Certain Improvements in Ball Bearing Axle Boxes for Road Vehicles.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Sept., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 3rd June, 1897-Accepted, 10th July, 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Certain Improvements in Ball Bearing Axle Boxes for Road Vehicles.
I, WILLIAM HARTLEY EDGERTON, of Sunnyside, Hollies Drive, Wednesbury, in
the County of Stafford, Manufacturers' Manager, do hereby declare the nature of
this Invention to be as follows:-
This Invention has reference to ball bearing axle boxes for road vehicles and
consists in constructing the said axle boxes as herein described so as to enable
the axle box to be applied to any existing axle and so that the axle box and
wheel hub can be removed from the axle without disturbing the balls or the
adjustment of the ball races.
In carrying out this Invention I provide a tubular metal sleeve of about the
same length as the axle box proper and adapted to turn freely therein and made
to fit tightly upon the axle. Screwed on to the ends of this tubular sleeve are
two collars which fit into the cupped ends of the axle box proper. Between one
of these collars and a corresponding collar in the axle box proper I provide one
set of the balls and between the other collar on the sleeve and a corresponding
collar in the other end of the axle box proper I provide the other set of balls. All
the said collars are by preference turned with V-shaped grooves on their adjacent
faces forming the ball races so that for each set of balls there are two lines of
contact in each collar. The collar on the outer end of the sleeve is adjustable and
can be locked in place by any convenient means as by a D-washer on the sleeve
and a lock nut on the outside of the washer. The axle cap is screwed into or on
to the end of the axle box proper as usual.
In applying the ball bearing axle box above described to an existing axle, the
sleeve is made to fit on the axle and prevented from turning thereon by being
shrunk on to the axle or by a feather at the end fixed to the axle collar or by
other means. When it is desired to remove the wheel from the axle the sleeve
comes away with the axle box and prevents the balls from falling out.
Dated this 8th day of September 1896
Certain Improvements in Ball Bearing Axle Boxes for Road Vehicles.
I, WILLIAM HARTLEY EDGERTON, of Sunnyside, Hollies Drive, Wednesbury, in
the County of Stafford, Manufacturers' Manager, 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 has reference to ball bearing axle boxes for road vehicles and
consists in constructing the said axle boxes as herein described so as to enable

page_text: the axle box to be applied to any existing axle and so that the axle box and
wheel hub can be removed from the axle without disturbing the halls or the
adjustment of the ball races.
I will describe my Invention by referring to the accompanying drawing on
which Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of a hall bearing axle box con-
structed according to this Invention and shewn on what is known as a Colling's
axle; Fig. 2 is a cross section of the same on line X X of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 shews
the axle box without the cap removed from the axle: Fig. 4 shews part of the
said axle box separately and Fig. 5 shews a slightly modified form of a part of the
said axle box.
The same letters of reference indicate the same or corresponding parts in all
the Figures of the drawing.
In carrying out this Invention I provide a tubular metal sleeve A of about the
same length as the axle box proper B and adapted to turn freely therein and
made to fit upon the axle C so as not to turn thereon which can be accomplished
by any convenient means as by indenting the outer end of the tube A so as to
form a flat al to take upon the usual flat c¹ of the axle C. Screwed on to the ends
of the tubular sleeve A are two collars marked respectively D and E which
respectively fit into the cupped ends of the axle box proper B. Between the
collar D and the corresponding collar or shoulder 1 in the axle box proper BI
provide one set of the balls marked F and between the other collar E on the
sleeve and the corresponding collar or shoulder on the axle box proper BL
provide the other set of balls marked G. All the said collars are hy preference
turned with V-shaped grooves, as shown, on their adjacent faces forming the hall
races so that for each set of balls there are two lines of contact in each collar.
Or the ball races may be made semi-circular or rounded as is commonly done and
the collars 3 4 may if desired he made separate from the axle box proper B as
shewn for instance by Fig. 5. The collar E on the outer end of the sleeve A is
adjustable and can he locked in place hy any convenient means as hy the D-washer
shewn separately by Fig. 4 which fits on the sleeve A between the collar E and a
lock nut I which is screwed on to the end of the sleeve and forces the D-washer H
against the collar E so that when the collar E has heen adjusted it is securely
locked as the washer H. cannot be turned round. The axle cap J is of the usual kind
screwed into or on to the outer end of the axle box proper B as usual.
When it is desired to remove the wheel from the axle C it is only necessary to
first remove the cap J and the usual split cotter K and lock nuts L M from the
end of the axle C and then the sleeve A complete with the axle box B can, as
shewn by Fig. 3, be slided off the axle without disturbing the halls which will
therefore be prevented from falling out, and without disturbing the adjustment
of the ball races.
It will be evident that without departing from the nature of my Invention other
means other than that described and illustrated by my drawing may be employed
for preventing the sleeve A from turning round on the axle C and also for locking
the adjustable collar E thereon.
The axle box shewn upon my drawing is for use with a wooden nave of a road
vehicle wheel but it will he understood that the axle box B may itself form the
wheel nave as do other axle boxes, the exterior of the axle box being formed in
any convenient manner (which forms no part of my Invention) for the attachment
of the wheel spokes.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said In-
vention and in what manner the same is to he performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. In a ball bearing axle box for road vehicles the combination of a tubular
sleeve made to fit and not to turn on the axle, two collars forming ball races one
of which is fixed to said sleeve and the other is adjustably screwed thereon, a

page_text: metal axle box proper free to revolve on said sleeve between said rollers and made
cupped at each end to enclose the collars and with shoulders forming the ball
races in said cups, balls arranged to revolve between the said shoulders and collars
and means for locking the adjustable collar to adjust the ball bearings all
substantially as hereinbefore set forth.
2. In a ball bearing axle box for road vehicles the combination of the tubular
sleeve A to fit and not to turn on the axle, the collars 1 E on the sleeve A forming
the ball races, the metal axle box B proper arranged between the collars D E to turn
on the sleeve A and made with end cups 61 63 and with shoulders 63forming
ball races in said cups, the two sets of balls F G arranged to revolve between the
said shoulders and collars, and the washer H and lock nut I screwed on the end of
the sleeve A for the purpose of locking the collar E all substantially as hereinbefore
described and illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 2nd day of Inna 1807
CHARLES BOSWORTH KETLEY,
Agent for the Applicant.