IMPROVEMENTS IN AXLES AND AXLE BOXES OF ENGINES AND CARRIAGES IN USE ON RAILWAYS
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Mackay Miller, of Inchicore, in the County of
Dublin, Civil Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN AXLES
AND AXLE BOXES OF ENGINES AND CARRIAGES IN USE ON RAILWAYS."
AND AXLE BOXES OF ENGINES AND CARRIAGES IN USE ON RAILWAYS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Mackay Miller at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
1st March 1855.
I, GEORGE MACKAY MILLER, of Inchicore, County of Dublin, Civil Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
AXLES AND AXLE BOXES OF ENGINES AND CARRIAGES IN USE ON RAILWAYS" to
be as follows:-
My Invention relates, in the first place, to the cylindrical journals of axles,
and consists in forming the journal either with but one collar or shoulder,
which may be at the inner or at the outer end, or without a collar at either
end, by which means the journal will be less liable to become heated during
its working.
And my Invention consists, in the second place, in constructing axle
boxes so that the main portion of the same and the step or bearing for
the axle journal can be removed without lifting the carriage off the wheels.
For this purpose the lower part of the axle box is made open at the top in

page_text: order to receive the step or bearing, and that portion of the axle box which
forms the upper grease chamber or hopper, and the two parts of the axle box
are retained in their respective positions by means of a bolt passed through
them, or they may be so retained by means of any other mode of suitable
position.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Mackay Miller in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 27th August 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
MACKAY MILLER, of Inchicore, in the County of Dublin, Civil Engineer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the First day of March, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the eighteenth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
George Mackay Miller, Her special licence that I, the said George Mackay
Miller, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
George Mackay Miller, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN AXLES AND AXLE BOXES OF ENGINES AND CARRIAGES IN USE.ON RAILWAYS,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said George Mackay Miller,
by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, 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 George Mackay Miller, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon, (that is to say):-
My Invention of "Improvements in Axles and Axle Boxes of Engines and
Carriages in Use on Railways" relates, in the first place, to the cylindrical

page_text: journals of axles, and is intended to reduce the frictional surface of the journal
by forming it either with but one collar or shoulder, which may be either at
the inner or at the outer end, or without a collar at either end, by which
means the journal will be less liable to become heated during its working.
And my Invention consists, in the second place, in constructing axle boxes
so that the main portion of the same and the step or bearing for the axle
journal can be removed without lifting the carriage off the wheels. For this
purpose the lower part of the axle box is made open at the top in order to
receive the step or bearing, and that portion of the axle box which forms
the upper grease chamber or hopper, and the two parts of the axle box arc
retained in their respective positions by means of a bolt passed through
them, or they may be so retained by means of any other suitable mode of
connection.
In order, however, that my Invention may be fully understood, I will
proceed to describe it more particularly by the aid of the accompanying
Drawing, in which the points above referred to are represented.
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal, and Fig. 2 a front elevation of the axle box; Fig. 3
is a longitudinal section through the centre of the same, shewing the axle with
a journal having but one collar or shoulder at the inner end; Fig. 4 is a
similar section of the axle box, shewing the axle with a journal without any
collar or shoulder, the extremity of the journal bearing against the face plate
of the axle box; Fig. 5 is a transverse section taken through the centre of the
axle box; Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section through the same, shewing the axle
with a journal having but one collar or shoulder at the outer end; Fig. 7 is a
plan or horizontal view of the axle box. In all these Figures the same letters
of reference indicate corresponding parts.
A is the axle; B is the journal of the same. This journal is formed, as
shewn at Fig. 3, with one shoulder C at the inner end, or the part where it
joins the axle A, the journal being otherwise merely cylindrical; the lateral
motion of the axle being prevented by the shoulder C bearing against the
step E. The journal shewn at Fig. 4 has no collar or shoulder to bear against
the step E, but its extremity bears against the face plate of the axle box D,
in order to prevent the lateral motion of the axle. In this case the journal
extends beyond the step E, and is gradually enlarged, as shewn at I, from its
cylindrical portion to the axle A, where the latter passes through the boss K
of the wheel. The journal as shewn at Fig. 6 is formed similarly to that just
described, except that it has a collar or shoulder C at its extremity, the step or
bearing E pressing against the inner surface of the collar or shoulder C, the
lateral motion of the axle being prevented, by the plug H screwed into the

page_text: end of this journal, bearing against the face plate of the axle box D. In
the arrangements shewn in Figures 3 and 6 the step is exposed to end wear
at one end only, and it can be reversed when worn at either end.
The axle box is composed of two parts; the lower or main portion D is
open at top in order to receive the upper portion F, forming the grease
chamber, and the step E, as shewn at Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6. The two parts D
and F of the box are secured in their respective positions by means of the
bolt G passed through them, or they may be held together by any other
suitable mode of connection.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, I would have it understood that I do not
intend to confine myself to the precise forms and arrangements of all the parts
represented and described; but what I claim is,-
First, the construction of axle journals of the forms represented at Figures 8,
4, and 6 respectively, and for the purpose described.
And, secondly, the construction of the axle box in two parts adapted to each
other, in the manner represented and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Mackay Miller, have hereunto
subscribed my name and affixed my seal, the Twenty-third day of
August, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
fifty-five.
GEORGE M. MILLER. (L.S.)
Signed, sealed, and delivered in the presence of
JOHN WAKEField,
Inchicore Works, Dublin.