IMPROVE- MENTS IN AXLES FOR WAGONS, CARTS, CARRIAGES; AND OTHER VEHICLES
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Mills Dix, of Shelton, Stoke-on-
Trent, in the County of Stafford, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN AXLES FOR WAGONS, CARTS, CARRIAGES; AND OTHER VEHICLES.”
Scaled the 16th July 1875, and dated the 19th January 1875.
.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Mills Dix
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 19th January 1875.
I, ALEXANDER MILLS DIX, of Shelton, Stoke-on-Trent, in the County
of Stafford, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN AXLES FOR WAGONS, CARTS, CARRIAGES, AND OTHER VEHICLES,"
to be as follows:-
:―
.This Invention relates to improvements in axles for wagons, carts,
carriages, and other vehicles, and consists in forming them in two parts
with a clip box at or about the centre, so that each half or portion can
rotate independently of the other or in conjunction, according to the
degree of friction or bite of the wheel nave or hub upon the same while
the vehicle is travelling. The cli box may be in two or more pieces

page_text: bolted together, and can be arranged to rotate with the axle or be fixed
to the frame of the vehicle to give an extra bearing with or without a
connection with a spring or springs.
The shoulders of the axle work in bearing boxes, and the ends havo
the wheels working loosely upon them, or the wheels may be fixed as
desired.
The advantage of my plan is, wagons, carts, and carriages, can be
turned round with less side friction and strain upon the wheels, and also
upon the horses than can be effected by rigid whole axles. The liability
of a vehicle to capsize while turning is obviated, and the load is more
evenly balanced and more easily moved along. Greater safety is also
obtained.
In some cases the half axles terminate at the shoulders, and the
wheels arc carried upon separate arms attached to the bearing boxes,
the arms being so arranged that the weight of the load is thrown slightly
in advance of the vertical axial line of the wheels to diminish the
draught.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Alexander Mills Dix in the Great Scal Patent
Office on the 19th July 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALEXANDER
MILLS Dix, of Shelton, Stoke-on-Trent, in the County of Stafford, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of January, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the
thirty-eighth year of Her reign, did for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Alexander Mills Dix, Her special
licence that I, the said Alexander Mills Dix, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Alexander Mills
Dix, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great

page_text: .
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN AXLES FOR WAGONS, CARTS, CARRIAGES, AND OTHER
VEHICLES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Alex-
ander Mills Dix, my exccutors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same
to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent,
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Alexander Mills Dix, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement thereof, that is to say :—
This Invention relates to improvements in axles for wagons, carts,
carriages, and other vehicles, and consists in forming them in two parts,
with a clip box at or about the centre, so that each half or portion can
rotate independently of the other or in conjunction, according to the
degree of friction or bite of the wheel nave or hub upon the same while
the vehicle is travelling. The clip box may be in two or more pieces
bolted together, and can be arranged to rotate with the axle or be fixed
to the frame of the vehicle to give an extra bearing, with or without a
connection with a spring or springs.
The shoulders of the axle work in bearing boxes, and the ends have
the wheels working loosely upon them, or the wheels may be fixed as
deşired.
In some cases the half axles terminate at the shoulders, and the
wheels are carried upon separate arms attached to the bearing boxes,
'the arms being so arranged that the weight of the load is thrown
slightly in advance of the vertical axial line of the wheels to diminish
the draught.
My Invention is clearly represented in the examples shown on the
annexed Sheet of Drawings, in which Figure 1 is a half sectional view of
a sleeve or box a formed in two pieces bolted together longitudinally, as
in Figure 2, which is a plan view thereof. Each half sleeve or half box
is formed with recesses for receiving spherical or cylindrical lumps or
projections b, b, on each half axle c for holding each half axle in the
proper position for its rotation when desired. The inner ends of the two

page_text: · half axles “abut" or have a disc or partition between them to prevent
the friction of one acting injuriously upon the other, the outer ends
having the wheels d, d, loose upon them, so that they may rotate freely
by themselves, or the wheels d, d, may be fixed upon the outer ends of
the two half axles c, c, so that the axles rotate with them, as shown by |
the half sectional view, Figure 3. The two half sleeves or boxes a, a,
are attached direct to the body frame or additional frame of the vehicle,
or springs may be attached or interposed between the box and the
vehicle body, as desired, the box a in that case being a fixture.
Figure 4 shows my divided axle or more properly defined half axles:
enclosed in two half sleeves or half boxes capable of rotation with or
independently of the half axle, the sleeve or box in this case having
annular grooves encased in supporting straps e, e, for the attachment of
the springs or the body of a vehicle. The wheels d, d, on the outer
ends of these half axles may be fitted to rotate alone, as by the example
Figure 1, or in conjunction with the half axles by being fixed¸ as in
Figure 3.
Figures and 6 represent half sectional elevation of a pair of wheels,
and a side or face view respectively of an example in which my half
axles carry rollers f,f, on their ends to run freely or in conjunction with
the divided axles upon a ring 9, 9, provided round the hubs or naves h, h,
of the wheels, a bracket from each end of the sleevo or box (fixed or
rotative) having arms i, i, projecting outwards for carrying or holding
the travelling wheels in position. These arms have an amount of play
in the hubs or naves to permit of free working of the wheels d, d,
thereon. The half axle rollers f,f, or the axles themselves by this arrange-
ment are kept slightly in advance of the vertical axial line of the
'travelling wheels, and take the weight of the load on to the rings 9, 9,
with a depressing action to push the wheels d, d, onwards, and thus to
diminish the draught.
The advantage of my plan is, wagons, carts, and carriages can be
turned round with less side friction and strain upon the wheels and älso
upon the horses than can be effected by rigid whole axles; the liability of
a vehicle to capsize while turning is obviated, and the load is more evenly
balanced and more easily moved along; greater safety is also obtained.
E
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, I declaro that I claim as my

page_text: Invention of "Improvements in Axles for Wagons, Carts, Carriages,
and other Vehicles,"-
-
Firstly. The method of fitting half axles within half sleeves or half
boxes, that the axles have one or more bearings between the travelling
wheels, which may be fitted loosely on or fixed to the half axles, such
sleeves or boxes being rigid with the springs or vehicle body as described
and as shown in Figures 1, 2, and 3, of the accompanying Drawings.
Secondly. I claim the combination of parts, as in Figure 4 of the
Drawings, by which the wheels d, d, and half axles b, b, can rotate
independently of or in conjunction with each other, such half axles
being enclosed in a sleeve or box capable of independent rotation, as set
forth.
'
Thirdly. I claim the half axles, half sleeves, or boxes' rollers to bear'
upon rings of the travelling wheels, and the brackets with arms, all
combined and acting as and for the purpose set forth, and as shown in
Figures 5 and 6 of the annexed Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Mills Dix, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of July, One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-five.
20
Witness,
FRAS. J. HAWLEY.
The Marsh,
Wolstanton.
A. M. DIX. (L.S.)