Improvements in Axle-box Bearings.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Sept., 1897-Accepted, 16th Oct., 1897
CUMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Communicated from abroad by THE SMITH ADJUSTABLE CAR-AXLE BEARING
COMPANY a corporation organized under the laws of the State of New Jersey,
United States of America, and having its principal place of business in
Jersey City in the State of New Jersey, United States of America.
Improvements in Axle-box Bearings.
I HENRY EDWARD NEWTON of the Office for Patents 6 Breams Buildings,
Chancery Lane in the County of London, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to
be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:--
This invention relates to an improvement in axle-box bearings, and more
particularly to box bearings for use in connection with railroad car axles.
The object is to provide a safety stop to guard against any possible bodily
shifting of the concave and convex faces of the bearing relative to one another,
under any sudden or unusual impulse, while, at the same time, retaining all
of the desirable features by which the bearing sections are permitted a sufficient
play to guard against the overlapping or injurious wear which results from the
irregular rotary movement of the spindle, or its tilting movement.
A practical embodiment of the invention is illustrated by the accompanying
drawings, in which
Fig. represents a vertical transverse section through the spindle, the box,
and bearings.
Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through the same.
Fig. 3 is a view in perspective of the upper section of the bearing.
Fig. 4 is a view in perspective of the middle section of the bearing; and
Fig. 5 is a view in perspective of the lower or brass section of the bearing.
The general structure and arrangement of the several sections of the bearing
(which, for convenience, may be designated the " outer,' middle," and "inner,"
or brass sections) as shewn in the drawings, is preferred, the introduction of the
safety stop being preferably accomplished by casting an elongated raised surface
centrally on the face of the middle bearing section, and providing the concave
face of the upper bearing section with a corresponding recess or depression to
receive the said elongated raised surface of the middle section.
The axle is denoted by A; its spindle by a. B is a box of any well known
or approved form, and C, D, and E, respectively the upper, middle, and inner,
or brass, sections of the bearing.
The inner or brass section is provided with a curved face e extending longi-
tudinally thereof, and adapted to conform to the curve of the spindle or journal a.
Its curved face, is provided with a lead face c¹, as is usual, and at its opposite ends
raised portions extend outwardly from its back, to form retaining shoulders
for the middle section D. Intermediate of the raised portions e³, there is a
depression e³, curved laterally, and from this depressed portion e³, lugs et project,
for retaining the middle section in position thereon.

page_text: The middle section D is formed of hard metal, cast iron, for example, and is
made of such length as to fit between the shoulders, its lower face d being
curved to fit the curve of the depressed portion e³ of the brass, and it is provided
with perforations & so located as to receive the studs therethrough.
The section D may be secured in position on the section E by
the ends of the studs et.
upsetting"
The upper surface of the section D is of curved form, the same being a
portion of the surface of a sphere; and in order to make such curved surface
as long as possible, and in the direction of the length of the axle, the upwardly
extended ends of the brass E are provided with curved faced projections e,
which form a continuation of the surface d of the section D.
The surface a has the bearing surface between the sections C and D of the
bearing, and it is important that this should be extended as far as possible, in
order to distribute the weight as evenly as may be throughout the length of the
brass E. The opposite sides of the section D lie in the extended planes of
the sides of the brass, and are centrally provided with rounded faced lugs d³
which stop short of the upper face of the said section D, their upper ends d'
forming stops to prevent the lateral displacement of the bearing sectious, under
the side impulse of the spindle, as, for example, when the brake is applied to
the wheel, or under the forward and backward jerking of the car. The opposite
upper edges of the section ]) are further cut away, as shown at d³, upon opposite
sides of the lugs &³, to allow the play of the bearing sections in a horizontal
plane, and to prevent cramping.
The section C is provided with a flat upper face which fits against the top
of the box, and with suitable recessed lugs and shoulders c¹ for retaining the
section securely in position when engaged with the lugs on the inside of a box,-
such, for example, as those in ordinary use. The under face of the said section C
is provided with a curved faced recess c³, which corresponds to, and is adapted to
rest upon, the convex curved face of the middle section D. At the opposite
sides of the concave face, the section C is provided with downwardly projecting
ribs or lips c³, the inner faces of which are curved convex toward the centre.
The curved faces of the ribs or lips are adapted, when the parts are assembled,
to overlap and engage the opposite sides of the section D, with the lower faces of
the ribs or lips in proximity to the upper end d' of the lugs d³.
The present invention is directed to providing against any possible displace-
ment of the bearing surfaces c and d under a sudden and unusual jerking,
and consists in providing the bearing sections C and D, the one with a projection,
and the other with an abutment, which will permit them to play the one with
respect to the other, without permitting them to become bodily displaced the
one with respect to the other.
The safety stop, in its preferred form, is denoted by F, and is cast integral with
the section D. It rises a short distance from the face of the section D, and is
made to taper gradually from its extreme ends, denoted by f f', towards its
centre, at which point its opposite sides are curved, to form a central rounded
bearing.
.
The stop F is adapted to be received, when the parts are assembled, in a
recess G, formed in the concave face of the section C, and of such dimensions
as to permit the section C to rock, to a limited extent with respect to the stop F.
The stop and its recess are both hidden when the parts are assembled, so that
there is no liability of any clogging, and the elongation of the stop and its
extended bearing against the walls of the recesses are sufficient to obviate any
liability of the stop becoming broken or injured, under any impulse to which the
bearing may be subjected when in use.
It is obvious that slight changes might be resorted to in the form and arrange-
ment of the parts, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention:
hence it is not intended to limit the invention strictly to the structure herein
shown and described.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, as communicated to me from abroad, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. The combination with the bearing sections, the one provided with a convex
surface, and the other with a concave surface adapted to conform to and seat
upon the said convex surface of the other, of a safety stop fixed to one of the
sections, and an abutment on the other section, for engaging the stop, to prevent
the displacement of the said sections, in the longitudinal direction of the axle,
as well as in the transverse direction, substantially as set forth.
2. The combination with the bearing sections, the one provided with a convex
surface and the other with a concave surface adapted to conform to and seat upon
the said convex surface of the other, of a safety stop fixed to, and uprising from,
the convex surface of one of the sections, the other said bearing section being
provided with a recess in its concave surface to receive the stop on the other
section, substantially as set forth.
3. The combination with the bearing sections, the one provided with a convex
surface, and the other with a concave surface adapted to conform to, and seat
upon, the said convex surface of the other, of a safety stop uprising from the
convex surface of the bearing section, said stop being elongated, and gradually
narrowed in width from its opposite ends towards its central portion, the other
of said bearing sections being provided with a correspondingly shaped recess in
its curved face for the reception of said stop, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 7th day of September 1897.
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.