Improvements in Anti-friction Bearings for Vehicles.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Oct., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 22nd July, 1889-Accepted, 21st Sept., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Anti-friction Bearings for Vehicles.
I, WILLIAM JOHN BREWER, Civil Engineer of 33, Broadway New York City
United States of America do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The present invention relates to that class of bearings usually called anti-friction
bearings, wherein rollers or wheels are provided to sustain the load thereby materially
reducing the friction & wear upon the running parts, & it consists in certain novel.
features and combination of parts.
The invention is particularly adapted to those vehicles which in addition to the
usual load are provided with a motor for propelling it along the road or way such
for instance as electric, steam, or gas motors, and also those carrying a gripping
mechanism for use in connection with a travelling cable-and in the present
embodiments thereof the entire weight or load is sustained by the axle or axles of the
anti friction lever wheels, thus reducing the friction upon the main axle and wheels,
allowing them free scope for work, and materially reducing the wear & tear
thereupon.
The ordinary journals of the axle each extend into the slot of a bracket or pedestal
that is secured to the underside of the car sill, so as to be free to play vertically in.
said slot, the lower end of the latter being stopped by a bar or rod, to prevent the
axle and wheel from becoming disconnected from the vehicle.
In the preferred form however the journals are each seated in bearings in an axle
box that is held in the slot & adapted to play vertically therein. Between the load
represented by the vehicle and the main axle there is interposed a second or
anti friction axle supporting at its opposite ends an anti friction lever wheel or roll,
secured to said axle, and which is adapted to bear against and run in contact with the
main axle. The axle is mounted vertically over the main axle in bearings provided by a
pair of brackets sustained from the underside of the vehicle platform or floor and
between the track wheels in such a manner that the lever wheels may bear upon the
said axle, and in close proximity with its track wheels so that the load is transferred
to the track wheels as nearly vertically over their treads as is possible.
This construction permits the ordinary running gear of a tram car to be readily
provided with the anti friction axle and wheels, so that little or no alteration is
required in said gear.
The journals of the anti friction axle are provided with anti friction rolls to operate
only when not travelling on a level grade.
The main axle is provided with collars to form a bearing for anti friction wheels,
which collars may be removed and replaced by others as may be necessary from time
to time, the ends of the anti friction axle may be extended beyond the lever wheels,
so that the brackets, their brasses and rolls may be arranged outside the said wheels
and between them and the track wheels, so also the lever axle may be divided, and
the divided portions each carrying a lever wheel, and be supported upon one or
opposite sides thereof, by the said brackets and described connections, the power of
the driving motor may be communicated to the lower or main axle in any suitable
manner, especially provided is a wheel on main axle worked by the friction gearing
direct from the said motor.
Dated this 12th day of October 1888.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Anti-friction Bearings for Vehicles.
1, WILLIAM JOHN BREWER, of 33 Broadway, New York City, United States
America, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in wh
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained i
and by the following statement :-
The present invention relates to that class of bearings usually called anti-frictio
bearings, wherein rollers or wheels are provided to sustain the load thereby materiall
reducing the friction and wear upon the running parts; and it consists in certain
novel features and combinations of parts, fully hereinafter set forth.
The improvements are best illustrated in connection with a vehicle, car or othe
similar structure adapted to either travel over ordinary roads or upon a suitable
track or way, as in the accompanying drawings wherein
Fig. 1, is a cross sectional elevation of a portion of a vehicle provided with the
invention.
Fig. 2, is a longitudinal sectional elevation of the same taken on the line 2-2, of
Fig. 1.
Figs. 3 and 4 are sectional views illustrating modified forms of the manner of
journalling the anti-friction axle.
Figure 5 is a plan of the longitudinal frame 25 shewing the recess 26.
The invention is particularly adapted to those vehicles which, in addition to the
usual load, are provided with a motor for propelling it along the road or way, such,
for instance, as electric, steam or gas motors, and also those carrying a gripping
mechanism for use in connection with a travelling cable; and in the present
embodiment thereof the entire weight or load is sustained by the axle or axles of the
anti-friction lever wheels, thus reducing the friction upon the main axles and wheels,
allowing them free scope for work and materially reducing the wear and tear
thereupon.
Referring to said drawings, so far as shown, A, is a vehicle of any of the usual
constructions, that taken for illustration being an ordinary tram-car, provided with
the usual axlo B, and track wheels C, secured thereto. The ordinary journals 10 of
the axle each extend into the slot of a bracket or pedestal 13, that is secured to the
under side of the car sill 14, so as to be free to play vertically in said slot, the lowor
end of the latter being stopped by a bar or rod 30 to prevent the axle and wheel
from becoming disconnected from the vehicle.
journals 10 are each seated in bearings in an axle box 12, that is held in the slot and
In the preferred form, however, the
adapted to play vertically therein.
Between the load-represented by the vehicle A-and the main axle B, there is
interposed a second or anti-friction axle D, supporting at its opposite ends an anti-friction
lever wheel or roll E, secured to said axle, and which is adapted to bear against and
run in contact with the main axle B. The axle D is mounted vertically over the
main axle B, in bearings provided by a bracket 15 and housing 17, sustained from
the underside of the vehicle platform or floor and between the track wheels in such
a manner that the lever wheels E, may bear upon said axle B, and in close proximity
with its track wheels C, so that the load is transferred to the track wheels as nearly
vertically over their tread as is possible.
This construction permits the ordinary running gear of a tram-car to be readily 4
provided with the anti-friction axle and wheels, so that little or no alteration is
required in said gear.
The journals of the axle D, bear against brasses 16, secured in suitable housings 17,
provided on the brackets 15, which brasses ordinarily transfer the load to the said
axle. The brasses are each supplemented by a pair of anti-friction rolls 18, mounted 5
on pins 19, supported in the housings 17, upon opposite sides of the vertical axis of
the axle D, the bearing faces of which rolls project through recesses in the brasses,
so that the axle D may bear against and run in contact therewith. The arrangement

page_text: of these independent rolls 18 with respect to the axle D, is such that when the
vehicle is travelling on a level they do not bear upon the axle, but when it is
ascending or descending a grade the load will be transferred to the said axle wholly
by one of the rolls, thus removing the friction for the time being of the entire or
major portion of the brasses.
The bracket 15, is held in place by rods 20 depending from the vehicle body,
and preferably from a longitudinally arranged bar 21, with which the vehicle is
provided.
Instead of employing the usual springs in connection with the main axle, the
vehicle is supported upon the brackets 15, through the medium of springs 23, that
are interposed around the rods 20, between seats 22, with which the brackets 15 are
provided and seats on said bar 21, or against the underside of the vehicle platform
or floor.
There also provided a longitudinally arranged frame 25, firmly bolted to the
vehicle body, and extending downward under the seats 22, of the brackets 15,
through which frame the ends of the rods 20 extend, their nuts bearing against it and
affording a support for the lower ends of the said rods, and a stop limiting the
downward movement of the brackets 15. The frame 25, is also divided longitudinally
to provide a longitudinal recess 26, as shewn in Fig. 5 of sufficient width to permit
the passage of the bracket 15, and the divided portions of the frame are curved
upward upon opposite sides of the bracket, thus affording lateral support to the
bracket and preventing any undue strain upon the rods 20.
The pedestals 13, upon the same side of the vehicle may be connected together, and
thus suitably braced by a tie rod 30, which may also be secured directly to the vehicle
body by one or more vertical rods 31.
Instead of permitting the lever wheels E to run directly in contact with the main
axle B, the latter may be provided with collars forming a bearing for said wheels,
which collars may be removed and replaced by others as may be necessary from time
to time.
While the lever wheels E are shown as secured to the ends of the axle D, with
the brackets 15, and their brasses and rolls 18, located between the lever wheels, it
is obvious that the ends of the axle D may be extended beyond the lever wheels so
that the brackets, their brasses and rolls may be arranged outside the said wheels
and between them and the track wheels C, as is illustrated in Fig. 3.
So also as seen in Fig. 3, and Fig. 4. the axle, D may be divided and the divided
portions each carrying a lever wheel E, be supported upon one or opposite sides
thereof by the said brackets 15, and the described connections.
The power of the driving motor may be communicated to the lower or main
axle B in any suitable, means: a wheel may be provided, shown in dotted lines,
Fig. 1, as secured to said axle, through which the power may be transmitted to the
track wheels C.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1. In anti-friction bearings, the combination of a vehicle, the main axle and wheels,
an anti-friction axle and its lever wheels, brackets in which said anti-friction axle is
journalled and springs interposed between the brackets and the vehicle body, sub-
stantially as described.
2. In anti-friction bearings, the combination of the vehicle pedestals, the main axle
and wheels, the journals of which extend into a bearing enclosed in an outer box
which plays vertically in slots in the pedestals, an anti-friction axle and its lever
wheels, brackets in which said anti-friction axle is journalled, and springs interposed
between the brackets and the vehicle body, substantially as described.
3. In anti-friction bearings, the combination of the anti-friction axle, a bracket in
which the axle is journalled and mounted so as to have vertical movement, springs

page_text: bearing upon the bracket, and a longitudinal frame forming a lateral support for
the bracket, substantially as described.
4. In anti-friction bearings, the combination of the anti-friction; axle, a bracket in
which the axle is journalled, and a pair of rolls carried by the bracket normally out
of contact with the axle and adapted to contact and bear against, the same as the
position of the bracket changes with respect to the centre of gravity, substantially
as described.
5. In anti-friction bearings, the combination of the anti-friction axle, a bracket
mounted so as to have vertical movement, and in which the axle is journaled, a longi-
tudinal frame rigidly mounted, rods passing freely through holes in the bracket and
secured to the said frame, and springs surrounding the rods and bearing against said
bracket, substantially as described.
6. In anti-friction bearings the combination of a vehicle the main divided axle and
wheels, a divided..anti-friction axle and its lever, wheels brackets in which said anti-
friction axle is journalled and springs interposed between the brackets and the vehicle
body substantially as described.
7. In anti-friction bearings the combination with the axle box in which the main
axles are.journalled of an external cushion spring substantially as described.
ITI 1000
FELL & WILDING, .
1, Queen Victoria Street, London, E.C., Agents for the Applicant.