IMPROVEMENTS IN VEHICLE AXLES
Year: 1886

page_text: I, EDGAR PECKHAM, of Syracuse, in the County of Onondaga, and State of New
York, United States of America, manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of my
invention, for IMPROVEMENTS IN VEHICLE AXLES, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
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•
This invention relates to vehicle axles formed of metal tubing, and it consists
firstly, in an improved construction of the spindle of the axle; secondly, in an
improved construction of the journal box specially adapted for a self-lubricating
axle; and thirdly, in a novel construction of the spindle collar and axle-bed formed
in one piece and shrunk on the axle, all as hereinafter more fully described and
specifically set forth in the claims.
In.the annexed drawing fig. 1 is a top view of my improved vehicle axle; fig. 2
is an enlarged top view of one end of said axle; Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal
saction of one end of the axle; Figs. 4 and 5 are transverse sections respectively on
lines and y y Figs. 2 and 3; and Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section of one end of
the tubular axle tapered externally.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.
A represents the main or central portion of the axles and A¹ A¹ the spindles
thereof on which the wheels are mounted. This axle with its spindles I form in one
piece from metal tubing, and reinforce the same by inside linings or bushings a a
which extend from the outer extremities of the spindles to some distance beyond
the inner ends of the spindles as illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawing.
Each of the spindles together with its bushing, I compress circumferentially from
the outer end partway back toward the inner end as shown at b, and thus form
at the intermediate portion of the spindle a circumferential offset c which may be
utilized as a secondary shoulder for the wheel by forming the axial bearing of the
box B with a corresponding offset o; the offset o also serves to lock the bushing a
in its position so as to effectually prevent its outward movement from the axle..
At the outer extremity of the spindle A' I further circumferentially compress the
axle with its enclosed bushing. a to form a nipple n, which I screw thread
externally for the reception of the wheel retaining nut d. The lining in the nipple

page_text: compensates for the weakening incident to the cutting of the thread on said nipple,
and imparts ample rigidity to the nipple, while the compression forms another
circumferential offset which further guards against the movement of the bushing a
outward from the axle, and at the same time forms a dam e for retaining oil in the
cavity of the spindle, which latter is made to serve as a reservoir for lubricant by
closing the inner end of the bushing back of the spindle as shown at f in Fig. 3 of
the drawing.
The lubricant is introduced through the contracted mouth in the nipple n, and
is permitted to flow to the axial bearing of the journal box B by channels hi h
which are extended through the bottom of the spindle and inclined rearwardly as
shown in Fig. 5 of the drawing; said disposition of the lubricant channels causes
the lubricant to be drawn from said channels during the rotation of the wheel
when in its forward movement, and obviates the danger of clogging said channels.
The journal box BI provide internally with circumferential grooves i i which
communicate with the channels h h and serve to distribute the lubricant over the
axial bearing.
In cases where the self-lubricating feature of the axle is not wanted, the bushing a
may consist of a solid piece of metal formed with the circumferential offset, and
with a circumferentially reduced outer end portion, and the tube compressed around
the said bushing.
When it is desired to have the spindle A¹ tapering, I first compress the outer end
portion of the spindles as hereinbefore stated: "The compression may be effected by
any suitable press and dies or swages in the manner well understood in the art, and
after the spindle has thus its outer end portion partially reduced in diameter, I cut,
turn or trim the exterior of the spindle to the requisite taper as represented in
Fig. 6 of the drawing,
This later operation may be effected either by applying the axle to a turning
lathe provided with a suitable cutting tool, or by forcing the spindle end wise into
a rotary hollow milling tool, or by any other suitable and well known means.
It will be observed that by this process of tapering a spindle formed of a cylin-
drical tube, I obtain a smoothly finished exterior on the spindle without unduly
cutting away the metal and impairing its stability. An axle spindle thus formed
has its interior composed of two cylindrical portions, the outer of which is of a
smaller diameter than the inner portion and is joined therewith by a circumferential
offset, hence such a spindle may be also utilized as a lubricant reservoir for lubri-
cating the exterior of the spindle by providing it with lubricating channels as
indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 6 of the drawing.
C denotes the usual spindle collar which is secured to the axle at the inner end
of the spindle to serve as an abutment for the wheel hub. Back of this collar is
the axle bed D designed either for the attachment and support of the longitudinal
springs which are usually employed on heavy trucks, or for the attachment of a
bolster as may be desired. This axle bed D must therefore be provided with a flat
seat on its top and be firmly secured to the axle, and in order to accomplish the
latter in a simple and effective manner I form said axle bed integral or in one
piece with the collar C and secure them on the axle preferably by heating, and
thus expanding them, and while in this condition slipping them onto the axle and
into their requisite position and then cooling and thus shrinking them on the axle.
Since it is essential to have the interior of the parts CD of true circular form
and smooth, it often becomes necessary to turn or ream out the aforesaid parts, and
in order to save time, labor and wear of tools, I form the interior of the combined
parts CD with a recess r leaving comparatively narrow circumferential bearings tt
at the ends as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing. And by providing said parts with
additional recesses a ass at the corners I save unnecessary weight of metal.
"In case the axle bed D has to be placed some distance from the collar C,
I make the former of a separate piece and shrink it on the axle as hereinbefore
described."

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
1 claim is :-
°
1-A tubular metallic axle having its spindles compressed circumferentially from
the outer ends partway the length of the spindles substantially as described and
shown.
2-A tubular metallic axle reinforced by a lining or bushing in the spindle, and
the outer end portion of said spindle and its lining compressed circumferentially,
substantially as set forth.
3-A tubular metallic axle provided internally with a damn back of the spindle,
and having rearwardly inclined lubricating channels through the bottom of the
spindle, substantially as described and shown.
4-In combination with the axle provided in the spindle with a lubricant
reservoir and with lubricating channel through its bottom, the journal box
provided with circumferential grooves communicating with the aforesaid channels,
substantially as described and shown.
5-A tubular metallic axle having the outer ends of its spindles compressed
circumferentially and screw-threaded externally for the reception of the wheel
retaining nut, and bushings on the interior of the spindles oxtending through the
aforesaid compressed ends thereof, substantially as described and shown.
6-A tubular metallic axle having its spindles tapered externally, and formed
internally with cylindrical portions, the outer of which is of a smaller diameter
than the inner portion and joined therewith by a circumferential offset, substantially
as described and shown.