an inch, and the
iron keep will be liberated, then with the hand raise the iron keep clear
of the collar of the axle bearing by the handle and draw it out, after
which the defective brass can be removed and a new one substituted.
When this is done put in the iron keep, lower the screw jack, replace the
oil pan with friction roller or rollers or capillary pads, and then replace
the moveable cap or face plate, and the operation is finished. This
operation, which any ordinary native lifter can be made to understand,
can be performed by one man who understands his duty in ten minutes,
thereby effecting a very great saving in time and labour, for with the
axle boxes in present use, the changing of brasses cannot be accomplished
under two hours, and necessitates the attendance of at least two men
(three are invariably allowed). The improvement in the iron keep is in
the manner of perfectly securing the brass bearing, which is only two
and one quarter inches wide, being equal to a little over one-fifth of the
whole surface of the axle bearing, that being generally adopted as the
most efficient proportion of bearing surface.

page_text: On reference to brasses in general use it will be found that they con-
tain a great deal of metal which can never be brought into contact
as surface bearing, but is absolutely for the purpose of securing
the brass bearing in its proper place. Many such brasses have holes in
the crown, thus wasting a most important part of the bearing surface
(see Spon's Dictionary of Engineering, No. 7, page 207). Thus it will
be seen the brasses for my axle boxes contain much less metal, can be
more easily made, and can be worn entirely out without refitting.
One of the most important points in the Invention however is that it
affords an effectual means of ascertaining the state of the interior of the
axle boxes thus made, and thereby reducing to a minimum the liability®
to accidents, loss of life, and damage to property occasioned by the want
of lubricating matter or defective brasses cutting the axle bearings, and
in some cases the eventual breaking off of the axle bearing, which has
been the cause of some of the most serious railway accidents.
And in order that my Invention may be clearly understood,
reference is made to the accompanying Drawings and the letters of
reference thereon, similar letters referring to like parts throughout.

page_text: and desire to be secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters
Patent is the said Invention consisting of,-
First. The glass gauge or indicator inserted in the moveable front
cap or face plate.
Second. The oil pan fitted with springs and friction roller or rollers or
capillary pads.
Third. The improved iron keep, substantially as herein described and
set forth, and as shewn on the accompanying Drawings, or any mere
modification thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas North, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twentieth day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.