Improvements in the Manufacture of Railway Axles.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 4th June, 1889
Complete Specification Left, 20th Nov., 1889-Accepted, 21st Dec., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Railway Axles.
I, HENRY AIKEN of Homestead in the County of Allegheny, State of Pennsylvania
and United States of America, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this inven
tion to be as follows:-
-
The invention described herein relates to certain improvements in the manufacture
of axles for vehicles such as railway cars, &c. Heretofore in the manufacture of such
axles it has been customary to produce by rolling or hammering an ingot or billet of
a sectional area somewhat greater than the sectional area of the largest part of the
axle to be produced, and of such a length as will afford sufficient metal in the sub-
sequent treatment thereof to produce an axle of the desired length. This billet is then
reduced by forging to the desired dimensions and shape, and the car wheel seat and
the journal portion of the axle are finished in a suitable lathe. This operation involves
not only a great deal of hard labor, but also the loss of considerable time and material
and also involves the frequent re-heating of the billets, which is detrimental to the
character of the metal.
The object of the invention herein is to provide for the formation of the entire axle
both as regards the general size and shape thereof, the size and shape of the car seat
bearing, and the approximate size and shape of the journal bearing.
In the practice of my invention I provide a blank of approximately uniform
diameter throughout its entire length, such diameter being equal or perhaps slightly
less than the diameter of the smallest part of the finished axle, and of a length longer
than that of the finished axle by an amount sufficient to afford the necessary metal
required in forming the larger parts of the axle, as will be hereinafter described.
This blank which can be produced by rolling in a suitable mill or in any other suitable
manner is heated until the metal becomes sufficiently plastic to permit of its being
upset, and is then placed in the matrix formed in suitable dies. This matrix corre-
sponds to, as regards its several dimensions and shape, the axle to be made, and at
the ends of said matrix are formed suitable passages for the movement of the upsetting
plungers. The dies are arranged in a recess in a frame, and are operated to and from
each other by means of wedges, which are shifted longitudinally in the frame by the
piston of a hydraulic cylinder. The plungers are operated by a suitable hydraulic
cylinder at each end of the frame.
After the blank has been heated and placed within the matrix of the dies, the
latter are closed together by means of the wedges. Fluid pressure is then adınitted
into the cylinders, thereby forcing the plungers inwardly and upsetting the ends of
the blank held within the dies, and causing the metal of said blank to expand out-
wardly, completely filling the matrix and reducing the blank in length to, or approxi-
mately to the length required in the finished axle. The dies are then opened by the
operation of the wedges, and the finished axle raised from between the dies by means
of vertically movable rods having their ends suitably shaped to support the axle, and
working between the open dies. After the finished axle has been removed another
heated blank is placed in position in the dies which are then closed, and the blank
upset, as herein before described.
It will be readily understood by those skilled in the art that by suitably propor-
tioning the matrices of the dies that an axle having the desired shape and dimensions
in the several parts when cold, can be quickly and easily shaped in the manner above
described.
Dated this 4th day of June 1889.
CARPMAEL & Co.,
Agents.

page_text: .
Improvements in the Manufacture of Railway Axles.
I, HENRY AIKEN, of Homestead, in the County of Allegheny, State of Pennsylvania,
and United States of America, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The invention described herein relates to certain improvements in the manufacture
of axles for vehicles such as railway cars, &c. Heretofore in the manufacture of such
axles it has been customary to produce by rolling or hammering an ingot or billet of
a sectional area somewhat greater than the sectional area of the largest part of the
axle to be produced, and of such a length as will afford sufficient metal in the sub-
sequent treatment thereof to produce an axle of the desired length. This billet is
then reduced by forging to the desired dimensions and shape, and the car wheel seat
and the journal portion of the axle are finished in a suitable lathe. This operation
involves not only a great deal of hard labor, but also the loss of considerable time and
material and also involves the frequent re-heating of the billets, which is detrimental
to the character of the metal.
The object of the invention herein is to provide for the formation of the entire axle
hoth as regards the general size and shape thereof, the size and shape of the car seat
bearing, and the approximate size and shape of the journal bearing; and to this
end the invention consists in the method as hereinafter more fully described and
claimed.
In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, Fig. 1 is a view
in side elevation of my improved apparatus; Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same;
Figs. 3 and 4 are sectional views taken in the plane indicated by the line x, x, Fig. 2,
the dies being shown closed in Fig. 3 and open in Fig. 4; Fig. 5 is a sectional view
of the cross-head taken on the plane indicated by the line y, y, Fig. 1; Fig.
view in elevation of the blank; Fig. 7 is a similar view of the completed axle ; and
Fig. 8 is a sectional view of a modified form of apparatus.
is a
In the practice of my invention, the casting 1 is arranged upon a suitable
foundation as shown in Fig. 1. In the upper side of this casting is made a
longitudinal recess forming jaws 2 having their inner faces inclined towards each
other from end to end as shown in Fig. 2. Between the jaws 2 are placed dies 3
having their meeting faces recessed as at 4, said recesses being constructed to
form, when the dies are placed together, a matrix corresponding as to shape and
dimensions, to the axle to be formed. These dies 3 are moved towards and away from
each other by means of the sectional wedges 5 and 6, said wedges being arranged
between the dies and the jaws 2, and connected to said dies by means of lugs 7
engaging grooves formed in the upper and lower faces of the dies as shown in Figs. 3
and 4. In order to ensure a separation of the wedges and with them of the dies,
when the former are shifted longitudinally outward as hereinafter described, said
wedges are provided with tongues 8 engaging grooves 9 formed in the casting 1
parallel with the faces of the jaws 2, and the sections forming each wedge are con-
nected together, in order to ensure simultaneous lateral movements of both sections,
by means of tongues 10 and grooves 11 as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The grooves 9
and 11 should be made somewhat wider than the tongues 8 and 10, and so located
with reference to the jaws 2, as to prevent the lateral thrust of the wedges being
taken up by the tongues rather than the jaws 2. The wedges are held in position as
against vertical movement by the plates 12 bolted to the jaws 2 and extending over
the wedges as shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4. Each wedge is provided at one end with a
shank 13 extending through the cross-head 14 and connected by a pin 15 to the
piston rod 16 of the fluid pressure cylinder 17 as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 5. The
dies 3 are provided in their meeting faces at the ends of the matrices proper, with

page_text: circular grooves for the reception of the excess of length at each end of the blank as
hereinafter stated and also to permit of the movement of the plungers 18 and 19 in
the upsetting operation, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2.
The plunger 18 is secured to the piston 20 of the fluid pressure cylinder 21 arranged
with its axis in line with the plunger 18, and on opposite sides of the cylinder 21, are
placed the fluid pressure cylinders 22. The piston rods 23 of said cylinders extend
through passages in opposite sides of the casting 1 to the cross-head 24, and to this
cross-head is attached the plunger 19 as shown in Figs. 2 and 5. The cylinders 22
are so proportioned as to their diameters, that the power exerted by said cylinders
shall equal that exerted by the cylinder 21, so that when said cylinders are operating
on a blank through the medium of the plungers 18 and 19, the power exerted by
cylinders 22 shall counterbalance that exerted by the large cylinder 21.
In order to ensure practically simultaneous action of each cylinder, the fluid pressure
conducting pipes from each cylinder are connected to common supply pipes 24 and 25
leading to the valve mechanism 26 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.
The blank is reduced by rolling or forging from a suitable bloom, to a diameter
preferably uniform throughout its entire length, such diameter being equal or
practically so to the diameter of the axle to be made at its smallest part. The blank
should exceed the length of the desired axle by an amount sufficient to supply the
metal necessary for the required enlargement of the blank near its ends, as shown in
Fig. 7. After being properly heated the blank is placed between the dies which are
then closed by the wedges actuated by the cylinder 17. The blank having been firmly
grasped by the dies, fluid pressure is admitted to the cylinders 21 and 22, thereby
forcing the plungers 18 and 19 inward upsetting the ends of the blank and causing
portions to expand outward and fill the matrix of the dies. The plungers are then
retracted, the dies opened by moving the wedges outwardly in a longitudinal
direction as hereinbefore stated, the completed axle removed and another blank
inserted.
In order to facilitate the removal of the axle and the placing of a blank in
position between the dies, a fluid pressure cylinder 27. is arranged beneath the
casting 1 and on the cross-head 28 carried by the piston-rod 29 of said cylinder,
bars or rods 30 are secured. These rods 30 pass up through openings in the
casting 1 as shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 4, said openings being arranged in a vertical
plane passing through the parting line of the dies 3. On the upper ends of the
rods 30, are placed crutches consisting of a shank or stem 31, and a concave
head 32. The shank and head are constructed so as to have the one a firm
bearing on the bottom of the recess in the casting and the other on the bottom of
a recess formed in the dies for the reception of the crutches when lowered. By
means of these crutches the finished axle can be raised sufficiently high to permit of
its being rolled or pushed to one side. A blank is then placed on the crutches and
lowered into position for being grasped by the dies.
If desired any lettering or other mark, which is to be placed on the axle can
be cut in reverse on the concave surfaces of the head 32, and the metal of the blank
will be forced into said mark or lettering by the upsetting operation, as will be readily
understood.
As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the stem 31 of the crutch rests upon the bottom of the
recess in the casting, and hence during the upsetting operation herein before described
and consequent expansion of portions of the blank, the crutch will act as an anvil and
there will be an upward pressure exerted upon the dies proportional to the area of the
heads 32 and the expansive force of the metal. All tendency to displacement of the
dies by reason of this upwardly acting force is counterbalanced by the fluid pressure
cylinder 27 acting through the heads 32 which engage shoulders in the dies as
hereinbefore described.
As shown in Fig. 8, the apparatus may be modified so as to operate upon one end of
the blank at a time. In this single apparatus as I prefer to term it, the shaping dies
are made so as to enclose only about half the blank and only one plunger is employed

page_text: in the upsetting operation. The dies are opened and closed by means of wedges as
in the double apparatus, said wedges being provided with shanks sufficiently long and
arranged at such a distance apart that the fluid pressure cylinder employed for
operating the plunger may be arranged between said shanks.
In order to ensure the proper adjustment of both ends of the blank within the dies
I provide a stop 33 so located as to properly adjust the blank within the dies for the
first upsetting operation. As this upsetting operation shortens the blank considerably,
I provide a sliding block 34 which can be moved across the face of the stop 33 into
line with the axis of the dies by means of the lever 35. This block is made of a thick-
ness equal to the amount of reduction effected by the first upsetting operation, and
after one end of the blank has been shaped the blank is removed from the dies, the
block 34 moved into position, and the opposite end of the blank placed in the dies, the
end of the blank previously operated on resting against the block 34.
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 an apparatus for the manufacture of axles, the combination of separable dies
having their meeting faces recessed to form a matrix and a plunger operative against
the end of a blank held by said dies, substantially as set forth.
2. In an apparatus for manufacturing axles, the combination of separable dies
having their meeting faces recessed to form a matrix and plungers operative in
opposite directions against ends of a blank held by said dies, substantially as set
forth.
3. In an apparatus for the manufacture of axles, the combination of stationary
jaws, separable dies located between said jaws, wedges interposed between the
jaws and dies and adapted to open and close the latter and plungers operative in
opposite directions against the ends of a blank held by said dies, substantially as
set forth.
4. In an apparatus for the manufacture of axles, the combination of separable
dies having their meeting faces recessed to form a matrix and crutches movable
transversely of the matrix and having their faces forming a part of said matrix, sub-
stantially as set forth.
5. In an apparatus for the manufacture of axles, the combination of separable dies,
plungers operative on the ends of the blank held by said dies, crutches movable
transversely of the dies and having their heads arranged in recesses in the dies,
and a fluid pressure cylinder for operating said crutches, substantially as set
forth.
6. In an apparatus for the manufacture of axles, the combination of stationary
jaws, separable dies arranged between said jaws, sectional wedges arranged between
the dies and jaws and interlocking with the dies, substantially as set forth.
7. In an apparatus for the manufacture of axles, the combination of stationary
jaws, separable dies located between said jaws, wedges arranged between the dios
and jaws, and a fluid pressure cylinder for operating the wedges, substantially as set
forth.
8. In an apparatus for the manufacture of axles, the combination of separable
dies, plungers for operating on the opposite ends of a blank held by the dies
and fluid pressure cylinders located at one end of the dies, one of the cylinders
having its piston rod connected to one of the plungers, the other cylinders having
their rods connected through suitable mechanism to the other plunger, substantially
as set forth.
9. As an improvement in the art of manufacturing axles, the method herein
described which consists in forming a blank by rolling or forging of a uniform cross
sectional size throughout its entire length, such cross sectional size being equal to the
smallest cross sectional size of the axle to be formed, i.e. at its middle portion and of
a length greater than that required in such axle and then by an upsetting operation

page_text: reducing such blank in length and simultaneously enlarging portions thereof between
the reduced middle portion and the ends to the shape and dimensions required in such
portions in the finished axle, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 20th day of November 1889.
CARPMAEL & Co.,
Agents.