IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF RAILWAY WHEELS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Stroudley, of Brighton, in the County of Sussex,
Locomotive and Carriage Superintendent to the London, Brighton, and South
Coast Railway Company, London Bridge, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF RAILWAY WHEELS."
Sealed the 2nd September 1879, and dated the 15th March 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Stroudley at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 15th March 1879.
WILLIAM STROUDLEY, of Brighton, in the County of Sussex, Locomotive and
Carriage Superintendent to the London, Brighton, and South Coast Railway Company,
London Bridge. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF RAILWAY WHEELS."
This Invention relates to an improved mode or method of more effectually
securing the wood segments of what is commonly known as the Mansell railway
wheel to the boss, in order to prevent such segments turning or working loose by
the action of the break upon the tyre, and consists in the employment of a number
of circular bosses formed upon and projecting from the outer face of the back plate
of the main boss of the wheel, such projecting bosses passing through the segments
or spokes in such a way as to offer a larger bearing surface to the wood than hereto-
fore, both in a tangential and radial direction, thereby preventing the segments
from turning round, and very materially strengthening the wheel by the additional
bearing surface offered in a radial direction to that part of the wood which has
hitherto been left unsupported.
By this means the wheels are better enabled to resist the heavier loads which
they now have to carry, as well as the action of the continuous breaks. The before
mentioned projecting bosses can be made either by casting or forging them together
with the main or centre boss of the wheel, and can be manufactured in various
ways, but the following will be found to answer well in practice:-
The main boss of the wheel is placed in a lathe, and bored as usual to receive
the axle, whilst the outer surface or circumference of the boss is turned perfectly
true for the ends of the wood segments or spokes to bear upon. That portion of
the backplate of the main boss above and below the several projecting bosses before
mentioned is faced up flat for the back part of the wood segments to bear against.
The boss is then faced on the back to receive the collar of the axle, and is subse-
Drine B11

page_text: quently placed upon the table of a drilling or other machine, and a headstock with
a number of cutters fixed at regular distances to correspond with the number of
bosses required upon the back plate of the main boss is then brought forward.
These cutters are made to rotate, and to be fed forward so as to turn each of the
several bosses perfectly true and parallel or cylindrical on the outside, thus rendering
them uniform in size and distance from the centre of the main boss and from each
other. The holes for the bolts through these bosses may be cast therein, as the
bolts are required to bear little or no side strain. In preparing the wood segments
they may be fitted and forced together in a frame, as is well understood, and brought
under a boring machine and the hole for the main centre bored out in the usual
manner. After this operation another sliding head, fitted with a number of boring
bits placed and driven in the same manner as the cutters for turning the bosses
before mentioned, and adjusted to exactly the same centres, is to be brought to bear
upon the wood segments, cutting a corresponding number of holes to the bosses
and of the exact size required, that is to say, slightly smaller than the iron bosses,
which are to be forced into them by means of hydraulic or other convenient
pressure. It is intended that these holes shall be drilled through that part of the
said wood segments where the grain runs at a tangent to the main boss, leaving the
straight part of each segment to continue down direct to the central boss.
The advantage claimed for my improved railway wheel is that whilst it retains
all the original excellencies of the Mansell wheel, it is endued with that additional
strength which is now rendered necessary by the application of continuous breaks.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Stroudley in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 13th
September 1879.
WILLIAM STROUDLEY, of Brighton, in the County of Sussex, Locomotive and.
Carriage Superintendent to the London, Brighton, and South Coast Railway Company,
London Bridge. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF RAILWAY WHEELS."
My said Invention relates to an improved mode or method of more effectually
securing the wood segments of what is commonly known as the Mansell railway
wheel to the boss, in order to prevent such segments turning or working loose by
the action of the brake upon the tyre, and consists in the employment of a number
of bosses formed upon and projecting from the outer face of the back plate of the
main boss of the wheel, such projecting bosses passing into or through the segments
or spokes in such a way as to offer a larger bearing surface to the wood than hereto-
fore, both in a tangential and radial direction, thereby preventing the segments
from turning round, and very materially strengthening the wheel by the additional
bearing surface offered in a radial direction to that part of the wood which has
hitherto been left unsupported. By this means the wheels are better enabled to
resist the heavier loads, which they now have to carry, as well as the action of the
continuous brakes.
And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose shall refer to
the several Figures on the explanatory Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed, the
same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts in all the Figures.
Figure 1 of the Drawings is a vertical section of a Mansell railway wheel of my
improved construction; Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same; and Figure 3 is a
sectional detail at 1-2 in Figure 2. A, A, are the wooden segments composing the
body of the wheel, as is well understood; B is the main or central boss of the
wheel; C is the inner or back plate thereof; a, a, are a number of bosses which
are formed upon and caused to project from the outer or front face of the inner or
back plate C of the main boss, as shown clearly in Fig. 1. These projecting bosses
a, a, can be made either by casting or forging them together with the main or
central boss of the wheel, and can be manufactured in various ways, but the following
will be found to answer well in practice :-
1
The main boss B of the wheel is placed in a lathe, and bored as usual to receive
the axle, whilst the outer surface or circumference of this boss is turned perfectly
true for the ends of the wood segments or spokes A to bear upon. That portion of
the back plate C of the main boss which is above and below the several projecting
bosses a, a, is faced up flat for the back part of the wood segments to bear against.
The boss is then faced on the back to receive the shoulder or collar 6 of the axle,
and is subsequently placed upon the table of a drilling or other machine, and a
headstock with a number of cutters fixed at regular distances to correspond with
the number of bosses required upon the back plate of the main boss is then brought
forward. These cutters are made to rotate and to be fed forward, so as to turn each
of the several bosses a perfectly true and parallel or cylindrical on the outside, thus
rendering them uniform in size and distance from the centre of the main boss and
from each other. The holes for the bolts through these bosses a, a, may be cast
therein, as the bolts are required to bear little or no side strain. These bosses may
also be made by forming a pattern the same as the finished boss, but somewhat
longer (say about 3/4") in the main and smaller bosses. A plate of iron is then
prepared having holes to correspond with the several bosses, with small curves or
fillets left round each hole. This plate having been placed upon the pattern is
moulded in the usual way, and when the pattern is required to be withdrawn from
the mould the plate is fixed down, the pattern being drawn through it, the plate
acting as a support to the sand to keep it in position. After the withdrawal of the

page_text: pattern the plate is lifted off and the upper part of the boss put on, and the casting
made in the usual manner. By this means the wheel centre together with its
bosses will be found to be so perfect as to be sufficient for all practical purposes
without any further finishing on those parts which come in contact with the wood
segments.
In preparing the wood segments they may be fitted and forced together in a
frame, as is well understood, and brought under a boring machine, and the hole for
the main centre bored out in the usual manner. After this operation another
sliding head fitted with a number of boring bits, placed and driven in the same
manner as the cutters for turning the bosses a before mentioned, and adjusted to
exactly the same centres, is to be brought to bear upon the wood segments, cutting
a corresponding number of holes to the bosses a and of the exact size required, that
is to say, slightly smaller than the iron bosses, which are to be forced into them by
means of hydraulic or other convenient pressure. It is intended that these holes
shall be drilled through that part of the wood segments where the grain runs at a
tangent to the main boss, leaving the straight part of each segment to continue
down direct to the boss. By my said improved construction of railway wheel
I retain all the original excellencies of the Mansell wheel along with that
additional strength which is now rendered necessary by the application of con-
tinuous brakes.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original,
and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein before in part
recited Letters Patent is,-
First. The mode of strengthening what are generally known as Mansell railway
wheels and wheels of like character by the application and use of a series of bosses
formed on the back plate of the main or central boss, and forced into or through the
segments forming the body of the wheel, substantially as and for the purpose
herein before described.
Second. The construction of railway wheels, substantially as hereinbefore described,
and illustrated by the Drawings hereunto annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Stroudley, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Ninth day of September, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.
'
WILLIAM STROUDLEY. .(L.S.)