IMPROVEMENTS IN AXLE BOXES FOR CARRIAGE AND OTHER NON-ROTATING AXLES
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edwards, of Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, Mechanical Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
AXLE BOXES FOR CARRIAGE AND OTHER NON-ROTATING AXLES."
Sealed the 26th September 1879, and dated the 6th May 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edwards at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 6th May 1879.
WILLIAM EDWARDS, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Mechanical
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AXLE BOXES FOR CARRIAGE AND OTHER NON-
ROTATING AXLES."
My Invention relates principally to such axle boxes as are fixed in the hubs of
carriage wheels and rotate upon the axle, the axle being fixed to the carriage and
having no rotatory motion. My said Invention is also applicable to axle boxes
generally which rotate upon fixed axles. The object of my Invention is to secure
a more effectual lubrication of the axle box and axle than that of ordinary axle
boxes and axles.
I will describe my Invention as applied to an ordinary carriage axle.
In the said axle boxes as ordinarily constructed the axle box has a bearing upon
the whole surface of that part of the axle on which it works, with the exception
of one or more narrow grooves sometimes made in the surface of the axle box.
The lubrication of the moving parts is very imperfect in axle boxes of this
construction.
In constructing the said axle boxes according to my Invention I form on the
inner face of the axlo box a series of concave bearings, the said bearings being
respectively of the same radius as those parts of the axle which when the axle box
is fitted to the axle bear upon them. I prefer to make each of the said concave
bearings extend through an angle of about thirty degrees, but I do not limit myself
to any particular angle. I prefer to arrange the said bearings in four longitudinal
rows, the sunken spaces between the bearings being about equal in area to the
bearings, the said longitudinal rows of bearings being so arranged with respect to
each other that the bearings of one row are opposite to the sunken spaces between
the bearings of the rows on each side of it. By this arrangement of the bearing

page_text: surfaces the weight borne by the axle is very uniformly distributed between the
several bearings. In some cases I contract the outer end of the axle box into which
the cap is screwed when the axle box is connected to the axle, the said contracted
end being of somewhat less diameter than that of the bearing surfaces.
In putting together the axle box and axlo the lubricating oil is poured into the
axle box before the cap is screwed into the end of the axlo box. The capacity of
the sunken parts between the bearings is sufficient for holding a much larger
quantity of oil than axle boxes of the ordinary kind will hold.
In axle boxes made according to my Invention only small separated bearing
surfaces pass over the surface of the axlo, every portion of the axle being brought 1
in contact with the lubricant immediately before and immediately after any one
of the bearing surfaces passes over it. The lubrication is thus made very effective,
and, from the quantity of lubricant the axlo box holds, very lasting.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Edwards in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 24th
October 1879.
WILLIAM EDWARDS, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Mechanical
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AXLE BOXES FOR CARRIAGE AND OTHER NON-
ROTATING AXLES."
My Invention relates principally to such axles boxes as are fixed in the bubs
of carriage wheels and rotate upon the axle, the axle being fixed to the carriage and
having no rotatory motion.
My said Invention is also applicable to axle boxes generally which rotato upon
fixed axles.
The object of my Invention is to secure a more effectual lubrication of the axle
box and axle than that of ordinary axle boxes and axles.
I will describe my Invention as applied to an ordinary carriage axle.
In the said axle boxes as ordinarily constructed the axle box has a bearing upon
the whole surface of that part of the axle on which it works, with the exception
of one or more narrow grooves sometimes made in the surface of the axle box.
The lubrication of the moving parts is very imperfect in axle boxes of this
construction.
In constructing the said axle boxes according to my Invention I form on the
inner face of the axle box a series of concave bearings, the said bearings being
respectively of the same radius as those parts of the axle, which when the axle box
is fitted to the axle bear upon them.
I prefer to make each of the said concave bearings extend through an angle of
about thirty degrees, but I do not limit myself to any particular angle.
I prefer to arrange the said bearings in four longitudinal rows, the sunken spaces
between the bearings being about equal in area to the bearings, the said longi-
tudinal rows of bearings being so arranged with respect to each other that the
bearings of one row are opposite to the sunken spaces between the bearings of the
rows on each side of it. By this arrangement of the bearing surfaces the weight
borne by the axle is very uniformly distributed between the soveral bearings.
In some cases I contract the outer end of the axle box into which the cap is
screwed when the axle box is connected to the axle, the said contracted end being
of somewhat less diameter than that of the bearing surfaces. By contracting the
end of the axle box as described the liability of the axle box breaking at the outer
end when put in the hub of the wheel is diminished.
I will now proceed to describe, with reference to the accompanying Drawing, the
manner in which my Invention may be performed.
Figure 1 represents in side elevation, and Figure 2 in longitudinal section an
axle box for a carriage axle of the kind called a Collinge axle, constructed according
to my Invention, and Figures 3 and 4 are transverse sections of the same; the
section Figure 3 being taken on the line a, b, Figure 2, and the section Figure 4
being taken on the line c, d, Figure 2.
Figure 5 represents in side elevation, and Figure 6 in longitudinal section, an
axle box for a carriage axle of the kind called a mail axle, constructed according to
my Invention, and Figures 7 and 8 are transverse sections of the same taken
respectively on the lines e, f, and g, h, Figure 6.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in the several Figures of
the Drawing.
By an examination of the longitudinal and cross sections of the Drawing it will
be seen that the inner face of the axle box is composed of a series of concave
bearings alternating with sunken spaces, the concave bearings being marked i, i,
and the sunken spaces between the bearings being marked k, k. It will be seen
by reference to the Drawing that the said concave bearings i, i, are arranged on
the interior surface of the barrel of the axle box in four longitudinal rows, but a

page_text: greater or less number than four may be employed, but I find four rows to answer
well in practice. Each of the concave bearings i, i, extends through an angle of
about 30 degrees (see the cross sections), but I do not limit myself to that angle.
Between two adjacent rows of alternate bearings i, i, and cross sunken spaces k, k,
is a longitudinal sunken space into which the cross sunken spaces k, k, open, as
best seen in the longitudinal sections, Figures 2 and 6. It will also be seen by
reference to the said longitudinal section, Figures 2 and 6, that the concave
bearings i, i, of one row in the barrel part of the box are not opposite the concave
bearings i, i, of the adjacent row, but the bearings of one row are opposite the
sunken spaces k, k, in the adjacent row. Thus, the concave surface of the barrel
of the axle box is composed of a series of small bearings alternating with sunken
spaces, the bearings and sunken spaces alternating not only in the longitudinal
direction of the axle box but also in its shorter direction. The alternating small
bearings i, i, and sunken spaces k, k, in the head of the axle box are arranged side
by side, as represented.
By the arrangement represented of the bearings and sunken spaces on the surface
of the axle box, the weight borne by the axle is very uniformly distributed
between the several bearings.
In putting together the axle box and axle the lubricating oil is poured into the
nxle box before the cap is screwed into the end of the axle box. The capacity of
the sunken parts k, k, between the bearings i, i, is sufficient for holding a nuch
larger quantity of oil than axle boxes of the ordinary kind will hold.
In axle boxes made according to my Invention only small separated bearing
surfaces pass over the surface of the axle, every portion of the axle being brought
in contact with the lubricant immediately before and immediately after any one of
the bearing surfaces passes over it.
The lubrication is thus made very effective, and, from the quantity of lubricant
the axle box holds, very lasting.
Although I have only described and represented my Invention as applied to the
axle boxes of a Collinge axle and a mail axle, yet my said Invention is applicable
to axle boxes generally which rotate upon fixed axles.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in which
the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I claim as my Inven-
tion, the improvements in the axle boxes of carriage and other non-rotating axles,
herein before described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawing, that is to say,
constructing the inner face of the axle box with a series of concavo bearings alter-
nating with sunken parts, the said alternating bearings and sunken parts being
arranged in the barrel of the axle box, by preference, in longitudinal rows with a
longitudinal sunken part between two adjacent rows, as described and illustrated,
the said sunken parts containing the lubricant which is delivered as the axle box
rotates to every part of the axle, and from thence to the bearings of the axle box,
substantially as and for the purpose described and illustrated.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edwards, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, the Twenty third day of October, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.
Witness,
RICHARD SKERRETT,
Clerk to George Shaw,
Birmingham.
WILLIAM EDWARDS. (L.S.)