A NEW OR IMPROVED MODE OR METHOD OF FIXING WHEELS OR PULLEYS UPON AXLES, SHAFTS, OR SPINDLES."
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Alexander´Hansell, of the Canal Steel Casting
Works, Sheffield, in the County of York, Engineer, for an Invention of
"A NEW OR IMPROVED MODE OR METHOD OF FIXING WHEELS OR PULLEYS
UPON AXLES, SHAFTS, OR SPINDLES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Alexander Hansell
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 6th June 1881.
RICHARD ALEXANDER HANSELL, of the Canal Steel Casting Works, Sheffield, in
the County of York. Engineer. "A NEW OR IMPROVED MODE OR METHOD OF
FIXING WHEELS OR PULLEYS UPON AXLES, SHAFTS, OR SPINDLES."
This Invention relates to a simple, economical, and efficient mode or method of
fixing wheels or pulleys upon their axles, shafts, or spindles, and consists essentially
in casting or otherwise forming inside the axle-hole of the wheel or pulley, that is
to say, in the internal portion of the boss of such wheels or pulleys as are required
to be fitted fast upon their axles, shafts, or spindles, one or more projections or
ribs, by preference of a part circular form or segment of a circle in transverse
section, such internal projections or ribs being either parallel or tapered, and
extending either partially or entirely through the said axle-hole in the same longi-
tudinal direction as the axle itself. That part of the said axle-hole which is not
occupied by the before mentioned internal projection or projections may constitute
a portion of the general contour of a round, square, octagonal, bexagonal, oval, or
any other more convenient shaped hole.
According to one mode of carrying out this Invention, I bore, turn, forge, or in
any other more convenient manner produce upon that portion of the axle, shaft, or
spindle which is intended to be fixed directly into the before mentioned boss of
the wheel or pulley, one or more part circular or segmental or other shaped grooves
or recesses of suitable size and shape corresponding with the internal projection
or projections already referred to. I prefer to produce these grooves or recesses by
first temporarily binding closely together longitudinally in any firm and convenient

page_text: manner, say, three of the said axles or shafts of a similar size and shape to the
portion or general contour of the axle-hole unoccupied by the internal circular
projections, and perfectly parallel with each other. I prefer that each axle or shaft
should be exactly of one and the same size or sectional area. I then drill or bore,
or in any more convenient manner produce a round hole longitudinally down the
central portion of these combined axles, bound together side by side as described,
which round hole may be either parallel or tapered, but preferably parallel. I thus
produce at one operation and at one and the same time a part circular or segmental
shaped groove or recess of equal size in each of the three axles or shafts, and by
thus repeating the operation and re-adjusting the several axles after each operation
I can readily obtain as many more equal sized segmental or part circular shaped
longitudinal grooves or recesses along the surface of each axle as space will permit
or necessity may require. For readiness and economy, I prefer in practice to cast
the before mentioned internal part circular shaped or segmental projections in a
round axle-hole of the wheel boss, and to form the corresponding grooves upon a
round axle or shaft. Having thus formed the wheel and its axle I suitably expand
the boss of each wheel and force the same upon its axle or shaft (each projection
fitting into its corresponding groove) by suitable hydraulic, steam, hand, or other
power, and if desired (though not necessarily) I rivet over any portion of the shaft
or axle which may extend through the boss of the wheel.
The advantages of my improved node or method of fastening consist chiefly in
the entire absence of all loose parts, such as keys, cottars, bolts, nuts, washers,
collared axles, and such like, four wheels and two axles alone being sufficient to
comprise a complete set ready for placing under the wagon, for example, for
permanent use. There is an entire absence of the usual slotting of wheel bosses,
which is always a weakening process. No boring of wheels is required, and by
reason of the internal projection or projections and the corresponding groove or
grooves, combined with the shrinkage and pressure exerted in fitting, it is impossible
for the wheel to become loose or move in any way upon its axle. No forging of
axles is required, the plain round bar, which is the most economical, with the
groove or grooves formed therein being at once ready for fixing.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Richard Alexander Hansell in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 5th December 1881.
RICHARD ALEXANDER HANSELL, of the Canal Steel Casting Works, Sheffield, in
the County of York, Engineer. "A NEW OR IMPROVED MODE OR METHOD OF
FIXING WHEELS OR PULLEYS UPON AXLES, SHAFTS, OR SPINDLES."
My said Invention relates to a simple, economical, and efficient mode or method
of fixing wheels or pulleys upon their axles, shafts, or spindles.
In carrying out my said Invention I produce, preferably by casting, inside the
axle hole of the wheel or pulloy, that is to say, in tho internal portion of the boss
of such wheels or pulleys as are required to be fitted fast upon their axles, shafts,
or spindles, one or more projections or ribs, by preference of a part circular form
or segment of a circle in transverse section, or the said projections may form part

page_text: of a square, octagonal, hexagonal, or other flat sided figure. These projections or
ribs are either parallel or tapered, and extend either partially or entirely through
the said axle hole in the samo longitudinal direction as the axle itself. That part
of the said axle hole which is not occupied by the before mentioned internal
projection or projections may constitute a portion of the general contour of a
round, square, octagonal, hexagonal, oval, or any other more convenient shaped
hole in the boss.
I also bore, turn, forge, slot, or in any other more convenient manner produce
upon that portion of the axle, shaft, or spindle which is intended to be fixed directly
into the before mentioned boss of the wheel or pulley, one or more part circular or
segmental, or other shaped grooves or recesses of suitable size and shape corre-
sponding with the internal projection or projections already referred to produced
inside the wheel or pulley boss. I prefer to produce these grooves or recesses when
of a part circular form by first temporarily binding closely together longitudinally
in any firm and convenient manner, say, three of the said axles or shafts of a
similar size and shape to the portion or general contour of the axle hole unoccupied
by the internal circular projections, and perfectly parallel with each other. I
prefer that all the axles or shafts should be exactly the same size or sectional area.
I then drill or bore, or in any more convenient manner produce a round hole longi-
tudinally down the central portion of the group of these combined axles, bound
together side by side as described, which round hole may be either parallel or
tapered, but preferably parallel. I thus produce at one operation a part circular
or segmental shaped groove or recess of equal size on each of the three axles or
shafts simultaneously, and by thus repeating the operations and readjusting the
several axles after each operation I can readily obtain as many more equal sized
segmental or part circular shaped longitudinal grooves or recesses along the surface
of cach axle as space will permit or necessity may require. For readiness and
economy I prefer in practice to cast the before mentioned internal part circular
shaped or segmental projections in a round axle hole of the wheel boss, and to
form the corresponding grooves upon a round axle or shaft by boring, slotting, or
otherwise.
Having thus formed the wheel boss and its axle I suitably expand the boss of
each wheel by heating the same, and force the same upon its axle or shaft (each
internal projection fitting into its corresponding groove) by suitable hydraulic
steam, or other power, or by hand, and if desired, though not necessarily, I rivet
over any portion of the shaft or axle which may extend through the boss of the
wheel.
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 tho Figures.
Figure 1 of my Drawings represents in transverse section the mode of grouping
together, say, three axles, which I preferably adopt as a preliminary for producing
the requisite longitudinal part, circular or segmental grooves or recesses in the ends
of the said axles or shafts to receive the bosses of the wheels or pulleys when such
bosses have internal projections of a corresponding part circular or segmental shape
produced therein; Figure 2 is a transverse section of one of the axles after it has
been longitudinally grooved at the part intended to receive the wheel or pulley
boss; Figure 3 is a transverse section of the corresponding wheel or pulley boss
showing the part circular or segmental shaped projections therein, and Figure
is a longitudinal section of the said boss fitted onto its corresponding axle
or shaft.
a, a, a, (Figure 1) are three axles which I bind firmly together longitudinally or
side by side in any convenient manner, not shown in the Drawings, as it will be
readily understood. I then bore or drill a hole indicated by the dotted circle b of
any desired diameter and depth, according to the diameter of the shafts or axles
and the length of the grooves or recesses required, thereby producing in each of

page_text: the three shafts "a" simultaneously, a part circular or segmental shaped groove or
recess, each of the same size and shape. If more than one groove be required in
each shaft or axle the shafts or axles are then loosened and re-adjusted by being
cach turned partly round, and when again securely bound together a second hole
is drilled or bored like the first, and so on until the desired number of grooves or
recesses (as indicated by the dotted lines b', 6'), have been produced in each one of
the group of shafts or axles. Although I prefer to adopt the part circular or
segmental form of grooves as being more conveniently and expeditiously produced,
I do not coufine or restrict myself to that particular shape, as they may obviously
be produced of a part square, octagonal, hexagonal, or other flat sided shape by a
slotting tool or otherwise, as will be readily understood, it being simply requisite that
the longitudinal projections or ribs c, c, (whatever may be their shape) produced
inside the wheel or pulley boss shall correspond in transverse section and in number
and position with the grooves in the axle or shaft, as shown in Figure 3. The
lengths of the grooves b in the axle and projections c in the wheel or pulley boss
should by preference be so arranged as that when the wheel boss has been forced
well home on the axle, which may be accomplished by hydraulic, steam, hand, or
other power, the wheels shall be properly guaged.
The advantages of my improved mode or method of fastening wheels or pulleys
on their axles or shafts consist chiefly in the entire absence of all loose parts, such
as keys, cottars, bolts, nuts, washers, collared axles, and such like, four wheels and
two axles alone being sufficient to comprise a complete set ready for placing under
a waggon for permanent use. There is an entire absence of the usual slotting of
wheel bosses, which is always a weakening process. No boring of wheel bosses is
required, and by reason of the internal projection or projections and the corre-
sponding groove or grooves in the axles, combined with the shrinkage and pressure
exerted in fitting the wheel or pulley thereon, it is impossible for it to become loose
or move in any way upon its axle. No forging of axles is required, the plain round
bar, which is the most economical, with the groove or grooves formed therein being
at once ready for fixing.
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 heroinbefore in part
recited Letters Patent is,―
The modo or method of fixing wheels or pulleys on their axles or shafts by
producing, preferably by casting, ribs or longitudinal projections inside the bosses
of the wheels or pulleys forming corresponding longitudinal grooves or recessos in
the axles or shafts, and then forcing the said bosses of the wheels or pulleys outo
the grooved portions of such axles or shafts, substantially as specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Alexander Hansell, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this First day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty one.