Improvements in the Lubrication and Protection from Dust of Bearing Surfaces for Axle Boxes, Shafts, and for other similar purposes.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 14th July, 1891-Accepted, 15th Aug.. 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION:
Improvements in the Lubrication and Protection from Dust of
Bearing Surfaces for Axle Boxes, Shafts, and for other similar
purposes.
}
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1, HARRY KENNETH, AUSTIN, of Lyndhurst, Washwood Heath, in the County
of Warwick, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this. invention. and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascortained in and by the following statement :—
My invention relates to the manner in which I construct and arrange an axle box
and dust shield for use upon all kinds of vehicles having revolving shafts;
.for use
upon bearings of shafts carrying pulleys, and for other similar purposes. I am also
enabled to readily replace the principal wearing part of my improved axle box or
bearing when required to be renewed without disturbing the box or bearing from
its working position.
In carrying my invention into effect when constructing my improved axle box
and dust shield for use on all kinds of bearings or rolling stock for railways,
tramways and for similar purposes, I form the shield as a circular or other shaped
bush, which I attach to or form in one piece with a base plate having projections
thereon formed upon or secured to the axle box; the edges of the base plate or
projection being preferably rounded to prevent any friction, tending to stop its
movement. Within the back of the axle box I make a circular or other shaped
hole for the purpose of allowing the dust shield or bush to project therefrom. The
dust shield I put in its working place from the inside of the axle box, and it is
prevented from working loose by the preparations formed upon or secured to the
axle box. The projecting portion of the dust bush, bears against the working face
of the boss of the wheel or other object, upon the shaft or axle; and flat or spiral
springs keep the face of the bush closely in contact with the face of the boss. The
suitably formed springs I prefer to fix upon the axle box basc, top or sides by
means of a screw, rivet or any well known connection which while holding the
springs quite firmly will admit of their. urging outwards the dust bush. For the
greater security of the springs I sometimes place pins or form recesses or projections
upon the bush and upon the box casing to receive the springs. When spiral
springs are used I fix one or more springs at the back of the base plate which
engage into suitable recesses or projections arranged on the axle box and are
attached to the face of the same in any ordinary manner, the other end of the
springs being held by a case, secured or formed with the body of the axle box or
by a suitable fastening in the same at one end, and pass at the other through holes
in the base plate to which they are connected by suitable fastenings. The spiral
springs I hold either by rivets or bolts and washers, or by suitably chamfered or
recessed holders.
I make the dust guard as hereinbefore described, and replace it when worn out
by moving the spring and taking the whole bush out of the front end of the axle
box, then replacing it by another new one. By this my improved arrangement I
obviate the removal of the axle box itself from its working position. Sometimes
also I provide side chambers and specially grooved and stepped side pieces, which
can be removed from the casing when required.
Although I prefer to form the bearing with distributing oil chambers, holes, or
grids, and openings in connection therewith, the ordinary arrangement of bearing
can be employed when desired. The ends of my bearings I make larger to take
the thrust of the journal which it may entirely or partially envelope, so as to
prevent the separation of the axle and bush by jarring and consequent possible
derailment of the vehicle, suitable snugs, pins or holders, being arranged to enable

page_text: the axle to be encircled in the axle box casing. The front of my axle box is closed
by means of a plain or screwed lid, with cotter, bolts and nuts; or it may be
arranged in the form of a hinged adjustable fastener for securing the same in
-position; the adjustable fastening being manipulated by means of a suitable handle
or by any ordinary turning arrangement of spanner or key. The front lid may be
either hinged in the ordinary manner by means of a knuckle jointed pin, by
adjustable eye bolts or by side jaws. The bottom of the box may be solid or made
with a hole having a suitable oil tight joint surrounding it. Sometimes I employ
instead of a bottom hole an opening in the front which I close by a cap or screw
and washer, the object of the hole being to provide means of thoroughly cleansing
'the interior.
'
In order to facilitate the application of my improved dust bush, I sometimes
provide one or more carrying rods which pass through the ends of the axle box and
are held in position when the cap or end of the box is placed in its working
position, the rods being pivoted with projecting.collars or washers against which a
spring or springs carried in the end of the rod can thrust by means of the pressure
created by the springs against the recesses formed in the cap. I do not always
employ a circular guiding rod but sometimes adopt a peculiarly formed rod, having
its end bent or prepared to receive the thrust from a flat spring or springs which I
secure to the interior end of the axle box cap. By this arrangement when the cap
is removed out of position the springs are carried with it, thus leaving the carrying
rod free, and convenient for access.
In the accompanying sheet of drawings I have shown the detail methods of
carrying out my improvements in various applications at Figures 1 to 24.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of the main casing forming an axle box in
which the greater part of the section is taken on the line g h, Figure 4 a front
view, but the cover A is in section on the line e.f.
A
The top part A is fitted with adjustable lids A' A which are kept in place by
the pins A and the springs A. A is a small oil hole lid and A is a front cover
to allow of access to the interior of the axle box but in both, the spring clipping
action is the same.
:
The bottom part B is bolted to the top part A as shewn in Figure 3. which is a
cross section. The dust shield V is attached by screws V' and base plate V' to
the back of the casing, the side screws or other means of adjustment may extend to
the front end of the casing so that the dust shield may be operated upon more
readily. The screws or pins for example may extend through the front walls or
part of the casing. As shown in Figures 1 and 3 however the screws V are
readily adjusted from the front on removing the cover A², by means of a box key.
Sometimes instead of providing the lid A Figure 1 the front part of the casing
is taken up to the top part A, Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a front view of the casing and lid with stop A³ on lug.
Figure 5 is a plan of the casing.
Figures 6 and 7 are part sections of the bottom of the casing fitted with
screws C¹ C
Figure 8 is an enlarged detail of the adjustable joint illustrating the method of
applying the spring and cap or washer C to the back part of the lug C
provided on the casing instead of the method as shown in Figures 1 and 5 where
the spring A is applied on the front side of the cover A.
Figure 9 is a plan and Figure 10 is a section through the centre of the adjustable
cover A similar to that shown in Figure 1 but drawn to a larger scale to shew the
method of making the adjustment by the spring A' which is held in place by the
screw A³ and protected from injury by the cover A'.
Figure 11 is a front view of a casing to show the manner in which the top
part A fits on to the bottom part B when the front cover is removed, the
opening marked by the dimension lines is quite clear to permit of the
removal of the internal parts without having to remove the casing from its place.
Figure 12 is a sectional plan of the bottom part B on the line a b Figure 3,

page_text: showing the male lugs F F into which female lugs or recesses on the top part
fit so that the relative position of the top and bottom parts is maintained for
the purpose of keeping the front cover joint tight.
Figure 13 is a longitudinal section and Figure 14 a cross section of another
form of casing which is made in one piece instead of being bolted together as shown
in Figures 1 and 3.
Figure 15 is a modification of the arrangement shown in cross section for
preventing the breakage of axle boxes by the axle G being jarred out of place..
The strap or holder Gis held by bolts G³, G' to the casing and thus keeps
the axle in place. In Figures 13, and 14 the strap and bolts are made in one
U piece which either pass under the dust shield H or comes in direct contact by
means of strap, holder, or packing, with the axle as shown in Figure 15.
Figure 16 is a longitudinal section and Figure 17 is a half plan of top and half
plan with casing removed for the purpose of more clearly showing the interior, and
also to show another application of dust shield, guard, packing or bush as applied
from the front and through the interior of casing and controlled by the bolts H', H*
and spring H. The spring H³ is shown flat but it may be spiral.
.
Figures 18 and 19 are both sections of the parts in ordinary casings where Q¹, Q
are the usual chambers or slides in which the dust shields are placed.
R', R' show my method of applying the shield after having been placed inside the
casing from the front. I do not limit myself to the use of any particular screws,
material etc. for making the ordinary shields but I claim the application of packing
which. may be of any shape applied through the front of the axle box casing and
either made simple as shown in Figure 18 or adjustable by any of the methods
herein described. R³, R are the axles on which the shields R', R³ work.
I sometimes use leather shields as shown at V Figure 1 and Q' Figure 19 but
metal shields of the same shape may also be used.
Figures 20 and 21 are enlarged sections of screwed covers for the front parts of
the axle box, the former has the screwed part on the inside of the casing S
the latter is screwed on the outside of the casing S. The recess S¹ and pro-
jection S are formed so that a spanner or tool can be placed in or on to the
part to actuate the screwed cover when it is required to remove the same.
Figures 22 and 23 show another form of the dust bush as applied on the
interior side of the casing, the outer plate I' Figure 23 is fitted to the casing
in any ordinary manner and the inner plate or bush I' has a slot or recess which
surrounds the pin 17 the pin is supplied with a thumb nut 16 or springs and caps I'
as shown in Figuro 23 are provided. When the cap I is pulled forward the
pressure on the bush or plate I' is relieved and the spring Is forces up the bush
or plate until it comes in contact again with the axle J; the spring or springs
as shown at I may be applied or fixed to any number of plates or bushes and
to press against any side of the main casing; when the thumb screw or nut, or
spring cap is again released and pressure is again brought to bear on the
bush or plate I; any of the springs may be made of flat section; bow shaped
or spiral springs may be used and applied to press against any side of the casing,
and the adjustment of the bush may also be made from the front end by extending
the parts operated up through the interior of the casing. It will readily be seen
that the arrangement of dust shield as shown in Figures 22 and 23 can be applied
to any existing form of axle box casing where the shield is placed in a recess or
slide, and the pin I can pass through a slot, perforation or hole on the back
part of the casing and the adjustment made by the necessary nuts or screws
from the outside.
Figure 24 is a longitudinal section of another form of ordinary casing in general
use but with the slide, recess or part usually provided at the back T to receive the
dust shield, omitted; and instead thereof the shield T' is placed into the interior
through the open front T; when an oil tray T is used it can be put into place
after the adjustment of the shield or bush T.
In the matter of lubrication l'adopt any suitable method which is applicable to

page_text: the requirements of the case, grease boxes can be fitted equally as well as oil boxes
with my improvements, and sometimes I use oil applied under pressure. In like
manner any form of bearing, with key plate or without may be used and any suitable
material is used by me to form the various parts and carry out my invention in the
best manner.
I do not confine the application of my invention to any peculiar kind of axle box
or bearing but employ the same system of dust bush construction to any axle box, or
boaring with but slight modifications.. Similarly I do not employ any particular
metal in the formation of my axle box or parts thereof or any peculiar form of key
plate for use with the same; but I employ the same system of construction slightly
modified to suit the conditions necessary for particular motals in the manner which
I have hereinbefore described when constructing my axle box or bearing; and 1
can employ any well known system of lubrication for protecting the surface of my
dust bush face or my journal end.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that. what I
claim is :-
:
(1) In an axle box the combination of bottom and top casing suitably fastened
together, and an aperture or apertures arranged to allow of the withdrawal of the
bearing, key plate, or other parts by the opening of a cover without removing
the casing substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described and illustrated,
special reference being had to Figures 1, 3, 4 and 5 of the accompanying drawings.
(2) In an axle box, the oil hole lid and end cover held securely in place by a
spring and bolt in such manner as to be easily opened substantially as hereinbefore
described and illustrated at A¹, A², A', and A' of the accompanying drawings.
(3) In an axle box, the adjustable dust shield or bush which bears against the
face of the wheel, boss or other object, or upon the axle or shaft substantially as
hereinbefore described and illustrated at V, V2, Figure 1, Figures 16 and 17 and
also at Figures 22 and 23 of the drawings.
(4) In an axle box, the methods of applying an inside dust guard or packing to
an existing casing substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described.
(5) In an axle box the use of a screwed cover or lid as Figures 20 and 21 for
the purposes hereinbefore described.
(6) In an axle box, the application of U shaped bolts, straps or holders
encircling the axle as in Figure 14, or bolts and strap as in Figure 15 to prevent
the journal being jarred out of place substantially as hercinbefore described.
Dated this 13th day of July 1891.
MARKS & CLERK,
13, Temple Street, Birmingham, Agents for the Applicant.