IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS USED FOR REMOVING AXLE BOXES FROM WHEELS
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Drabble, of Southwark Bridge Road, in the
County of Surrey, Patent Axletree Manufacturer, for the Invention of
Sealed the 27th February 1866, and dated the 4th September 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Drabble at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 4th
September 1865.
JOSEPH DRABBLE, of Southwark Bridge Road, in the County of Surrey,
Patent Axletree Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS USED FOR REMOVING AXLE BOXES
FROM WHEELS," to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to an improved apparatus for removing axle boxes
from wheels. Hitherto it has been usual to punch out the axle box from the
hub or stock with a piece of wood and sledge hammer, the wheel being placed
on the ground for the purpose, by which method there is, great liability of
the axle box becoming broken.
According to this Invention, the wheel being placed in a horizontal position
on the ground, I introduce a stem or mandril through the hole previously
occupied by the axletree, the end of which stem has a large head on which
the wheel stock rests; this stem is made of sufficient length to rise some dis-
tance above the stock, and so as to receive a hollow metal cap or bonnet
having a flange round the lower edge, which is placed in position thereon so

page_text: as to rest on the upper side of the stock. Towards the upper end of the stem
before mentioned I make a long slot therein of suitable length, one-half to
two-thirds of which is above the cap or bonnet. In this slot I insert
two wedges of taper form on opposite sides of the stem, when by driving
these wedges with a hammer or otherwise they, by reason of their taper form,
are caused to bear the one on the end of the slot in the stem and the other
on the top of the cap and bonnet bearing on the top of the stock, and as the
head of the stem is in close contact with the axle box beneath, the wedge
action tends to raise the stem and draw with it the axle box out of the stock
to an extent equal to the length of the slot in the stem below the top of the
cap; this I may be two inches or so only, which is sufficient for the purpose
desired.
Instead of using wedges acting in a slot in the stem as described, I may
make a screw thread on the upper part of said stem, and apply a nut thereon
to be turned by a key or spanner for effecting the desired purpose of drawing
out the axle box. I also apply collars either between the head of the stem
and the stock or between the wedges and the cap, to suit the various sizes of
axle boxes and to ensure the proper action of the wedges,
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Joseph Drabble in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
3rd March 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSEPH
DRABBLE, of Southwark Bridge Road, in the County of Surrey, Patent
Axletree Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-ninth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Joseph Drabble, Her special licence that I, the said Joseph
Drabble, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said Joseph Drabble, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should
at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all
times thereafter 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
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS USED FOR REMOVING AXLE BOXES FROM WHEELS,"

page_text: upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Joseph Drabble,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or
their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascer-
tain 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 Joseph Drabble, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the Sheet of Drawings hereunto
annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):
This Invention relates to an improved apparatus for removing axle boxes
from wheels. Hitherto it has been usual to punch or drive out the axle
boxes from the hub or stock with a piece of wood and sledge hammer, the
wheel being placed on the ground for the purpose, by which method there is
great liability of the axle box becoming broken.
According to this Invention, the wheel is placed in a horizontal position on
the ground, but previously to which I introduce a stem or mandril through
the box, the end of which stem has a head on which the axle box rests; this
stem is made of sufficient length to rise some distance above the stock, so as
to receive a hollow metal cap or bonnet having a flange round the lower edge,
which is placed in position on the stem so as to rest on the upper end of the
stock or hub. Towards the upper end of the stem or bolt I make a long
slot therein of suitable length, one-half or two-thirds of which projects above
the crown of the cap or bonnet. In this slot I insert one or two cotters of
taper form; if two are used I insert them on opposite sides of the stem. By
driving these cotters with a hammer or otherwise they, by reason of their taper
form, are caused to bear the one on the end of the slot in the stem and the
other on the top of the cap or bonnet resting on the top of the stock, and as
the head of the stem is in close contact with the axle box beneath, the wedge
action tends to raise the stem and draws with it the axle box out of the stock
to an extent equal to the length of the slot in the stem below the top of the
cap; this may be two inches or so only, which is sufficient for the purpose
desired.
Instead of using wedges acting in a slot in the stem or bolt as desired; I
may make a screw thread on the upper part of said stem and apply a nut
thereon to be turned by a key or spanner for effecting the desired purpose of
drawing out the axle box. I also apply collars either between the head of

page_text: the stem and the box or between the wedges and the cap, to suit the various
sizes of axle boxes and ensure the proper action of the wedges.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 represents an edge view of a wheel with my improved apparatus
inserted for the purpose of withdrawing the axle box from the hub or nave ;
Fig. 2 represents a sectional view of the hub and apparatus on an enlarged
scale; while Fig. 3 is a plan of Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 an elevation of the parts
of the apparatus detached and separate from the hub.
a, a, is the bolt or stem, the lower end of which is screwed, and nuts b
placed thereon, which serve to regulate the length between the collars and
shoulder formed by them and the slot c formed on the upper part, the said
distance or length being adjusted according to the size of nave which is to be
operated upon; d is a hollow cast-iron bonnet or cap placed above the hub
through which the stem a passes, the length of the stem a being regulated so
that the slot c is for about one-half of its length below the top of the cap'd,
while the upper half is above and available for the insertion of the tapered
cotters or wedges e, as seen, or it may be two cotters each of half the breadth,
one inserted in the opposite direction to the other; however I find for all
practical purposes one is sufficient. By driving the cotter e through the slot
with the hammer it readily starts the box f from the hub g, and draws it
sufficiently to loosen it so that it may be readily lifted out of the hub. The
slot c may be considerably longer and lower down, and one cotter placed
above another, and the drawing effected to a greater extent than that shown,
and so pull the box quite out of the hub, or nearly so, if desired.
Instead of a cotter and slot for drawing the box as described, the stem or
bolt a may be furnished with a solid head k only, and screwed and furnished
with a nut at the upper part, as represented in Figs. 5 and 6; Fig. 5
representing a section of hub with apparatus applied, while Fig. 6 represents
the apparatus detached. The cap d is placed on the hub as before, and the
nut h applied above it, as seen in Fig. 5, by applying a wrench or spanner to
the nut h, and screwing it down hard on the cap d, at same time preventing
the wheel turning round the bolt will draw the axle box i up within the cap d
and from out of the hub or nave, as desired. The cap d is of course made of
a height so as to permit of drawing the box sufficiently out of the nave to be
loose therein, and so that it may subsequently be lifted out by hand.
Having described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected by
the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the application of the

page_text: apparatus, herein described and represented in the Drawings annexed to the
withdrawing or removal of axle boxes from wheels, or any mere modification
thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Drabble, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Second day of March, in the year of our Lord.
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
Witness,
W. CLARK,
Patent Agent,
53, Chancery Lane,
London.
JOSEPH DRABBLE. (L.B.)